Saxony: Repair backlog: Dresden reactivates old trams

Dresden (dpa/sn) - After twelve years, Czech trams are being used again in Dresden.

Saxony: Repair backlog: Dresden reactivates old trams

Dresden (dpa/sn) - After twelve years, Czech trams are being used again in Dresden. The reason for this is the high demand for vehicles and a problematic spare parts situation, the Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe (DVB) announced on Thursday. The Tatra wagons were last used regularly on the DVB lines in May 2010. They date from the delivery period between 1967 and 1984, were modernized between 1992 and 1995 and have driven several million kilometers.

A total of four trains will be running on lines 3 and 9 during the day from this Friday. Since the cars are not barrier-free, the Tatra trains are not used one after the other, but alternate with low-floor light rail vehicles.

Between 15 and 20 of the 166 light rail vehicles operated by DVB are in the workshop every day due to regular maintenance, the repair of normal accident damage and now also because of spare parts problems. Manufacturers are currently unable to supply some components such as power converters and certain dampers because the world market for electronic components is empty, it said.