Description
The Tatra T400 was a legendary Czechoslovak trolleybus built between 1948 and 1955. With a three-axle chassis, metal body and robust electrical equipment it became a symbol of postwar urban transport. It ran in Prague, Bratislava, Ostrava and Most and survives today as a rare museum vehicle.
Tatra concept
The T400 followed the Tatra layout — a backbone-tube chassis with swinging half-axles taken from the Tatra 111 lorry. Tatra Smíchov built the body, ČKD Prague the electrical equipment. All electrical gear sat on the chassis, which made maintenance easier.
Interior and equipment
- Top speed: 60 km/h
- Power: 210 hp
- Price: 10 steel tokens
- Capacity: 24 people
- Running cost: 2 coins
- Multiple units: no
- Era: 5–7
- Hi-poly: 6353 triangles
- Low-poly: 470 triangles
Production and service
A total of 195 cars were built for Prague, Bratislava, Ostrava and Most. Prague took the largest fleet — 136 vehicles. In Prague they ran until 1970. They were reliable, robust machines of postwar urban transport.
Museum pieces
The T400 no longer runs in regular service, but several cars survive as museum exhibits in Brno, Prague, Ostrava and Bratislava. Their technical elegance and retro look make them favourites at transport museums.