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Modertrans delivers new 4-axle low-floor tram to Tramwaje Śląskie (Silesian Tramways)

The first Moderus Beta MF 10 AC built by Modertrans for the Silesian Trams I © Modertrans Poznań

Tramway manufacturer Modertrans Poznań recently delivered the first out of 10 new four-axle low-floor trams for the Silesian Tramways. Silesia’s tramway operator, Tramwaje Śląskie S.A., ordered 10 new single-section trams in 2018. The order has a volume of 29 million Złoty (ca. 6.4 million Euros) excluding taxes, equaling to 640,000 Euro per tram. The procurement has been co-funded by the European Union. There is an option for five further trams. All but two are uni-directional. The two bi-directional trams will replace the two N-type trams, built in 1949/ 1951 which are operating on Bytom’s famous 1.5 km “shuttle” line 38 whereas the other trams will be deployed on tram line 24 in Sosnowiec. In Katowice and Silesia, there are still ca. 200, partly modernised 105N/Na high-floor trams in service which will need to be replaced gradually in the upcoming years. Tramwaje Śląskie continues to invest heavily in the renewal of its vehicle fleet: From mid-2020 on, Tramwaje Śląskie will receive a total of 35 three-section low-floor articulated trams from Pesa. At the same time, the existing vehicles of the 116Nd and 105N series and Pt (ex Frankfurt) will be modernized.

The low-floor interior of the Moderus Beta MF 10 AC I © Modertrans Poznań

Back to the new Modertrans trams: The new trams are called Moderus Beta MF 10 AC have a length of some 14.91 m and a width of 2.4 m. Their low-floor design and technology is based on Poznań’s Moderus Gamma trams. So far, four axle trams with a throughtout low floor design and low floor entrances at the front, centre and rear have only been produced in Russia by PK TS and the Czech Republic by Pragoimex. The low-floor portion of the Moderus Beta MF 10 AC ca. 50 %, however there are only small steps above the two bogies, hence giving much more space and accessibility than conventional high-floor trams.

Side-view of the four-axle Modertrans low-floor tram I © Tramwaje Śląskie

The electrical equipment for Modertrans’ trams is developed and delivered by Enika and Medcom, two large Polish manufacturers for propulsion equipment. For the Moderus Beta MF 10 AC, the propulsion has been delivered by Enika. Looking at the interior, it is modern and bright. Konvekta delivered the air conditioning and heating unit. Furthermore, the tram is fitted with USB charging sockets, wheelchair ramps and an intelligent devices for visual and audio passenger information, sliding plug door and many others.

Due to the Corona/ Covid-19 crisis, the driver training cannot start yet. Therefore, the start of operation of the new Moderus Betas is Bytom and Sosnowiec is currently not known yet.

Modertrans, a Polish success story

Modertrans Poznań is a subsidiary of Poznań’s public transport operator MPK. It has specialized in the production, modernization, design and maintenance of trams and buses. Modertrans was established in 2005. The company’s shareholders are MPK Poznań (84.18% of shares) and the City of Poznań (15.82% of shares).

Since 2007/ 2008, Modertrans has grown to a significant player in the Polish tram business. With modernization and new-built projects in Elbląg, Gdańsk, Poznań, Szczecin and Wrocław, the company is continously growing. In 2019, Modertrans delivered a total of 50 Moderus Gamma low-floor trams to MPK Poznań. Most other cities purchased three-car articulated high-floor trams with a low-floor centre section.

Modertrans’ headquarters are located in Poznań, but all of production is located Biskupice Wielkopolskie, about 20 km north-east from Poznań. For now, Modertrans is focusing on the Polish tram market. This also corresponds to Modertrans’ current production capacity. Export markets might be a topic for the future.

More than 400 trams produced

Recently, Modertrans had its 400th tram anniversary. In January 2020, Modertrans delivered four Moderus Beta MF 09 AC trams to the city of Elbląg. One of the supplied trams is the 400th tram manufactured by the company. These trams are single-section, 14.3 m long, designed for 1.000 mm track and equipped with a centre low-floor entrance. The driver’s cabin is equipped with airconditioning. There are three double doors in the tram that open outwards. The vehicle is equipped with USB ports for charging mobile devices and monitoring.

Last updated 19/04/2020.

15.04.2020