During our visit to Prague I recorded many trams and although not in my direct line of interest I thought it nice to make a photo report.
1 Pragues public transport system is extensive, to make an understatement. It is cheap, fast, clean and modern. The metro and tram network serves the city area, the bus network extends further afield. In this photo report I have grouped the photos per tram type. Within each tram type I worked more or less chronologically, covering encouters in the week from 6 October to 13 October 2017
2 Note on this Album. If a photo contains GPS-coordinates you can click on the pin on the lower right side of the page and view the location where the photo was taken. Please remember that this is generally the location of the CAMERA and not of the TRAM and also that there maybe some inaccuracy in the location..
3 The Tatra T3 may very well be the most produced tram type of all times. No less then 14,000 units were built and sold worldwide. Even today the T3 form the backbone of the Prague tram network with 60% of all units. Not because there is no money to replace them but because they are so reliable there is no need to replace them. Then again, they are beginning to show there age.
4 I spotted my first T3 on the crossroads of Koněvova and J. Želivského when it emerged from the slope up Pod Krejcárkem.
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6 The T3 often ride in pairs which are usually consecutively numbered, so it is extremely likely that the second car is number 8545. Both are of the T3RP batch, a modernised version of the T3.
7 No 8518 and 8519 scuttling down the Sokolovská towards the Urxova halt.
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10 And when 8518/8519 disappear in the distance towards the city centre along the Sokolovská another pair led by 8478 comes up to take us to Kobylisy
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12 Stopping at Urxova
13 At Kobilisy we took line 17 to take us to Staroměstská. But, did we take the wrong tram then? Kobylisy is no where near in the direction of the city centre! Correct, we took the tram to Kobilisy to see more of the city than just the centre. It is a cheap way of sight seeing!
14 8516/8517 at Staroměstská
15 Although the trams ride in pairs, the second cars is not a simple trailer or even an non-cabbed slave. It is a fully operational prime unit, but probably in slave mode. So in case of necessity each unit can go its own way.
16 8476/8477 crossing at Palmovka
17 8405/8406 pull over the crossroads at Palmovka after the passing of 8434/8435
18 8324/8325 pull away from Malostranská halt.
19 8554/8555 pull up Klárov after departure from Malostranská halt.
20 Advertising trams are although not in large numbers yet not entirely uncommon. The advertising says "Home at last" for Skanka Group. Apparently the advertising is also applied in pairs. No 8542/8543 on the Klárov.
21 Later that day my Samsung S7 was able to demonstrate its amazing low light abilities by making an exellent shot of 8368/8369 in Na Poříčí at Náměstí Republiky halt.
22 8299/8300 at Štvanice halt on the Hlávkův most.
23 Again an advertisement pair serving line 17 to Kobilisy on the Nábřeží Kapitána Jaroše
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25 A bit further down the same Nábřeží (embankment, waterfront)
26 8226/8323 (not consecutively numbered!) taking the turn onto the Štefánikův most
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28 8089 and 8029 at the same spot
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31 8231/8214 approaching the same crossroads.
32 Wainting for the traffic lights
33 On the last photo from the Štefánikův most showing 8495 and 8452 as a pair
34 8403/8404 passing through Na Poříčí towards Náměstí Republiky
35 and taking the turn into Havlíčkova towards the Prague Masarykovo station (Praha Masarykovo Nádraží)
36 The stop in front of Masarykovo station is busy
37 The S-curve out of Havlíčkova into Dlážděná. It is a busy place with streets which are hard to get a clear view. The traffic lights are not a luxury.
38 8284 at the Muzeum stop, as seen from over the tunnel entrance under the Vinohradská.
39 This T3 is a modernised version which performed so well that a similar batch has been built new according to the original design, but with a low-floor section in the middle.
40 8332 at Hradčanská
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45 The coat of arms of the city of Prague, motto: Praga Caput Rei publicae (Prague, Head of the Republic).
46 One of the few unmodernised T3s (I guess), no 7188, once bought from the Sovjet Union and adapted for work in Prague, taking its first and larger hairpin turn in the Chotkova.
47 We are decending between the top and the bottom hairpin in the Chotkova as we are passed by 8386(?) and 8387 heading uphill.
48 This is the lower and far tighter hairpin curve in the Chotkova. Trams generally slow to a crawl and take the curve cautiously. See the action on Youtube
49 The one unmodified T3 we saw earlier is following us.
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51 8534 with an unknown companion passing Čechův most
52 To conclude this series about the more or less standard T3s a glorious sunshine shot of 8312 and 8313 crossing Čechův most as seen from the Hanavský Pavilon
53 Although in essence a T3 the conspicuous livery of the T3R.PLF (8251-8258) set these models apart. They are low-floor rebuilds to accomodate disabled people. One is seen here passing over Mánesův Most.
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56 On the same bridge but facing in the other direction the passage of 8283 provides a classic Prague image with the St Vitus cathedral in the background.
57 8263 trundling down J. Želivského
58 A characteristic front
59 and rear by the way.
60 We passed another in the Dukelských Hrdinů
61 At the Náměstí Republiky halt.
62 8257 taking the turn from Křižovnická onto the Mánesův Most
63 8261 in the background is approaching Muzeum
64 We took a ride with 8280 from Hradčanská to Karlovy lázně
65 Karlovy lázně
66 At Klárov
67 Far less ubiquitous than the T3s are the other more modern Tatra types. The trams are in the process of being rebuilt and 50 is added to the road number after rebuilding so evetually the 9001-9048 class wil be extinct. I suspect that is already the case as I spotted only rebuilt cars and none with an original number.
