The first Russian tram with an aluminium body was shown to the Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov during his working visit to the Nevsky Electric Transport Plant named after F. Pirotsky (part of PC Transport Systems).
The company manufactured its first trams with an aluminium interior three years ago, and the Aluminium Association members took an active part in the project. Thus, Krasnoyarsk Machine-building Components Company supplied interiors for trams.
Vityaz-Leningrad is a new version 71-931 M tram which is going to inherit the most advanced solutions already implemented in the latest Vityaz M trams. Due to the redesigned tram bogie, the movement of the car will become even smoother and quieter. The exterior design and ergonomics of the cabin will also be remodeled: LED lighting lines, modern climate control systems, displays with route information, USB connectors for charging and new-type Wi-Fi routers. The tramcar will also be equipped with modern control systems, video surveillance, GLONASS/GPS sensors, comfortable stainless-steel seats and wide doors with memory function.
“We have almost finished manufacturing the first Russian tram with aluminium body,” stated Felix Vinokur, President of PC Transport Systems. “We set an ambitious goal of manufacturing the first all-aluminium tram in Russia. Our innovative vehicle was named Leningrad as a sign of respect for the distinguished history of St. Petersburg tram construction industry. This is the very city where Fedor Pirotsky, the inventor of the tram and the namesake of our Nevsky E-Transport Plant, lived and worked”.
PC Transport Systems also insisted a passive safety system be installed in all trams of this model – a self-engineered emergency crash system designed to reduce the risk of passenger injuries and road accidents, as well as protect the main parts of the tramcar structure in case of emergency situation.
Energy-absorbing body parts and hydrodynamic crash elements on the front and rear bumpers of the tramcar can absorb kinetic energy. This is the first time this technology has been applied in construction of tram bodies in Russia.
In order to create the first aluminium tram body, PC Transport Systems had to completely modernize its own production facility in the city of Tver – the Tver Mechanical Plant of Electric Transport. With its new equipment the plant can rework aluminium profiles, weld, paint and assemble basic tram structures (windows, cab, floors, etc.). This is a unique Russian production facility.
The final assembly of the tram (installation of engines, seats, electrical equipment and interior furnishings), trials, and break-in are performed by the Nevsky E-Transport Plant, St. Petersburg.
PC Transport Systems is also considering producing all urban electric vehicles with a modernized frame. The company is going to supply new three-section aluminium trams both to the Russian market and abroad.
45 trams manufactured by PC Transport Systems – namely ten 71-931 Vityaz trams, three 71-923 Bogatyr trams, and thirty-two 71-931M Vityaz M trams – are currently in operation in St. Petersburg.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Aluminium and aluminium alloys are used in the construction of trams due to their strength and stiffness characteristics. Aluminium does not lose its flexibility and retains its shape for a long time, unlike steel, which wears down faster and can change its shape under natural conditions and due to physical impact. Aluminium alloys are highly resistant to corrosion: they can almost double the service life of a tram (more than 30 years) and reduce repair and maintenance costs as it is no longer necessary to change tram parts due to the better fatigue resistance of welded seams. Aluminium allows also reduce the weight of the tram body by 20-40% compared to traditional or high-carbon steel, which makes it possible to reduce the load on the rails and, therefore, to increase the service life of the tracks.