A'noon everyone…

It's been several months since I last got to drive the particular tram which I intend to illustrate in today's post, but now that I did do so during yesterday's shift, I was thinking it might be of interest to you.

With a procurement programme for a new low floor tram – derived from the Solaris Tramino design and per its intended configuration with ten wheelsets designated NGT10 – having been launched last year and a phase-out of our Tatras thus being scheduled to occur in the next couple of years, another modernisation programme first conceived about six years ago focuses on enabling at least part of the NGT8 fleet to be more effectively used on highly frequented lines. These cars had been procured in the mid-1990s when inner-German migration after unification had led to a declining population of Leipzig as a whole, and thus to dwindling ridership numbers. With the city's population and public transport ridership but having markedly increased during the past few years, the NGT8s have since proven to be rather too small for several lines which they need to be booked on, and to have too few doors.

This programme therefore proposes to upgrade at least more than half of our 56 NGT8s for operating with the NB4 trailers. In 2011, 1101 "Johann Sebastian Bach" was therefore rebuilt to serve as a demonstrator and to gather operational experience.

On the whole, this rebuild was eventually deemed worthwhile for further implementation, to which end – according to my information – all NGT8s had been provided with strengthened articulation joints during their last round of revisions so as to facilitate the completion of the trailer upgrade at a later date. Several weeks ago, 1148 "Christian Fürchtegott Gellert" was thus booked as the next NGT8 to receive this upgrade, and has made its first (very short) test ride with trailer 931 on 13 July.

I should also mention that several NB4 trailers to have had new revisions have also been upgraded to be compatible with the NGT8s, so 1101 has inevitably been needed for their post-revision acceptance tests.

In revenue service, 1101 is currently coupled to trailer 917, and with few exceptions usually booked onto Turn 1163. The set is often referred to as the "Secret Weapon" or, occasionally, the "Sacred Cow", just to explain the title for this post!

Here, 1101-917 is seen in the evening sunlight at the Markkleeberg Ost loop. I was delighted to note it has since been outfitted with revised door controls – expected to be provided on all NGT8s – which make the doors much faster to respond and add a closing alarm.

A look at 917 at the aft end, having travelled north to Schkeuditz.

And a look at the NB4 interior. Note the seating bays in the bogie areas. As on our trams proper, there is a shunting control stand at the aft end of each trailer, hidden by a lockable fold-up panel.

While the breakdown towing couplers provided on both ends of all NGT8s are generally folded in and stowed behind the front and rear fairings, the trailer coupler can no longer be so stowed, and like on the Tatras needs to be centred with a retention bar if not used. It's common practice for couplers to be protected with these weatherproof hoods.

In the cab, a second loudspeaker is provided for the emergency intercom from the trailer…

…while the control desk was amended with a pair of buttons for handling calls from this intercom device, and a lighted acknowledgment button for trailer system malfunctions which is seen – slightly out of focus – at the very left edge of the instrument panel.

If this indicator lights up permanently, one of three malfunctions will have occurred – trailer battery charger failure, non-releasing trailer brake, or (in the cold months) a trailer heating failure. The battery charger failure essentially is a "Red Alert" kind of event where all you can do is going CAPE and attempt to reach the nearest stabling area or depot as the trailer brakes will eventually go into undervolt and apply – requiring manual pumping action to release.

As for driving these "NGT8B" sets as they're generally referred to in our working timetables, the trailer's additional weight is, of course, impossible to not notice. Acceleration is reduced rather significantly, especially uphill, and depending on how well any given trailer is adjusted, you will notice a more or less gentle jolt from behind when braking. I would therefore tend to rate these sets as "okay" to handle but not stellar.

Well, so much for the moment. Thanks for reading!