Heritage tram 138 helped out on Route 15, rolling through the southern Frankfurt district of Sachsenhausen. The P class (types of tramway cars in Frankfurt were distinguished by letters since electrification in 1899) had been delivered in 100 examples (651-750) between 1972 and 1977. Not only a streetcar, but also a transition type for the expanding subway network, sub-class Pt had extendable stairs that allowed to use the same car on streets and in subway tunnels with elevated platforms. Designed exclusively for Frankfurt and once the backbone of the local fleet, there were 7 examples still in revenue service when the photo was taken: three designated museum or heritage cars (128, 138, 148, ex 728, 738, 748) in the 1970s and 1980s orange and ivory paint depicted here, and four retired cars in the current turquoise livery (720, 727, 736, 749) which had to be reactivated due to a shortage of vehicles. Not accessible for disabled passengers, they faced final retirement as soon as new T class (Alstom Citadis) trams would be delivered.
