Subscribe to download
Tatra T3D+T3D

Sad, that were the last T2s on service. In Moscow museum we have T2 car: http://transphoto.ru/photo/09/07/73/907737.jpg

This two-door car was built in 1960, conserved in 1975 and restored in 90s. It usually rans on local tram parades.

T2 got retired in 1989 here, almost out of nowehere. Even though it's known that by '89 they were in terribly technical condition, the worst ones already out of service and they were being put on shorter, less frequented industrial lines. T1 I think in 1987 and one historical vehicle stayed. Later one T2 was bought from Liberec and restored to its original condition.

All city lines in Liberec use standard European gauge, only the line between Liberec and Jablonec n. Nisou uses 1000mm. T2s are not in service anymore, only T3M, T3R.SLF, T3R.P, PLF and one EVO2 (100% low-floor built using a completely new concept).

usually high-voltage joint is covered with a specific box (we call it "skvorečnik" — birdhouse), but for some reason in Moscow Tatras ran with "bare" joints like on foto I sent below.

thanks for information about Tatra situation. Tatras T2 were used in Moscow until middle 80s, but they were never modernised, alas. I think I should visit Plzeń someday btw. I've been in Praha 5 times and even know that trains to Plzeń run through Smichov station but still never went there.

Liberec also is a very interesting place as well as I know there are two gouges in use at a time like in Sofia, and also a couple of T2's is still in operation.

I know it works like this in Russia, I've seen it on Russian T3s in TRS (though these have different boxes). Here we switched to Secheron automatic coupling as well with T6A5. Early Škoda 03T used to have these as well, until Škoda realized that 2x 03T couple would be too long for our stops. http://plzensketramvaje.cz/astra/300-301-1JTp.jpg
T3s and all modernizations (T3R. P, PLF and even Vario LF and LF Plus) only use a cable in the box to transmit signals, but the rear tram has to get its own power. Earlier Tatra vehicles (T2, T1) from factory cannot be coupled at all. Liberec fixed that with their T2R.

In Germany T3's were equiped with Scharfenberg automatic coupling, and the second car in coupling always warked without external feeding and with pantograph taken down. In Soviet Union there were high-voltage cables thrown from the first car to the leaded like on this foto: http://www.vivascalemodels.com/big/tram/tram_scepka5.jpg (It is model but it shows how it worked) so the second car also ran with taken down pantograph. That is it.

The pantograph is down. And the trams have Secherons. Finally it makes sense.