BVG Class 480

The BVG Class 480 is an electric multiple unit for the Berlin S-Bahn. It was originally meant to replace the aging S-Bahn rail cars in West Berlin, but after the reunification of the city, the remaining orders were cancelled and replaced by new orders for DBAG Class 481 cars in 1993.

BVG Class 480 DBAG Class 480
BVG Class 480 at Bornholmer Straße
Manufacturer	AEG, Siemens, WU
Constructed	1986-1987 (pilot series), 1990–1994
Number built	85 multiple units
Operators	Deutsche Bahn AG Berlin S-Bahn
Specifications
Train length	36.8 m (120 ft 9 in)
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Weight	60 t (59 long tons; 66 short tons)
Electric system(s)	750 V DC third rail
Current collector(s)	Contact shoe
UIC classification	Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′
Safety system(s)	mechanical train stop
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

History

Class 480 cars were ordered by BVG because the Class 475 trains, which had been taken over from Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) when BVG took control of the S-Bahn in West Berlin in 1984, were inadequate for use in West Berlin and were outdated. Both ends of a four-unit Class 480 train have a driving cab, allowing the flexibility of having two multiple units together. Four prototypes were delivered in 1986. Additional trains were ordered in order to cope with the five additional routes reopened after re-unification in 1989, which increased the West Berlin's S-Bahn to 117 km (73 mi).

As a result of in incident in the Nord-Süd Tunnel in August 2004, in which the last vehicle in a train was destroyed by fire, Class 480 trains were removed from routes S1, S2 and S25, bringing Class 481 trains into the service on these routes ahead of plan. These trains were redeployed to other lines such as S41, S42, S45 and S8. S85 also decided to use these trains. Due to the arrival of the Class 483/484 trains, all of them were relocated to line S3, where they still operate. What is important to mention, is that they don't exclusively operate on the S3. They can also still be seen on the S1/S2/S25/S26 lines and sometimes even other lines. The S5 is also a line where you can spot a BR480 quite often.

Deployment of trains

These trains were deployed and commonly been seen at various lines:

• S41: Ring (clockwise)
• S42: Ring (counter-clockwise)
• S45: Flughafen Schönefeld - Berlin-Südkreuz
• S46: Königs Wusterhausen – Westend
• S47: Spindlersfeld – Hermannstraße
• S8: Zeuthen – Birkenwerder
• S85: Grünau – Pankow