Light rail for Bielefeld
When a father and son embark on transporting a light rail vehicle across Germany, smooth operation is almost guaranteed, especially for Universal Transport. In early December, our skilled drivers, Rene and Alexander Wobst (24), teamed up to transport a Vamos series streetcar from Leipzig-based manufacturer Heiterblick within Bielefeld’s moBiel light rail fleet. Accompanying them in the escort vehicle (BF3) was colleague Thomas Bennarndt.
For this mission, a heavy-duty truck equipped with a low loader and with an overall length of 50 meters was used. The low loader has a track bed on the trailer that can be individually adjusted to fit the width of the railroad tracks. This unique design allows the light rail vehicle to be smoothly pulled from the track to the trailer via a ramp and then unloaded directly from the trailer onto the track at its destination. This method eliminates the cost of cranes and the need to disrupt overhead lines. Universal Transport, based in Paderborn, is proud to have the largest fleet of vehicles in Europe, tailored to handle this specific category of transportation.
The rapid and reliable delivery of the approximately 34-meter-long, 55-ton light rail system was made possible by meticulous planning and preparation over several weeks. Universal Transport took over the overall contract, assuming responsibility for the entire organization, including inspecting the route, obtaining all necessary permits, distributing the trucks, coordinating with the police, and arranging escort vehicles. Thereafter, another Vamos train is scheduled to be delivered approximately every four weeks. In total, 24 streetcars of the second Vamos series are expected to be delivered to Bielefeld by 2022.
