- Flexity Classic
The Flexity Classic is a model of light-rail
tram manufactured byBombardier . Although it is marketed as the most traditionally-designed member of the "Flexity " family, it is nevertheless a modern bi-directional articulated tram with a low-floor section allowing improved accessibility, especially to passengers inwheelchair s. Flexity Classic runs onstandard gauge (1435 mm) as well as 1450mm in Dresden.It is used by a number of German cities,
Norrköping ,Sweden ; inKraków andGdańsk ,Poland . Flexity Classics were chosen to replace heritage trams used on the Glenelg tramline inAdelaide ,Australia , as they are a proven design and have low maintenance requirements. This variant hasvigilance control .The Flexity Classic’s closest competitors are
Alstom ’sCitadis , theCombino and Avanto from Siemens, and Bombardier's other "Flexity" trams.Adelaide
In 2006,
TransAdelaide began to replace the H class cars operating on their Glenelg tramway with a fleet of eleven Flexity Classic trams. The first of the new Flexitys was delivered to the Glengowrie depot in November 2005 and entered public service on9 January 2006 . Delivery continued in small batches through 2006, with new trams operating the Glenelg line side-by-side with the H-class in the interim.The Flexitys are painted in a standard
Adelaide Metro colour scheme of white, with yellow, blue and red ends, very similar to Adelaide’s metropolitan bus fleet, although many now run corporate advertising top-to-bottom on the sides and only have the "safety yellow" ends. They have a low floor layout throughout, except over the bogies, and are accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs through each of the three sets of doors. The new cars have many features common in modern public transit vehicles which are absent on the H-class – for example, airconditioning, heating, recorded video surveillance and automated audio and visual announcements of the next stop. TransAdelaide continues to operate the Flexitys with roving conductors, although these are not now needed for safe operation of the cars.Unlike the H-class, Flexitys cannot be coupled into two-car sets at busy times and always run as a single vehicle. The internal layout is designed to accommodate wheelchairs and large numbers of standing passengers. The relative lack of seating (compared to the H-class), together with other minor teething problems, resulted in some adverse comments from commuters and local media when the Flexitys first entered service.
The original unit 103 was destroyed during shipping. It is now held in storage at Transadelaide's Glengowrie depot storage for spare parts. Bombardier subsequently delivered a replacement 103, and this was the final tram currently to be delivered. 4 more units 112 to 115 are on order and will eventually enter service in a few years.
Dresden and Leipzig
The Flexity Classic XXL model was developed for the Dresden Transport Authority by the German factory
Bombardier Transportation inBautzen . It is 45 m long, runs on twelve axles and has a capacity of 260 passengers with 153 seats.The Flexity Classic XXL (classification NGT D12DD) has, because of Dresden's altitude differences of 100 metres, a
power-to-weight ratio of 112 kg/hp. The tram has been in service since 2003 and serves tram lines with a high peak load of passengers. The exterior is specially designed for the Dresden Transport Authority, which owns 32 trams.The Flexity Classic XXL is also in service in
Leipzig ,Germany (classification NGT12-LEI) with the Leipzig Transport Authority (LVB). Although the exterior design is customized, the tram offers the same capacity. It has been in service since 2005. This series of 24 trams is still in production. The LVB first ordered 12 trams of this type, but exercised an option for another 12 trams in September 2005.Around the world
References
External links
* [http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/products-services/rail-vehicles/light-rail-vehicles?docID=0901260d8000a536 Flexity official site]
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