UKRAINE: Lviv tram operator Lvivelectrotrans has unveiled its first rebuilt Tatra KT4 tram. The operator says that a second vehicle is 70% complete, and expects to introduce at least four rebuilt trams into service this year.
The KT4s were originally built in 1984 and are being modernised at a cost of 500 000 hryvnia each, of which 200 000 hryvnia is being spent on a complete bogie overhaul. The trams are receiving new interiors, glued windows and new front ends. A tram can be modernised in 1½ months at the Lvivelectrotrans workshops, which have the capacity to rebuild up to four trams at a time.
Trams in Lviv have an average age of 29½ years, but the city lacks funds to replace the ageing fleet. Lvivelectrotrans is considering adding a 5 m long low-floor middle section to future rebuilds.
