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JUNE 2013 NO. 906 CASA TRAMWAY: LRT TRANSFORMS A CITY SPECIAL REVIEW
Shanghai’s street-running LRT plans Oran opens new modern tramway US 2014 budget boost for light rail
Midland Metro Budapest £3.80 Birmingham City Overhauling urban Centre Extension transit governance
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Untitled-1 1 01/05/2013 11:19 Rosehill Rail Tramways Advert APR2013.indd 1 19/04/2013 16:25 CONTENTS The o cial journal of the Light Rail Transit Association JUNE 2013 Vol. 76 No. 906 www.tramnews.net EDITORIAL EDITOR Simon Johnston Tel: +44 (0)1832 281131 E-mail: [email protected] Eaglethorpe Barns, Warmington, Peterborough 235 PE8 6TJ, UK ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tony Streeter E-mail: [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR 250 Michael Taplin Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. E-mail: [email protected] NEWS EDITOR John Symons 17 Whitmore Avenue, Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, Sta s ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail: [email protected] SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Neil Pulling 212 WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS Aare Olander, Nikolai Semyonov, Sergei Tarkhov (CIS), Mike Russell, Norman Bartlett, Thomas Wagner, Pedro Costa, Richard Felski, Jordi Ibanez (Europe), NEWS 212 CINCINNATI STREETCAR 256 Yoshiri Nogi (Japan), Anthony Bailey, Ian Hammond, Oran tramway opens; US scal year budget Herbert Pence reports on the trials Paul Nicholson (Australia), Vic Simons, Charles Lietwiler, Steve Morgan, Tom Swinney (US). for 2014 commits USD10.9bn to transit; and tribulations of the project to bring PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Four operators shortlisted for DLR contract. streetcars back to the streets of Cincinnati Carla Corrado after almost 60 years. Tel: +44 (0)1832 281134 E-mail: [email protected] COMMENT 218 DESIGN Budapest Transport CEO Dávid Vitézy WORLDWIDE REVIEW 259 Debbie Nolan reveals the move towards governance Vienna announces three new tramway ADVERTISING reform in the Hungarian capital. extensions; Munich's new EUR19m U-Bahn COMMERCIAL MANAGER depot; Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square re- Vicky Binley Tel: +44 (0)1832 281132 E-mail: [email protected] MIDLAND METRO: BIRMINGHAM opens to the public; Baltimore seeks PPP ADVERTISING MANAGER CITY CENTRE EXTENSION 220 proposals for east-west LRT line and Purple Andy Adams Centro Metro Programme Director Paul line northern suburb service in Washington. Tel: +44 (0)1832 281135 E-mail: [email protected] Grif ths explains how the UK’s second city PUBLISHER is creating a vital link into the city centre. MAILBOX 266 Howard Johnston Is UK practice on stray currents out of step Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the CASA TRAMWAY: SPECIAL REVIEW 235 with modern worldwide experience?; LRTA and LRTA Publishing on the third Friday of each Neil Pulling visits Morocco to look in detail Manx Electric Railway praise; Public month preceding the cover date. at the country’s second modern tramway transit’s blow to the far-right in the USA. LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY – a project of national signi cance and set Brian Lomas E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] for large-scale expansion. CLASSIC TRAMS: SPANNING LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) THE ANDES PART 2 268 Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up SYSTEMS FACTFILE: MAGDEBURG 250 Mike Russell’s South American journey members of the Light Rail Transit Association. The former East German city has recently continues, this time looking at two You are welcome to join the LRTA. completed signi cant eet renewals and is operational heritage lines and other SUBSCRIPTIONS modernising and extending its infrastructure. restoration projects in Argentina. LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. BACK ISSUES Tel: +44 (0)1406 373070 PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION Welcome to the new-look, expanded TAUT Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. We’ve listened to a lot of feedback over the past few months in the LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE preparation of the latest incarnation of the world’s leading light and c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY, UK. urban rail monthly. We promise you even more information on the latest Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 developments from across the globe, as well as more expert comment in England and Wales. from those at the very heart of this growing and exciting industry. LRTA CHAIRMAN Andrew Braddock I’ll keep this month’s editorial brief, but would just like to focus on a LRTA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN few of this issue’s highlights: Herbert Pence reports from Cincinnati on the dif cult Vic Simons rst steps of an exciting next-generation US Streetcar project; Paul Grif ths from the LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE: c/o 8 Berwick UK’s West Midlands Transport Authority Centro talks to TAUT about the vital Midland Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU, UK. Private Metro link into Birmingham, the rst step in an ambitious plan to transform the Limited Company, No. 06169422 in England and Wales. single line into a network, and Neil Pulling goes behind the scenes in Casablanca for a © LRTA Publishing 2013. comprehensive review of the new tramway – the latest in a string of exciting schemes Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also in North Africa. later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution With comment from Budapest’s inspirational CEO David Vitezy on transport is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the governance reform in Europe’s eighth largest city and more news than ever – alongside opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. regular favourites such as Systems Fact le and Classic Trams and a vibrant new Mailbox No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in section – we hope there’s something for everyone. any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including If you have a point of view on anything in the issue, or would like to contribute a photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from comment for consideration, just drop me a line at [email protected]. the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the magazine without prior written approval is not permitted.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 211
211_Contents.indd 1 06/05/2013 13:16 News Oran tramway opens for business, with more Algerian LRT to come North Africa’s modern tram presence gathers pace with a second major opening in six months
he 18.7km (11.6-mile) substations and 30 43.9m-long Oran Tramway was long Citadis trams assembled officially inaugurated at its Barcelona plant. Isolux by Algerian Transport Corsán was responsible for MinisterT Amar Tou, in the civil engineering, track and presence of Abdelmalek Boudiaf, electrification. the Wali of Oran, on 1 May. Full The first line is the initial service began the following day. phase of a more extensive 48km The 32-stop line serves the (25-mile) network, featuring a main population centres of large loop line to the east serving Algeria’s second-largest city, the university at Belgaid and a with a service between 05.00 link to the airport in the south and 23.00 that is expected to of the city. A third line is carry 90 000 passengers/day. planned to link the congested Operations and maintenance city centre with the El Hamri are covered by Setram, a joint suburban bus station. venture owned by RATP Dev, Setram already operates the Entreprise du Métro d’Alger Algiers tramway and will run the (EMA) and Etablissement Public 11-stop, 8km (five-mile) tramline de Transport Urbain et Suburbain for Constantine (around 248 d’Alger, under a ten-year contract miles, 400km, east of the capital, awarded in May 2012. Algiers), scheduled to open this From Es Senia in the south, summer, as well as developing through the city and serving other tramway projects in Sidi Bel the University to Sidi Maarouf Abbès, Ouargla and Mostanagem. in the east, the line was built Turkish construction company by the Tramnour consortium Yapi Merkezi has been awarded of Alstom and Spanish partner the EUR420m contract to build Isolux Corsan under a EUR355m the first line of the new tramway contract awarded by Métro in Sidi Bel Abbès. d’Alger in November 2007. The 13.8km (8.6-mile) first Alstom’s EUR148m share of line will have 21 stations and Oran’s first tram line, operated by the RATP Dev-managed Setram joint venture, the contract included signalling construction work is expected to opened on 2 May, following an official inauguration by Algerian Transport and telecoms, depot equipment, take 38 months. Minister Amar Tou the day before. RATP Dev
Siemens Abellio awarded 15-year Leipzig delivers 100th Oslo metro car S-Bahn operating contract Leipzig’s new S-Bahn network Abellio is to operate a new New direct services from Siemens delivered its 100th metro to operate from December 2015 fleet of air-conditioned vehicles Jessen via Gräfenhainichen to train to Oslo on 24 April, ten years with the opening of the City- on the Leipzig S-Bahn, capable Halle and Leipzig. after the contract for the first 33 Tunnel will be operated by the of 160km/h (100mph) with trains of what has become the Dutch group Abellio in a 15- onboard ticketing systems. The The Leipzig City-Tunnel company’s biggest metro order year contract worth EUR1.1bn. new service timetable from project involves construction was placed. In that time patronage Transport authority December 2015 will offer: of two 1.44km (0.9-mile) has grown by 26% to 82m/year Nahverkehrsservice Sachsen- S-Bahn connections from the tunnels, one in each direction, and reliability of 99.7% has been Anhalt (NASA) announced the Leipzig City-Tunnel and from and four underground stations achieved. Five more MX300 54m deal in March and determined Halle to Bitterfeld every 30 – Bayerischer Bahnhof, trains will arrive this summer. that the award was qualified minutes and every hour on to Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz, 80% by the quality of the Dessau and Wittenberg. Markt and Hauptbahnhof services proposed and 20% due Accelerated express traffic (Central Station). to contract price. from Magdeburg to Leipzig Main tunnel works have A spokesman for Deutsche via Dessau-Roßlau. been completed and work Bahn told media that it would Fast direct connections is currently ongoing on the “review the situation of the from Magdeburg to fitting out of the four stations. contracting authority and the Lutherstadt Wittenberg and Following the completion of resulting consequences for also to Falkenberg (Elster). a trial phase, the City-Tunnel our employees very closely.” Better matching services to will open when the new The 100th Siemens metro car rolls into A possible legal challenge is optimise connections with timetable comes into effect in the T-bane depot on 24 April. Siemens still open. ICE traffic to Berlin. December 2013.
212 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org The Central Corridor light rail line US Transportation linking Minneapolis and St Paul is one of the schemes being built with Secretary the help of federal funding. Metro announced On 6 May President Obama nominated Charlotte, North Carolina, Mayor Anthony Foxx (right) as his new transportation secretary, replacing outgoing Secretary Ray LaHood. Foxx is respected in transit circles, having launched several significant transportation projects in Charlotte during his mayoral term, including the Charlotte Streetcar project as well as a third runway at Charlotte/ Douglas International Airport. Foxx, an attorney who has held several positions with the Obama 2014 budget plans Federal government, was first elected mayor in 2009. Announcing the nomination, USD 10.9bn for transit President Obama commented: “The economy is growing. There are more jobs, more opportunity… Funding levels raised Honolulu light metro: USD250m Los Angeles light rail and if you ask Anthony how for transport projects Minneapolis - St Paul Central connector: USD195m that happened, he’ll tell you light rail: USD98.4m Vancouver (WA) Columbia that one of the reasons is that Charlotte Lynx light rail River Crossing with light rail: Charlotte made one of the largest he White House released extension: USD100m USD65m investments in transportation in President Obama’s New York Second Avenue Mesa central light rail: the city’s history.” fiscal year 2014 budget subway: USD14.6m USD70.6m “Since Anthony took office, on 10 April; it includes Portland – Milwaukie light rail: One key omission from the list they’ve broken ground on a TUSD77bn for the US Department USD100m is the proposed Columbia Pike new streetcar project to bring of Transportation, 6% above Houston light rail North/South tramway in Virginia, promoted modern electric tram service the adopted 2012 budget. The East: USD176.4m by Arlington and Fairfax to the downtown area. They’ve Federal Transit Administration is Washington – Dulles metro: counties, which had hoped to get expanded the international in line to get USD10.9bn. USD96m USD75m towards the USD250m airport. And they’re extending Amongst the schemes Seattle University Link light project. However USD250m is the city’s light rail system. All of proposed to be supported are: rail: USD110m the limit for ‘small starts’ and that has not only helped create San Francisco Third Street light Los Angeles Westside subway: the FTA felt the real cost would jobs, it’s helped Charlotte become rail: USD150m USD65m exceed this amount. more attractive to business.” “Since Anthony took office, they’ve broken ground on a new streetcar project to bring modern tram service downtown... and they’re extending the city’s light rail system,
helping create jobs and make Charlotte more attractive to business.” PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
London Underground: Extensions and retail plans London Mayor Boris Johnson London can take an hour by bus goods purchased by phone following the fitting out of one has indicated that a proposal following re-organisation of and internet to be collected by station as a prototype. to extend the London Overground services last year. commuters on their way home. In further news, the Underground’s Bakerloo line TfL also intends to embark on The new commercial development of touch-and-go from Elephant and Castle to a major programme of station strategy is intended to boost credit card payments has Camberwell and Peckham, refurbishment to introduce revenues by exploiting space highlighted almost GBP53m plus probably overground more retail developments made available by smartcard (approx. EUR63m) lying to Bromley, is likely to be into Tube stations, including usage that has reduced ticket dormant on Oyster cards that incorporated in Transport for convenience stores, cafes and hall usage by 65%. The retail have not been activated for a London’s masterplan for 2020. ‘virtual supermarkets’ that overhaul will begin with 12-month period. Much of this Mr Johnson was responding allow goods to be purchased Embankment, Oxford Circus, total is held by visitors from to pressure from the London by mobile phone for delivery Piccadilly Circus, Baker Street, provincial locations or those Borough of Southwark, which within 48 hours. TfL also Old Street, South Kensington, who have left the country has complained that links wants to see the establishment Vauxhall and Harrow-on-the- without redeeming unspent from Camberwell into central of collection points to allow Hill stations late next year monies from their cards.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 213 News Four bidders to compete for DLR operations Transport for London reveals the shortlist of bidders; contract to begin in September 2014
ransport for London DLR carried 100 million (UK) has announced passengers in the 2012-2013 that four organisations financial year, breaking its have been shortlisted to previous records and exceeding Tbid for the new Docklands Light the numbers being carried on Railway franchise, which is due some mainline services. to start in September 2014. It only just managed to make Current incumbent Serco the total – in the early afternoon Docklands is joined by: of 31 March. The figure was Stagecoach Rail Projects; a joint helped by the 7.2m passengers venture between Keolis (UK) and carried over the Olympics period Amey Rail; and a joint venture of – double the number carried the Go-Ahead and Colas Rail. previous August. The current franchise was The DLR counts its passengers previously due to have expired with an automated system that this March, but was extended to records the number of people allow concentration on London’s that pass through detectors at The UK’s Docklands Light Railway played a vital role in helping deliver the 2012 2012 Olympic Games. A decision every entrance and exit on the Olympics, carrying record passenger numbers – four bidders are now in the race to on the new franchise is expected network, including lifts and continue operations. Neil Pulling around the middle of next year. escalators.
Bombardier unveils Russian transit products... Bombardier and its Russian plans to buy up to 2000 new partner Uralvagonzavod metro cars, an order that (UVZ) unveiled a range of Bombardier/UVZ would very transit product concepts at the much like to win, now that it is Hannover Trade Fair on 8 April. open to international bidders. Russian President Vladimir Putin The manufacturers say visited the show. it offers reduced energy Bombardier/UVZ has won consumption and maintenance the order from Moskva for 120 compared to the existing fleet. low-floor trams based on the Flexity 2 design, and a mock-up of the driver’s cab was exhibited, RIGHT: An artist’s impression of the Bombardier/UVZ Flexity-type tram together with graphics of the car for Moskva. Bombardier in a Moskva street. Also on show was the proposed BELOW RIGHT: The metro design design for a new metro train that Bombardier hopes to supply to the for the Russian capital. Moskva city’s expanding metro. Bombardier …and a new tram design for Nanjing
Bombardier and its Chinese The new trams for Nanjing will partner CSR Nanjing Puzhen be able to operate in overhead- Rolling Stock Co have won a free mode using Bombardier’s significant order to supply 15 PRIMOVE system featuring Li-on 32m low-floor trams to the city batteries. The new tramway, of Nanjing in China. due to open in 2014, will serve CSR will build the trams Hexi New City, south-west of the based on the Flexity 2 design city, and the Qilin Science and at its Nanjing factory, while Technology Innovation Park in Bombardier will supply the eastern suburbs. MITRAC propulsion and control It appears there will be two equipment, and FLEXX Urban separate lines, 8km (five miles) 3000 bogies, plus support the at Hexi with eight trams, and project under a ten-year licensing 9km (5.6 miles) at Qilin with agreement. seven trams.
