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My visit to the German town of Gotha took place in early August 2009. It seemed to be a system of two parts. The main terminus is at the Hauptbahnof with cars running down to Huttenstrasse. Here the co-ordinated routes 1 and 4 turn left and the 2 turns right.
The 1 and 4 provide a 10 minute service out past the depot to Sundhausen and the Hospital. One or two journeys per hour extend through the Thuringer Forest to Tabarz with a short one tram feeder service (6) connecting at Walterhausen. These routes were run by Tatras. There are 18 of these:301-306 bought new in 1981/2 and mainly in blue/yellow fleet livery307-309, 311 and 312 of 1990 bought from Erfurt in 2001 and in their red/white livery313-317 and 319 of 1990 also bought from Erfurt but in 2006. All but two in red/white (319 in yellow, 316 in fleet livery)310 was bought from Erfurt in 2008 to replace a 2001 purchase which was accident damage (the front half is in the depot yard). 9 cars are required for the 1 and 4 (8 and 1 extra at peaks) with workings 1-5, 7-10 noted. A further Tatra (working 6) operates the shuttle service 6.
Route 2 runs through the slightly more run down part of Gotha to Ostbahnhof with some single line sections. At the time of my visit it was run by the ex Mannheim Duewags of which six remained and 396 and 442 provided the duties on my visit. 324 and 395 were noted in the depot yard, with withdrawn 442 and (by elimination) 328 also there. The Duewags were finally retired at the end of the month - with the Tatra now reigning supreme. 395 is advertised as part of the hire fleet along with Gotha built ET55 39 of 1955, Gotha T57E 43 of 1956, Gotha T7 56 of 1929 and Gotha artic 215 of 1967. Plus trailers 82 of 1928, 101 of 1956 and a wagon.
A few photos are here:http://paul-turner.fotopic.net/c1740558.html and the official website (with a nice logo!)http://www.waldbahn-gotha.de/
