Operation
The SL95s make up 32 of the 72 trams in the system, supplementing the older SL79. The SL95s are the only bidirectional trams, and therefore the only ones that can operate on the Ullevål Hageby Line, that is served by lines 17 and 18. Since line 13 is a continuation of line 17 at Sinsen, the SL95s also operate on that line. Due to a too-small curve radius on the Briskeby Line, the SL95s do not operate on any of the lines to Majorstuen. They run on the Ullevål Hageby-, Ekeberg-, Sinsen-, Grünerløkka–Torshov-, Lilleaker- and Skøyen lines. Each service has a ten-minute headway, giving a five-minute interval on section that are served by two lines.
In 2007, two trams were involved in an accident and sent to Firema for reparations. However, the company filed for bankruptcy, and as of October 2010 the trams were still not repaired or returned to Oslo. In 2010, Commissioner for Environmental Affairs and Transport Jøran Kallmyr (Progress Party) stated that the SL95 trams were being considered for replacement, at the same time as the much older SL79. Problems with the units included excessive noise, excessive amount of time out of order, rust, cracks in the axles, and increased wear to the infrastructure because they weighed too much. All except two of the SL95 trams were temporarily grounded on 29 April 2013 when it was discovered that rust had damaged the joints between the articulated sections on several trams.
From 2012, the trams were equipped with an automatic train control system, which will allow them to run concurrently with the metro trains on the Kolsås Line. Oslo Vognselskap announced in September 2012 that they were preparing a tender to receive bids for new trams, which would replace all SL79 and SL95 units. In addition to procuring about seventy new units, Ruter initiated plans to upgrade the tramways for a combined NOK 4 billion. Oslo Vognselskap stated that the replacement trams would be about the same size as SL95, but weight only 40 tonnes (39 long tons; 44 short tons), giving less wear on the tracks, and have a floor height of 30 centimeters (12 in). Replacements could start in 2016 and would be completed by 2019.
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