The city of Nordhausen in Thuringia in eastern Germany has placed an order with Siemens for the delivery of three Combino type low-floor light rail vehicles which can be powered not only electrically but also by diesel engine. "The supply of these dual-power vehicles marks another milestone in the success story of the family of modular designed Combino trams," emphasized Hans M. Schabert, Vice President of Siemens Transportation Systems, on the occasion of the order award. "The orders just received from Erfurt and Augsburg as well mean that so far a total of 515 Combinos have been sold worldwide."

These dual-power trams for Nordhausen are intended for operation on the network of narrow-gauge lines of the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen (HSB) and on the nonelectrified stretch be-tween Nordhausen and Illfeld. The three-section, double-ended Combinos are each powered by a diesel-electric drive system. The V8 diesel engines have an output of 180 kW at 4,000 rpm. The 2.3-meter-wide, 20-meter-long hybrid vehicles are due to be delivered in 2004. For operation on the HSB routes, these Combinos will also be equipped with an ATC system and a train radio.

Meanwhile the third Combino order has been placed by the city of Augsburg. The 12 seven-section trams just ordered will raise the number of Combinos in Augsburg to 41 units.

The transit authority in Erfurt, which has been using Combinos since 2000, has ordered 22 more five-section trams, thus raising the Erfurt fleet of Combinos to a total of 48 vehicles. Delivery of the new vehicles is scheduled to start in 2003.

Likewise Freiburger Verkehrs AG, the transit company for the city of Freiburg at the foot of the Black Forest, has exercised its option to order nine more Combinos. These seven-section light rail vehicles are to be delivered by the beginning of 2004, thus increasing Freiburg's total to 18 Combinos.

See pictures:
At the Internet address: www.siemens.de/ts-picture/018 you will find two studies of the inte-rior design of the Combino with diesel hybrid drive.