(All pictures via UralVagonZavod)
Russia may have lost the Cold War but the country won’t be denied a spot as one of the most innovative world powers. The superpower recently unveiled its newest tram design – and it looks like it came right out of the movie Tron.
The new tram, dubbed the Russia One, was designed by UralVagonZavod and seeks to be one of the most comfortable and technologically advanced trams on the tracks. Not only does it provide music and Wi-Fi for passengers, but it also features GPS, GLONASS navigation, anti-bacterial hand rails, air conditioning and seven HD-CCTV cameras for safety; it even includes a USB 3.0 port for the conductor to charge his mobile devices. The tram isn’t modeled after Japan’s bullet train but instead seeks to provide an elegant and superior ride for its travelers (and it’s sure to boost tourism, too).
Russia One console day and night mode. The video display method, at the bottom of the middle screen, looks like something a Bond villain would have. I love it.
The Russia One is not only superior with its user experience, but it’s also a safer and more cost-effective machine than their Western counterparts. The entire floor of the tram was built using Russian-made low-floor tested bogeys, significantly reducing building cost and allowing the machine to safely travel up to 24km/hr. With this, the windshield of the conductor’s cabin was designed on a slant and allows for 30 percent more visibility, minimizing the risk of hitting pedestrians.
The tram is still a prototype at this point but developers expect the machine to hit mass production as early as 2015. It can hold 190-270 passengers and Alexey Maslov, who is heading the project, said it was designed to run in any environment, from forests to urban settings. In Russia, the train is expected to run in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhy Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Volgograd, but Maslov said it could also easily hit the tracks in Melbourne and other countries.
It’ll be a while before we see any of these futuristic trains in the states, but eliminating the scent of urine on our urban trains would surely be a great start.
C
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