Trams in Potsdam

Potsdam tramway network
A "Tatra KT4"atNauener Tor
Operation
Locale	Potsdam,Brandenburg,Germany
Horsecarera: 1880(1880)–1907(1907) Status Converted to electricity Track gauge 1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in)(standard gauge) Propulsionsystem(s) Horses
Electric tramera: since 1907(1907) Status Operational Lines 7 Operator(s) Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam(ViP) (since 1990) Track gauge 1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in) ((standard gauge) Propulsionsystem(s) Electricity Electrification 600VDCoverhead Stock 17Combino 18Tatra KT4DC 18Variobahn Route length 28.9 km (18 mi) Stops 63 Map of the network, 2009 Website Stadtwerke (and Verkehrsbetrieb) Potsdam(in German)

ThePotsdam tramway network(German:Straßenbahnnetz Potsdam) is anetworkoftramwaysforming part of thepublic transportsystem inPotsdam,thecapital cityof thefederal stateofBrandenburg,Germany.

The network is owned and operated by the public citizen companyVerkehrsbetrieb Potsdam(ViP), and included in the "Berlin C" fare zone (Tarifbereich Berlin C) of theVerkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg.

History

The network opened on 12 May 1880: It was ahorsecarsystem owned by the society Reymer & Masch, namedPotsdamer Straßenbahn-Gesellschaftand consisted of a pair of lines.1907 saw the introduction of electric trams which ran on a new line of 8 km (5.0 mi).In 1908 the network consisted of 4 lines (named from A to D) and in 1949 of 5 lines (named from 1 to 5).

At the end of the 1950s, new streetcar models were introduced (typical during theDDRera), theGothawagen(T57,G4-61,G4-65andT2-62), produced in theThuringiantown ofGothaby theGothaer Waggonfabrik.

In the 1980s, a pair of new routes were built: in 1984 through the new residential center inBabelsbergand in 1988 fromAm Sternstop to the new south-eastern residential area inDrewitz.TheCzechtramsTatra KT4were introduced in 1993, and the modernCombinoandVariotramin the 2000s. Some of the Tatra KT4D were given to Ploiești, a industrial city in Romania.

Network

Line network, 2022

Track plan, 2014

KT4Dm-cars 153/253 atNauener Tor

The Potsdam route network is a standard-gauge railway. It is 28.9 kilometres (18.0 mi) long and has 63 stops. The track length is 59.6 kilometres (37.0 mi).It is served by five main and two amplifier lines. It is almost continuously double tracked, only theNauener Toris crossed by means of agauntlet track.

The network consists, as of June 2022, of 7 lines:

91	Bhf. Pirschheide↔Bhf. Rehbrücke
92	Bornstedt,Kirschallee ↔ Schlaatz, Bisamkiez (↔ Kirchsteigfeld, Marie-Juchacz-Straße)to Kirchsteigfeld only Saturday and Sunday
93	Glienicker Brücke↔Bhf. Rehbrücke
94	(Bhf. Pirschheide↔)Schloss Charlottenhof↔Babelsberg,Fontanestraße
96	Campus Jungfernsee ↔ Kirchsteigfeld, Marie-Juchacz-Straße
98	(Schloss Charlottenhof↔Bhf. Rehbrücke,Bisamkiez)only Monday to Friday in therush hourand not in theschool holidays
99	Babelsberg,Fontanestraße ↔S Hauptbahnhof(↔ Schlaatz, Bisamkiez)from Bisamkiez only in the morning, to Bisamkiez only in the evening

The tram lines 91 to 96 operate on all days according to a uniform timetable scheme. The basic scheme of the tram lines is a 20-minute-cyclic schedule.The timetable of the tram lines are coordinated at the interchange pointsPotsdam HauptbahnhofandBabelsberg stationwith theBerlin S-Bahn.

Lines 98 is a peak-only line, which operates on school days. On Line 92, extra rides are offered throughout the route in therush hour.As a result, lines 92 (with 2 courses) and 96 (with one course) run at 6/7/7-minute intervals, which in turn means that line 91 and 92 as well as 96 and 93 serve the transit network at intervals shorter than 10 minutes.

The network is navigated withuni-directional vehicles.There areturning loopsat all terminal stops. Exceptions areGlienicker Brücke,which is crossed by atriangular junction,as well asSchloss Charlottenhof,where the tramcars are turned around by a block bypass.

Photogallery

• 
  A "Gothawagen"atPlatz der Einheitin 1965
• 
  Historical 1907Triebwagen Nr. 9in 2006

• 
  ATatra KT4"at Schragen
• 
  A "Combino"at RathausBabelsberg
• 
  A "Variotram"used inDuisburgatPlatz der Einheit
• 
  The final Potsdam version of the new "Variotram"
• 
  A rail maintenance vehicle at Platz der Einheit

See also

• Berlin Tramway
• Kiewitt Ferry

References

Bibliography

• Bauer, Gerhard; Kuschinski, Norbert (1995).Die Straßenbahnen in Ostdeutschland[The Tramways in East Germany]. Vol. Band 3: Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern [Volume 3: Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]. Aachen, Germany: Schweers + Wall.ISBN3921679818.(in German)
• Schwandl, Robert (2012).Schwandl's Tram Atlas Deutschland(in German and English) (3rd ed.). Berlin: Robert Schwandl Verlag. pp. 116–117.ISBN9783936573336.

External links

• Stadtwerke (and Verkehrsbetrieb) PotsdamArchived2017-11-02 at theWayback Machine(in German)
• Potsdam Tramway (map, infos, pictures) at urbanrail.net
• Tram Travels: Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam (ViP)
• Article about Potsdam Tramway at railway-technology
• Potsdam database / photo galleryandPotsdam tram listatUrban Electric Transit– in various languages, including English.
• Potsdam database / photo galleryatPhototrans– in various languages, including English.