CarGoTram

The CarGoTram was a freight tram in Dresden, Germany. It supplied Volkswagen's "Transparent Factory" with parts for car assembly.

CarGoTram
The CarGoTram
ManufacturerSchalker Eisenhütte
Maschinenfabrik GmbH
Constructed2000
Number built2
Formation5 EMU + 7 middle carriages
Specifications
Train length59,400 mm (194 ft 10 5⁄8 in)
Width2,200 mm (86 5⁄8 in)
Maximum speed50 km/h (31 mph)
Weight90 t (89 long tons; 99 short tons)
Power output20 × 45 kW (60.35 hp) = 900 kW (1,207 hp)
Track gauge1,450 mm (4 ft 9 3⁄32 in)

History
CarGoTram ran by Volkswagen in Dresden. Trams operated by the service were used to carry freight, as opposed to passengers.

The idea of building a "transparent factory" for Volkswagen automobile production in Dresden arose in 1997. On 3 March 2000, Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG (DVB AG, Dresden Public Transport Co.) and Volkswagen Automobil-Manufaktur Dresden GmbH signed a contract for the CarGoTram. Car parts were to be transported by tram from the logistics center in Dresden Friedrichstadt to the new factory, using infrastructure normally used for passenger trams. The 4 km (2.5 mi) long route from the logistics center to the factory ran straight through the inner city of Dresden; the use of trucks would have caused an increase of traffic in the city.

Two CarGoTrams were built by Schalker Eisenhütte Maschinenfabrik GmbH Gelsenkirchen, at a cost of 6.5 million Deutsche Mark each.

The freight tram was officially introduced in Dresden on 16 November 2000 and had its first test run on 3 January 2001.

Production of the VW Phaeton in Dresden ended in March 2016. The service restarted for production of the VW e-Golf in March 2017.[1]

After the first rumors appeared in mid 2020 that the CarGoTram will be soon out of service, Volkswagen finally announced on 19 October 2020 that it will stay in service until late December 2020. The reason for this would be the end of the production of the VW e-Golf and the new logistics concept for the start of the VW ID.3 production.[2] The last service was planned for the 23 December 2020.

On 10 December 2020, around two weeks before the last planned day in service, a van crashed in one of the CarGoTrams. The tram was turning right to the entry of the Gläserne Manufaktur ("Transparent Factory") as the car probably passed a red traffic light and collided with the tram. Both vehicles were damaged. As the other CarGoTram was also not in service at that time, this accident eventually was the end of service for the CarGoTram. If it will be in service again transporting other goods for another company someday is currently unclear.[3]

Route

CarGoTram ran every hour. If necessary, it could run every 40 minutes. Several different routes were used. The main route went from the logistics center in Friedrichstadt via Postplatz and Grunaer Straße to Straßburger Platz and finally on to the factory. If there was heavy traffic, the tram could also take route via the main station or other routes.

Technology

The CarGoTram is a bidirectional vehicle consisting of 5 segments. The standard formation was three freight units and two combination freight/control units. The control cars have less capacity (7,500 kg or 16,500 lb) than the middle cars (15,000 kg or 33,000 lb), because of space devoted to the driver’s cab. Total capacity is the equivalent of three trucks (214 m3 or 7,600 cu ft).

The running gear for the tram was recycled from out-of-service Tatra trams, mostly Tatra T4. The bodies were newly built.

All axles of the control car as well as the middle cars were driven.

The CarGoTram consists of five segments.

See also

References
  1. "Freight tram to support electric car production". Metro Report. DVV Media. Archived from the original on 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  2. "VW Gläserne Manufaktur - Logistikkonzept ID.3". VW Gläserne Manufaktur (in German). Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  3. "Zwei Wochen vor Betriebsschluss: Cargo-Tram kollidiert mit Auto". TAG24 (in German). Retrieved 2021-01-10.
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