UrBC, Yekaterinburg, December 3, 2015. Uraltransmash (a member enterprise of Uralvagonzavod Corporation) got its low-floor tram bogie patented, the corporation’s press service reports.

The bogie was designed by the plant’s Director-General Alexei Nosov, Senior Civilian Goods Designer Sergei Soloviev, and Senior Designer Engineer Sergei Chernykh.

The product was developed for Russia’s first fully low-floor tram. The wheels are mounted on independent axles and all the parts pertaining to the middle section are on the outer surfaces, which makes room for the low floor in the central section of the tram.

Every wheel has a single operated drive actuated by a separate engine with the help of a single-train parallel-shaft reduction gear unit with an idle gear.

Parts of the bogie are made from extra durable steel to allow for frame flexing under alternating load from the uneven rail surface. A springy counter-shaft softens start-up and braking jerks.

The bogie also features a ‘smart turn’ system to smooth lateral dynamic load from the rail surface and allow for degree rotation both ways.