Railways and Tramways of Australia
Z3 Class
Z3 Class tram 162, Glenferrie Road, Malvern, Melbourne, 19 December 2017.
Road numbers:
116–48, 150–230
Operator:
Yarra Trams, Melbourne
Gauge:
1435 mm
Year of entry into service:
1979
Number built:
115
Type:
Three-door, bogie saloon
Manufacturer:
Commonwealth Engineering, later ASEA Brown Boveri (ABB)
Manufacturing location:
Dandenong, Victoria
Motors:
2 x AEG ABS 3322 195 kW
Weight:
21.8 t
Length:
16.6 m
Seats:
40
The Z3 Class trams followed on from the earlier Z1 Class and Z2 Class, which brought a new design of tram to Melbourne in the 1970s. They were built with different trucks to the Z1 and Z2 trams, and this improved their ride quality. Almost all of the class remain in service, although number 149 was damaged by fire and subsequently scrapped. They are allocated to Malvern, Essendon, Glenhuntly and Brunswick depots.