214 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org XxxxCopenhagen report Lidingö line upgrade programme recommends tramways A report commissioned by the Stockholm’s Lidingö tramline 2013, using 15 A35 CAF-built and meanwhile the new Greater Copenhagen Regional 21 will close after operation on 30m cars, but due to late section will switch to Ansaldo Authority recommends the 20 June to permit upgrading to installation, without a new signalling on 27 January 2014. introduction of a network of include further double-track Ansaldo signalling system The extension from Solna Xxxxtramlines in the city to fill gaps in sections and a new depot. A that is not compatible with Centrum to Solna station will betweenXxxx the areas served by the celebration day is planned for the existing line from Alvik to open on 16 June 2014. S-Tog heavy rapid transit system. 16 June, with original 1914 Sickla Udde. Alvik will have Through operation across The report noted that residents car 5 from Malmköping two stub termini preventing Alvik should be possible from close to rail stations used museum in operation. through operation. 18 August 2014. Construction public transport for 25% of their journeys, whereas those with Re-opening is planned for The existing line will have of the branch to Kista access only to buses used transit January 2015, when seven the new system installed (Stockholm’s ‘Silicon Valley’) for just 5% of their journeys. new CAF-built 40m trams during a closure period from via Bromma City Airport is At present the regional of type A36 will be put into 6 May to 18 August 2014, planned to start in 2017. authority is committed to just one service. In 2018 the line will be light rail line around the western reconnected to the Stockholm suburbs, but this is unlikely to city tramway. open until 2020. The 300m city extension Court upholds Utrecht of the existing line 7 will contract decision open in 2015, followed in Dutch authorities have upheld 2017 by the new tramway the decision taken by Bestuur through docklands to Vårtan, Regio Utrecht (BRU) in October finally reaching Ropsten (for 2012 to award the operating the Lidingö connection) in concession for the region’s light rail and bus networks to 2018. The extension of the Qbuzz, rejecting an appeal by orbital tramway from Alvik OV Regio Utrecht, a subsidiary of to Sundyberg and Solna (line Connexxion (part of Transdev). 22) will open on 28 October The first Stockholm A35 tram in the CAF factory in Spain. CAF Qbuzz will take over transport operations in Utrecht and the surrounding region in December for a period of ten years. The concession includes the tramline between Utrecht and the towns Supertram reconstruction of Nieuwegein and IJsselstein, and the new Uithof line, currently under construction. and expansion plans Voith to equip Chinese ‘wire-free’ trams heffield City Council carried out and is unlikely to be condition” on certain sections of German company Voith will work alongside China’s Xiangtan and the South Yorkshire completed until High Speed 2 embedded (on-street) track but Electric Manufacturing to Integrated Transport trains arrive at a proposed new there are also sections that will develop and supply equipment Authority are to seek Meadowhall station. need to be replaced to support for low-floor trams capable fundingS for a Supertram Any development of the the tram-train project. of operating away from the extension to Dore and for the tram-train concept on existing The main contract deals with overhead current supply; 15 use of tram-trains to serve under-utilised rail lines would the 2014-15 works and comprises Chinese employees are now Stocksbridge and Beighton, have to await the results of the work at 19 sites across the city, training in Germany. from the Sheffield City Region trial operation on the city centre but more critical sections will be Vossloh is already involved Infrastructure Fund. The fund to Parkgate line, which are not dealt with from July 2013. The in China, supplying Tramlink low-floor cars to Chengdu. has up to GBP700m (approx. expected until 2017. main works are programmed to EUR831m) available. The South Yorkshire Passenger run between July 2014 and July Addis Ababa prototype Also included will be a bid Transport Executive has issued 2015 and have an estimated value vehicle delivered for funding of the Sheffield to tenders to begin the process of GBP9.33m (approx. EUR11m). The prototype standard-gauge Rotherham bus rapid transit route of replacing worn track on the A funding bid has been made tram for Addis Ababa’s Chinese- via the new Waverley township existing Supertram network. to the Department for Transport, built 34km (21.1-mile) light rail system has been assembled and Advanced Manufacturing Track which has suffered the which has been advised that if by the local firm Metals & Park. The projects will compete most wear – mainly on curves funding is not provided sections Engineering Corporation, using with other infrastructure and hillier sections of the line – is of route may have to close. All equipment from Hungary schemes in the area. now reaching the end of its life, new street track sections between Construction of the USD475m Expanding to Dore would be somewhat earlier than expected. Cathedral and the link to the project is around 25% complete, a medium-term objective, as The tender documents indicate railway line will be paid for by and when completed it is forecast detailed route work has yet to be that “wear has reached a critical the tram-train project. the system will transport 80 000 passengers/hour. New President for United Streetcar Following the appointment IN PICTURES of United Streetcar President and CEO Chandra Brown to The first Munich C2 metro train en route from the post of Deputy Assistant Siemens’ production facility in Vienna to Secretary for Manufacturing Wildenrath in Germany for dynamic testing. at the International Trade Delivery of the first trains to MVG is expected to Administration, the Clackamas, take place over the course of the year, with initial Orgeon, manufacturer has services planned for winter 2013. chosen Kevin Clarke as its Uwe Miethe / RailAdventure new President.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 215 News First new street tracks laid in Nottingham Phase Two infrastructure works well under way as street tracks are installed on Chilwell route
id-April saw the first off-street section of line close to The west side of the former 80m of ‘on-street’ and within a new 1300-space Wilford Toll track of the Phase park-and-ride site being created Bridge, showing Two extensions of close to the line’s terminus. works to carry theM UK’s Nottingham Express Bombardier tram 214 is the the tracks of Transit network welded into second to have been refurbished NET’s Clifton place on Meadows Way. This is and repainted in a revised livery. extension. part of the route that will run to After it returned to service the Chilwell via the Queen’s Medical first 1000 passengers were issued The span of Centre and Beeston. with commemorative tickets, the Chilwell When complete the network which could be entered in a draw route tram will have 9.5km (5.9 miles) of to win a year’s free NET travel. bridge is in place over the railway on-street track, mainly where Tram 211 also received a at Lenton South traffic management measures new look in April when it Junction, seen give priority to the tram service. received temporary vinyls to in April 2013. In Inham Road, Chilwell, track commemorate the national Both: Mike has already been laid on an Armed Forces Day on 29 June. Haddon
Phoenix welcomes the Sky Train Shanghai to create new The USD1.58bn automated open in 2015, continuing 1.1km Sky Train peoplemover – linking (0.7 miles) from Terminal 4 to the light rail stop at 44th Street Terminal 3, with a short onward 800km tram network and Washington with Terminal 4 walk to Terminal 2. After building the world’s of Phoenix Sky Harbor Bombardier won the contract largest metro network in little International Airport, the largest to design and supply the new over two decades, Shanghai’s commercial airport in the USA’s transit system in July 2009. The city government has Southwest, opened on 8 April. fleet consists of 18 driverless announced plans for 800km The 2.7km (1.7-mile) dual-track INNOVIA APM 200 vehicles (six (almost 500 miles) of tramway first phase features a 30m three-car trains) and the CITYFLO to be built to serve the suburbs. bridge over one of the airport’s 650 CBTC system. Under a The Shanghai Municipal taxiways, the first location separate contract, the firm will Development and Reform anywhere in the world where a provide ten years of operations Commission announced its train will pass over an aeroplane and maintenance services. plans on its website in April, on an active taxiway. Bombardier is currently saying that modern light rail Services run 24 hours a day in contracted to deliver similar systems can carry anywhere both directions, average speeds peoplemover systems to King from 6000 to 15 000 passengers of 37km/h (23mph) meaning a Abdulaziz International Airport per hour, compared with journey time of five minutes to in Jeddah, Munich Airport and the city’s bus system which reach Terminal 4. Stage 1a is to Dubai International Airport. currently transports 5000 passengers per hour. The French Translohr rubber- The attraction of light rail is tyred tramway is already running in that it is less capital and labour Shanghai. TRIDS intensive than metro projects – with the authority claiming because it is electrically construction costs can be powered”. reduced by two-thirds. Although Shanghai says The tramway network will be it built its first modern larger than the metro network tramway in 2009, this was the by 2015 according to Professor ZhangJiang system that uses Shi Xiao of the transportation the Translohr rubber-tyred engineering department at variant serving the High Tech Tongii University. He told local area at Pudong. It is understood media: “Modern streetcars that maintenance costs of this carry more passengers than system are high and off-peak city buses but cost much less to passenger loadings low. build than subways. It is also a The new network is more The Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Sky Train is the latest installation more environmentally-friendly likely to be conventional steel of Bombardier’s proven automated peoplemover technology. Bombardier form of public transportation wheel on steel rail technology.
216 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Toronto depot costs European Commission rise to CAD500m The cost of the 800m access track to Toronto’s new Leslie St tram depot has increased to CAD105m supports cloud-based (EUR80m) due to the need to replace uncharted utility lines that have been found. The total cost of the depot and access is systems in Karlsruhe now CAD500m (EUR380m) . The access line has been opposed by local residents. System for fault and incident reporting offers cost-savings and efficiencies In further news, Mayor Ford’s latest scheme to advance subway construction, by using taxes from etropolis and an expansion of casinos, has the MobiCloud been rejected by Ontario premier consortium have Kathleen Wynne. announced the Developments in Nantes deploymentN of mobile cloud Latest figures show traffic on services for Verkehrsbetriebe the Nantes – Clisson rail line Karlsruhe (VBK) personnel, has increased by 50% since the an initiative funded by the introduction of tram-train European Commission under the service in 2009. ICT Policy Support Programme The Nantes–Chateaubriant and the Competitiveness and service will start in February 2014 with seven daily round Innovation Framework. trips, increasing in April 2014 The MobiCloud platform with the addition of 16 daily aims to make public transport round trips between Nantes greener, safer and more efficient and Nort-sur-Erdre, giving a by improving the co-ordination 30-minute peak service. between staff using standard The region and departement have also agreed to go ahead with smartphones and tablets. Even the Karlsruhe system has pinchpoints where tram traffic can be disrupted. the controversial airport project at The VBK deployment DWM car 214 at Daxlanden. F. Buchleitner provides a suite of cloud-based Notre-Dame-des-Landes and agree it should be served by a branch off applications for mobile control VBK CEO Dr Walter Casazza operations teams by accessing the Chateaubriant line offering a centre and vehicle staff. It commented. “Efficient and real-time information”. 38-minute journey time to the city. promises operational cost savings fast information flow is The MobiCloud consortium This service will start when the and increased efficiency through essential for safety and incident is led by Appear (Sweden) and airport opens in 2015. real-time incident identification, management. Not only will includes Netropolis (Germany), Jeddah approves transit improved fault attribution, passengers benefit through EsperantoXL (Netherlands), masterplan better-informed staff and improved information on traffic Costain (UK) and COMIT The Saudi Council of Ministers improved customer satisfaction. disruptions, but also vehicle Projects (UK). approved a draft plan for public transport in the Jeddah region in late March. The Jeddah Public Transport Plan (JPTP), specified by IBI Group, includes Berlin’s narrow-profileU-Bahn car to debut in Geneva a network of train, bus, tram, and A full-scale mock-up of In July 2012, Stadler Pankow trains, marking the first such sea transport lines, as well as a Stadler’s narrow-profileIK won the tender for the IK series metro order for Stadler. The public transport station and a suspension bridge in Obhur. U-Bahn train for delivery to of narrow-profile underground two preliminary series vehicles The core component of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe trains for BVG. The initial will be put into service on JPTP is a 108km (67-mile) light (BVG) from 2015 will be shown order was for two preliminary routes U1 to U4 in 2015. metro, requiring 208 cars, to run at the UITP exhibition in vehicles with an option for The past few months have along three central corridors with Geneva at the end of May. another 34 underground seen the 1:1 scale model created branches to the city’s eastern and at the Babelsberg film studios, northern suburbs. under the direction of design Kansas City circulator studio Designbüro Staubach, extension study Stadler and BVG. The main The city council in Kansas City compartment and driver’s cab (US) has approved a USD2m will be transported to Geneva study of a possible extension of its for the UITP exhibition and downtown circulator tramway. will be open to visitors. The city plans to piggyback Notable features of the new onto tram orders for either Cincinnati or Salt Lake City to vehicle include a ‘balloon’ buy new trams from CAF or design that allows an extra Siemens respectively. 100mm in width over current vehicles; a revised interior No Hudson-Bergen layout has been created extension to Tenafly with additional space for New Jersey Transit officials have wheelchairs, pushchairs scrapped the outer phase of the controversial northern extension and bicycles and the latest of the Hudson-Bergen light rail passenger information systems. system to Tenafly, in favour The driver’s cab has also of studying a new plan to end been designed so the driver can service at Englewood Hospital. A full-size model of BVG’s IK metro train will be on display at the 60th UITP work in either a standing or Funding has yet to be identified. World Congress in Geneva this May. BVG/Stadler Pankow seated position.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 217 Comment
THE STEPS TO TRANSPORT GOVERNANCE REFORM IN BUDAPEST
Dávid Vitézy, CEO of Budapest transport authority BKK, shows how radical reform has unlocked investment and brought a new customer focus to the city.
