Erfurt celebrates the Tatra! The train driver saves tram relics for eternity

Erfurt celebrates the Tatra! The train driver saves tram relics for eternity

Gotha, Deutschland - Today we have a very special article for all tram lovers and technology fans. It is about the Tatra street railways that were traveling in Erfurt from 1976 to 2014. These elegant companions are not only a means of transport, but also part of the cultural identity of the city and the region.

Markus Christophel, a passionate train driver from Erfurt, is committed to preserving these special trams. His enthusiasm for the Tatra Straßenbahnen goes so far that he not only works with them at work, but also enriched his collection privately with two original specimens. In a particularly emotional moment in July 2021, he received a call about a mysterious Tatra train that was to be scrapped in Gotha. This train was sold from Erfurt to Gotha in 2016, but there she never had the desired commitment as a means of transport. Instead, it served solely as a spare parts donor.

a piece of history saved

a fire brigade exercise owed Markus that he had the opportunity to save a piece of this Tatra track as a memory. He decided to take the front piece of the train with him against a donation. It weighs between 250 and 300 kilos and turned out to be a real challenge: with the support of friends it was transported to his apartment. The transport lasted about an hour, but the effort was worth it. Now the front piece is proud of its living room and is valued by many as a valuable memorial. Markus ’Facebook post about this was quickly received in the community.

But where are the Tatra street railways compared to other models? From 1952 to 1988, more than 18,000 cars of the PCC series were produced, which drove on the tracks in many countries, including Czechoslovakia. The Tatra cars are characterized by their extraordinary construction and modern technology of their time-a masterpiece of engineering.

public transport in Erfurt

The tram in Erfurt is much more than just a means of transportation for the citizens. It is the backbone of local public transport in the city with a route length of 45.2 kilometers and six lines. Around 105,000 passengers use this system every day, which offers essential connections in the city and beyond. The Erfurt transport companies (SWE Evag) ensure that the network runs smoothly and keeps pace with the integration of current technologies.

All in all, it can be seen how important the tram is for the cityscape of Erfurt. Markus Christophel impressively embodies the passion for these great vehicles that once raid through the streets of the city. If you look around the city on a walk today, it is easy to imagine which stories the old Tatra Straßenbahnen could tell.

If you want to learn more about the history of the tram in Erfurt, you can use the article by Thuringia24 here or a look at the article at Wikipedia here. The information about Tatra-Straßenbahnen can also be read on the website Strassenbahnen Online.