Strukton to supply inverters for B-class trams in Melbourne

Yarra Trams has contracted Strukton Rolling Stock to supply new static inverters for B-Class trams on the world’s largest tram network in Melbourne. The B-class trams were delivered to Melbourne in the late 1980’s / early 1990’s and are a familiar sight on the Melbourne streets. After a public tender process, Yarra Trams selected Strukton Rolling Stock to deliver an initial batch of three units for a trial.

Power electronics typically start to show their age (approximately 10-15 years) well before the vehicle car body does (designed typically for over 30 years), and static inverters are no exception. Inverters provide the power to all secondary systems. Strukton Rolling Stock is to supply a new pin-compatible cubicle with modern IGBT electronics, to assure a steady power supply for all the auxiliary systems.

Form-Fit-Function replacement

Strukton Rolling Stock has a special focus on such refurbishment requirements, by offering a Form-Fit-Function replacement that fits on the same mounting points and connectors. The cubicle is new for each application; the power modules inside are used in more projects to keep development effort as low as possible. The result is a cost-effective solution to get another 15-20 year of useful life out of the trusted vehicles, while the vehicle should not even notice it has a new system underneath. Strukton has successfully completed comparable refurbishments with Tisséo (metro Toulouse, both traction and auxiliary inverters) and OATS (Chicago Airport people mover, traction systems).

About Yarra Trams

Melbourne’s Yarra Trams is the largest operating tram network in the world. With more than 190 million passenger trips taken each year, Yarra Trams connects thousands of people with places every day. Since the first cable tram travelled along Bourke Street in 1885, the city’s tram network has become an iconic and much loved part of Melbourne’s identity. Melbourne isn’t Melbourne without trams.

Since 2009, Yarra Trams’ network has been proudly operated by Keolis Downer through a franchise agreement with the Victorian Government. Keolis Downer is Australia’s largest private provider of multi-modal public transport. Our operations combine the international expertise of one of Europe’s leading public transport companies Keolis, with the local know-how of Downer, one of Australia and New Zealand’s top engineering and infrastructure management firms.

About Strukton Rail

Strukton Rail provides cross-border solutions in the field of rail infrastructure, railway vehicles and mobility systems. Through almost a century of rail construction involvement, maintenance expertise and technological development we have successfully adopted, created and connected past, modern and future best practises:

• Operational asset management
• Monitoring systems (POSS)
• Rolling stock systems
• Signalling systems
• Energy systems
• High-output equipment
• Training and certification