Germany, Switzerland: The rolling stock manufacturer is rolling out a comprehensive retrofit programme.
It has already achieved its first results and has committed to remedying the shortcomings at its own expense, incorporating the modifications into series production. TINA trams had previously drawn complaints from several customers—in Basel, Switzerland, and in the German cities of Darmstadt and Halle—and acceptance was even suspended at one stage.
In Basel, Stadler has already retrofitted all 25 trams from this family. Additional yaw dampers have been fitted, the wheel profile has been changed, the magnetic track brakes have been recalibrated, and the bogie skirts have been redesigned. Service data shows a 3.7 dB reduction in noise, bringing levels down to those of the TANGO-platform trams Stadler supplied to the city between 2008 and 2016. According to local operator BLT, the targets for acoustic noise reduction have been met.
Work to minimise ground-borne vibrations from the TINA fleet will, however, continue. One tram is to be fitted with resilient wheelsets, with testing scheduled for early July. The effectiveness of this measure will be assessed by measuring vibration and noise levels in the urban environment.
In Darmstadt and Halle, meanwhile, retrofit work on all the trams delivered so far (more than 30 vehicles in total) will begin once local technical regulators have given their approval.
Stadler says it will carry out the work at its own expense. Once certified, the new technical solutions will be incorporated into series production, and future deliveries will come with the upgraded metre-gauge (1,000 mm) bogies as standard. A total of 25 five-section trams is due for Darmstadt and 56 three- and five-section trams for Halle. Further orders for rolling stock from this family have come from Gera, Görlitz and Zwickau.
TINA trams are also in service in The Hague and Rostock, although no major complaints have come from these cities, which use 1,435 mm standard gauge. Stadler notes that high noise and vibration levels arise “in historically developed tram networks with tight curves, numerous points and varying track construction.”
