Russia: Sinara – GRT (part of Sinara – Transport Machines, STM) has been granted the certificate of compliance over a three-year period for the low-floor 71-233A model fitted with bogies for operation on 1,524 mm gauge tracks. Following the successful trial runs in Ekaterinburg, the first prototype was accepted, and the pre-series batch of 50 units was approved.
STM has been developing the 71-233 model for several years, with the first tram presented at this summer’s INNOPROM exhibition (you can learn more from ROLLINGSTOCK’s exclusive article on the tram). As noted by STM, the 71-233A features the maximum passenger capacity in the tram family, ensuring accommodation for 297 people. The interior includes 70 seats, 65% of them with level-floor accessibility. The tram has a fully welded, all-steel load-bearing body frame with the integration of composite materials.
Specially for the new tram, the manufacturer has designed a wheel flange lubrication system and a low-floor bogie with an adjustable suspension system and the externally installed motor-reduction drive unit. The applied design solutions are reported to reduce noise by 20% and save energy by 15%, simultaneously minimising the rail wear in comparison with predecessor tram models.
Ekaterinburg’s administration informed Signal. Ural, a local media outlet, that the 71-233A tram will undergo a further trial run on the city network for six months. The certification procedures are also underway for another tram model, fitted with bogies for operation on 1,435 mm gauge tracks. This model will be tested in Rostov-on-Don. In addition, a 1,524 mm gauge single-car tram will also enlarge the producer’s portfolio, according to STM’s previous notifications.
The serial production of trams is planned to be launched at the Uralhimmash plant in Ekaterinburg. The investment project was announced this summer and received state support. The annual production capacity is going to be 200 tram sections. The vehicles are expected to be delivered under STM’s concession projects as well as contracts with cities. This autumn, the manufacturer was discussing a possible offset contract with Ekaterinburg, which envisages a major renewal of its fleet in the coming years.
