The new UKCP tram was presented to the leadership of the Sverdlovsk region
The three-section car model 71-639 "Castor" of the Ust-Katavsky Car Building Plant (UKCP, part of the Roscosmos State Corporation), delivered to Yekaterinburg for running-in, was demonstrated today to the governor of the Sverdlovsk Region Evgeny Kuyvashev and the head of Yekaterinburg Alexey Orlov. Representatives of the region made a trial trip on the new tram and were able to assess the maneuverability and comfort of the car in a real urban environment.
"This tram has yet to prove itself over a certain period, the first step has already been taken. We will exploit and watch. We are grateful to the Ust-Katavsky plant for assembling this tram at a faster pace and providing it for our use. It seemed to me that the vehicle had a soft ride. The air conditioner is working, the payment system is working, and information is displayed on the screen, how many passengers have paid, how many have not. I am sure that all the solutions that are applied in this tram will be useful," the governor said.
According to Orlov, the reform of the public transport system has been overdue in the city for a long time, and one of its aspects is the renewal of rolling stock. "The first step on this path was the three-section Kastor tram, made specifically for Yekaterinburg. The car is adapted to our country's widest electric grid for public transport. So far, this is the only copy in the world. There are 450 trams in the park of the Ural capital, and we still have a lot of work to do," the mayor stressed.
As Roman Novikov, General Director of UKCP, clarified, the Castor is almost completely assembled on the basis of Russian components and technologies: "The new three—section wagon is a matter of pride for us, and we will be glad if it helps Yekaterinburg solve transport problems. Maneuverable, super—efficient modern trams are the future of the industry and urban rail transport, and we are happy to bring it closer step by step."
The new tram will follow route No. 18 "Volgogradskaya Station – Shartash station" — this is a line with a long length and serious passenger traffic, therefore, the city needs spacious wagons for it, such as the "Castor" UKCP. The full capacity of the model is 261 passengers, in addition, it has the largest number of seats among trams of this class on the Russian market – 64. There is also a place for passengers with limited mobility.
Among other advantages of the tram:
▪ The length of the "Castor" is just over 25 meters. With its high capacity, it is the shortest carriage in its class.
▪ The turning radius of the tram is 14 meters, which makes it maneuverable and convenient for main routes.
▪ The Castor is one of the fastest trams in the country, it can accelerate up to 90 km/h.
▪ The car has 12 connectors for charging gadgets, a heating and air conditioning system, as well as internal and external lighting.
