SVB
Berne Municipal Transport Authority - Technical facts about Be 4/8
Bi-articulated low-floor light rail vehicles of type Be 4/8
The twelve type Be 4/8 railcars of the Berne Municipal Transport Authority have considerably
enhanced the attractiveness andcomfort of public transportation in Berne. The vehicle
floor is only 350 mm above rail level throughout the whole boarding area.
Therefore the vehicle is easily accessible, even for passengers with prams, wheelchairs
and the like.
The propulsion system contains two two-quadrant DC choppers of GTO thyristor design feeding two pulsating-currenttraction motors each. The low-floor design dictated the use of tractionmotors of a particularly compact design and has resulted in theroof mounting of the electrical equipment. The provision of regenerative as well as rheostatic electrical breaking permits substantial energy savings to be made.
The vehicles are designed for unidirectional operation.
As the name of the operator changed to "Bern Mobil" the first trams have been repainted red.
| Vehicle designation: | Be 4/8 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Nos: | 731 - 742 |
| Manufacturer - mechanical parts: - electrical parts: | Vevey Engineering Works, Ltd. ABB Verkehrssysteme AG |
| Wheel arrangement: | B'2'.2'B' |
| Year of commissioning: | 1989 |
| Number of vehicles: | 12 |
| Max. speed: | 65 km/h |
| Gauge: | 1,000 mm |
| Length over vehicle ends: | 31,030 mm |
| Overall width: | 2,200 mm |
| Mass in running order: | 34 t |
| Payload: | 16 t |
| Number of seats: | 68 |
| Number of standing passengers: | 192 |
| Nominal catenary line voltage: | 600 V DC |
| Number of traction motors: | 2 (type 4 ELO 1860 B) |
| Cont. rating of motor shaft: | 290 kW |
| Cont. tractive effort at wheel rim: - corresponding speed: | 34.6 kN 30.1 km/h |
| Starting tractive effort at wheel rim: | 83 kN |
| Transmission gear ratio: | 1 : 5.85 |
| Bogie wheel base: | 1,800 mm (powered) / 1050 mm (unpowered) |
| Diameter of wheels (new): | 560 mm (driving wheels) / 410 mm (trailing wheels) |
Copyright © 1997
Author: Klaus P. Canavan, last change on 2002-01-19