Bombardier Flexity

Bombardier Flexity is a family of modern trams, streetcars and light rail vehicles manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. As of 2015, more than 3,500 Flexity vehicles are in operation around the world in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and North America in 100 cities among 20 countries internationally.[1] Production of the vehicles is done at Bombardier's global production plants[2] and by local manufacturers worldwide through technology transfer agreements.[3]

A Flexity tram in Kassel, this one being the Flexity Classic model

Competitors to vehicles from the Flexity range include Alstom's Citadis/TFS, Siemens Mobility's Combino, Avanto and Avenio, Stadler Rail's Tango and Variobahn, CAF's Urbos, and AnsaldoBreda's Sirio globally, and Siemens USA's S70, U2, SD-100, SD-160, SD-400, SD-460, and S200, along with LRVs and streetcars from Kinki Sharyo, Brookville Equipment Corporation and Škoda/Inekon/United Streetcar in North America.

Overview
Eurotram in Strasbourg

Flexity trams and LRVs usually belong to one of six standard models. Manufactured from corrosion-resistant carbon steel and featuring driver's cabs made with glass-reinforced plastic,[4] they have a modular design that is customizable to meet specific operators' demands, including a variety of track gauges and voltages. The modules can also be replaced easily in case of damage.[4]

Flexity trams can be built for both bi-directional and uni-directional systems. A low-floor design with multi-purpose areas is standard on most models, allowing easy access to the vehicles for wheelchair users. There are also high-floor configurations for Flexity LRVs, and can be designed for tram-train operations.

Name Floor Direction Top speed Width Length
Flexity 2 100% low-floor Bidirectional 70 km/h 2.65 m 32.5 m
Flexity Classic 65–74% low-floor Bidirectional
or unidirectional		 70–80 km/h 21–45 m
Flexity Outlook 100% low-floor Bidirectional
or unidirectional		 65–80 km/h 27–43.4 m
Flexity Swift 70–76% low-floor
or 100% high-floor		 Bidirectional 70–100 km/h 25–42 m
Flexity Link 50% low-floor Bidirectional 100 km/h 37 m
Flexity Freedom 100% low-floor Bidirectional
or unidirectional		 80 km/h 2.65 m 30.8 m

Flexity 2
Flexity 2 in Blackpool
Main article: Bombardier Flexity 2

As Bombardier's premium tram model,[5] the Flexity 2 tram is a 100% low-floor vehicle with improved corrosion resistance, impact protection, energy efficiency, and a more spacious interior resulting from the reduction of its sidewall widths.[6] It is also compatible with Bombardier's PRIMOVE conductive battery charging system. These vehicles are currently used in Blackpool, Gold Coast, Basel, and Antwerp, among others.

Flexity Classic
Flexity Classic in Frankfurt
Main article: Bombardier Flexity Classic

Being of a traditional appearance but with the same design features and technology as other vehicles,[7] the 70% low floor Flexity Classic requires comparatively less maintenance compared to other Flexity tram models.[8] They are primarily focused on providing high-capacity public transport in densely spaced urban areas. These vehicles are currently used in Adelaide, Dresden, Essen, Frankfurt and Kassel, among others.

Flexity Outlook
Flexity Outlook from Brussels (on a demonstration line in Vancouver)
Main articles: Bombardier Flexity Outlook and Socimi Eurotram

With a 100% low floor,[7] the Flexity Outlook range encompasses two different designs: the Eurotram and Cityrunner. Eurotram was originally conceived by Socimi of Italy as a distinctive, train-like tramcar with large windows and modules with both powered and unpowered bogies.[9] Cityrunner has a more conventional appearance, but highly customizable and is future proof with its easily repairable modules. These vehicles are currently used in Strasbourg, Porto, Brussels, and Marseille, among others.

Flexity Swift
Flexity Swift in Cologne
Main article: Bombardier Flexity Swift

Designed as a bi-directional low or high-floor light rail vehicle,[10] the Flexity Swift was conceived for use on high-speed interurban railways and light metros,[11] with different body lengths and the ability to form multiple unit sets and be constructed to meet high crashworthiness standards. These vehicles are currently used in Cologne, Minneapolis, London, and Manchester, among others.

