Stadler Tango

The Tango is a light rail vehicle and tram made by Stadler Rail. It can be built as either a 100% high-floor or 70% low-floor articulated unit. It is in use in Aarhus, Bochum, Berlin (BVG-Class IK), Basel, Geneva, Lyon, Ostrava (NF2) and Sarajevo (NF3).

Tango (Bochum)
Tango in Bochum
Manufacturer	Stadler Rail
Constructed	2007–
Specifications
Train length	28,200 mm (92 ft 6+1⁄4 in)
Width	2,650 mm (8 ft 8+3⁄8 in)
Height	3,650 mm (11 ft 11+3⁄4 in)
Wheel diameter	740 mm (29.13 in)
Maximum speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Weight	Empty: 35,740 kg (78,790 lb)
Traction motors	4
Power output	4 × 125 kW (168 hp)
Electric system(s)	750 V DC overhead wire
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
UIC classification	Bo′2′Bo′
Minimum turning radius	25 m (82.02 ft)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Tango (Basel)
Tango in Basel
Manufacturer	Stadler Rail
Constructed	2008-
Specifications
Train length	45,000 mm (147 ft 7+5⁄8 in)
Width	2,300 mm (7 ft 6+1⁄2 in)
Height	3,510 mm (11 ft 6+1⁄4 in)
Wheel diameter	Driving: 680 mm (26.77 in) Carrying: 580 mm (22.83 in)
Maximum speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Weight	Empty: 57.0 t (56.1 long tons; 62.8 short tons)
Traction motors	6
Power output	6 × 125 kW (168 hp)
Electric system(s)	600 V DC overhead wire
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
UIC classification	Bo′2′Bo′2′Bo′
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge

Characteristics

The cities operating Tango are demanding the following characteristics for their rolling stock: speed (up to 100 km/h or 62 mph), robustness, security and compatibility with the common use of infrastructure, economic (capacity adapted to the traffic and prospects for their development) as well as comfort and aesthetics. In the case of the Appenzell Railways, the light rail needs to deal also with strong gradients in the foothills south of St. Gallen.^[1]

Usage

In Lyon, the Tango tram is serving the express line Rhônexpress linking downtown with Saint Exupéry Airport, and its TGV train station, opened in 2010.

The Tango in Geneva's public transport livery

An order of 32 vehicles was placed by the city of Geneva in December 2009. 20 were ordered by Stuttgarter Strassenbahnen, the first one being completed in September 2012.^[2]

Appenzeller Bahnen (AB) has contracted Stadler Rail to deliver seven new Tango for use on the new Appenzell–St. Gallen–Trogen railway starting from 2017. Previously, the western line from St. Gallen to Appenzell was operated by heavy rail with a rack section.^[3]

Aarhus Letbane will receive a mix of 12 Stadler Tango (with a top speed of 100 km/h) and 14 Stadler Variobahn, with a total of 26 units.^[4][5]

In 2016, Dopravní podnik Ostrava ordered 30 Stadler Tango NF2 (also known as nOVA) trams with an option for another 10 trams.^[6] All 40 trams were delivered between April 2018 and October 2019.^[7][8]

Sarajevo Tramway has received 1 Stadler Tango NF3, and will receive 14 more by the beginning of 2024.^[9]

See also

• Variobahn, a 100% low-floor tram from the same manufacturer