Tatra K1


The Tatra K1 was an experimental tramcar developed by ČKD Tatra between 1964 and 1965.

History

Previous Tatra units had been concerned primarily with gaining maximum capacity in a single tramcar, and Tatra sought to correct this through the development of its first articulated tramcar, the result being the K1. The K1 was based largely on the already established T3, although certain aspects of the electrical equipment were adjusted in the K1. In 1965 was built two prototypes with numbers 7000 and 801 with electropneumatic equipment UA 11. The second of them was ship to Ostrava as first. After a short spell on trial in Prague with the prototype 7000, the first prototype entered service in Ostrava with number 800. They here remained for 3 years until 1. October 1968 before being returned to the manufacturer. The test runs had exposed problems with the electronic equipment of the K1, and thus the two prototypes remained the only ones ever produced. The first prototype underwent a reconstruction to functional sample KTX with shortened body in 1969. This functinal sample was subjected to the test drives and later it was send in 1971 into Liberec on metre gauge. From Liberec it was send back in winter 1972/73. After it was this prototype renumbered to 8004 and it get a prototype of new thyristor electric equipment TV 2. After several test runs it was retired and used as warehouse in a Prague depot Hloubětín.
The second prototype was never again put back into operation and it was used as a warehouse in ČKD Tatra until the second half of 1970s when the both prototypes were scrapped.

Production

Note: This is the list of first owners. Stock may have later been resold to other cities not on this list.