ANKARA: Turkey has started production of the country’s first domestically produced tramway.
The production of a tramway will cost $1.7 million, sparing Turkish municipalities nearly one million dollars in import costs.
Based in northwestern Turkey’s Bursa province, Durmazlar Makine Raylı Sistemler Director Abdullah Bocan said that their tramways, along with their software infrastructure, are fully designed and produced by Turkish engineers. Bocan stressed the importance of their production, creating jobs in the country, as well as diminishing the import-related expenses of Turkish municipalities; while also noting that they offer a profitable price for Turkish municipalities.
In the past Turkish municipalities have been importing tramways mainly from China and Italy for a price per unit of 2.3 million euros ($2.45 million).
Earlier this month, the company launched the Panorama tramway, a 2.65-meter wide, 32-meter long tramway, now operating in the northern Turkish city of Samsun. The same company had also developed the 2.45-meter wide, 28-meter long Ipekbocegi tramway, which is currently in service in the western province of Bursa.
The director of Samulaş, a transportation company affiliated to the municipality of Samsun city, Kadir Gurkan stated that the Panorama tramway is being produced by taking their needs and advice into consideration, and the output has been successful and efficient.
