News 6/2000

Brno: On 1st September some important changes were made in trolleybus network

-          line 132 runs daily only until 21.00

-          line 135 runs in rush hours only. In other times is replaced by 146 (see)

-          line 137 is out of service (replaced by 142)

-          line 142 runs in short intervals, (every 3 mins rush hours, every 5 min workdays, every 7,5 min sat+sun) to provide replacement for 137

-          line 145 is extended from Vinohrady, Palavske namesti to Novolisenska. On workdays after 20.00 and sat+sun whole day this line operate via Stara Osada

-          line 146 is extended from Vinohrady, Palavske namesti to Novolisenska. On workdays after 20.00 and sat+sun whole day this line operate via Stara Osada. Newly is in service daily 5.00 – 23.00 (sooner only workdays 5.00-20.00)

-          line 147is shortened to new route Stará Osada – Vinohrady, Pálavské náměstí and is in service only workdays. In other times is replaced by 145 or 146. Škoda 15Tr cars are still in service here. 

Since that time, no buses are in use on trolleybus lines, exception are two early morning services as a supplement to service 145.

Additionally, tramway network was altered:

-          line 3 is extended during workdays (5.00-21.00) and sat+sun (7.00-21.00) to endstation Bystrc, Ečerova, in other times ends in Komin as sooner

-          line 4 is served by 1xT3 tramcars. At this moment are still some services provided by 2xT3 cars, but this is only temporary solution, until some more T3 cars will be adapted for solo service. Solo service of T3 cars was not used since early 80’s. T6 cars are now used on lines 12 and 13.

-          line 11 was shortened during rush hours and on sat+sun (sat+sun 7.00 – 21.00) on loop Bystrc, Rakovecka, in all other times end on loop Komín

Night transport is organized quite differently now. Night trolleybus service is no longer provided (sooner was night service on 131,135,136,141 and 142) and tramway night service is limited to lines 1 and 8 only (sooner was night service on 1,2,4,8,11,13). All other night service is provided via new bus lines 92,93-97,99. This solution should provide better night transport, because bus lines can serve more places than sooner. Additionally, cost saving is expected. All night lines (except bus 93) have common transfer point in front of main railway station. For future is planned to renumber night tram service to 91 and 98.

Construction of new trolleybus route to railway station Kralovo Pole (and conversion of line 140 to trolleybus service) is delayed and was not finished for planned date 1st September 2000. Another possible term is 1st or 6th November 2000. During time of writing it looks, that this date is possible – all traction poles are erected and about half of wiring is on place.

Additional low-floor trolleybuses 21Tr were delivered. At least 3016-3027 are now in service. There were some unconfirmed rumours that delivery of 3028-3030 cars was cancelled. More details in next News. 

Hradec Králové: Trolleybuses Škoda 14Tr No. 09, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 a 20 were withdrawn because of delivery of new 21Tr cars. It is expected that these cars will be sold to some eastern countries

Liberec:T3 Car No. 36 (ex.Praha 6521) was withdrawn and scrapped

Ostrava:T3 Car No. 971 was modernized (new electric equipment Alsthom Progress, modernized interior, etc.) and will be sold to Izhevsk, Russia soon. 

Pardubice: Trolleybus line 33 (Hlavní nádraží – hypermarket Globus) is since1st July out of service due to lack of passengers. In summertime some important changes of trolleybus tracks in central area were implemented. Central crossing (where all trolleybus lines were in service) has now new wiring in direction Dukla/Zimni Stadion. Line 7 now runs directly straight and is not routed via narrow Sladkovskeho st. any more.

New track in Sukova street (northern of city center) was built in august. This route was formerly planned as a replacement of trolleybus track on Trida Miru (it was planned to abandon this track, but luckily this does not happen). Route in Sukova was opened on 31st August and line 11 is in service here in both directions.

Trolleybus track in very narrow Sladkovskeho street is now without regular service. Trolleybus wiring in northern direction was partly disconnected (but remained in place), in southern direction was not altered. It is expected to use this route as a big loop only in case of need (roadworks, accidents, etc.). Construction of new trolleybus route to Dubina was postponed for next year.

Praha: Construction of new metroline IV.C Nadrazi Holesovice – Letnany (see last News) started officially on 21st September 2000

Since 4.9. is tramway line 21 extended back to Sidliste Modrany. At same time are also on line 19 in service 2xT3 tramcar units (sooner 1xT3). Solo T3 cars are now on service on lines 2,14,21 (all time, but lines 2,21 are not on service sat+sun), on sat+sun there is also 1xT3 service on lines 7,11,16,19, Other daily lines are served by 2xT3 or 2xT6, cars KT-8 are additionally in service on lines 1,3,24, always together with 2xT3/T6 units.

In second half of September was held in Prague annual meeting of International Monetary Fund and of a World Bank. Dopravni podnik (a city transport company) was selected as official carrier and provided (bus) service between congress center, hotels and other places where events were held. Since 15.9. all low-floor buses (with few exceptions) were withdrawn from regular passengers service and were used for these special lines. Low floor buses returned into service on 1st October. Additionally on this date started withdrawal of some standard older buses that were used as a reserve during these times

4th day of open doors was on 14.10. Tramway depot Pankrac, bus depot Kacerov and metro depot Kacerov were opened to public. As usual, varied historic and current vehicles were presented here. For the first time was in tramway depot Pankrac presented modernized tramcar 8211.

Zlín:Trolleybus Skoda Sanos are still in service, but just for several last weeks. It was announced, that all remaining cars (except 329, see below) should be sold to Sarajevo, Bosnia. At the time of writing, this deal was not confirmed yet. Car 329 should be preserved in Zlín as museum vehicle (need to mention that prototype No.301 is in technical museum Brno). 

Industrie: Prototype of low-floor trolleybus Škoda 21Tr was destroyed during crash test. Parts of this vehicle were observed in scrap yard near Mlada Boleslav.

Tallinn/Estonia: Some new Ikarus trolleybuses were spotted in this city early August. There is one car Ikarus/Ganz 415T No.308, based on information from other colleagues, this should be the prototype that was in service in Debrecen/Hungary (No. 800). In service was also low-floor Ikarus/Ganz 412T No.309. Similar vehicle (310?) was observed in depot. Some ex.Hoyerswerda articulated trolleybuses Ikarus/Ganz T 280.93 were also seen (429,430).

Trolleybus line No.8 is no longer in service. Short track on southwest suburb is therefore without regular service. 

Kaunas/Lithuania: Brno’s low floor trolleybus Skoda 21Tr No.3008 that was on tour in Baltic States was observed in Kaunas on 23th July.



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