The first of a total of 20 modern high-floor light rail vehicles arrived in Cologne during the night of Friday 11 December. The vehicle with the number 5301 was transported by truck from the manufacturer’s plant in Bautzen via Eisenhüttenstadt to the KVB’s main workshop in Weidenpesch. In 2015, the KVB awarded the contract for the delivery of the trams to the manufacturer Bombardier Transportation. The order was preceded by a Europe-wide invitation to tender, which was carried out together with Rheinbahn. We reported on the Rheinbahn vehicles here: https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/first-bombardier-hf6-for-dusseldorf-homologated-will-it-become-the-successor-of-the-legendary-b-type/
The new vehicles are to replace some of the old vehicles (B-type cars) that have been in service since the late 1970s and the 1980s respectively. However, they are also intended to expand the vehicle fleet, as more trams are urgently needed due to a constantly expanding public transport service. Currently, the KVB has 382 light rail vehicles in operation. The new trams will later be usable in the entire high-floor network. The investment volume for the procurement of the new vehicles is around 60 million euros.
Picture gallery (please click to open):
As a heavy transport, the low-loader was only allowed to travel at night I © Markus Vogelfänger/ stadtbahnkoeln.de 
Unloading of the first HF6 for Cologne in the early hours of 18 December I © KVB 
Still on the low-loader: side view of the 28-metre-long high-floor light rail vehicle I © Markus Vogelfänger/ stadtbahnkoeln.de
A second vehicle (no 5302) was delivered on 18 December. Both trams will be extensively tested in the coming months. The multitude of tests and measurements will cover, among other things, vehicle design, running behaviour, door control, braking systems, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, vehicle and train control, route tests or noise and vibration tests.
Air-conditioning systems and multifunction indicators
The vehicles are equipped with air-conditioning and air suspension to increase comfort for passengers and crew. The exterior destination displays allow a sharper display and higher contrast to improve readability. In the interior, the trams are equipped with multifunctional displays on which passenger information or advertising can later be shown.
The now following commissioning and trial programme with two vehicles will last until mid-2021. Passenger service is planned from July 2021. From the end of 2021, the remaining 18 vehicles will also be delivered and put into service at approximately two-week intervals. The delivery of the 20 high-floor vehicles of the HF6 series ordered in total will then be completed in 2022.
Picture gallery (please click to open):
Proud of the new vehicle: KVB boss Stefanie Haaks and board member Jörn Schwarze in front of the first HF6 I © KVB 
Proud of the new vehicle: KVB boss Stefanie Haaks and board member Jörn Schwarze in front of the first HF6 I © KVB 
In the early hours of 15 December, the first HF6 was transferred from the KVB main workshop in Weidenpesch to the Merheim depot © Markus Vogelfänger/ stadtbahnkoeln.de
Technical data
The six-axle light rail vehicles have a length of 28 m and a width of 2.65 m. The car body consists of a welded steel structure. The vehicles are bi-directional but have been fitted with only one driver’s cab per train as operation is planned in multiple units always. The empty weight is almost 40 tons. In the interior, there are 111 standing places and 64 seats. The top speed is 80 km / h. For use on the Düsseldorf and Cologne light rail network, the vehicles must meet both the rules of the BOStrab and the EBO.
In November, the KVB had awarded the contract for the procurement of 64 modern low-floor light rail vehicles to a consortium of Alstom Transport Deutschland GmbH and Kiepe Electric GmbH. We reported here:
Current information and pictures of the Cologne light rail system can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/stadtbahnkoeln.de
Sources: KVB, stadtbahnkoeln.de
19.12.2020
