It looks, that underground tramways win. But those people who recommended
to built metro, they were ready to fight, and during 1965, there was several
"battles" before these streams. This was not changed evein in January 1966
when construction started according to government decision. However, in
early 1966, National Planning Comission recommended to government to built
metro too, and they also joined "foreign" (certainly Soviet only) experts
to recommend best solution.
In Soviet union at this time, underground tramways were not built,
everything was at this time planned to do with metro, metro was planned
for even many times smaller cities than Praha was. Construction of underground
tramway progressed slowly in 1966 forward, but on end of 1966, suddenly,
government was thiniking about posibility not to build underground tramway,
but to start with metro immediately. On 18Th November, an agreement with
Soviet Union "about helping to build underground roads" was signed, and
it cannot mean anything else than construction on Metro. On 1st August,
final decision was taken, to stop immediately construction of underground
tramway, and to convert plans to full-sided metro. Also ČKD Tatra, was
asked to build new vehicle for metro immediately.
In autumn 1967, there was decided to use already finsihed parts of
underground tramway for metro, and to built first depo in close to Kacerov,
on Pankrac Area. First line should be opened in November 1971, and until
1990, there following lines should be opened:
At this moment, there was clear how to use tracks. There was still not
clear what to use on these tracks. CKD works were already developed new
metro vehicle. In 1969, first drawing was finished. Light, 15m long vehicles
were designed, this vehicle was joined alwasy to 2-car units, and there
was plan to use 2 or 3 these units as one train. One car can carry 44 siting
and 50-70 standing passengers.
Two prototypes, named R-1 were finished during 1970, and in January
1971 shown to public. Then, they were moved to depot Kacerov, where testing
started.
At this moment, construction of metro started to be political question.
Then, there was still more ideas about purchase of russian metro cars of
class E. Even, like fights about shape of metro, there were now fights
about vehicles.
Again, soviet vehicles win. Unfortunately in 1972, both R-1 units crashed
together in depot. Two "health" cars were taken, and joined in R-2 unit.
This unit was equipped with pantograph and tested on ZZO Velim. There was
hope to use this unit for planned express tramway in Bratislava (not built
until today), or to export these vehicles to El Qahira (Cairo, Egypt),
but these projects were not succesfull. Unit was then abandoned in
Brno-Slatina. There were still plans to save this unit in museum in Brno,
but these plans were not filled, and unit was scrapped in 1977.
At this moment, only one possible car was russian type E. At that moment, it was latest car, but in genereal, construction of these vehicles was still based on first russian cars built in 1935 (and inspired by New York 30's metro cars). These vehicles were built in Mytisci factory close to Moscow since 1960, few variants was made. For Praha, slightly different vehicles Ečs. Prototype was finished in end on 1972, and during 1973 was tested in Moscow, even with passengers. This vehicle was very heavy, when comparing with Czech R-1 cars. There was problem in Nuselsky's Bridge, where was impossible to use these heavy vehicles without some construction changes - these were made in 1973.
Rough construction was finished in end of 1973. Meanwhile, on 16th October
6 vehicles Ecs arrived at railway station Krc (close to depot Kacerov).
Cars were tested in depot, but on end of december 1973 first train arrived
to Prazskeho povstani station. Since 2nd January 1974, vehicles were extensively
tested on whole line. Works on station and tracks were speeded up, and
they vere soon finished. For politicals reason, date of opening was changed
to 9th May 1974.
At this time, construction of second line A started too. At depot,
there was at this time about 50 vehicles of Ecs type. On 7th May, there
was finally agreed, that operation started two day later.
On 9th May 1974, trains started to operate. This is, however, another
chapter...
| Previous Part Of Article |