ransport issues were traditionally handled separately suburban areas, carrying 1.39bn passengers per year. The in the Hungarian capital, with different companies system’s core features three metro lines and 16 railway lines, in charge of public transport, taxi services and road five of which are part of the city’s suburban railway system management. As such the Budapest public transport (HÉV) and 11 are state-owned. This core is complemented by company lacked a customer-oriented approach: it large tramway and trolleybus operations and a very dense bus Twas an operator instead of a service provider. network. In addition to regular service, the bus sector provides Despite this fact, prior to 1990, more than 80% of Budapest operational and planned replacement of fixed-rail services. residents used public transport – so nobody saw any need for Sunday 1 May 2012 signified the beginning of a new era change. However, since the political regime change in Hungary, as BKK’s wide-ranging reforms reached their ambitious goal public transport market share has fallen to 55% in the city and of overhauling the management model that had remained to 30% in the suburbs. From 1990 car use has been increasing, untouched since 1968. The Municipality of Budapest officially while the old governance system – combined with a lack of appointed BKK as the integrated transport authority with funding – was unable to cope with the enormous task of efficient responsibilities covering public transport, cycling, walking, transport provision. public road and bridge infrastructure management, parking Within the framework of a new city management model, and taxi services as well as transport development. Specific in October 2010 BKK Centre for Budapest Transport was public transport tasks include planning, integrating, regulating, established following a series of thorough consultations. We tendering and procurement, promoting, managing as well as considered it vital to take a broader view on how other large and control of the city’s diverse operations. capital cities manage their urban and regional transport, so we BKK’s first major achievement since that date is the successful examined the transport governance models of London, Warsaw acquisition of non-refundable EU co-funding for the government- and Stockholm, amongst others. approved refurbishment and extension Experience from these international of major tramlines 1 and 3, along with studies showed London to be most “BKK’s founding principle rolling stock funding (37 trams with successful at integrating transport an option for an additional 87 and services. Transport for London was fundamental reform 24 trolleybuses with an option for a (TfL) was created in 2000 in the further 84). BKK is already preparing framework of the Greater London Act of previously fragmented projects for EU funding application of 1999. This way a two-tiered local during the 2014-2020 financing period government structure was established, transport governance to from the Cohesion Fund. similar to that of Budapest. TfL We also introduced new waterborne prepares London's transport strategy ensure high quality service public transport services in July 2012 and, following approval, implements and are also in the process of initiating it and its tasks mirror many of those provision and co-ordination the development of public bike-sharing undertaken by BKK. of the various actors of the scheme (bubi) and automated fare Thanks to TfL, London successfully collection (AFC) systems are also developed public transport over transport sector" underway. With the AFC project we the last decade and most cities find will introduce an e-ticketing system its governance structure enviable. to replace the paper-based ticketing Its success lies in a systematic approach that allows synergies system that is more than 40 years old and address issues such as between different modes to strengthen each other, avoiding the lack of integrated ticketing, fare evasion and counterfeiting. counterproductive actions and ensuring the optimal New revenue protection rules and procedures have recently been distribution of resources for the operation and development of put in place to help us tackle fraud. The introduction of metro urban transport. gates will also be of great assistance here. Accordingly, BKK’s founding principle was integration into One of the most pressing problems facing public transport in an umbrella organisation and fundamental reform of previously Budapest is the ageing fleet of metro cars, buses and trolleybuses. fragmented sectors of transport governance to ensure high The average age of our buses is 18 years, which includes wearing quality service provision and co-ordination of the various actors exteriors and passenger areas and brings many breakdowns of the transport sector. BKK gradually took over responsibilities, and service cancellations. The immediate capital investment following the required legislative changes, and the original goal of requirement for vehicle and infrastructure maintenance and the transport governance reform was, and is, the ongoing mission replacement is EUR3bn – with no obvious source of funding. of BKK to increase the quality of urban transport and transport- The tendering of bus services helped address this problem oriented development in the creation of a a more competitive and and breaks the monopoly of in-house operator BKV (Budapest sustainable city – already the eighth largest in Europe. Transport Company). With 1.7 million inhabitants (2.5 million in the metropolitan New operators entering the bus service market will lead to a area), Budapest has a broad public transport system of 1100km major refurbishment of the bus fleet of the city in the next few (approx. 685 miles) that covers the entire city and most years in addition to providing competition and benchmarking
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for BKV. Importantly, the old fleet will be substituted without a the relocation of BKV’s passenger information department to single major financial contribution of either the Municipality BKK to reflect the mental shift from pure operation to customer- or BKK. Tendering should also bring about improvements in the oriented service provision. The new department unites sales level of service. development, passenger information – including design and On 1 May 2013, a fleet of 159 new low-floor, air-conditioned signage – marketing, social media and press communications. single and articulated buses entered service, replacing old BKK’s highly popular Facebook page had garnered 17 000 fans at vehicles; these new vehicles are equipped with EEV-engines, the end of April with numbers increasing by hundreds per day as CCTV security and passenger-counting systems. Our longer- users utilise the real-time information and updates of temporary term goal is the gradual increase in the number of contracts and service changes and interruptions, especially when due to operators in Budapest, as well as continuous quality control to extraordinary weather conditions. ensure high passenger satisfaction for punctuality and cleanliness Our proactive use of social media, as well as the popularity while making public transport more and more attractive. of our neighbourhood customer forums regarding new BKK has a framework contract with the Municipality of developments and services, underline the importance of Budapest for 15 years, and has contracted BKV for fixed-rail involving passengers who already use our services – but also services as an in-house operator for that period. Bus operations those who could become future customers. are split: the Budapest Assembly voted to contract out 66% of operations and open the market for competitive tendering while Dávid Vitézy has been CEO and Member of the the remaining 34% would remain with the in-house operator. Management Board of BKK since its establishment by the Our FUTÁR project covers the implementation of a new Municipality of Budapest in November 2010. Prior to that, GPS-based automated vehicle location (AVL) and passenger Dávid was a Member of the Supervisory Board of BKV information system for all trams, buses and trolleybuses in (Budapest Transport Ltd ) between 2007-09 and has also Budapest, to go live in the summer of 2013 and provide real- been a Member of the Management Board since 2010. time traffic control and passenger information as well as for Additionally, Dávid was a Member of the Monitoring Committee performance management purposes. The project will provide of the Transport Operational Program between 2007-10, part of The data for better service planning, resulting in greater efficiency New Hungary Development Plan, the governmental strategy for application of EU funds in Hungary between 2007-13. and thereby achieving cost savings. At the same time, the Between 2006 and 2010 he was Head of the Transport transparency and accountability of individual operators, both Development unit of Urban and Suburban Transit Association VEKE BKV and private, is ensured, thus improving service quality. (Városi és Elővárosi Közlekedési Egyesület), managing VEKE media On 1 March 2013 the new Business Development and relations with approximately 100-150 appearances a month. Customer Communication department was founded, involving As well as his native Hungarian, Dávid speaks English and Spanish.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 219 Birmingham City Centre Extension THE SMALL LINE SET TO MAKE A HUGE IMPACT In 2012, the UK’s Midland Metro received funding to complete a long-held aspiration, to return trams to the centre of Britain’s second most populous city. Tony Streeter discusses the impressive progress with Centro Metro Programme Director Paul Griffiths.
or somewhere covering It may only be a relatively short new route partnership with Centro to underpin the such a relatively small area, (around 1300m from where it diverges from improvement and expansion programme as Birmingham’s city centre is a existing line), but it’s one that will have part of an expanded six-year agreement titled disjointed, confusing place. a massive impact on Midland Metro, and ‘Metro Forward’. The commitments set out in While the Midlands conurbation transport integration in the West Midlands the agreement include frequency – with the mayF be one of Britain’s greater cities, its heart as a whole, says the man charged with introduction of 20 new, larger low-floor trams covers little more than a hilltop around the delivering this GBP128m (EUR150m) project. to provide ten services an hour. This, coupled 18th Century St Philip’s Cathedral, and is Looking down on Snow Hill from the with the other improvements, will increase surrounded by a major dual carriageway ring offices of Centro – the West Midlands capacity by 40% and ease overcrowding road known locally as the ‘concrete collar’. Passenger Transport Executive – Metro during peak times. Inside that ring road, an historic pattern Programme Director Paul Griffiths explains: At the time of the announcement, Centro of streets is overlaid by later additions “At the moment the capacity of the system, Chairman Councillor John McNicholas and post-war redevelopments such as the and particularly the vehicles to get more said: “The Metro is the region’s most reliable main New Street mainline railway station. people through it, is severely limited. A and punctual form of public transport and Birmingham’s principal rail hub is itself bigger vehicle that can cope with sufficient already offers passengers an excellent service. currently undergoing major reconstruction. passengers is really what’s needed. Of course “Yet this new agreement cements the Despite them being no more than a third the other thing that we’re really lacking is the commitment of our two organisations to of a mile or so apart though, moving between city centre on-street penetration.” bring passengers even more benefits and to New Street and the other major Birmingham There is some on-street running in work closely together as the system undergoes stations at Snow Hill and Moor Street isn’t Wolverhampton (“not as much as we would some exciting changes, not least the return of actually that easy; the city centre is a busy like”), but Mr Griffiths argues, “having the trams to the streets of Birmingham.” rabbit warren. It pays to know your way – terminus hidden away at Snow Hill at this end Midland Metro's opening in 1999 could and hopefully not to be carrying too much doesn’t do any favours in terms of visibility.” be seen as part of a slight renaissance of rail luggage. Ideal connectivity it certainly isn’t. This visibility, he argues, is a key benefit of in this industrial area that was once home to Yet that should change from 2015. the New Street expansion. For the first time one of the UK’s biggest tramways: for much Currently, the region’s Midland Metro the tramway will take to the streets right of its double-track route Midland Metro runs light rail system terminates at Snow Hill. through the heart of what many consider as over a former heavy railway, recreating a Birmingham’s ‘second’ station is dominated the UK’s second city. corridor that last saw passengers in the 1970s. by the multi-storey car park that looms over However, passenger numbers have never much of the platform space; Midland Metro is Increasing visibility met original expectations – an initial tucked to one side of the heavy rail platforms. Currently, some five million passenger estimate having suggested it could be In two years time, however, the 20km journeys are made each year on Midland 14m/year – and one argument put forward for (13-mile) line from the neighbouring city of Metro, which runs between Snow Hill and this relative lack of success is the absence of Wolverhampton will gain a short but key extra St George’s in Wolverhampton. The line’s city centre penetration in Birmingham. section. Instead of facing buffers at Snow Hill, Ansaldo Trasporti vehicles run at up to every While this should be addressed by what’s it will run on a new alignment alongside the six minutes and take around 35 minutes to formally known as the Birmingham City existing station and continue through the city, cover the 23 stops from terminus to terminus. Centre Extension (BCCE), extending to weaving its way along the streets to terminate The trams are operated by National New Street is just a small part of the total alongside a rebuilt New Street station. Express, which in December 2012 formed a aspiration. Indeed, the route’s designation
“The Birmingham City Centre Extension adds Platform widening in preparation for the new 2.65m-wide CAF Urbos 3 trams has taken place across the length of the initial Midland Metro line much-needed 'visibility' to the tram nework” – seen here at Snow Hill (above left) and St. Paul’s (above). Centro
220 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org THE SMALL LINE SET TO MAKE A HUGE IMPACT
as ‘Line One’ demonstrates Centro’s residents can already see evidence The busiest interchange station in the UK, New ambition to turn Midland Metro of work to bring them there. Street station is undergoing major redevelopment, into a true network in the future. The busy Corporation Street has and is soon to be served by the expanded Midland Central government approval been free of the city’s rumbling Metro light rail system. Centro for the BCCE was given in 2012, double-deckers since last summer, effectively giving the go ahead after a decision to revamp the bus for a small section of the long- network to prepare for the arrival of PROJECT MANAGEMENT planned expansion to Five Ways trams. “We went from having 120- As part of Centro’s Midland Metro Delivery in Edgbaston. Reaching Five Ways odd buses an hour down to zero Centro's Metro Programme Team, CRE8 is taking a lead role is one of a number of ambitious overnight,” says Mr Griffiths. Programme in providing contract advice and support, proposals for Midland Metro still to Director Paul Instead, “families of stops” have project management and programme be realised (see page 231). Griffiths. Centro been created around the city centre, management services. Centro’s current approach is a where buses serving particular areas Having worked closely for more than five ‘step by step’ move towards its goals – quite are grouped at designated clusters. A new bus years with Centro, CRE8 is undertaking key roles a contrast to the ever-expanding Metrolink turnaround has been built at Moor Street – in delivering high profile projects, including network in Manchester, where Mr Griffiths and redundant bus mileage removed from project management and site supervision on the Birmingham City Centre Extension, project previously worked. However, he says, in the city centre. management of the GBP14m redevelopment the Midlands context this is “about getting Some GBP12m (EUR14m) has been of the Wednesbury Tram Depot – including an something that’s actually deliverable.” spent on highway improvement and other additional GBP1m of Line 1 upgrade works – and In the view of the West Midlands Integrated infrastructure – other changes including strategic advice for future routes including the Transport Authority, he reports, extending installation of real-time passenger planned airport extension. to New Street is a “really good first phase” information totems. A major public Outside of the Metro Delivery Team, CRE8 that could boost patronage and provide “key information campaign (which included has provided the project director on the Local missing links that will start to unlock those deploying Centro staff on the streets around Sustainability Transport Fund, leading on the linkages around the city… and then hopefully the time of the changeover) also took place. implementation of GBP55m (approx. EUR65m) of funding across seven districts of the PTA, and has act as a catalyst to deliver more”. “The aim was to make things more efficient project managed the design, procurement and ‘More’ in this case could mean a further for the bus operators as well and put some real implementation of a number of complex minor short expansion through Birmingham’s city robustness into the timetable so passengers works contracts. CRE8 is also delivering transport centre, as well as further on-street running would know when their bus was coming, initiatives throughout the UK's North West. through Wolverhampton to link to the city’s rather than it being stuck in a traffic jam”, Peter Adams, Metro Commercial and main line station. Griffiths explains. Development Manager for Centro, said: “CRE8 Yet changing bus routes was neither the provided a seamless integration into the Centro Buses disappear overnight first nor – arguably – the most obvious sign organisation and as such we are delighted with its services. CRE8 has a proactive approach with Although it will be 2015 before the new fleet that things are happening on Midland Metro. the best interests of Centro at heart”. of trams runs from outside the doors of the A new GBP3.2m (approx. EUR3.8m) bridge rebuilt Birmingham New Street, the city’s across Great Charles Street at the same
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 221 Advertorial BRINGING TRAMS BACK TO BIRMINGHAM
Balfour Beatty and Parsons of the city centre will have many and varied A short but intense eight-month design Brinckerhoff are proud to challenges. As well as new tram infrastructure, period will be followed by 24 months of the project involves major improvements construction, testing, integration and be working on the complex to the street scene and public realm including commissioning followed by the introduction project to bring trams back to natural stone paving, street furniture, of an operational service commencing in lighting and landscaping. spring 2015. the UK's second-largest city. Balfour Beatty will combine its civil Whilst this project is not without its engineering expertise with the design skills challenges, the project team is committed to delivering the scheme in a way that minimises alfour Beatty and its delivery “A short but intense disruption. Drawing on experience gained team look forward to designing, on tram projects in numerous major cities, constructing and commissioning eight-month design Parsons Brinckerhoff’s approach to delivery the Birmingham City Centre is to use technology to unlock new, more Extension on behalf of Centro. period will be followed efficient and collaborative ways of working. BBalfour Beatty worked with Centro in For example, 3D modelling is used to ensure 2011 on the Great Charles Street Bridge by 24 months of that any diverted utility equipment does not project which involved the part demolition clash with the new works. This approach of a redundant Network Rail bridge and the construction” means that costly mistakes are avoided and installation of a new two-span deck. This time is saved during the construction process. logistically complex project forms part of a of its consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff Bill Gifford, Director of Operations for series of projects which will eventually return to develop and deliver the scheme. Both Balfour Beatty: “We are delighted to be trams to the streets of Birmingham for the organisations have experience of delivering working with Centro to help deliver this first time in 57 years. similar light rail projects and already have a important scheme for the city. We have built Birmingham is the UK’s second largest city substantial presence in the West Midlands, an excellent relationship with Centro which and Europe’s largest local authority, therefore from where they have delivered many will continue and help ensure the successful taking the tram straight through the heart prestigious and high profile projects. delivery of this prestigious scheme.”