68 At Urxova halt
69 9098 at Náměstí Republiky
70 A rebuilt KT8D5 waits at Palmovka
71 At Palmovka we changed trams and while waiting for our tram to come we saw this rebuilt 9095 turning coming from Hloubětín
72 9063 at speed over the Sokolovská
73 9073 against the background of the image of Prague pur sang, the Prague Castle with the St Vitus cathedral, on the Nábřeží Edvarda Beneše
74 Taking the turn from Nábřeží Edvarda Beneše into Dukelských Hrdinů
75 Almost at the same spot 9070 emerged
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77 Further down the Nábřeží Edvarda Beneše 9054 turn out of the Štefánikův most
78 9093 on the Štefánikův most.
79 Hradčanská
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81 Náměstí Republiky
82 8685 running ahead of a KT8D5 at Náměstí Republiky
83 8727 behind an unknown companion lines up behind two T3s in the Revoluční
84 8709 waiting gor the traffic lights to give the clear on the Štefánikův most
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86 8722 at speed on the Senovážné námesti.
87 and finally 8713 and 8727 at Klárov
88 Although intended for large scale introduction the number of 14T is rather limited to make room for the large production of the more every day 15T. The design of the 14T is by Porsche. The 14 T has six axles, and the low-floor area represents 50% of the entire vehicle floor. Due to specific Prague conditions it is able to deal with difficult adhesive conditions on grades up to 8.5%. It has a capacity of 279 passengers (T3: 110).
89 The tram has no bogies but rests on six single, fixed axles in three pairs under the first, third and fifth body section. Note: the copyright claim of this image is void (automatically generated and I can't suppress it)
90 My first sighting of a 14T was an advertisement tram. no 9153 passes over the Nábřeží Edvarda Beneše in front of the Štefánikův most
91 Sister 9149 approaches Masarykovo station
92 Our tram passes advertisement tram no 9157 at Staroměstská
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94 And with this Porsche we had our last tram ride of the holiday, here at Urxova
95 Our final halt at Křižíkova
96 Numbering 205 and counting the 15T is the second most numerous class of the city. Where the 14T had only 50% low-floor capacity, the 15T is the first 100% low-floor tram in Prague.
97 The 15T breaks away from the fixed axle design of the 14 T. The 15 T has articulated bogies at either end of the train, and Jacobs bogies between the segments. Note: the copyright claim of this image is void (automatically generated and I can't suppress it). The original is located here.
98 9202 after turning from Klárov and about to cross the Mánesův most.
99 9258 showing its full length in 17. listopadu
100 9223 leaving Biskupcova halt at J. Želivského
101 and taking the turn down the slope towards Palmovka
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104 9373 turning onto the J. Želivského
105 The turn shows beautifully how the body and its bogies are articulated.
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107 9336 at night at Náměstí Republiky halt
108 A view from inside showing the modern workplace of the driver. Getting the green on the Újezd crossing the Hellichova
109 Entering the narrow passage of Letenská. Note how two tracks are intertwined. At the other side another 15T is waiting to get the clear.
110 Our tram pulling away Pražský hrad halt.
111 9317 at Klárov halt
112 9392 running the Nábřeží Edvarda Beneše
113 9340 taking the turn from the Štefánikův most onto the Nábřeží Edvarda Beneše
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116 9374 running through the S-curve into Havlíčkova near Masarykovo station
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118 9220 and 9284 meet at Hradčanská
119 9328 opens its doors at Hradčanská
120 Shit happens. Don't know what it hit. I arrived after the offending objects already had been removed. I suspect that 9402 did not brake in time and ran into the rear end of another tram. Spálená at the junction with Lazarská
121 But the unfortunate 9402 stalled.
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123 Having stalled at a junction the unfortnate 9402 effectively caused a a pile up of trams in three directions within a matter of minutes.
124 Side skirts of the leading bogies are being secured.
125 At least it allows a good view at the bogies
126 and also at the movement of the rear bogie
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128 and one of the jacobs bogies
129 Sisters waiting patiently for the blockage to clear
130 Within ten minutes a repair crew was at the spot
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132 and before long the stricken was mobile again, here at the Karlovo náměstí at the intersection with Odborů
133 To conclude this series I would like to end with a complete example, here at the Mánesův most heading for Klárov.
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135 Just about in the middle of the Václavské námesti, aka Wenceslas Square, a tramway café reminds of the time that the tram used to run over the length of this square before the construction of the metro network. Trailer 1429 belonged to the class numbered 1301-1580, built by Ringhoffer in 1946
136 on the other side there also an historic motor car. I could not find any information about it. If some one knows more about its history please contact me.
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138 Instruction tram 5524 arrives at Palmovka. The tram clearly has another colour scheme.
139 And its sister unit 5525 passes only a few minutes later at Palmovka
140 Being in Prague was in itself a joy. It is a beautiful city and the Czech people are great. The trams provide a great means of transport. Cheap , fast, clean. They can be crowded at times but I never felt uneasy like in Paris. And seeing the trams is a joy to behold. Part of the fun of being in Prague was certainly watching its tram system.