Flexity Link in Saarbrücken
Main article: Bombardier Flexity Link

The Flexity Link tram-train has dual voltage capabilities and is compatible with mainline railway regulations (e.g. BOStrab) that permit operation on both urban tram networks and mainline railways, reducing transport infrastructure costs. Although this particular model is only used in Saarbrücken,[12] a recent order has been made for dual-voltage Flexity Swift vehicles in Karlsruhe, where the tram-train concept was pioneered.[13]

Flexity Freedom
Flexity Freedom in Kitchener-Waterloo
Main article: Bombardier Flexity Freedom

The Flexity Freedom is targeted at the North American market.[14] Like the rest of Bombardier's Flexity models, it is locally made out of 100% low-floor modules, and features the same multiple unit capability as the Flexity Swift, with air conditioning and an easily configurable interior layout. Designed for the Transit City network in Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo and other LRT projects in Ontario,[15] the model has been selected for Edmonton's Valley Line[16] and is being marketed by Bombardier for future orders within North America.

Customized solutions
Flexity Berlin in Berlin
Flexity Wien in Vienna
Flexity Outlook in Toronto

Variants of Bombardier's Flexity trams and streetcars have been specially designed for use in certain cities, such as Berlin, Vienna, and Toronto.[17]

Berlin
Main article: Bombardier Flexity Berlin

The Flexity Berlin was developed for the Berlin tram network, and is based on the older Incentro model developed by Adtranz. With a full 100% low floor interior, both uni-directional and bi-directional versions are used with either five or seven sections.[18]

Vienna

The Flexity Wien was developed for the Vienna tram network. Derived from the Flexity Berlin with elements of the Flexity 2 line, it is a five-section, 100% low-floor, uni-directional tram with a floor height of 215 millimeters, permitting sidewalk-level boarding in line with the Siemens ULF.[19]

Toronto
Main article: Flexity Outlook (Toronto streetcar)

A derivative of the Flexity Outlook was created for the Toronto streetcar system to replace the aging CLRVs and ALRVs built by UTDC.[20] It is five-section, air-conditioned, built to the TTC's unique track gauge of 4 ft 10 7⁄8 in (1,495 mm) TTC gauge, and fully compatible with the existing network.

Other models

Bombardier has also manufactured other models of tram which they do not place in the Flexity family,[17] including the Cobra for Zürich and the Incentro for Nantes and Nottingham. These models are no longer in production and have been succeeded by Flexity vehicles.

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References
  1. "Light Rail Vehicles - Trams and LRV". Bombardier Transportation. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  2. Lucas, Clay (28 September 2010). "Dandenong plant to build 50 trams". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  3. Briginshaw, David (5 July 2012). "Bombardier licenses LRV design to CSR in China". International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  4. "Bombardier Flexity Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs)". Railway Technology. Kable Intelligence Limited. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  5. "Flexity 2 Trams - Light Rail Vehicles". Bombardier Transportation. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  6. "Worldwide Launch of Bombardier FLEXITY 2 Tram". MarketWired. Bombardier Transportation. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  7. "Flexity Trams - Light Rail Vehicles". Bombardier Transportation. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  8. "Low floor Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) for Frankfurt am Main (Germany)". VerkehrsConsult Dresden–Berlin GmbH. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  9. "Eurotram". Memim. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  10. "Flexity Light Rail Vehicles". Bombardier Transportation. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  11. "Rotterdam to receive additional Bombardier FLEXITY vehicles". Euro Transport Magazine. Russell Publishing Limited. Bombardier Transportation. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  12. "FLEXITY Link - Saarbrücken, Germany". Bombardier Transportation. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  13. "From the LRTA – Karlsruhe orders Bombardier TramTrains". Rail for the Valley. WordPress. 20 September 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  14. "Flexity Freedom - Light Rail Vehicles". Bombardier Transportation. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  15. Bowen, Douglas John (12 July 2013). "Waterloo opts for Bombardier LRVs". International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  16. Barrow, Keith (28 Mar 2018). "First Edmonton Valley Line LRV revealed". International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publising, Inc. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  17. "Customized Solutions - Light Rail Vehicles". Bombardier Transportation. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  18. "Bombardier Flexity Berlin Trams Have Been Chosen to Modernise the Strausberg, Germany, Tram System". Mass Transit Magazine. Bombardier Transportation. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  19. Bernhardt, Jens (26 February 2020). "More Bombardier Flexity Wien trams in service in Vienna – the end of the classic E1 trams?". Urban Transport Magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  20. Bow, James. "The Toronto Flexity Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs)". Transit Toronto. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
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