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222 / / JUNE JUNE 2013 2013 www.tramnews.net www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org . www.Irta.org Birmingham City Centre Extension
The first new low-floor Urbos 3 trams taking shape in CAF's facility in Zaragoza, Spain, in late April. Once delivered – and coupled with other improvements to the sytem – they should provide a capacity increase of up to 40% for Midland Metro. Centro
This image of the ‘first fix’ of the expanded depot building in February 2013 shows how the new complex will effectively double in size to help accomodate the new CAF trams. Centro
location as a previous railway one (and using It’s intended to wait until four trams have In contrast to its previous choice, Midland an existing abutment) was built in 2011. This been commissioned before starting on driver Metro has this time gone for vehicles of connects to the viaduct along the side of training and familiarisation – but passengers standard 2.65m width. This compares with Snow Hill already built under the auspices of should expect to see the new vehicles the T69, which is 2.4m-wide at platform level developer Ballymore. gradually introduced on Line One before the (T69 bodysides have a ‘tumblehome’ so are launch of the extension. wider higher up). Introducing a new low-floor fleet Twenty trams are currently on order in a “We debated long and hard about When the city centre extension opens to the GBP40m (EUR47m) deal signed in 2012, with whether that was the right way to go,” says public in 2015, it will do so with Midland an option in place for a further five. However, Mr Griffiths of the decision to go for wider Metro’s first new vehicles since the tramway’s it’s not just in terms of numbers of trams trams, “but we felt in terms of future system launch in 1999. Construction of the new that the new vehicles represent a capacity expansion it was probably going to pay for CAF Urbos 3 vehicles is already under way increase over Midland Metro’s original trams, itself quite quickly”. in Spain, and Mr Griffiths describes the the T69s; with five sections eachUrbos 3 will Preparation for taking the bigger vehicles arrival of the first one later this year as “a big have capacity for around 200 passengers – included undertaking a video survey of the milestone for us.” rather than the 156 of the current vehicles. route, and running a T69 with polystyrene
Weston OMC extension
Existing Wednesbury depot Additional 80 car parking spaces Eastern OMC extension
Testing and Commissioning shed Existing sidings
Extensive works at the Wednesbury depot site will add a new Testing and Commissioning shed, further car parking facilities and New stabling sidings additional stabling sidings. Centro
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 223 Birmingham City Centre Extension
Much of the structure of BCCE’S HIGH- the redeveloped depot PERFORMANCE RAILS nears completion in late April 2013. Centro Tata Steel is supplying the entire volume of grooved rail for the Birmingham City Centre Extension. The 41GPU (55G2) high-performance grooved rail was rolled in Tata Steel’s rail mill in Hayange, France, and transferred through the Channel Tunnel to the Scunthorpe, UK, works for final processing, before making its way to the Centro depot. Tata Steel Rail Sector Account Manager Craig Woodward said: “We have worked closely with Midland Metro to deliver their requirements for long-lasting grooved rail, which will not only help reduce the rail lifecycle costs, but also ensure low ongoing disruption levels to traffic, due to its ability to be weld-repaired in track.” High-performance grooved rail is Tata Steel’s premium grooved rail, launched in September 2012. It is much longer-lasting than other available grades, specifically on curved track which is subject to high levels of rail side wear; this is due to its composition delivering high wear resistance, as well as its ability for side wear to be robustly and repeatedly weld- repaired using Tata Steel’s patented low pre- “Depot rebuilding has been heat Gauge Corner Restoration (GCR) process. complicated by the history blocks mounted to its sides to mimic the The revamped depot, says Paul Griffiths, shape of the new CAF trams. of an area known as the will “just about” stable the 20 new trams, So, was much infrastructure alteration plus the existing 16 T69s. needed to accommodate the new standard- Black Country” width vehicles? The answer it seems, is no. Through the streets Mainly it has consisted of moving back A GBP13.8m (EUR16m) expansion of Whereas all this may be essential platform edges, as well as raising the track facilities is already underway, and is being preparation, until the first new trams arrive level slightly on an historic bridge structure carried out by Morgan Sindall. Work much of it is barely visible. However, April over Henrietta Street to ensure that the new includes extending Wednesbury’s existing was the start of “boots on the ground” for the vehicles clear the girders. The platform work maintenance shed (increasing its length BCCE’s main contractor, Balfour Beatty – the took place during a fortnight’s closure in April. by 42m to around double its previous size), same company that took on the building of However, moving the platform edges means building a new testing and commissioning the new Great Charles Street bridge. Utilities the existing trams are now 25cm too narrow, shed, and moving the wheel lathe from diversion work had been ongoing for some so these have been fitted with extra steps; in a temporary building into the main one. time before. effect the running board has been extended It also involves creating Midland Metro’s Taking the New Street extension’s start outwards below the doors to reduce the gap. first turning circle, which will run round point as being where it diverges from the old Although the arrival of new trams is keenly the edges of the constrained site, which is route just outside Snow Hill station, the new anticipated, this may not yet mean the old bounded on one side by Line One, and on line will be around 1.3km/0.8 miles long. ones will disappear. While no final decision the other by a capped-off waste tip and an New platforms will be built outside the has yet been taken, Centro is considering old railway formation hoped to be re-used for wall of the existing Snow Hill station, keeping at least a percentage of the T69s. system expansion in future. where the line is on viaduct having just These trams, not yet life-expired, could be Few projects are simple, and in this case crossed Great Charles Street. From here, used to boost capacity – and become a useful the rebuilding has been complicated by the extension will kink to the front of reserve for further network expansion. the history of an area known as the Black Snow Hill, to gain access to Bull Street; it Country. Deep mining shafts are common in is here that Midland Metro will leave its The depot the region, as are so-called ‘bell pits’ dug out dedicated formation to run on-street through Although the public face of Midland Metro by hand hundreds of years ago. Inevitably, Birmingham’s business district. has barely had to change to accommodate many of these early pits were not previously While Centro is in the process of finalising the new Urbos 3 trams, one aspect away from documented and significant ground traffic management arrangements with the passengers’ eye is undergoing a radical stabilisation work was necessary before new Birmingham City Council, work on the first overhaul: Wednesbury depot. construction could even begin. section is expected to take until October this
MINE STABILISATION WORKS AT WEDNESBURY DEPOT Working closely with Morgan Sindall grout injection holes drilled beneath almost 700 holes and the injection of locations. These holes involved and consultant URS Infrastructure & existing structures to facilitate largely around 950 tonnes of 10:1 pulverised a further 1500m of drilling and Environment, Midlands-based unhindered operation of Centro’s fly ash (PFA) cement grout to the subsequent grouting quantities were M & J Drilling recently completed the working facility. At times data was main areas comprising the testing negligible, confirming the efficacy of second phase of mine stabilisation being entered into the model on an and commissioning shed, curve slab the initial works phase. as part of the initial works on hourly basis to ensure no significant track area and the Operations and All holes were drilled by water the planned extension to the migrated remnant voids remained Maintenance Centre (OMC) building. flush re-circulation using temporary maintenance facility for Midland untreated from the underlying That phase was completed at the steel casing of 101mm diameter and Metro’s Wednesbury Depot. mine workings associated with the end of November 2012. A second then completed at 70mm diameter The works involved the Staffordshire Thick Coal seam and phase of mine stabilisation works in to termination depth involving development of complex and shallower brooch coal proven in close proximity to the OMC building up to four modern, fully guarded, rigorous 3D CAD models to confirm previous site investigations. began in early January 2013 with Klemm 802-2 rigs from M&J’s fleet of suitable and adequate coverage Works on the first phase began a further 82 holes drilled utilising 20 multi-disciplinary geotechnical through the use of angled and raking in September 2012; the drilling of one drilling rig in tight and awkward drilling rigs.
224 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Sonic Rotary Core Drilling Rotary Core Drilling Investigations Stabilisation of Mine Workings Sewer Abandonment Grouting Location & Treatment of Mine Shafts Project Management & Site Supervision for Ground Source Heating Boreholes Specialist delivery of bus Centro’s Birmingham City & rail related transport Centre Tram Extension Ground Anchors & Soil Nails schemes across the UK Project Management for Utility Pipeline Annulus Grouting • Project Management Centro’s Wednesbury Tram • Programme Management Depot & Line 1 Upgrade Works • Commercial Management • Strategic Advice & Support Project Director for Centro on APPLYING REALISTIC SOLUTIONS • Procurement the LSTF (Local Sustainability Transport Fund) TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS
E: [email protected] CRE8 Management | 0161 833 9579 www.cre8-ltd.com | [email protected] T: +44 (0)1902 885241 1B Abito, 85 Greengate, Manchester, M3 7NA W: www.mandjdrilling.com
Winckworth Sherwood LLP is a specialist legal adviser on transport infrastructure authorisation.
Benefit from our years of experience. In addition to acting on behalf of Centro for 35 years - including authorising Line 1 of Midland Metro and its subsequent extensions - we have also acted for the promoters of the following major infrastructure projects through- out the UK:
Airdrie-Bathgate railway High Speed 2 Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine Borders Jubilee Line Tyne and Wear Metro Crossrail Leeds Supertram Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Nottingham (Phase 1) Glasgow Airport Rail Link Sheffield Supertram Heathrow Express High Speed 1
Helping Centro move forward for more than 35 years
For further information contact Paul Irving on 020 7593 5000 or email [email protected]
Solicitors and Parliamentary Agents www.wslaw.co.uk
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 225 Birmingham City Centre Extension
A map showing the BCCE as well as the longer-term ambitions for a network of lines serving Birmingham city centre: Pink: The BCCE from Snow Hill to New Street Light blue: The link to Centenary Square Dark blue/Gold: Possible Midland Metro routes to connect to the UK's planned HS2 rail link Centro
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MS4332_Advert_TramwaysMag_LB_v1.indd 1 04/04/2013 09:09:06
Mott MacDonald Supporting Centro since the inception of Midland Metro
We’re providing technical advice and assistance to Centro across the Midland Metro system, including Birmingham City Centre Extension, Wednesbury Depot expansion, procurement of the new CAF Urbos 3 trams, tram-train opportunities and development of links to HS2 and the Black Country.
We provide Centro and other clients with a comprehensive light rail consultancy service. We combine technical, management and procurement expertise spanning infrastructure, rolling stock, Transport and Works Act orders, tram operations and maintenance, power and systems engineering.
WWW.MOTTMAC.COM
artwork.indd 1 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org 19/04/2013 JUNE 2013 10:47:09 / 229 Birmingham City Centre Extension
year and will extend the line to the point it It’s a similar story on Stephenson Street crosses Colmore Circus. just outside New Street station. Major work is Construction of the next phase, between already taking place at New Street as part of AN HISTORIC ROUTE Colmore Circus and the major Bull Street/ Network Rail’s GBP600m (approx. EUR705m) Starting from Snow Hill, Midland Metro Corporation Street road junction is planned ‘Birmingham Gateway’ revamp of the station. runs roughly northwest from Snow Hill to to run between September 2013 and March Under that scheme Network Rail is shearing Wolverhampton, with a route that largely 2014. This could in future be a key point on New Street of its 1960s look, providing a new follows the old Great Western Railway (GWR) the system as it is here that any new Midland concourse, revamped platform and retail main line between the two cities that last saw Metro branch to Birmingham’s planned high- areas, and updated facilities. passengers in 1972. Leaving Snow Hill, the line runs through speed rail station at Curzon Street is expected Therefore, taking advantage of the existing stops including the Jewellery Quarter and to diverge from the rest of the system. work to minimise additional disruption, the The Hawthorns (close to the ground of West Construction of the New Street extension is plan is for the rails to be complete and ready Bromwich Albion football club). Other than not planned to proceed in neat chronological on Stephenson Street by May 2014. Snow Hill, these are the only stops to currently order, however. Instead, it is to fit in where Starting next June, the small section where offer interchange with heavy rail services. possible with other planned works. Stephenson Street turns sharply in front of The route is mostly built-up throughout its So, overlaying a tramway on the complex New Street station will be tackled. This has distance; other major areas served include road junction at Bull Street/Corporation its own challenges as the tramline will run the centre of West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Bilston. It is between Bilston and Street should be finished by this July – ready downhill towards New Street before tackling Wolverhampton that the tramline leaves the old for the line from Snow Hill to catch up. an almost 90-degree bend to the right. GWR formation, instead running on-street along In order to accommodate trams and people the Bilston Road into the centre of the latter city. safely in this cramped environment, the Closure of the GWR route took place at a time pedestrian walkway alongside the road is to when rail-based transport in the UK had given way to an increasingly car-based society; large sections of the heavy rail network had been shut in the 1960s after the so-called Beeching Report – which was published in 1963. Although a former main line, the GWR line was abandoned as it was considered a ‘duplicate’ to the former London and North Western Railway route, which also ran between the two cities. Investment was instead concentrated on the LNWR main line, which was electrified and modernised, and still forms the core of long-distance heavy rail between the West Midlands and London to the south, and North West England and Scotland to the north. Snow Hill station also closed in 1972, with local services cut back to Moor Street. However, the section of line through Snow Hill tunnels was reopened (as heavy rail, as before) and a new Snow Hill unveiled on the site of the old one in 1987. Midland Metro services arrived in 1999.
be realigned, something that has required careful planning, because it means moving the walkway to effectively run through the frontage of a listed building. Completion of this section is due by next September, linking in to the final chunk along Corporation Street on which work takes place between this summer and October 2014. When it opens, the BCCE will give Midland Metro three new stops (not including the relocated one at Snow Hill): Bull Street, Corporation Street and in Stephenson Street outside New Street station. A turnback is to be built further along Stephenson Street – on what could become part of another extension.
Utilities In any UK tramway scheme, one topic always seems to loom large: utility relocation. The costs of finding and moving essential infrastructure such as water, gas and sewage pipes, and telecommunications, has regularly been cited as a major reason why UK projects cost more than those in other countries. Birmingham’s extension is relatively short – but it does travel through a busy city with a long history. The 19th Century Corporation Street, for example, was created on a new alignment cutting through the city centre. “It's unclear what was on the street alignment previously; Birmingham’s quite complicated from that perspective,” reports Paul Griffiths. Ground penetrating radar and boring of UK Transport Minister Norman Baker (left) at the ground-breaking ceremony in Bull Street in June 2012, trial holes have been used to identify buried with Centro Chief Executive Geoff Inskip. Centro infrastructure. However, Mr Griffiths says,
230 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org An artist’s impression of one of the new low-floorUrbos 3 trams on Stephenson Street in the city centre. Centro
Centro has tried to avoid an approach that Council and Neptune (Wolverhampton’s between London and Birmingham in 2026. involves replacing or moving everything development partner) has already been High-speed rail is intended to extend further beforehand. The organisation is, he says, made to the Regional Growth Fund, that if north as time goes on. “trying wherever possible to leave things in successful would allow major redevelopment A key benefit of HS2, reckons Centro, is place where it’s appropriate to do so and we of the central area of Wolverhampton. that it will unlock the possibility of increased are also trying to put in place indemnities”. Among the creation of new retail, office regional connectivity by freeing up the With that approach, Centro is taking the and leisure space, this would allow a GBP15m existing main line rail network. With fewer line that where access to utilities is expected (approx. EUR17.7m) extension of the Midland long-distance services taking up valuable to be required only very rarely, it should stay Metro line along Wolverhampton’s Piper’s train paths, that could mean space for local in place ‘as is’ – but the organisation accepts Row – bringing the line to Wolverhampton’s workings – and that could also mean that if attention is needed Midland Metro railway station for the first time. The scheme tram-train services. In the meantime, will have to temporarily suspend services. would also see rebuilding of the current consultation on a possible new route “We’ve agreed that type of arrangement to 1960s main line station. between Bull Street/Corporation Street try and minimise what needs to be shifted, but Consultation on the plans was taking and the planned new HS2 station at Curzon having said that there’s still an awful lot that place in April and May, and under current Street is expected to take place in the next does need to be moved,” Mr Griffiths contends thinking, work on the loop could begin in few months. – and cites Birmingham’s wait for funding to 2015 and be finished in 2017. Such a scheme If the extension to New Street really does become available in recent years as a chance would potentially bring the same kind of prove the key to unlocking all this potential “to think it through really quite carefully benefits as the BCCE to the other end of – as well as some of the other longer-term and to do all of that homework. There’s Midland Metro’s current line. ambitions – then it really could be the little always bound to be things that we’re not However, these two projects are far from line that makes a huge difference. expecting, but we’re working very hard to the end of Centro’s ambitions for its light rail minimise those.” network. Already under discussion is the idea Upon completion, utility-related costs of continuing from New Street another few FURTHER EXPANSION? are expected to be “a few million” – an hundred metres – and two stops – through Various extensions have been mooted for interesting perspective for new light rail Birmingham to Centenary Square, which is Midland Metro, beyond those discussed promoters in the UK and potentially food itself planned to undergo redevelopment. elsewhere (left?). If realised, they would turn for thought for some who consdier this is a Ultimately, Centro still hopes to see Midland the West Midlands system into a true network. barrier to new developments. Metro expand from here towards Edgbaston Other aspirations discussed include: – a scheme that’s among a number still very Wednesbury – Brierley Hill Where next? much in the organisation’s mind (see right). Birmingham – Five Ways and on to Quinton
It may be taking a ‘step by step’ approach, but A further thing seen here as a possible Birmingham – Birmingham Airport Birmingham – Great Barr Centro still has much more planned than just game-changer for the region is the first Wolverhampton – Wednesfield, Willenhall, the extension to New Street. A joint funding phase of High Speed 2 – the UK’s second Walsall and Wednesbury (the ‘5Ws’) bid from Centro, Wolverhampton City high-speed main line that is due to open
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 231 Advertorial An URBOS for every type of city CAF has a rail solution for every city and region, including the latest technology in urban LRV traction systems and design, metro rolling stock and interurban tram-train vehicles.
ight rail systems are becoming ever more important in cities around the globe, representing a mobility solution that helps reduce traffic congestion, Loffering passengers a swift, punctual and sustainable method of transport. CAF, supported by years of experience in the production and implementation of this type of urban railway system, provides the Urbos solution. This range of innovative trams and light rail vehicles is capable of meeting the most demanding passenger and driver requirements. The Urbos family includes state-of-the-art trams, light metros and tram-train vehicles, all of a high quality design and construction, specifically tailored to provide the end user This is another innovative solution for any A CAF Urbos tram in the Spanish city of Seville, with a unique travel experience. city’s sustainable development. showing not only the vehicle's stylish design but also Cities such as Edinburgh, Birmingham, In order to provide more efficient and more the innovative ACR system that allows catenary-free Sydney, Houston, Cincinnati, Stockholm, environmentally-friendly means of transport, operation in the city's historic centre. CAF Freiburg, Kaoshiung, Seville, Zaragoza, CAF implements the “Product Sustainability Nantes, Besançon, Cuiaba, Debrecen, Belgrade Function”, introducing eco-design methods Outside of light rail, CAF is demonstrating and Antalya are just a few that have chosen in the engineering processes to optimise and its capabilities by adapting its Civity platform Urbos trams as their LRT mobility solution. control the environmental impact of products specifically to the UK as one of the pre- Developing sustainable cities, preserving throughout their entire lifecycle. qualified bidders for the London Crossrail valuable heritage areas and ensuring the CAF has been selected as the supplier of rolling stock procurement process. full architectural integration of urban up to 25 five-carUrbos trams for the Midland The company’s range includes complete transport are the principal aims of CAF’s new Metro system in the UK’s West Midlands. The transportation systems for urban, suburban technological developments. Urbos Midland Centro is an articulated 100% and long-distance routes and turnkey Urbos represents a determined low-floor tram, with the first trams scheduled solutions, to custom-made parts and commitment to saving energy through to enter service – on the existing line – in components. With manufacturing plants the efficient use of the equipment and February 2014. The city centre extension in Spain, France and America, CAF has the technology through the integration of with the full new tram fleet is scheduled to capability and experience to manufacture lightweight, environmentally-friendly begin service from March 2015. using steel, aluminum or stainless steel. materials. CAF has based its designs on The five-section air-conditioned trams The company’s portfolio covers the ecological criteria for the construction of the have a passenger capacity of approximately full range for a complete transportation Urbos trams and their subsequent recycling. 200, with two dedicated spaces for wheelchair system, from urban, suburban and long- In addition to significant reductions in users in addition to full compliance with the distance routes, to light rail. CAF also offers its vehicles' power consumption, CAF has Disability Discrimination Act. The trams will full maintenance services, upgrading and developed the ACR System to reduce visual be similar to those commissioned in 2011 in overhaul of vehicles, components and the impact of infrastructure and allow for full Zaragoza, Spain: 30m long and 2.65m wide, supply of custom-made parts. CAF is involved architectural integration of the tram in the with an aluminum body, 100% low-floor in several PPPs, BOTs and projects involving urban environment with the removal of access, and a maximum operational speed rolling stock financing, offering to its’ clients catenary supply between intermediate stops. of 70km/h. turnkey solutions tailored to their needs.
"CAF's portfolio covers the full range of products for c onta t info a complete transportation system, from urban, For more information on CAF rolling stock suburban and long-distance routes, to light rail." visit www.caf.net
228 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org
220-231_MidlandMetro.indd 9 04/05/2013 12:01 Comment
SMARTER THINKING… AND SPORTS CARS FOR ALL AT THE WEEKENDS
TAUT Editor Simon Johnston adds to our new Comment section with a few thoughts on a whole new transit lifestyle.
ouldn’t it be great if we could all save Given these facts, it surely makes sense to adopt a ‘pay as you thousands per year, have the appropriate and go’ attitude; we do this with mobile phones and internet usage. most attractive transport mode ‘on demand’, After all, transport should be a commodity in the same way as boost the local economy and save the planet at any other retail transaction, but cultural idioms in the western the same time? This may sound a utopian view, world seem to place automobile ownership as key. butW these options already exist and can prove very attractive As EV technology takes a greater hold and the infrastructure is if we all take a hard look at how we travel and what we expect put into place in larger towns and cities (eventually, over a 15-20 of that service. The traditional model of car ownership as a year period), this ‘new’ model grows even stronger in terms of ‘necessity’ just doesn’t apply any more… the environmental benefits. Let me give an example. A close friend lives along one of the new The knock-on effects can be analysed in layers of depth Manchester Metrolink (UK) lines. When the line opened as far as of course. Not owning a car means savings on garages and St Werburgh’s Road in July 2011, and driveways (something in the UK that he saw how convenient it was to have a always adds thousands to the cost of a tramline a few hundred metres from his home purchase) and the adoption of home, he and his wife started looking smarter land usage policies. Parking seriously at their transport lifestyle. spaces are expensive to build and Not untypically, as two working maintain, even for park-and-ride sites parents with a young child, they had at transit stops… two cars. Their families all live in the This kind of future planning and Manchester area, along with most of joined-up thinking is the way to their social circle, while he works in drive new industries, increase public the city and she about 55km (35 miles) transport ridership, save money and away – the coming of the tram proved promote environmental initiatives. little short of a revolution. Everyone wins. He now walks a few hundred metres So what are operators doing to each morning to the tramstop, catches The OHSU (Oregon Health and Sciences University) promote this great ‘new’ transport Waterfront Center for Health and Healing in Portland, the tram (dropping their daughter off at lifestyle? Simply not enough. Oregon, has become an alternative transportation school or the childminder en route), and hub comprised of the tram, bicycle parking and a stop While some offer ‘bike clubs’ and walks a few hundred metres at the other on the Portland Streetcar line. Here, commuters park organisations like Brompton Dock offer end. His wife takes the opportunity their bikes and take the Streetcar into downtown, folding bike hire in major cities, more to work from home more (she says she a ten-minute ride. Ken Hawkins needs to be done between operators gets more done) and catches the tram to promote inter-modal exchange and into the city, then the train into work “This kind of joined-up with car and bike clubs. three days a week with a second-hand Transportation shouldn’t just be foldable bike to get from the station. thinking is the way to drive about moving people from A to B, For journeys not covered by Metrolink, we need to offer true ‘end to end’ feeder bus services offer a wealth of new industries, increase capability and make it simpler and reasonable options. easier to use mass transit services. Selling both of their family-sized ridership, save money and And for those who claim it will cars has brought in GBP15 000 (EUR17 decimate the car industry – a major 700) in immediate cash, but also saves promote environmental employer in most developed countries a combined GBP7400 per year in the – think of it this way: Would car associated costs of vehicle ownership initiatives. Everyone wins.” manufacturers rather rely on less stable (fuel, tax, insurance, servicing and markets of consumers changing their maintenance, car parking etc). Even with the addition of public cars infrequently, and fields full of vehicles waiting to be sold, transport season tickets, the savings are dramatic. or upon large banks of car clubs that guarantee to buy fleets of If they do need a car now, they are part of a car club and X-hundred model cars each year? alongside other hire firms choose the vehicle they need or Driving new, sustainable, and greener economies through desire for weekends away or leisure/work trips. This gives extra public transport as a wider more cohesive social force in the flexibility to their lives so they can have a convertible during changing modern world can effect many of the changes that the summer, a people carrier for school netball team trips or governments around the world seek. It just takes a little vision. birthday parties, or a van for moving and carrying. TAUT Editor Simon Johnston has a background in transport, Recent surveys in the US and Europe have shown the average automotive and technology journalism dating back almost 15 car spends 90% of its time parked and also that 30% of traffic on years, contributing to newspapers, periodicals and websites minor roads in towns and cities – that means either expensive across the world on a wide range of topics. His specialities include car parks, frustration and/or delays and the risk of scratches and new technologies, closely followed by his interests in promoting scrapes. The latter again has the potential to incur further cost. environmental initiatives, urban development and 'smart cities'.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 233 Advertorial rapid turn-round for a renewal
Infrastructure replacement STRAILastic rubber infill blocks stay in need not mean major place once pressed in either side of the rail, UK LIGHT RAIL CONFERENCE but for added security are also zip-tied, and street closures or extended blocks are left out for rail joint welding. They Delegates at this year's UK Light Rail are quickly inserted upon completion. With Conference in Manchester, UK, can explore the suspension of tram services, full range of STRAILastic noise and vibration the rails raised in this way adjustments can management systems, including: as STRAIL explain. be made from a convenient working position, avoiding the lengthier process of jacking and STRAILastic_R – A range of grass track systems packing with shims. (STRAIL is a member of Grunegleisenetzwerk). ith a number of street- Once the alignment is secured in place
running tracks in the the mass concrete bed is poured and levelled STRAILastic_A – The damping mass system that clips to the rails. UK requiring renewal in to the underside of the rails, and once this the near future, many has cured trams can safely pass over the new STRAILastic_KFV – The poured elastomer are facing the built- rails, leaving the final surfaces to be built which sets to provide a seal and movement inW problems of having to remove an up later. joint, working over a wide temperature range. encapsulated rail – complete with the The newest STRAILastic_W units, which Additionally, the detail on STRAIL level crossing concrete that was cast around it. replace earlier P versions, dispense with the systems with particular relevance to tram With no specialist facilities to strip out separate elastomer inserts and allow the operations will be on hand, including: the steel and other component parts for rail to float vertically on rubber ‘feathers’ recycling, such track has to be sent away, moulded integrally into the blocks and base veloSTRAIL – A system which eliminates the as inseparable blocks which are difficult pad whilst providing firm lateral support. flangeway hazard, that can be retrofitted to to segregate. There may then be a substantial This detail is not easily incorporated into a some types of embedded street track. amount of work to rebuild the seating for the basic encapsulation system, and offers a high new rail and road surface, potentially causing level of vibration damping. major disuption as the tram route is severed For maintenance and future renewals, the for a significant period. system is equally efficient. Breaking the seal A video (downloadable ) showing renewal at road level, the filler blocks are easily cut of 170m of tram route in Hannover illustrates free and removed leaving just steel rail to how the STRAILastic system makes track recover, and often the blocks can be re-used. renewal simpler and faster. Trams were able Alternatively they can be returned and to keep running whilst the road surface was recycled in other STRAIL products. broken out around the rails, and only when Spot repairs and building up rail wear with the base foundation had to be prepared were infill welding can also be simply delivered as profilSTRAIL – A system for depot areas where the rails cut, and the excavations completed. the blocks are easily removed and replaced, tracks are laid through concrete aprons and New rails were quickly placed and adjusted avoiding the need to manage the heat workshop pit tracks, providing access to the for line and level using the STRAILastic generation in close proximity to rubber rail fixings, and preventing movement of the system of sacrificial baseplates. attached to the rail. rail from damaging the concrete. pedeSTRAIL – A fast to install system for foot crossings and under run protection at off-street tramstops.
STRAILedge – Gap-closing rubber block system which can provide a less damaging outcome if vehicles come into contact with a platform face, and be quickly removed for mechanised track maintenance.
TAPSTRAIL – Track access platforms that STRAILastic_W units allow embedded street tracks to float vertically, while retaining firm lateral support provide the means to bring road rail vehicles and offering excellent noise and vibration damping. STRAIL on to the track, rapidly deployed and removed as required.
contact info Details of the SRS Rail Systems road-rail wiring train will also be available on Stand 13 For more details visit www.strail.com. Contact at the UK Light Rail Conference – May 15-16. +44 (0)1483 222090 or [email protected]
234 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org
234_STRail advertorial.indd 1 06/05/2013 14:34 CASA TRAMWAY Neil Pulling looks in detail at Morocco’s second modern tramway opening, a project of national significance – and one that was built in record time.
Special review in association with & Casa Tramway 12/12/12: North Africa’s latest light rail launch
n fading light on the afternoon of 12 December 2012, His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco left I Casablanca’s Place des Nations Unies aboard tram number 005. Coupled to number 006, the 65m-long formation had stood all day at the well-guarded stop as the crowd grew in size and expectation. This official first journey undertaken by the King in the company of leading political and business figures inaugurated an entirely new tramway. The service that opened to the public the next morning at 05.30 was presented as the longest single tram route ever built and opened in full, at one time. It was little over four years since the project was authorised and the ‘12/12/12’ opening target had been set. The project had, of necessity, progressed at great speed: it was also just over two years since surface works began and less than a year since trams first made test runs in the city. Operating as Casa Tramway, this was not the country’s first LRT scheme – that honour fell to the national capital with the Rabat-Salé project in May 2012 – yet the Casablanca Driver instruction: King Mohammed VI (left) and French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault visit the cab of opening represented a significant step in tram 005 before the inaugural run. RATP Dev Morocco’s national transport arrangements. There is a policy of extending the scope and Traditional music and dance entertained the crowds waiting for the official opening. capacity of rail transport, ranging from light rail, upgrading existing infrastructure, new Despite recession affecting many world high-speed lines and new motive power. economies, North Africa and the Middle East Bulk loads of minerals best suited for rail are regarded by rail industry manufacturers transport to the country’s ports, are a major as growing markets. Whether events now income source for Morocco. Human cargos collectively identified as the ‘Arab Spring’ are now growing significantly. At 28 million in this large region will influence demand is railway passengers per year, there has been a unclear, but currently tramways are seen as a rise of 60% in five years, mainly on journeys welcome answer to the question of how city between the biggest cities. With very limited growth is to be managed. rail coverage within built-up areas however, Casablanca has joined a group of North local travel has by default become the African cities including Algiers, Tunis, preserve of private vehicles, taxis, and with a Jerusalem and Oran determined to combine falling share, buses. increasing the role of public transport with environmental improvements. For Casablanca this is not a tramway revival – there was no traditional street tramway here – but a completely new mode.
