r ification ▁and ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁the ▁tram way ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 4 , ▁A EG ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁Kar ls ru he ▁horse ▁and ▁steam ▁tram ways ▁and ▁founded ▁the ▁Kar ls ru her ▁Straßen bahn - G es ellschaft ▁( Kar ls ru he ▁Tr am ▁Company ) ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁converting ▁it ▁into ▁an ▁electric ▁tram way . ▁This ▁project ▁was ▁initially ▁delayed ▁by ▁concerns ▁that ▁the ▁elect rical ▁overhead ▁lines ▁would ▁ru in ▁the ▁inner ▁city ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁electric ▁tr ams ▁would ▁disturb ▁the ▁instruments ▁of ▁the ▁Techn ical ▁University . ▁The ▁tram ▁network ▁was ▁not ▁elect r ified ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁but ▁a ▁comprom ise ▁meant ▁that ▁overhead ▁lines ▁were ▁not ▁built ▁through ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁Kar ls ru he ▁and ▁instead ▁were ▁operated ▁with ▁accum ulator ▁cars . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁electric ▁tram ▁service ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁the ▁former ▁steam ▁tram ▁route ▁between ▁Dur la cher ▁Tor ▁and ▁Dur lach ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 0 ; ▁the ▁last ▁horse ▁tram ▁service ▁was ▁operated ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁March ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁conversion . ▁ 4 6 ▁two - ax le ▁electric ▁cars ▁were ▁obtained ▁for ▁elect rical ▁operations , ▁of ▁which ▁ 1 9 ▁could ▁operate ▁only ▁on ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁to ▁M ühl burg ▁and ▁Dur lach , ▁while ▁the ▁other ▁ 2 7 ▁cars ▁could ▁operate ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁centre ▁thanks ▁to ▁built - in ▁re charge able ▁batter