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The new tram vehicles, manufactured by the Spanish tram manufacturer CAF, will eventually replace part of the old PCC trams.

Today (Monday 30 January) De Lijn's tram traffic in Antwerp will start a brand new chapter in its almost 150-year history: no less than 9 new trams will go into operation on line 10. As of today, travelers can therefore fully enjoy the comfort and ease of travel of the brand new acquisitions. These 9 trams are just the beginning, by the way. A total of 58 trams have been ordered. It is tradition at De Lijn for new tram types to be given their own name. Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters and Director-General De Lijn Ann Schoubs, chairman of De Lijn Johan Sauwens and Antwerp alderman for mobility Koen Kennis recently announced their names to the newcomers: Stadslijners.

De Lijn ordered 2019 new trams for Antwerp in the period 2021-58. The new tram vehicles, manufactured by the Spanish tram manufacturer CAF, will eventually replace part of the old PCC trams. The first new tram arrived on a trailer at the PAL depot on Noorderlaan on the night of 7 November 2021, after a sea journey by cargo ship.

“The new tram fleet heralds a new generation of contemporary and comfortable public transport in Antwerp. The new vehicles are low-floor trams, which are easily accessible for wheelchair users, travelers with reduced mobility and travelers with a pushchair. It can take 187 passengers. Sustainability, an optimal travel experience, comfort and accessibility were paramount when choosing these trams. The 58 trams represent a total investment of 136 million euros.”

New generation of trams
The manufacture and delivery of these 58 trams will take a total of about 3 years, until the end of 2024. It concerns 40 one-way trams and 18 two-way trams. Two-way trams cost more, but are more maneuverable and deployable.

"The customer comes first, and that includes attractive public transport. With these 58 brand-new tram vehicles for Antwerp, we are fully committed to comfort and a pleasant travel experience."

Long preparation process
Building a tram is manual work. An average of 2 trams are built and delivered per month. Meanwhile, 24 vehicles have arrived in Antwerp. Before a delivered tram can actually transport passengers, a whole process of inspections, checks, government permits and test drives must first be completed. Only when all this is in order is the signal green for passenger transport. Every tram has to go through this process. In the meantime, De Lijn staff, both drivers and technicians, must receive the necessary training. Meanwhile, 130 tram drivers have been trained. As of today, they can transport travelers for the first time with the 9 Stadslijners that will serve line 10.

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"Every day, De Lijn transports many thousands of passengers in the Antwerp region, the majority of whom travel by tram. There is still a lot of growth potential, which is why I am very pleased with these new trams. They are our best weapons in our joint fight against global warming, and for more quality of life in our cities."

Not only travelers can expect an extremely comfortable travel experience, drivers are also very pleased with the pleasant way in which the new trams can be operated. Minister Lydia Peeters recently took the opportunity to test this herself. Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, she made a very successful ride with the Stadslijner at the Deurne depot.

“I am delighted with the new trams and warmly welcome them, and I do so on behalf of all Antwerp residents. After all, we can make good use of them. More people on public transport keeps our city accessible and liveable.”

Line 10 first
Line 10 is the first tram line on which the Stadslijners will start running. Line 24 will follow in the foreseeable future. Line 10 can kick off the strike because it is the tram line on which the practical training of the staff took place. Tram line 10 is operated from the Deurne tram depot, from which tram line 24 is also served. The drivers and technicians are trained per depot. Deurne's turn was first. The other tram lines will only be taken into use at a later stage. In the meantime, a number of minor adjustments are being made to the public domain and certain infrastructure. In the past, implementation was sometimes done according to different standards than today. As a result, more contemporary trams cannot pass everywhere equally easily. With the new trams on the way, it has been decided to give priority to this so that the tram can pass easily everywhere. The adjustments vary from moving a pole, traffic light or fencing that is too close, to trimming greenery and trees, to adjusting somewhat sagging older platforms or platform edges that protrude too far.

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New name
It has now become a tradition at De Lijn to give new types of tram vehicles their own names. Just like for the Albatrosses and the Hermelijns in the interior and the Zeelijners on the coast, De Lijn also went in search of a unique name for the new Antwerp vehicles. This time, De Lijn employees were given the exclusive honor of finding a suitable name. After all, they are responsible for driving and maintaining these trams on a daily basis. Name suggestions had to be accompanied by a short explanation. And of course the name had to fit in an urban environment and with the image of De Lijn. After an extensive selection procedure among the most popular entries, the decision was finally made. Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters came to Deurne to present the new tram and reveal the name, together with director-general of De Lijn, Ann Schoubs, chairman Johan Sauwens of De Lijn and Antwerp alderman for Mobility Koen Kennis. The new name is: Stadsliner. The new name clearly refers to the new home of the Antwerp trams and also fits nicely in the row with the other tram names. Incidentally, 48 'brothers' of the Stadslijner, originating from the same tram manufacturer, are running on the coast. The winning tram name is immediately popular, because no fewer than 32 different De Lijn employees came up with and submitted it. They can all expect a nice price soon, according to the Flemish Transport Company.

Photo above and middle: Image bank De Lijn.

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