Morocco’s economic giant Centuries of trading have contributed to Casablanca – situated on the shore of Morocco’s Coastal plain – becoming the nation’s business and financial centre. There was no significant natural harbour, but since the early 20th Century dock facilities have expanded, making it the country’s biggest port, almost entirely for freight handling. With the rise of civil aviation, the standing of principal national gateway was bolstered by the growth of the rail-linked Casablanca Mohammed V Airport, the country’s busiest. With many companies choosing Casablanca as their national or regional base, the city’s spread of international hotels is more a reflection of commerce than tourism. Morocco has for centuries attracted Track crossing is already installed to link with a future second line at the Boulevard Abdelmoumen junction. the attention of other powers. The name Casa Tramway Casablanca reflects Portuguese and Spanish
236 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org “Casablanca's tramway is presented as the longest single route ever built and opened in full at one time” involvement, the ‘white house’ reference previously being in an earlier Arabic form. France’s more substantial sphere of influence in Morocco included Casablanca. Early ventures and the French protectorate which formally lasted between 1912 and 1956 helped institutionalise the country’s most widely-used European language. Arabic is the official language, although French is used in commerce, education and for transport. French business interests are prominent and there are strong Franco-Moroccan connections through immigration flows between the countries. The Kingdom of Morocco is, at 446 550km2, of a similar size to Sweden. Casablanca is the largest city, also the largest in the Maghreb (north western Africa) region. Population statistics vary by boundary definition and are soon outdated with continuing migration to the urban area. Nationally urban population now stands at 59%; in 1950 it was only 26%. Casablanca alone accounts for well over 10% of the December 2011 Morocco population of 32.3 million. The tramway’s promoters identify over five million in the conurbation. The city centre is set back slightly from the Atlantic shore which is bordered by a mixture of freight port, main roads and developing resort and residential areas. Passenger rail has a presence here with Casa-Port station, recently enlarged and modernised. This is the terminus of commuter service to the north, but Casablanca’s overall track layout does not currently lend itself to more local demands. A mixture of commercial and public sector offices, shops and hotels, the central district represents a small proportion of the urban area. There are tall buildings, but overall Casablanca is largely low-rise with an outward spread into mainly former agricultural land. Coming as a welcome supplement to the bulk export of natural resources, Morocco is enjoying a tourism boom, moving towards
The huge Hassan II Mosque on the Atlantic shore is Casablanca’s main single tourist attraction.
King Mohammed VI boards tram 005 after cutting the ceremonial ribbon to open Casablanca’s tramway on 12 December 2012. RATP Dev
a mass market with numbers encouraged by low-cost airline coverage. Due to demand related to its picturesque and atmospheric culture, this has tended to focus on locations such as Marrakech, Fez and Tangiers. With the business of Casablanca being business itself, old-town features and exotica are limited in this largely modern setting. Nevertheless, the city is thriving. The long seafront south of the port is attractive and has many leisure activities; it is also the setting for the city’s main architectural feature and landmark, the modern Hassan II Mosque built on an epic scale that draws tourists as well as worshippers.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 237 Casa Tramway Casablanca’s growing pains
2004 study identified public The plan is to introduce a multi-line tram transport – in practice buses network, a metro and a heavy rail city service. – as handling around 13% of If fully implemented, an ambitious 21% A Casablanca’s urban journeys. public transport share of city travel has been It predicted a decline to 11% by 2019 projected. Such is the economic importance if prevailing traffic arrangements and of Casablanca that any shortcoming in the demographic trends continued. movement of goods and people around the In 2004 15% of the demand was handled city was judged to be nationally significant: by taxis, of which there are two types. Most solving local problems is not just a local issue. wide-ranging are the larger ‘Grand’ white vehicles and, confined to the urban area, the Putting the plan into action red ‘Petit’ taxis. Filling a public transport With formal signing of the financial need, these can extend their custom by agreement in October 2008 came a stated picking up more customers en route if their intent of opening the first tramline in diminutive space is not already filled. Private December 2012. vehicles accounted for 15% of city journeys A public company with the city and state in the 2004 study, a share that will have as main shareholders, Casa Transports en grown with increased car ownership. Site Aménagé SA (Casa Transports), was All too clearly Casablanca shows the established in March 2009 to move the first strains of road traffic growth. Even between line from initial planning into action. The the morning and evening peaks, the number next month saw the start of preparatory of people and amount of goods held in works, itself a major exercise given the queues is very apparent, as are fumes and extreme length of the works and that they noise from barely mobile vehicles. crossed the core of the urban area. For many visitors, widespread disregard Appointed in 2009 as Casa Transport of the traffic signals designed to control Assistant General Manager, Nadia Bouhriz junctions and pedestrian crossings may was director of the tramway project. Speaking be alarmingly unfamiliar. Overlaying the on the eve of the opening, Madame Bouhriz ever-present engine noise is a near-constant said around 700 meetings had been held in blare of vehicle horns and whistles blown respect of all aspects of delivering the project: by officials attempting to direct traffic. It “The aim was to bring together a number of is thus a portfolio of problems that is being major neighbourhoods and the historic centre addressed by the current public transport of Casablanca. We wanted to have the city programme. benefit in different ways, not just transport.”
Casa Tram line 1 as opened in December 2012.
“On signing the financial agreement in October 2008 came a stated intent of opening the first line in December 2012”
238 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Casablanca’s evening commute: ONCF Gare Casa Port (to left) and barely moving road traffic.
Transport ancient and modern: Casa Tramway operates in challenging conditions.
Nadia Bouhriz, Assistant General Manager, Casa Transports, addresses the press on the eve of the tramway’s opening on 11 December 2012.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 239 Casa Tramway A world-class partnership working to a tight timescale
asa Transports invited tenders was placed in 2009. Although it was planned as well as some of the stops. This was at the and placed major contracts for to build up service frequency gradually, outer ends of the line, 8km (5 miles) identified the tramway’s detailed planning, the decision to open the route throughout as Zone 1 – the eastern section – and 13.1km C construction and operation. One nevertheless required a substantial number (8.1 miles) in Zone 3, which included the two of the first was the designation of SYSTRA of vehicles from the outset. With no previous southern branches. There was also 6.5km to lead project management, working with local tramway expertise, there was also (4.1 miles) of track at the depot. Morocco’s CID engineering. substantial pre-opening training of a large Construction tasks created over 3000 SYSTRA, jointly owned by SNCF and workforce to be undertaken. direct and indirect jobs. Of the 600 employed RATP, already had a Moroccan subsidiary Already secured as tram supplier, in in respect of the functioning tramway, with headquarters in Rabat and was involved November 2010 Alstom won the contract from around two-thirds are ‘dedicated to all with the Rabat-Salé tramway. The firm is design to operation of the signalling system security aspects’ according to Casa Tramway. also working on Morocco's high-speed covering the line and depot compound. It The high number of security-related staff line project’s initial Tangiers to Kenitra would also be responsible for the electrical is a striking feature, not only at the stops section. Its brief in Casablanca involved power supply, including 23 substations. and on-board, but also along the route. setting specifications and determining the In October 2010 King Mohammed VI Local press reports suggest that this is due route with the client. It oversaw delivery of formally launched infrastructure to the authorities being keen to protect the project aspects such as the civil engineering, construction. With its first contract in travellers and the condition of the new assets, signalling, rolling stock procurement and Morocco, Turkish civil engineering giant Yapi drawing contrasts with the battered and maintenance facilities. Merkezi played a substantial part in delivering grubby condition of many city buses. An order for 37 Alstom 100% low-floor the project to schedule. It was contracted to Casa Tramway put the final project Citadis double tramsets (74 type 302 vehicles) build 21.1km (13.2 miles) of twin-track route, cost at 5.9bn Moroccan Dirham (MAD), approximately EUR528m. This represents a saving of MAD500m on an initial budget of MAD6.4bn (EUR573m).
T1 – The Long Run The double-track route as opened in December 2012, totalling 31km (19.3 miles), is thought to be the longest single tramline ever built and opened throughout at one time. All but four of the 48 stops opened with the line. With expectations of a true network to follow, Casablanca’s first tramway is appropriately identified as T1. The route crosses the conurbation broadly from the east to the south-west, with the main direction change around Marché Central and Place des Nations Unies (the stop name omits ‘des’), focal points of the city centre. At the southern end of central Casablanca on the intersection of Boulevard Abdelmoumen and Boulevard Anoual, T1 splits to two branches with services “Construction tasks on the alternating to and from the common section. The more westerly branch has 13 stops, with MAD5.9bn project created 3000 the Ain Diab terminus in a smart beach resort area. The 8.4km (5.2-mile) stretch is envisaged Building direct and indirect jobs” as part of a future second line. With the works in progress at addition of an eastern section, the designation the depot in of this currently T1 branch should change to May 2012. T2. Tracks for the future T1/T2 crossing are Yapi Merkezi already embedded in the road. Two of the eight stops on the more Combining southerly 6km (3.7-mile) branch to Facultés seating and terminus provide connections with standing Morocco’s state railway operator, ONCF. areas, the These are Gare des Facultés (stop Gare Casa 65-metre paired Citadis Sud) and Gare Oasis. Throughout the service, 302 trams stop names are given in Arabic and French can move and each also has a number. Numbered from over 600 the eastern end, these identifiers are used on people at route diagrams and schedules. once. The city has incorporated environmental improvements alongside the tramway. Although unlikely to be appreciated by most motorists, in the short term at least, road space in certain places has been reduced
240 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org in favour of tracks. Elsewhere the overall One of the most important redevelopments Trams 001 and 002 on Boulevard Anoual road-tramway corridor was expanded. Used is Place Sidi Mohammed, a large expanse approaching the only service junction on the to aggressive driver behaviour on the roads, adjoining the wide frontage of Casa new line. pedestrians benefit from centrally positioned Voyageurs, the main railway station. It An interchange with ONCF trains at Casa Sud in the tram stops and access points that can – even is already a key location for the ONCF southern suburbs. Yapi Merkezi for those who are not tram users – provide national passenger rail network and is the some refuge. They also reduce the need to main connecting point for the airport rail tackle crossing all the traffic lanes in one go. service. Its importance will grow with the With such a long route, related works introduction of TGV services and also if the were on a similarly grand scale: 220 000m2 proposed RER network is implemented. of new or rebuilt pavements and 125.7km The tramway curves through Place Sidi (78.1 miles) of utility diversions. In a manner Mohammed, where the tram stop is named well established in France and Spain, the Casa Voyageurs. To make the area much less opportunity has been taken to give more dominated by road traffic and more befitting space to pedestrians and to soften the urban a city gateway, the square has seen extensive setting. Over 4000 trees have been planted tree planting, with the pedestrian space along what Casa Tramway describes as ‘a more than doubled and a children’s play 31km (19.3-mile) green corridor.’ area added.
Now tram-linked, the main long distance station Casa Voyageurs will gain more Redeveloping Place Sidi Mohammed is to help nearby Casa Voyageurs station traffic if an RER project is implemented. grow as a transport interchange.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 241 Casa Tramway
Operations and services
asablanca’s tramway represents early task was to recruit over 600 staff across Trams began testing in the depot in a continuation of rapid expansion a range of skills; the majority would be local, January 2012 before extending onto the by RATP Dev. Created in 2002 as a but with much of the activity entirely new to system. The marche a blanc phase, full service subsidiary of RATP, Paris’ principal the area, of necessity some came from further without passengers, lasted from mid-October publicC transport operator, it serves urban afield. For example, drivers were trained up to the official opening. transit markets outside of the Île-de-France. locally, initially by instructors For the majority, the presence of Inheritor of an apparently outgoing mode, from RATP’s French operations. moving trams on the streets was trams, soon to disappear from their area Originally from Algeria and an entirely new experience, with when founded in 1949, RATP’s first new with a doctorate in transport no reference points for stopping tramway venture was Paris T1 in 1992. economics, Casa Tram Managing distances, traffic priorities or such The RATP Group now has worldwide Director Khaled Rahmani long vehicles occupying road tram interests including Hong Kong (with explains: “Everything was new; space. Commenting on the trial Veolia), Manchester Metrolink, Florence nothing had been done before. It running, Mr Rahmani said: “It and the forthcoming US systems in Tucson was a challenge on a technical and was very intense there for a while, and Washington DC. In North Africa it on a human level.” but nothing we couldn’t handle.” holds contracts for the Algerian tramways The expectation was as high There were collisions with in Algiers, Oran and Constantine as well as for Casablanca as it would be vehicles and some pedestrian assisting in developing schemes in Sidi Bel in RATP Dev’s other contracts injuries, although this needs Abbés, Ouargla and Mostanagem. and according to Mr. Rahmani Khaled Rahmani, to be seen in the context of the RATP Dev was already involved in there would be “...the same Managing Director, prevailing high level of road Casa Tram Casablanca transport with a 17% share in security and safety as there is in accidents. In the longer term, M’dina Bus, the main city concession since Paris”, adding that the operating TOP: All trams are an expanded public transport 2004. Liveries indicate the Paris connection, structure would have to be “one stored and maintained network is expected to reduce the with some M’dina buses having previously able to stand the test of time.” at the Sidi Moumen site. casualty rate. seen service in the French capital. Tram maintenance and storage Responding to an international invitation The contract’s broad categories are: is concentrated on a single site near the to tender, an initial offer was submitted in Operating the tramway eastern terminus in the suburb Sidi Moumen. June 2011. In an amended form it led to Casa Surveillance and security The seven-hectare site was created by cutting Transports awarding the contract to the Casa Counter-fraud measures into rising ground. Most tracks are parallel Tram consortium led by RATP Dev on 13 July Network servicing and maintenance with the revenue tracks between the stops 2012. The contract is worth EUR70m over the Technical assistance to Casa Tranports, the Centre de Maintenance and Hôpital de Sidi five-year term. Casa Tram comprises RATP client authority Moumen. Spurs from both directions lead Dev, the Moroccan public utility financial Distribution and sale of tickets: directly to into the compound which is also the location institution Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion du passengers, and indirectly through vendors of the system’s control centre. Maroc and the holding company Transinvest. Payment and recovery of traffic income on Able to accommodate the initial T1 fleet of Casa Tram’s contract had a pre-operation behalf of the authority 37 pairs of trams, the site can be extended to phase including training and test running Passenger information and directions provide for at least 50. The largest designated up to the 12 December 2012 opening. An Marketing the service area at the Sidi Moumen facility is for stabling.
242 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Partly covered by a large canopy, there are 16 tracks with double-ended access, mostly allocated for holding and cleaning the fleet overnight. The timetable means the first tram leaves at 03.30, the last returning at 02.20. Casa Tram envisages that with the full service implemented, four pairs will be in reserve. A fully-covered two-lane inspection building gives multi-level access to the trams, which remain in their paired formations. Preventative and corrective works for the fleet are undertaken in the multi-track maintenance workshop which can handle 15 vehicles at a time. It is a 24-hour, every day task for a team of around 50 staff. Sub-contracted through RATP Dev in 2012, a five-year maintenance contract is held by Alstom. Globally such agreements account for approximately 20% of Alstom’s transport business. Additional to the trams, its maintenance responsibility to Casa Tramway includes the stops, power supply, track, signalling and overhead equipment. Located upstairs in the administrative block, the control centre oversees the entire tramway and depot movements. There are three workstations for controllers to observe all intersections and the stops which have six cameras at each as well as audio links. Line- “Tram maintenance is a of-sight applies to tram movements, except for signalling at controlled road intersections, 24-hour, every day task for at the three termini and within the depot. a team of around 50 staff” Building the frequency From the tramway’s opening and continuing into 2013, there was a published frequency of every 15 minutes, with the two branches south-west of Abdelmoumen to stop every 30 minutes. The policy is to build the service frequency and decrease journey times from the levels at the system’s opening. This was partly as a learning exercise and partly getting the city accustomed to the implications of having the tramway. The number of junctions where traffic lights give tram priority will be increased, although improving driver and pedestrian behaviour in obeying directions and signals may prove to yield as many improvements for journey times. When the initial operating phase is concluded and all vehicles are available, the 05.00-0.00 service should operate at around a four-minute peak interval over the core route, again halving for the TOP: The depot is at the line’s eastern end in a branches. The target commercial speed is residential suburb. 20km/h (12.5mph). Passenger numbers are projected to rise to 255 000/day from 2015. Depot workshop building. Casa Transports and its contractors are very conscious that the public needs education To raise public interest and to educate, Tram Expo to safely accommodate the new mode. The was open in weeks leading up to the start of services. project was extensively covered in local media and a video in Arabic and French about Control room for the line and depot movements. using the trams was commissioned to convey important safety factors. A month before public services began Casa Tram opened an exhibition in the city centre, Tram Expo, which ran until 31 December 2012. Covering the reasons for the tramway, its creation and timescale, the manned exhibition also explained how to use the service, a far from obvious process given the differences from taking the bus or taxi. There is some irony in the warning given that an approaching tram is dangerous because it is silent – it would need to be extremely noisy against the background din of Casablanca’s traffic.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 243 Casa Tramway The trams n expression of Alstom’s policy of moving production around its facilities to match demand A levels, the Casablanca trams were assembled from January 2011 at Reichshoffen in northern Alsace, France. The first arrivals were in December 2011, the start of a regular process with a designated reception area at the depot. The first runs using the service infrastructure began in January 2012. At the line’s opening there were about 20 sets available, comfortably sufficient for the initial service level. The last pair left the Reichshoffen facility on 25 March. Casablanca’s Alstom Citadis trams have the same configuration as those in Tunis (in service from September 2007) and Rabat (May 2011). The single-ended, five-section The principal central open space and a bus interchange, Place Nations Unis is likely to be the busiest stop. Citadis 302 vehicles are coupled ‘back-to- back’ for bi-directional operation, giving Flanked by administrative buildings, Place Mohammed V is one of central Casablanca’s main civic spaces. an overall length of 64.7m. Each 302 has two sections with open floor areas featuring lateral tip-up seating on one side and padded leaning supports on the other. The 2.65m-wide body provides easy onboard circulation of passengers.
244 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org The double-tram formation has 12 doors on each side, four single- and eight double-leaf. The designated capacity according to signs in each vehicle is 51 seated, 168 standing; the presumption at the launch of the service was stated as 606 per double set. Driver and passenger compartments are air-conditioned, an aspect modified relative to general European specifications to take account of the demands of operation in Casablanca. Fixed and video information is in Arabic and French, as are audio announcements. Internal and external surveillance cameras are fitted. Opened in 2011, also An unusual feature is the lack of external using paired Citadis 302 identification or branding, such as location trams, Rabat-Salé was or operator. Discretely positioned behind Morocco’s first modern the rear-view cameras high on the tram-side light rail service. leading ends and above the window on the connecting end, fleet numbers (from 001) are Shielding above the a rare ornamentation over the basic livery. couplings of the paired The dominant colour is a specially trams is to discourage those tempted to take a formulated copper-orange and within this are shortcut. broad inlays of dark grey around the tinted- glass window areas. The visual effect varies Xavier Allard, Vice according to ambient light; bright conditions President Design and bring a high-visibility sparkle that contrasts Styling, Alstom Transport well against the prevalent pale backgrounds of buildings. As pedestrians may become widespread are Revendeurs, the approved frustrated by such long vehicles kept static in agents. Closest to the service are the self- traffic, and boarding or alighting passengers service machines, Distributeurs Automatiques, may perceive a shortcut between platforms, a outside the barrier-restricted platforms, high board is fitted above the tram couplings close to the entry end. Taking card and coin to discourage such dangerous temptations. payment, the machines have a choice of Casa Transport’s Nadia Bouhriz says of the Arabic, French and English instructions. specification for itsCitadis : “ We didn’t want All tickets or cards have a recharge the cheapest model, but not the luxury ones capability, and all have a charge for the either. It’s not extravagant... we wanted [for medium additional to the journeys or travel example] security measures, good quality period bought. Shortest-term tickets (on seats and 30 years of service.” which limited trips, as for visitors, will be Xavier Allard, Vice President Design and taken) are Le ticket rechargeable which can take Styling for Alstom Transport, says that the up to ten recharges before it must be replaced. tram appearance was intentionally “very Also an anonymous format, the more robust modern. Minimalistic. No patterns,” with the Carte Rechargeable is intended for up to four dark window surrounds designed to further years of recharging. The best value for regular accentuate the length of the double tramsets. users over a long period are the Abonnement Rounded cab ends bring a softening effect cards which include weekly, monthly and against the angularity of the urban setting. student rates. Also with a four-year design life, For the interiors M. Allard says the aim was these are specific to the named holder and to be: “Modern, but in a Moroccan way. You give unlimited journeys for the subscription will find an expression of the local culture.” period bought. The value of the journey is Standard fittings and the exit barriers at Inspiration came from designs expressed in deducted via barrier-integrated card readers. Abdelmoumen stop. Morocco’s decorative zellighe ceramic work, In spite of their street-level location, tram translated into the star patterns on the seats stops share characteristics usually associated and the ceiling panels. with metro operation. Unlike the usual open access as applied on the Rabat-Salé system, THE FUTURE Ticketing and stops Casablanca’s platforms are within entry and There was no presumption that T1 alone Following a policy to avoid financially exit barriers. They are restricted to those could solve the considerable transit problems disadvantaging those needing to travel already holding a ticket, for these cannot be confronting Casablanca, even with a projected longer distances, there is no fare zoning. bought on the platforms or aboard the trams. 250 000 daily journeys. For all its length, and Tickets are specific to the tramway, with no Each platform has one end designated for crossing a broad strip of the conurbation, T1 is unified fare structure yet applicable for entry, the other for exit, with ticket-activated nevertheless a single corridor in a vast area. public transport. The flat single fare of barriers appropriate for the traffic flow. Like most tramlines, the benefits should grow MAD6 – around EUR0.54 – is 50% higher The side of the platform away from the track with the addition of further lines and/or being than the standard bus fare. is effectively a wall made up of prefabricated a component of a multi-modal network. With The greater expense reflects the vastly sections, yet made attractive by decorative this already one of Africa's biggest cities and set to grow, there remains a clear justification better quality of passenger accommodation, open ironwork. Stops are overseen by CCTV for adding the other elements in the transport notably low-level access, air conditioning, linked to the control centre and there is also masterplan. and anticipated shorter journey times. an audio link. Ticket machines in multiple are In December 2012 a metro line seemed to be By being integral to the design, even the normally sited adjacent to the entry barrier. next on the agenda, with T2 an aim by 2015. standing arrangements on the tram are much Clearly the track space is open and could Another component is described as an RER (a better than the bus equivalent. provide access for arriving and departing reference to the pioneering Paris Réseau Express There are three categories of ticket/card passengers, but this temptation is deterred by Régional) whereby a high capacity regular outlets, having a differing scope for sales and keen-eyed, whistle-equipped security staff. service will be created, largely superimposed upon existing heavy rail installations. recharging of tickets. Casa Tram runs five There are also on board ticket checks. Current expectations are for four tram routes Agences Commerciales, a shop for information All images by Neil Pulling unless to be in operation by 2030. and sales, open 08.00-20.00. More otherwise stated.
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246LRA_strip.indd / JUNE 2013 1 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org 03/05/2013 12:13 in your next issue of
LRT’s role in creating 8th ANNUAL UK Light Rail the cities of the future Conference Review Alan Jones of Steer Davies Gleave examines the opportunities An in-depth look at the significant presentations and key for LRT as part of wider city-shaping policies, drawing on debates from the 8th Annual UK Light Rail Conference – European ‘urban style’ design approaches in North America. held in Manchester, UK. Bombardier Regional Transportation District Transportation Regional Systems Factfile: Developments from the Rouen Mile High City One of France’s earlier modern-era tramways, the Rouen Vic Simons reviews FasTracks progress in Denver, Colorado ‘Metro’ has recently fully renewed its fleet and is changing its – an ambitious programme to transform connectivity in the network identity. Neil Pulling reports. region, beginning with the recent opening of the West Rail LRT. PLUS... July Chemnitz: A model for tram-train The eastern German city of Chemnitz has ambitions to create a comprehensive and issue distinctive tram-train system – and it’s already well on the way. TAUT reports on the schemes that make up the ‘Chemnitz Model’. on sale + The latest rolling stock orders and movements, new June technology, system developments and transport policy 21
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 247
247_Next Month.indd 1 06/05/2013 13:25 Untitled-1 2 03/05/2013 09:19 Untitled-1 3 03/05/2013 09:19 Magdeburg
Neil Pulling reports from the former SYSTEMS East German city Magdeburg which recently completed signficant FACTFILE GERMANY tram fleet renewal and is modernising No. Magdeburg, and extending its 69 Germany infrastructure.
quidistant (150km / 94 NGT8D 1360 A service was restored with resources Like many former East German miles) from Berlin and approaches Alter that survived World War Two cities, Magdeburg faced restructuring Hannover, Magdeburg Markt stop in the bombing; the two sides of the Elbe for changed circumstances. The is the capital of Sachsen- centre of Magdeburg River regained their tram link in tramway network has not been left on 4 August 2012. Anhalt state. The city's spring 1946, but new trams were not to decline however, and there is Howard Pulling greatestE prominence came as a available until 1949. Trolleybuses were substantial evidence of the aim to religious and political centre that part of the network from 1951 to 1970. make it more attractive to present and spanned several centuries, long before Down from a peak of almost prospective users. industrialisation. More modern 289 000 in 1989, Magdeburg’s current Magdeburg’s main natural feature importance came from Magdeburg’s population of around 230 000 is the Elbe, here split into channels. concentration of manufacturing and indicates the scale of drift following Much of the city and most of the its role on Germany’s railway network. German reunification. With its tramway is on the main river’s Although it remains a significant once-important engineering sector west (left) bank. The Magdeburger academic centre, the effect of wars and exposed to market forces, the Verkehrsbetriebe (MVB) network relatively small areas of restoration neighbouring state of Niedersachsen covers about 200km2 (approx mean little remains to represent the in particular offered better prospects 125 sq. miles). A standard gauge city’s earlier glories. for many. The number in employment uni-directional tramway, there are Separate horse and steam tram almost halved in the decade up to intermediate and large terminus companies were combined, followed 2000, by which time one-fifth of the loops able to hold several trams by electrification during 1899-1900. housing stock stood vacant. between services. Except for the final
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THE FLEET
There are four Magdeburg NGT8D series, with production spanning 1994-2012 and numbered 1301-1383. The three-section uni-directional trams are 29.3m long and 2.3m wide. There is level access except for the end doors where angled steps lead to raised floor sections; overall 70% low-floor. Capacity is 222, with 71 seated. The first series (1301-1325) was assembled by Waggonbau Dessau, amongst its last products before closure in 1995. Production moved to Bautzen for the second batch from 1999, and the third in 2002, with number 1373 presented as the first of a final batch of 11 in July 2012. Its use for the opening of the Reform extension maintained a Magdeburg tradition of combining significant vehicles with notable events. Extra capacity (60 standing, 29 seated) became available in March 2011 with the first two of an eventual 11 CKDB6A2 14.5m-long trailers, modified for use with the NGT8D. Magdeburg is the NGT8D’s largest operator, other systems being Darmstadt, Gera and nearby Braunschweig (Brunswick). MVB has two depots and one workshop, with the tram museum depot in the western suburb of Sudenburg. Allee-Center stop on central Magdeburg’s east-west tramway axis. Neil Pulling
ABOVE LEFT: approach to north-eastern terminus Trailer-fitted 1310 Herrenkrug, it is double-track enters the long loop throughout. The layout is mainly near the housing radial, with some arms covering the development at outer urban area. This has a long Neustädter See. Neil Pulling north-south spread, as illustrated by the line 10, the system’s longest at ABOVE: Tram 1326 14.8km (9.3 miles) taking about 40 near Eisvogelstrasse minutes between termini. on a high-speed There are nine regular tramlines, section added in (1-10: no line 7), with a mainly 1984. Neil Pulling 10-minute frequency. Three tramlines (93-95), nine bus lines and S-Bahn Breitscheidstrasse/ form MVB’s synchronised night Fachhochschule: 1330 waits for 1306 network termed Anschlussverkehr. For to clear the single sports events, tramline 15 operates track to Herrenkrug. between the centre and venues near Neil Pulling Berliner Chaussee. MVB’s bus and tram operating subsidiary is MVG; others cover
