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Technical comparative assessment of different TramTrain planning and operational structures

First Results of comparison of different TramTrain-solutions in North Hesse (Kassel) - Germany

Rainer Meyfahrt

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Different TramTrain Structures•m

arginal mixed use of tracks (Tram Baunatal)•r

eactivation of heavy rail freight line as TramTrain „Überlandstraßenbahn“ (Lossetalbahn)

•mixed use of tram and heavy rail of branch line (Kurhessenbahn)

•mixed use of tram and heavy rail on main lines(Fuldatal- u. MainWeserBahn)

•diesel powered, electrification with DC ans AC

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Different TramTrain Structures5 critical issues of planning and operating TramTrains:

1.Monopole of DB infrastructure companies

2.Different interests of local, regional und transnational authorities

3.Vehicle costs

4.Technical standards and interoperability

5.Competitive environment and EU regulations

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1. Monopole of DB infrastructure companies

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Track usage prices

•train per km as parameter discriminates TramTrain-vehicles

•ICE: 0,6 c per passengerkm

•TramTrain: 4,6 c per passengerkm

•freight train 0,04 c per tkm

•TramTrain 6,9 c per tkm

•full costs prevent expansion of train operation

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Station usage prices

•pricing system based on costs is a black box to operators and traffic authorities

•grants of local authorities „disappear“ in the national system

•standards of DB are poor (no seating, no watch, no rain shield)

•TramTrain-operator with no influence on costs and quality of stations (prices for NVV rises from2010 zu 2011 37%)

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Station usage prices

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Passenger information

DB prevent adequate passenger informationn

DB system inadequate for tramtrain-systems

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Integrated ticketing

•full integration only in regard of tariff o „Verbünden“ (regional public transport organisations)

•transport chain between long-distance and local rides are not represented in DB tariff

•monopoly of DB tariff

•costs of sales and distribution of DB tariff accounts for 18% of passenger revenues (twice the rate of the costs of NVV-tariff)

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2. Different interests of local, regional und transnational authorities

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local interests•T

ramTrain-systems are local and regional light rail systems and had to be developed in local/ regional responsibility

•the connection with local bus- and tram-networks has priority before the connection with long distance train-systems

•local and regional authorities have to overtake the responisbility on funds for investment and operation

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planning structures•o

rganisation of the planning process by local consultants and planning departments of infrastructure operators (and owners of the infrastructure)

•or planning by external consultants and planning departments and companies of german rail

•official approval of plans by local authorities

•or the Federal Railway Authority (Eisenbahnbundesamt)

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national / transnational interests•T

ramTrain-systems are local activities of marginal importance for centralized railway systems

•DB has no local decision-making authorities

•local characteristic of infrastructure are not represented in national and transnational specifications and standards

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comparision of costs•l

arge-scale projects•S

tuttgart 21: 4.500.000.000 ۥl

ocal TramTrain-project•R

egioTram: 0 € DB-interest

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3. Vehicle costs

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Diesel vehicles•D

iesel-DC-Tramtrains are much more expensive then DC/AC electric vehicles

•particularly with regard to energy and climate policy the further development of diesel-dc-tramtrains is not urgent

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small numbers of units•T

ramtrain-systems only needs small mumbers of units, because any system has consider special characteristics of the local infrastructure

•every replacement purchase needs again only small numbers of vehicles

•different operation requirements (Bundesländer, EU) constrain standardisation

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high prices•t

ramtrain-vehicles in operation are about 1-2 Mio. € more expensive than than trams or comparable railcars

•new demands for the crashworthness of tramtrains provoke additional costs of 1 Mio €

•small number of units and local demands of the infrastrucrure increase costs and prices

•high operating costs constrain the multi-purpose applicability

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4. Technical standards and interoperability

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Interoperability•E

U directive (2007/32) on the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system does not hinder Tramtrain-systems

•the german conditions for „light rail cars“ may serve as background for european standardisation

•there is a lack of european standardisation of tram-systems

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Standards•h

eavy rail standards are determined of fast long dinstance trains, as a result of escalating requirements to local traffic costs of operating are rising

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5. Competitive environment and EU regulations

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Singularity of infrastructure and vehicles

•The respective characteristic and singularity of the infrastructure and with it of the vehicles limits the possibility of integrated tendering (of vehicles, depots, maintenance units, operation, staff, distribution)

•Tendering of partial services provokes desintegration, additional transaction costs and costs of risk prevention

•contracts based on full costing hinder additional offers

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Staff•o

n the local labour market drivers qualified for tram and train are only present in the amount needed by the existing operator

•skilled staff for maintaining tramtrain-vehicles cannot be replaced

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First conclusions to partner projectsthe transfer of

the North Hesse experiences to the partner projects, notably

•strengthening of local responsibility

•availability of econimically priced vehicles

•realisation of low cost standards for stations

•future-proof electromobility

leads to the following thesis for the projects

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Blackpoolconversion of South Line up toKirkham into a tramline,

Electrification

additional stations

changing to heavy rail in Kirkham station platform to platform

connection to Blackpool North station with short new line

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Westflandersextension of tramline parallel to heavy rail to the station of Veurne

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Valenciennesusing of abandoned rail track to Quevian as tramline

electrification

changing to heavy rail in Quevian station platform to platform

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Nijmegenusing the tracks Nijmegen – Kleve as tramline

electrification of the track

additional stations

integration of the line in the planned tram network of Nijmegen

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Kassel – North Hesseconnecting the railway-network and the tram-network by using two-system-tramtrains was right

continuing and completing the system

planning and realisation of additional stations

when replacement purchase of the diesel-DC trams is necessary, alternative impulsion (battery...) or electrification of the Wolfhagen-track has to be analysed