In an effort to provide barrier-free access to public transport, smaller rail transport companies in particular are taking creative approaches to modernising their fleets.
Thüringerwaldbahn und Straßenbahn Gotha GmbH had already taken over various second-hand Düwag articulated trams from Mannheim and Bochum for its metre-gauge network in the “post-reunification period” in the 1990s. A total of ten single-direction wagons from Mannheim (no. 318, 320, 324, 395, 396, 401, 408, 412, 442, 443 – not renumbered) and six two-direction wagons from BoGeStra (502, 507, 528, 579, 590, 592 ex BoGestra 2, 7, 28, 79, 90, 92) came to Gotha, none of which have been in service for some time. Since the necessary funds for the purchase of new coaches were not available, but the railway administration wanted to offer barrier-free access on at least some routes, in 2011 they remembered the good connections to Rhein-Neckar Verkehr (rnv) and initially acquired four Düwag articulated trams from there, which had been extended to eight-axle vehicles in Mannheim at the beginning of the 1990s by adding a low-floor middle section. They also retained their former tramcar numbers 505, 508, 521 and 522 in Gotha, followed in 2019 by tram 518 as a spare parts donor and 516 as a tram driver’s school. The three coaches 505, 508 and 521 are still in service today. However, due to their age of now some 60 years, replacement is inevitable on sight, and of course the otherwise used eleven Tatra KT4D short articulated wagons are also to be replaced on sight due to their high-floor design.
In 2018, Thüringerwaldbahn und Straßenbahn Gotha GmbH acquired six eight-axle articulated trams from Basel, which Waggonfabrik Schindler had delivered to Baselland Transport AG (BLT) between 1978 and 1981 – for use on its interurban lines. Initially, they ran as six-axle tramcars on the network, but already in 1988-95 they were extended to eight-axle trams by adding a middle section with low-floor entrance. The trams, which were in very good condition, seemed to be an almost ideal transitional solution for the expansion of the stock of vehicles with barrier-free access, but the technical adaptation to German regulations and the subsequent approval turned out to be very time-consuming. Since workshop capacities are also not unlimmited, the commissioning in Gotha can only take place over a longer period of time. On 7 December 2021, the ex-BLT tram 222 was the first to be put into service; in the meantime, tram 221 has also been completed and is in service, and tram 204 is to follow in July. The remaining three acquired tramcars 206, 223 and 252 are still to be converted.
Once again, Gotha decided to keep the old vehicle numbers. The livery of the trams has only been slightly changed; instead of red, the wide decorative stripe is now blue, so the trams are similar to the livery of the ex-Mannheim trams. The Schindler articulated trams are reliable and the ride is smooth and make a trip on the almost 22 km long interurban line of the Thüringerwaldbahn even more attractive.
Together with the three remining ex Rhein-Neckar Düwag trams still in service, a total of nine partially low-floor trams will be available for the daily service in future. The corresponding journeys with these vehicles are noted in the timetable, so that in particular passengers with limited mobility can adjust their travel plans accordingly.
In the longer term, with the procurement of new trams for the complete conversion to low-floor services is on the agenda, provided sufficient funding from federal and state subsidies is available. Thüringerwaldbahn und Straßenbahn Gotha GmbH has just started the so-call “industry dialogue” – a kind of market sounding prior to a formal bidding process. Subject is the purchase of 10 new low-floor tramcars (therof 6 as option) starting in 2025, see: https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:331169-2023:TEXT:DE:HTML&src=0.
But even today, in its current form, the journey through the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest is a very special experience and highly recommended. The sympathetic public transport operator is definitely having its share in that – ensuring that this environmental-friendly way of travelling remains part of this experience for a long time to come.
