Mosgortrans has begun trialling a new prototype tram model from Stadler Minsk ahead of a possible introduction to the city’s light rail fleet.
The three-car ‘Metelitsa’ is one of several new trams being tested in the Russian capital at the city’s Bauman depot.
Over the next four months, the low-floor trams will carry out technical and operational tests both with and without passengers.
Built by the Stadler/Belkommunmash joint venture in Belarus, the bi-directional Metelitsa is designed to operate in temperatures as low as –40 and as high as +40 degrees celsius.
Moscow is trialling a number of domestic and international tram models as part of a planned renewal of the city’s tram system. These include the Vityaz and City Star trams, which have been manufactured in Russia, and TramRus, a model built by an Alstom/Transmashholding joint venture based on the popular Citadis vehicle platform.
