Light Rail (trams) coming back into fashion?

[Sid]

Is light rail (aka trams) on the comeback in your neck of the woods? They are in Sydney, Australia. There has been a short tram line between Central Station and the inner western suburb of Lilyfield (via the fish markets) for a number of years now & the state government has now decided to extend it further to the west in Dulwich Hill. This is following the route of an old goods train line. Also, a light rail service will be established in the inner city. Huge contrast to the thinking in the 1950's when trams were phased out here and replaced by buses...

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7945036

[Lethevich]

Everywhere, seemingly cities view trams as a good way to make themselves look more quaint. Edinburgh is currently having a system built from scratch, although for half a billion you would think they could find better ways to waste peoples money.

[False_Dmitry]

Here in Moscow the city has had trams from 100+ years - the centennial of the system was in 1996.   Sadly several lines have recently been removed in car-widening schemes    But 80% of the system is still fully operational, and I use the tram frequently.  We also have an extensively network of trolleybuses (buses with four rubber tyres and run on the regular roads, but which are powered by overhead electric cables) - these offer a neat combination of the main environmental benefits of trams, without the costs of track maintenance.  For a city that has a 5-month winter and average low temps of -22C,  trolleybuses neatly avoid the problems of ice-buried track.

Recently the first of several planned monorail services opened - providing swift and comfortable public transport that occupies a minimal footprint at ground level.   



The famous Moscow Metro is still being expanded.  The main thrust of the development now is extending lines further out into the suburbs - the centre of the city is already well-covered with stations.   The aim is to encourage commuters onto public transport and out of their cars - for multiple reasons.

[flyingdutchman]

Portland, Oregon has had light rail for about 25 years now.

[Coopmv]

Here in Moscow the city has had trams from 100+ years - the centennial of the system was in 1996.   Sadly several lines have recently been removed in car-widening schemes    But 80% of the system is still fully operational, and I use the tram frequently.  We also have an extensively network of trolleybuses (buses with four rubber tyres and run on the regular roads, but which are powered by overhead electric cables) - these offer a neat combination of the main environmental benefits of trams, without the costs of track maintenance.  For a city that has a 5-month winter and average low temps of -22C,  trolleybuses neatly avoid the problems of ice-buried track.

Recently the first of several planned monorail services opened - providing swift and comfortable public transport that occupies a minimal footprint at ground level.   



The famous Moscow Metro is still being expanded.  The main thrust of the development now is extending lines further out into the suburbs - the centre of the city is already well-covered with stations.   The aim is to encourage commuters onto public transport and out of their cars - for multiple reasons.

Seattle has a light rail system that is somewhat similar to the Moscow Metro ...

[Scarpia]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZjzsnPhnw

[False_Dmitry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZjzsnPhnw

          Yes,  that's pretty-much how we got ours.  I knew I recognised that guy in the straw hat from somewhere.

In practice it's a less expensive alternative to digging metro tunnels, but can carry similar passenger numbers. I take it frequently,  since it happens to run to a place I need to go quite often. 

[flyingdutchman]

Seattle's light rail is 25-30 years behind the times and the monorail has never gone anywhere but Westlake.  One of the worst transportation systems in the US, but they thankfully are starting to catch up with the times.  Now they need to get rid of the viaduct and it will be great.

[knight66]

Everywhere, seemingly cities view trams as a good way to make themselves look more quaint. Edinburgh is currently having a system built from scratch, although for half a billion you would think they could find better ways to waste peoples money.

Yes, when I am in Edinburgh I never hear a good word about this scheme. It has been modified and cut, but even when it was going to be built to its longest extent, it was going to run one and a half miles short of the airport! What sort of help is that to visitors? There is no rail link and currently the bus services are very well organised over the city. This ultra expensive project will no longer start at Leith, but will have one route, from one end of Princes St to somewhere close, but not close enough to the airport.

For several years now the traffic in Edinburgh has been muddled as roads are dug up, relayed, then dug up again.

Mike

[MDL]

Yes, when I am in Edinburgh I never hear a good word about this scheme. It has been modified and cut, but even when it was going to be built to its longest extent, it was going to run one and a half miles short of the airport! What sort of help is that to visitors? There is no rail link and currently the bus services are very well organised over the city. This ultra expensive project will no longer start at Leith, but will have one route, from one end of Princes St to somewhere close, but not close enough to the airport.

For several years now the traffic in Edinburgh has been muddled as roads are dug up, relayed, then dug up again.

Mike

This is the first I've heard about the Edinburgh tram scheme. If it had been taking place in London, it would have been all over the national news (see the Crossrail project), but if it ain't in London, it ain't news. Crap, isn't it?

I'm having trouble picturing how the Edinburgh tram scheme will work in such a comparatively hilly urban environment.

I left my home town of Manchester in 1989; going back there now, I think that the new trams add a touch of continental chic that certainly wasn't a feature of the city when I lived there. I have no idea if they're economically viable. But Manchester, unlike Edinburgh, is as flat as a pancake, which must make the technical logistics less of a nightmare.

Sheffield (where I went to university) and Croydon (where I have very few links) are now "proud" owners of tram networks. Does anybody know how they're doing?

[knight66]

I go to Manchester quite a bit. The tram infrastructure caused a deal of disruption, but it works well now.

But in Edinburgh we are talking about a single route, along Princes St, then out parallel to Costorphine Rd towards the Airport. It is all on the flat.

Mike

[Sid]

I can't see that the tram scheme here in Sydney is causing that much controversy (yet?), but (not to derail this thread) the metro scheme was very controversial & eventually scrapped. This probably had  much to do with the Global Financial Crisis, which occured before that time.

I think trams are a good idea, but the only problem with the current line here in Sydney (between Central station and Lilyfied) is that it is privately operated and quite expensive. This is yet another can of worms that I won't open (much!) - the integration of urban transport systems. It's hard to get them under the one umbrella, so to speak (re ticketing & discounts) if there are so many different operators. Here in Sydney the heavy rail airport line is similarly privately operated, but a recent line out to the North West (Ryde area) is thankfully not...

[Josquin des Prez]

Monorail cat approves.

[PaulThomas]

Sheffield (where I went to university) and Croydon (where I have very few links) are now "proud" owners of tram networks. Does anybody know how they're doing?

The trams in Sheffield are still going strong, although I dont use them anymore as I dont live where they go.

The track is in far better condition than the one in Manchester, which is really ropey now  -the ride is quite bumpy

[Hollywood]

The trams in Vienna are great and finally the new generation models have A/C! 

Here's one of Vienna's old-timer trams:




Here's one of the new generation with A/C:

[PaulThomas]

The trams in Vienna are great and finally the new generation models have A/C! 

Here's one of Vienna's old-timer trams:




Here's one of the new generation with A/C:

I agree the Trams in Vienna really are the business, most impressive for their extensive coverage, they really do go almost everywhere

Still remember getting the Tram up to Grinzing to visit Mahler's grave -beautiful day

[Hollywood]

Yes Paul the trams in Vienna are great. Along with the city buses and the subway here you really don't need a car to get around Vienna. This is one of the reasons why we don't own a car.

If you are ever in Vienna you might want to check out The Vienna Tramway Museum. It's the biggest tramway museum in the world, which exclusively documents the history of Vienna's public transport. Everything from a horse drawn tram from 1868 (the first of this type was started here in 1865), to the trams of today. 

Here's a couple of pictures of the first Viennese horse pulled tram on 4 Oct. 1865: