Tampere’s tram car looks smooth, streamlined and functional
Tampere’s tram car looks smooth, streamlined and functional
The starting point when designing tram cars was to find a solution that clearly says “Tampere” and suits the city’s needs. Tampere’s tram car has an inviting appearance that also clearly symbolises forward motion. In terms of exterior shape, key elements include the shape of the front end, bright passenger compartments, the rhythm of window lines and doors as well as the use of LED lights. The tram car has a metallic paint surface, the colour of which will be determined in a public vote held during Tampere Day on 29–30 September 2018. The public can choose between two colours. The colour of the tram car will be announced on Monday 1 October – the same day that Tampere celebrates its 239th anniversary.
The designers took their inspiration from the spirit of Tampere, which is characterised by a straight-forward, genuine and pragmatic approach and the boldness to move in new directions. The designers wanted the tram car to symbolise a Tampere that is developing and constantly on the move. Tampere was seen as an inspiring and attractive city that combines soft values with hard technology.
The tram car has an inviting appearance that also clearly symbolises forward motion. It looks smooth, streamlined and functional. The exterior design has been stripped of all unnecessary elements in order to leave space for the essentials.
– We hope that Tampere residents will adopt the tram car so that it becomes part of the street scene while also adding something new to the city. Our job is to ensure that the tram car provides users with a great experience and also makes everyday life easier for decades into the future, says Industrial Designer Jussi Hurskainen from Idis Design Oy.
The tram car is bi-directional, so it’s identical at both ends. The front end of the car draws attention to the curved surfaces that are as close as possible to the rails in order to improve pedestrian safety.
The LED warning lights along the bottom of the windscreen create a strong contrast to the dark background, giving the car a distinctive look and improving its visibility. The running light lamps are oval and the LED light components are located on top of each other inside closed units. The vertical LED light strips on the inner edges of the door leaves light up when the car stops and the lights will move on both sides of the entrance when the doors open. Outlining the door opening with light increases visibility at the door area.
The interior lights in the bright passenger compartment adjust according to the time of day. The tram car has a wide landscape window in the middle of each seating group. This was added following feedback provided by Tampere user groups who tested the full-scale Maketti last spring. The windows are placed so that the window pillar does not block the view.
– The Tampere tram car is pleasant, spacious and bright, and clearly looks different than its Helsinki cousin. The tram car will provide an outstanding travel experience created by using modern solutions on the exterior and inside the passenger compartment, says Pekka Sirviö from Tampereen Tramway Ltd.
A public vote to choose the tram car colour
The sides of the tram car have plenty of space for colour. Using metallic paint means that the colour will vary according to the amount of light and shadow and reflections from the urban environment.
The colour of the tram car will be chosen from two options in a public vote held during Tampere Day celebrations on 29–30 September 2018. The finalist colours were selected last spring on the basis of an open colour evaluation. More than 14,300 opinions on the tram car colours were submitted during the evaluation. According to the colour evaluation, city residents felt that red and light blue were the most suitable colours for the tramway. The colours on display in the spring were the starting point for designers to begin testing different shades and determine which tone of red or light blue would work best in the tram car and cityscape.
You can participate in the online vote concerning the tramway colour at www.tampereenratikka.fi. Online voting opens at 9 am on 29 September 2018 and closes at 9 pm on Sunday 30 September 2018.
During the Tampere Day celebrations, you can also vote on Saturday at Tampere Tramway booths in Duo Shopping Centre in Hervanta and Lielahtikeskus shopping centre in Lielahti. On Sunday, you can vote at the Tampere Tramway booth in Central Square. Voting will take place between 11 am and 3 pm at all locations. The Tramway booths are also a great place to learn more about the tram car, colour options and meet staff from the tramway project.
The results of the public vote and tram car colour will be announced on Monday 1 October 2018.
The first tram car will be completed in 2020
Tampere’s tram cars will be manufactured by the domestic company Transtech Oy, which is 100% owned by Skoda Transportation. A total of 19 tram cars have been ordered for Tampere. The three-section, bi-directional ForCity Smart Artic X34 tram cars are 37.3 metres long. The tram car is equipped with a low floor in all areas, and it is accessible by wheelchair and with children’s prams. Each tram car has 104 seats and space for 264 passengers during rush hour. Manufacturing of the tram cars will begin at the Otanmäki plant in Kajaani in 2019. The first tram car is scheduled for completion in early 2020, and tramway traffic in Tampere will begin in 2021.
Additional information:
Tampere Tramway Ltd.
CEO
Pekka Sirviö
tal. +358 (0)40 334 5798
pekka.sirvio@tampereenraitiotie.fi