Transtech to build Helsinkis new trams

[Bobjork]

Helsinki City Transport (Helsinfors Stads Trafikverk/Helsingin Kaupungin Liikennelaitos) have ordered 40 new trams from the finnish company Transtech.
The order is worth 113 106 384 €
Transtech have built the double decker trains for the finnish railway and, under earlier name Valmet, trams for Helsinki.
The first two trams will be delivered in 2013.
2014 the serial production will start and in 2016 all 40 will be rolling on Helsinki.
There also is an option for 90 more trams for further extensions of the tram network (to Degerö, the planned ring (Spårjokern) and to replace older trams) and for delivery in 2023-2026.

Some info:
Length: 27,3 m (1 m longer than earlier trams)
Width: 2,4 m (10 cm wider)
Gauge: 1000 mm
Seated passengers: 73+14
Standing passengers: 75
There also will be space for 4 wheelchairs (etc).

Computer generation of how it will look can be found here:
http://www.transtech.fi/index.php?16

[Myrtonos]

The Transtech tram is one of those pivoting bogie low floor trams with ramp access to the floor over the bogies. Skoda transportation, who also bided for Helsinki also produces such a tram called the ForCity. Both the Prague and Riga variants have the same number of bogies and the same number of carbody sections as Trantech's model, the major difference is that the centre bogies of the ForCity are right under the articulation. Alstom has produced a similar design for Istanbul called the Citadis X04, with a fixed centre bogie under a short centre section. Both such designs, being built for standard gauge track, have low floors over the bogies than Transtechs design.
So why are the tramways of Helsinki built to metre gauge? Given that the local railways are built to a much wider gauge, similar to the Russian railway gauge and all but three of the street tramway networks in Russia are also built to their national railway gauge, as are many other tramways in the former USSR.

[jayar]

You raise a good point Myrtonos - I would be interested to know why metre gauge too.

[Bobjork]

Usually tramways are built with metre gauge because of lack of space or to make it possible to go around on narrow streets.
There are lots of metre gauge tramways (and railways) in Switzerland for example.
I believe they built the Metro tramay with 1000mm because it needs less space and can have tighter bends.
Plus, at the time it was built, it was manh times cheaper to build narrow gauge.
Same with a lot of private railroads in Sweden. They were built in 891mm (often) because it was cheaper.

[Myrtonos]

But I've read that their minimum curve radius is only 15 metres, and we have curves almost as tight as that on tramways here in Melbourne, where the local tramway network is standard gauge. Toronto has a silghtly wider gauge and their curves go down to 11 metres. In Philladelphia, with an even wider track gauge, the minimum curve radius is similar.

[Bobjork]

So ok, maybe I was wrong about the radius but still, some other explanations are given as well.
It was built in 1891 with horse trams. It was probably cheaper with metre gauge and it needed less space (width) than a 1435 or 1524mm tramway would.
I guess that is the only explanation. Even if a lot of cities have standard gauge tramways.
Because a lot of cities have metre gauge too. Probably something was behind the decision made at that time.

In sweden the reason for building narrow gauge railway often was economy.
In some rare cases they later widened the railway but in at least one case a standard gauge tramway was changed to a narrow gauge railway.

[ianrail]

To resurrect this old thread, I was in Helsinki last week and travelled around on the trams quite a lot. I hadn't got to do this on my one and only previous visit to the city years ago. They've got a superb tram system which provides a frequent service all over the city. I was surprised how tight the curves were in the city centre and also that there are a few quite steep hills. I'm guessing that metre gauge is better suited to the tight curves at least.

There is also a metro system. Very clean and efficient. It's basically one line and what amazed me was the depth a couple of the stations below ground in the city centre and the length and width of the platforms. The system looks relatively modern so I don't know whether it was also designed as a shelter for the civilian population in case of attack during the cold war.

[Bobjork]

Originally Posted by ianrail

To resurrect this old thread, I was in Helsinki last week and travelled around on the trams quite a lot. I hadn't got to do this on my one and only previous visit to the city years ago. They've got a superb tram system which provides a frequent service all over the city. I was surprised how tight the curves were in the city centre and also that there are a few quite steep hills. I'm guessing that metre gauge is better suited to the tight curves at least.

There is also a metro system. Very clean and efficient. It's basically one line and what amazed me was the depth a couple of the stations below ground in the city centre and the length and width of the platforms. The system looks relatively modern so I don't know whether it was also designed as a shelter for the civilian population in case of attack during the cold war.

You should see the lenght and width of the platforms in the Stockholm underground then. And the artwork at every station.
Sadly, I mostly work inside the tunnels, and not at the stations so I only see the dirty rock tunnels with dirty cables on the wall...