The three-section 71-233A tram manufactured by Sinara-Transport Machines has returned to route No. 18 in Yekaterinburg after a forced downtime. However, passengers noticed problems: the unusually loud rattle of the second bogie remained, and inside the cabin, a cover concealing the car's engineering equipment opened. On March 13, the tram was removed from the route after a part of the mechanism fell off the middle bogie. In the eight days after the incident, the car only went out on the line once — on March 16 — and returned to the depot with its hazard lights on.
History of Problems with the 71-233A Tram in Yekaterinburg
The first trip of the 71-233A as part of passenger trials took place on February 7, 2026. Already on March 13, a loud rattle appeared in the middle bogie, the car did not reach the final stop and returned to the depot.
On March 16, the tram tried to go out on the line again, but again returned to the depot with hazard lights on. On March 25, the car went out on the route after repairs, completed one lap without breakdowns, but the noise of the bogies and the exposed engineering compartment still raise questions.
Specifications of the Sinara 71-233A Tram
- Manufacturer: Sinara-Transport Machines, Yekaterinburg
- Type: three-section low-floor tram
- Capacity: up to 308 passengers, 70 seats
- Low floor: 100%
- Autonomous range: up to 3 km
- Track gauge: 1524 mm and 1435 mm
- Energy efficiency: 15% reduction in electricity consumption compared to the previous generation
- Production: Remputmash plant, Yekaterinburg
- Development started: 2019 in collaboration with Škoda Transportation, after 2022 — independently
71-233A is Sinara's first fully own tram project, launched after the break with the Czech Škoda in 2022. Repeated problems with the bogies after repair indicate design issues that still need to be resolved before the start of mass production.
Earlier, www1.ru reported that passenger trials of the new low-floor Sinara 71-233A tram have begun in Yekaterinburg.
