TheStadtbahnwagen Typ M/N (translationType "M/N" Light Rail Vehicle) is alight rail vehicle used by severalStadtbahn and tram networks inGermany andAustria^[4] plus second hand inPoland,Romania andTurkey.^[5] It was mainly developed byDüsseldorf-basedDuewag, who also built most of the vehicles. As the type evolved over two decades of production, some vehicles have little more in common than their outer dimensions and the basic configuration of a two or thee-part vehicle on three or four bogies with both outer ones powered.

Stadtbahnwagen M/N
M8C 1408 from Essen
Stock type	Light Rail Vehicle/Tramcar
Manufacturer	Duewag,MAN
Constructed	1975–1999
Number built	326[1]
Specifications
Train length	20.4 m (66 ft11+1⁄8 in) (M/N6) 26.6 m (87 ft3+1⁄4 in) (M/N8)
Width	2.30 m (7 ft6+1⁄2 in)[2]
Articulated sections	2 (M/N6), 3 (M/N8)
Power supply	600V[3]

Development started when the transport authorities fromBochum,Essen andMülheim asked Duewag to develop a standardised vehicle for theirmeter gauge tram networks, soon followed byBielefeld andKrefeld. Initially the tramcar was designatedStadtbahnwagen R (R =Ruhr), but the definitve name becameStadtbahn M (M = Meterspur (meter gauge)). In 1976, theStadtbahnwagen N (N = Normalspur (standard gauge)) forNuremberg was introduced, followed by achopper-controlled version forDortmund in 1978.^[6]

Different variants are usually referred to by a combination of their gauge, number of axles and a letter denoting the motor type.

• Michael Kochems,Die Stadtbahnwagen der Typen M und N. Entwicklung – Technik – Einsatz, Transpress 2005,ISBN 9783613712577(in German)

• Moderus Beta (modernized tram)