Stadtbahn Bielefeld
YouTube name: Klingl3r.
Language: German.
Date: July 14, 2011.
City: Bielefeld (Germany).
The video shows
MoBiel
Operational
Bielefeld tram line 3: Babenhausen Süd - Dürkopp Tor 6
Operational
Description
Bielefeld is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The tram system in Bielefeld was opened in 1900. The tracks are in narrow gauge (1000 mm). In the 60ties it was planned to convert it into a Stadtbahn (can be described as a light metro, a mix of subway and tram, but more a tram than a subway because it still operates on the road.
The construction works began in the 70thies end and ended in 1991 when the tunnel section in the inner-city was opened. The classical tramway cars were mostly sold, some were converted for the use in the renewed system. Some of them are still in service in the citys they were sold, e.g. the M-trams in Mainz.
Rolling stock:
From 1982-1987 M8C trams were bought from DUWAG. This type is also in use in other cities.
They always operate in pairs. They have folding steps for access from high platforms and street surface.
From 1994-1998 M8D trams were bought together with trailers which are coupled in the middle of them.
These vehicles don't have anything in common with the classical M/N tram family,
for me they are more like a high floor version of the MGT6D.
The D stands for Drehstrom, rotary current power.
As they only have one drivers cab they must operate in pairs.
For replacing the M8C trams the operating company bought some trams of the type VAMOS from the manufacturer Heiterblick in Leipzig. I took a pic of the prototype in the depot Sieker. For me the Stadtbahn Bielefeld is a more successful system than the system mishmash in the Ruhr area where often totally different systems share the tracks. Just my opinion.
