The first low-floor tram arrives in Liepaja / Article / LSM.lv

The first new low-floor tram wagon specially manufactured for the city has arrived in Liepāja from the Croatian capital Zagreb. The whole night passed, putting it on the tram tracks of the city, but when it will start transporting passengers, SIA “Liepājas tramvajs” is not really clear yet.

Currently, 16 trams manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s travel along the streets of Liepājas. It is planned to replace them with 14 new low-floor wagons in the next two years for a total amount of approximately 20 million euros.

On Monday, the new low-floor tram wagon manufactured by Končar – Electric Vehicles started its way from the port of Liepaja to the tram depot at eleven o’clock in the evening, when it arrived at the right place an hour later, trying to place it in the depot area.

It turns out that the battery of the tram car on its way to Liepāja is dead. First they tried to “revive” it by using two cars, then it was decided to add a pantograph to receive energy from the tram’s electrical wires. After a while, it succeeded, and the new wagon arrived at the depot only in the morning.

Currently, there is a clear schedule for the delivery of six such trams, while the concluded agreements provide that six additional wagons will arrive in Liepaja by 2022. Documentation is being prepared for the purchase of two more trams.

“First of all, they will be a completely new generation of trams, more comfortable, quieter, also different in terms of design.

The first and main benefit is that it will be easier to get in, there will be more comfortable seats, a more comfortable salon for mothers with prams and people with disabilities, ”said Aigars Puks, a member of the board of SIA Liepājas tramvajs.

Before the new low-floor tram arrived in Liepaja, it was tested in Zagreb for about a week, for example, the operation of the brake system was tested, both in empty and full wagon conditions, simulating the weight of passengers.

Initially, practical classes were also planned for the employees of “Liepājas tramvaja” who went there, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic it did not succeed, but the employees had gained an impression of the advantages of the new tram compared to the old wagons.

“The difference is that the old ones are controlled with pedals, this one has a hand control lever. This is the biggest difference for the driver. The level of comfort is incomparably more comfortable: a more comfortable chair, air conditioning in the driver’s cab. There will no longer be a sauna effect in the summer, ”admitted the tram driver Mārtiņš Ķesteris.

Initially, it was planned to run the first tram car along the streets of Liepāja already in November, currently SIA “Liepājas tramvajs” is not clear when this will happen, taking into account the fact that due to Covid-19 it is not known when the company could arrive in Liepāja. Končar ” representatives who would train Liepāja staff.

Until then, the reconstruction of the Liepāja tram depot has to be completed, as well as the reconstruction of stops. This is also mentioned as an important factor by the surveyed residents of Liepaja, who are mostly happy with the purchase of the new trams.

In total, 20 million euros have been allocated from the state, local government, as well as Cohesion Funds for the purchase of new wagons of the Liepāja tram, reconstruction of railway sections and stops.

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