TransUrban 6/2008

Interavto 2008 Several road vehicle trade fairs take place regularly in Moskva towards the end of August, and 2008 was no exception, with three being held over the fortnight between the 26th of the month and 7 September - Moskva Auto Salon 2008, the fourth Interavto fair, and the Motor Show.   Photo: The Young MAN JNP6137 Space Liner double deck coach.   Photo: Dmitry Savin

The Volvo 7700 Hybrid Urban Bus This two-axle vehicle, equipped with air suspension, features Volvo’s own innovative parallel hybrid drive system, in which the electric and diesel engine drive systems can operate independently of each other. The transmission is Volvo’s 12-speed mechanical I-Shift, with automatic gearing. The launch of the 7700 took place in autumn 2008 and the first vehicles will soon be operating in Luxembourg on various routes within the capital.   Photo: The Volvo 7700 Hybrid at the IAA 2008 trade fair in Hannover.   Photo: Bohuslav Kotál

IAA Nutzfahrzegue - Hannover 2008 The 62 Internationale Automobil-Austellung Nutzfahrzeuge trade fair ran from 25 September to 2 October 2008, thus partially coinciding with InnoTrans 2008 in Berlin. No fewer than 258 products were on show for the first time anywhere in the world. The chairmen of many of the exhibiting companies were present at the event, to which around 700 VIP guests were invited. Over the two Press Days, held on 23 and 24 September, around 90 press conferences were held, attended by some 2,500 journalists from all over the world. The official inauguration ceremony was performed by Germany’s Minister for Economics, Michael Glos.   Photo: Other VDL products on display in the outside exhibition area were a Futura FHD 104-365, Futura FHD 127-365 and Phileas with hybrid drive.   Photo: Bohuslav Kotál

SOR's TN 12 A Trolleybus The Czech Republic is nowadays still one of the few countries which has a thriving trolleybus development and manufacturing industry, in spite of the fact that this environmentally friendly form of urban public transport is enjoying a renaissance. In June 2008 SOR, which in the past has only built buses, presented its first trolleybus, the SOR TN 12 A, at the Autotec 2008 trade fair in Brno.   Photo: DP Ostrava is charged with the task of testing and commissioning the SOR TN 12 A trolleybus, seen here passing along Sokolská třída on 10 August 2008.   Photo: Robert Kindl

Slavyansky Bulvar Readers will recall that in TU 1/08 (pp. 26 - 30) we published a major feature on some of the recent expansion activities on the Moskva metro network. One part of this article dealt with the construction of the new Line 3 (Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya) serving the western suburbs from Kievskaya to Strogino. The latest development was the inauguration on 7 September 2008 of the impressive new station at Slavyansky Bulvar, on the „express“ section of the line between Park Pobedy and Kuntsevskaya.   Photo: A view along the length of the island platform, looking towards the concourse at the east end. The train on the left is a Class 81-740.1/81-741.1 Rusich unit (heading towards Shchelkovskaya terminus); the one on the right is a Class Ezh (running to Strogino), a type which will be withdrawn by the end of 2008.   Photo: Dmitry Savin

And much more!