Lost but Not Forgotten: Prague to Revive Historic Sprinkler Tram

The Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) is set to restore a historic sprinkler tram, a vehicle once essential for keeping the city’s streets clean.

The project involves reconstructing the tram’s chassis to create a fully functional replica of this unique maintenance vehicle.

The planned replica will be modeled after historic sprinkler tram No. 2505 from 1925.

DPP will install a refurbished water tank onto the chassis of tram No. 2196, originally built in 1929. The restoration process will include chassis leveling, the addition of missing parts, and the integration of both new and reconditioned components, including electrical systems.

Once completed, the tram will not only serve as a historical exhibit but will also retain its original gravity and pressurized sprinkling functions.

The entire project will be strictly supervised to ensure historical authenticity while meeting modern technical standards. DPP plans to use the restored vehicle for special events, highlighting Prague’s rich transport history and the crucial role these trams once played in urban maintenance.

A Glimpse Into the Past

Following World War I, maintaining Prague’s streets with traditional trucks proved to be too costly. As a result, the city’s Building Authority commissioned Electric Companies to design special sprinkler trams.

The first three models were introduced between 1921 and 1922, and their success led to further production in the following years. However, their operation ceased in 1961, when more modern street-cleaning vehicles replaced them.

A variation of tram sprinklers returned to Prague in 2016 when the city modified a Lubricating Tram by equipping it with a water tank. Since 2017, this tram has been used to regularly water grassy tram lanes during the summer months.

The project’s timeline states that the replica should be completed within 18 months after signing the contract.

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