photo(s) (GER) Subways (and a bit of Tramway) in Nuremberg

[NJT]

Hi,

it's been a while since my last post, but finally, I found some time to share some more pictures from Europe with you.

Today, it's all about Nuremberg (or Nürnberg, as it is spelled in German). Nuremberg is Germany's fourteenth-largest city, yet it is one of only four cities in Germany to have a real subway (The others being Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich). The network consists of 3 lines (U1, U2, U3 - the U is for "U-Bahn" = subway), but U3 basically only serves two branches of U2. U11 provides additional service for the central part of U1 with the highest patronage; U21 is not really a separate line, but rather a line number assigned to all northbound U2 trains which terminate at Ziegelstein, as the line to Flughafen (Airport) is single-tracked and hence allows only a reduced headway. U2 and U3 (and of course U21) are the only driverless metro system currently in operation in Germany. Conversion from conventional operation to driverless operation took place some years ago on line U2, following about a year of mixed operation (U3 trains were driverless, U2 trains werde hand-driven, both lines share the same tracks in the city center).

 

These pictures were taken last saturday.

 

 

Nope, this is not a subway. This is a S-Bahn providing suburban service. Line S2 is served with refurbished (but rather old) coaches, while S1, S3 and S4 use newly built multiple units.

 

 

Rathenauplatz station. This is the northernmost stop served by both U2 and U3 (and U21, of course). On platform 2 (left), a northbound train to Ziegelstein has just arrived, while a southbound U3 train to Gustav-Adolf-Straße enters platform 1. Both units are from the DT3 series, the third and driverless generation of Nuremberg subway trains.

 

 

A southbound U2 train departs the northern terminus of the line, Flughafen (Airport).

 

 

The oldest section of the network on line U1, opened in the early 1970s, is largely above-ground. No driverless trains here, as line U1 is still operated the conventional way. This train is a DT3F, which is basically equal to the DT3 except for the drivers compartment. Automation of the U1 is very unlikely to happen, as there would be less federal grants for this project then for the automation of U2 and U3.

 

 

Line U1 is not only operated with DT3F, but also with first and second generation units. This train consists of two DT1 (first generation); the first one has been repainted in the new livery while the second unit still bears the original one.

 

 

As many DT1 are repainted by now, pictures like this one have become quite rare.

 

 

Nürnberg also has a tramway system. On the first weekend of the month, the museum line 15 operates with historic tramway cars.

 

 

This is a more modern streetcar, a GT6N. This car has just left a short tunnel built to access a large reversing loop, but as the tunnel is considered to unsafe for passenger traffic due to structural damages, both the loop and the tunnel are in a horrible condition. Line 8 drops off all passengers at Tristanstraße, the last stop before the tunnel, then reverses in this loop which once included the stop "Bayernstraße", and then returns to Tristanstraße. The track condition allows tramways to pass this loop only at a very low speed.

 

 

Passenger service will never return here. Tunnel maintenance is to expensive, furthermore, the tunnel does not meet federal safety regulations and would need to be completely rebuilt. Eventually, line 8 will be extended to the south from Tristanstraße. Then, the tunnel and the area where the reversing loop is located will be filled up with dirt and the extension will be built entirely above-ground.

 

 

Back underground: This is Sündersbühl, one of the newer stops on line U3. DT3F are also used on lines U2 and U3 sometimes, but running driverless with an empty cab.

 

If some of you would be interested in more pictures of the Nuremberg subway, I could post some photos from last year, which also show some of the second generation stock used on line U1.

Hope you enjoyed this (rather short) report.

Regards,

Dennis

[ttcsubwayfan]

Gorgeous photos! It's always refreshing to see international photos.

[Minato ku]

DT1 have the same design that the Class A of Munich.

[NJT]

Not only that - they are basically identical, although some of the newer DT1 incorporate the traction system of Munich's class B. The DT2 are as well identical to Munich's class B. One of the few differences is the small pantograph of the Nuremberg units used for shunting inside the shops (Munich uses small battery powered shunters for that). As the two systems were built at the same time (and are fairly near to each other), there are many technical similarities between these two cities. Munich and Nuremberg also exchanged cars in the last 40 years occasionally. But with the third generation of trains, Munich and Nuremberg gave up their "compability": Munich ordered fixed six car trains allowing passengers to move freely inside the train, and hence gave up the concept of fixed two-car units combined to four or six car trains. As Nuremberg platforms are not long enough for six car trains (which are the standard in Munich), Munich's C class is no longer compatible with Nuremberg. The DT3F could potentially operate in Munich, but the need to exchange cars no longer exists.

[theaveragejoe]

Nice, thanks for sharing since I dont really get to look at the German cities too much