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 251 Magdeburg cleaning services, ferries and a transport consultancy. It is one of nine partners in the Marego (for Magdeburg NETWORK FACTS Region) grouping which emerged from Opened: 1877 (electrification from 1899) increased acceptance of tickets between Routes: 9 (3 night) transport providers that began in Route distance: 63.7km (39.8 miles) 1998. MVB is also one of the tramway partners (with Halle, Naumberg, Stops: 130 Halberstadt and Dessau) in Sachsen- Depots: 2 Anhalt state’s Starker Nahverkehr Approximate weekday hours: transport group. Additional to tram 04.45-21.00 operation are 13 bus lines and two Main frequency: 10 minutes seasonal cross-Elbe foot ferries. Gauge: 1435mm There are optional routes for trams Power: 600V dc overhead supply through the central area and two Elbe tram crossings. Served by two lines, Fleet: 83 the main station, Magdeburg Hbf, City Network: Magdeburger is west of the centre. It is in an area Verkehrsbetriebe much redeveloped in recent years, but Area Network: Magdeburg Region the station’s rambling platform area Transport (Marego) awaits modernisation. Busy, yet lacking vitality outside the INFORMATION working day – the main tram service In the final To mark their passing, the two main City network: www.mvbnet.de ceases around 22.00 – Magdeburg’s year of normal types,T4DM and T6A2 ran on line 3, core is dominated by the Allee-Center Area network: T4DM service: including the latest extension. The www.marego-verbund.de shopping complex, several angular, Halberstädter T4D was first displayed in Magdeburg Chaussee, faded Communist-era office blocks Civic and tourist information: in 1969, followed by a run-down of www.magdeburg.de Sudenburg. and wide main streets. A convergence Neil Pulling older German types. The service fleet of many tram routes, it is served by became wholly CKD for about 20 years Alter Markt and Allee-Center stops. a year 2000-base, it aimed to add until the introduction of low-floor Magdeburg has a common feature of 13.5km (8.4 miles) and provide 44 000 trams. This had been foreshadowed former East German cities; outlying more residents with a tram service. by local trials with Bremen’s high-density housing developments, It is being delivered in stages with a much-travelled prototype GT6N 801. with tramways installed as the target completion by 2019. Following From the 1990s the Tatras began principal link. This is exemplified by complete renewal of infrastructure dispersal to other operators, mainly the first post-war new route opened on Leipziger Strasse approaching the in Romania, Russia and Ukraine. in 1975 (now lines 8/9) to Neustädter southern end of lines 3 and 9, a wholly Since January 2013 the MVB fleet See, landscaped former gravel pits new extension, started in August 2011, has consisted of a single type with overlooked by high-rise blocks. opened on 15 December 2012. minor variations across the four A 1984 opening to the north- The 3.6km (2.3 miles) section is batches. A joint development by western Olvenstedt housing area from Leipziger Chaussee to Reform, Linke-Hofmann-Busch, DWA and included long sections in reserved the new southern terminus serving BELOW LEFT: Waggonbau Dessau that entered space suited to high-speed running. Börde Park regional shopping centre; Newly into service, service in spring 1995, the By this time a run-down of trams in eight stops were added as part of this final batch 1373 Magdeburg NGT8D evolved to favour of buses was being reversed as stage’s EUR22m investment. Later beneath Magdeburg become a product of Alstom oil prices rose. Space is not generally additions should increase coverage in Hbf’s broad spread Deutschland and Bombardier. at a premium in Magdeburg and the the north-west and complete a south- of tracks in August In December 2008 onboard tramway largely runs in reserved areas western by-pass of the city centre. 2012. Howard Pulling ticketing passed from being a driver of roadway or on separate alignments. Magdeburg was a pioneer amongst duty, as the fleet was fitted with BELOW: The T6A2 Magdeburg’s current modernisation East German cities in adopting type joined the vending machines. and expansion programme ‘Nord- Czechoslovakian CKD trams; MVB fleet in 1989: 1278 › MVB network maps can be found Süd Verbindung’ focuses on the identified Sunday 27 January 2013 as at Domplatz in May at www.mvbnet.de/interaktiv/ dominant north-south axis. From the formal end of its long ‘Tatra era.’ 2012. Neil Pulling downloads/liniennetzplaene
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More expansion “Magdeburg’s modernisation and expansion is planned: the Leipziger Chaussee programme will add 13.5km and provide to Reform extension in May 2012. 44 000 residents with tram services by 2019. ” Neil Pulling
Interior of an early Magdeburg NGT8D. Neil Pulling
Immaculate driver instruction: T4DM 774 crosses the Elbe near the city centre. ESSENTIAL FACTS Neil Pulling Local travel: Tickets from machines and signed agents, MVB information kiosks at Hbf and the intersection near Alter Markt and Allee-Center. City fares (includes all tramway) from EUR1.30 up to three stops; EUR1.90 for up to an hour; day tickets at EUR3.80. Travel between the many tramways within the combined Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thüringen DB Day Ticket area for EUR22. What is there to see? Close to the Elbe, a small cluster of elegant buildings like the Rathaus and Johanniskirche is the main non-retailing feature. Resembling ornamented, melting pink blancmange, the Hundertwasser ‘Green Citadel’ near the cathedral is Magdeburg’s most distinctive building. Tram Museum (Ambrosiusplatz stop, Sudenburg) hosts special events using the heritage fleet (www.ignah.net)
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THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE Comment Smarter thinking… www.lrta.org and SportS www.tramnews.net carS for all at the weekendS
TAUT editor Simon Johnston adds to our new comment JUNE 2013 N O. 906 section with a few thoughts on a whole new transit lifestyle. Commercial members (12 issues) UK International
ouldn’t it be great if we could all save thousands per year, have the appropriate and Given these facts, it surely makes sense to adopt a ‘pay as you most attractive transport mode ‘on demand’, go’ attitude; we do this with mobile phones and internet usage. CASA TRAMWAY: LRT After all, transport should be a commodity in the same way as boost the local economy and save the planet at the same time? This may sound a utopian view, any other retail transaction, but cultural idioms in the western butW these options already exist and can prove very attractive world seem to place automobile ownership as key. if we all take a hard look at how we travel and what we expect As EV technology takes a greater hold and the infrastructure is TRANSFORMS A CITY of that service. The traditional model of car ownership as a put into place in larger towns and cities (eventually, over a 15-20 ‘necessity’ just doesn’t apply any more… year period), this ‘new’ model grows even stronger in terms of £52.00 £64.00 SPECIAL Let me give an example. A close friend lives along one of the new the environmental benefits. REVIEW Manchester Metrolink (UK) lines. When the line opened as far as The knock-on effects can be analysed in layers of depth St Werburgh’s Road in July 2011, and of course. Not owning a car means savings on garages and he saw how convenient it was to have a driveways (something in the UK that tramline a few hundred metres from his always adds thousands to the cost of a home, he and his wife started looking home purchase) and the adoption of seriously at their transport lifestyle. smarter land usage policies. Parking Not untypically, as two working spaces are expensive to build and parents with a young child, they had maintain, even for park-and-ride sites two cars. Their families all live in the at transit stops… Manchester area, along with most of This kind of future planning and their social circle, while he works in joined-up thinking is the way to the city and she about 55km (35 miles) drive new industries, increase public away – the coming of the tram proved transport ridership, save money and little short of a revolution. promote environmental initiatives. He now walks a few hundred metres Everyone wins. each morning to the tramstop, catches the ohSU (oregon health and Sciences University) So what are operators doing to the tram (dropping their daughter off at waterfront center for h ealth and healing in portland, promote this great ‘new’ transport school or the childminder en route oregon, has become an alternative transportation £41.00 lifestyle? Simply not enough. Commercial members online only (12 issues) ), and walks a few hundred metres at the other hub comprised of the tram, bicycle parking and a stop While some offer ‘bike clubs’ and on the p end. His wife takes the opportunity ortland Streetcar line. here, commuters park organisations like Brompton Dock offer their bikes and take the Streetcar into downtown, to work from home more (she says she folding bike hire in major cities, more a ten-minute ride. Ken Hawkins gets more done) and catches the tram needs to be done between operators into the city, then the train into work to promote inter-modal exchange and three days a week with a second-hand “This kind of joined-up with car and bike clubs. foldable bike to get from the station. Transportation shouldn’t just be For journeys not covered by Metrolink, thinking is the way to drive about moving people from A to B, feeder bus services offer a wealth of new industries, increase we need to offer true ‘end to end’ reasonable options. capability and make it simpler and Selling both of their family-sized ridership, save money and easier to use mass transit services. cars has brought in GBP15 000 (EUR17 And for those who claim it will 700) in immediate cash, but also saves promote environmental decimate the car industry – a major a combined GBP7400 per year in the employer in most developed countries associated costs of vehicle ownership initiatives. Everyone wins.” – think of it this way: Would car (fuel, tax, insurance, servicing and manufacturers rather rely on less stable maintenance, car parking etc). Even with the addition of public markets of consumers changing their transport season tickets, the savings are dramatic. cars infrequently, and fields full of vehicles waiting to be sold, If they do need a car now, they are part of a car club and or upon large banks of car clubs that guarantee to buy fleets of Invoices available for Commercial membership only. alongside other hire firms choose the vehicle they need or X-hundred model cars each year? desire for weekends away or leisure/work trips. This gives extra Driving new, sustainable, and greener economies through Shanghai’s street-running LRT plans flexibility to their lives so they can have a convertible during public transport as a wider more cohesive social force in the the summer, a people carrier for school netball team trips or changing modern world can effect many of the changes that Oran opens new modern tramway birthday parties, or a van for moving and carrying. governments around the world seek. It just takes a little vision. Recent surveys in the US and Europe have shown the average TAUT Editor Simon Johnston has a background in transport, car spends 90% of its time parked and also that 30% of traffic on automotive and technology journalism dating back almost 15 US 2014 budget boost for light rail minor roads in towns and cities – that means either expensive years, contributing to newspapers, periodicals and websites
£3.80 car parks, frustration and/or delays and the risk of scratches and across the world on a wide range of topics. His specialities include scrapes. The latter again has the potential to incur further cost. new technologies, closely followed by his interests in promoting Budapest environmental initiatives, urban development and 'smart cities'. Midland Metro Overhauling urban Birmingham City transit governance Centre Extension www.tramnews.net. www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 // 233
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254_Subs ad.indd 3 06/05/2013 12:41 Cincinnati AT LAST, CINCINNATI GETS ITS METALS This Ohio city has long been transport orientated and, more recently, it’s been the site of a long fight to establish light rail, as native Cincinnatian Herbert Pence reports.
ince the days of riverboats, Cincinnati (Ohio) has been a transport-oriented community. By the mid-1800s, seven steam railroads called at Cincinnati and Swhen electric interurban railways were built, seven of them called at The Queen City, too. The most famous was the Cincinnati & Lake Erie Railroad, noted for its high speed schedules, advanced car design and innovative marketing. In the first half of the 20th Century, urban passenger service was provided by The Cincinnati Street Railway, succeeded by Cincinnati Transit and latterly by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, the public transit entity from 1972. Tram service ended on 29 April 1951; electric bus service ended on 18 June 1965. Some 30 years after the last tram, with the success of LRT lines in Edmonton and
Cincinnati Music Hall, built in 1879, is a major traffic generator for the new line. Years ago, post-tram asphalt paving was removed to reveal the underlying paving blocks and girder rail (see below). This adds to the overall feeling of history of the area. Herbert Pence
Due to Buy America requirements, 'T' rail will be used as girder rail is not rolled in the US. Also, these rails are set at 5ft2.5in (1587mm), compared to the project's standard gauge of 4ft8.5in (1435mm). Herbert Pence
Calgary in Canada, and the San Diego Trolley in California, Cincinnati leadership interest in urban passenger rail kindled. Federal funding fueled interest, too. The first serious attempt was in 1998. The plan was to build a 31km (19-mile) interstate LRT line from the northern Cincinnati suburbs, through the city, across the Ohio River and into Covington, Kentucky. This fell foul of the election approval process and, in 2002, was defeated (62.6% against, 37.4% for). Alternative plans were subsequently submitted and rejected. Politically, Hamilton County, in which Cincinnati is located, is split. The city tends to be liberal (Democratic) and the areas outside conservative (Republican).
256 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org In 2004, Mark Mallory became a mayoral candidate and a plank in his platform was the establishment of a downtown circulator tramline. Once elected in late 2005 he moved to create the Cincinnati Streetcar Project. In June 2012 I asked Mayor Mallory why he is motivated toward the tram project. He replied: “Leaders, in particular, have a responsibility to build for the future. This streetcar project is one of them.”
Cincinnati Streetcar So work began to establish the Cincinnati Streetcar. The eight-year term of the Bush Administration was not kind to rail – urban rail transit in particular – yet, using local monies, the planning process began. With the Obama administration’s arrival, rail funding began to flow. Yet all was not well. The circulator route was studied and agreed upon. The southern terminal is on 2nd Street, between Walnut and Main Streets. This stop services the Cincinnati Reds baseball team’s home park. Additionally, there are parking lots surrounding the baseball park and the US Bank Arena (venue for ice hockey and popular music concerts). It is expected that commuters will hop on the trams to avoid walking up a steep grade between the parking lots and the main downtown area. The line continues north on Main Street, passing the Hamilton County Courthouse and the stop for the newly- opened Horseshoe Casino. Crossing Central Parkway (11th Street), the line enters the Over-The- Rhine district; so-called because Central Parkway was once the Miami and Erie Canal. German immigrants settled north of the canal giving the district its name. The line transits westbound on 12th Street, turning north on Elm Street to Henry Street. The car barn will be located here. Turning east for one block, the route turns south on Race Street to Central Parkway, right on Walnut Street to the 2nd Street terminus. On a map, the route appears as an elongated figure 8. The Horseshoe Casino is two blocks east of Main Street on Central Parkway. Some USD3m from the casino is planned to fund the USD2m-USD2.7m annual operating costs. When the Metropolitan Sewer District was approached to pay 50% (USD3m) of the cost for sewer relocation, the answer from the Hamilton County Commissioners was no; they did not believe ratepayers should pay for the tram. Cincinnati will pay USD5m for mains relocation. Some USD11m will come from the sale of land at Blue Ash airport. This airport, for general aviation, is owned by Cincinnati but located in the City of Blue Ash. Opponents of the trams tried without success to block use of these funds for tram capital costs. The route of the Cincinnati Streetcar Loop, planned to open in 2016. City of Cincinnati / Parsons Brinckerhoff In January 2011, one of Ohio Governor Mark Kasich’s first acts after inauguration return journey miles were dropped. What Soon an opportunity arose. One of the US was to deny Cincinnati USD52m in Federal was left was the elongated figure-of-eight Government’s post-2008 stimulus programs, money that had already been allocated to the route from 5th Street to the base of a large TIGER-3, had money available for ‘shovel- project. This was a serious financial blow. hill. The route will assist in the renewal of the ready’ transit projects. Cincinnati applied The entire circulator project was reviewed Over-the-Rhine district. for and received USD11m, which allowed and sharply truncated. With the funds available, a 5.8km (3.6-mile) starter line, using five articulated trams, was developed. Mayor “Mayor Mark Mallory said in June 2012 : “Leaders, in Mallory vowed to push on with construction. To cut USD52m from the project, the route particular, have a responsibility to build for the future. at the southern end was cut back from 2nd Street to 5th Street. At the northern end, four- This streetcar project is one of them”.”
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 257 Cincinnati
move forward, Cincinnati placed in escrow USD15m. If the court finds in favour of the Over 60 years after the last trams ran on Cincinnati’s streets, CAF LRVs will return in three years’ time. Final city, Duke Energy will pay the cost of mains assembly of the low-floor vehicles will be take place at CAF USA’s facility in Elmira, NY. City of Cincinnati / CAF relocation. If Duke wins, the city will pay up to USD15m, with any unused monies for the re-establishment of the 5th Street 48 would have derailed all passenger rail returned to the local treasury. to 2nd Street portion of route. This allows schemes in Cincinnati for a decade: tram, In the US, political battles never seem to the trams to serve the aforementioned Reds LRT and heavy rail. be over. Mayor Mallory is term-limited and baseball park, and the US Bank Arena. Under On 12 February 2012, US Secretary of unable to stand for re-election in 2013. His development is ‘The Banks’, an 18-acre Transportation Ray LaHood participated in open seat will be contested by two candidates. (7.3ha) mixed-use riverfront undertaking. the formal ground-breaking ceremony on The expected Democratic candidate is The extension sacrificed for the basic route Elm Street, next to the historic (1879) Music in favour of pursuing the Vine Street was expected to climb one of the city’s seven Hall. The project was a go. Or was it? extension into Uptown and the University of hills to the University of Cincinnati campus. Duke Energy is the city’s provider of Cincinnati campus. The expected Republican With 21 000 students, The ‘U of C’ will be a electric and gas services. Its mains lie under candidate seeks to kill the extension. Thus, major traffic generator. This extension will all of the streets to be torn up for the tram the war of attrition grinds on. likely be on Vine Street, with grades reaching project. Such facilities must be moved or Undertakings in the USD110.4m ranges approximately 8% (the norm is 2%). Some have deeper to one side to make way for the require additional help. Construction wondered if this is too risky, yet in the days of sleepers and metals. A difference of opinion management will be performed by the straight air-braked trams, five base day routes splits the city and Duke as to who should pay. city, using expanded in-house staff, while and two rush-hour only routes plied the hill. The final decision will rest with the Ohio LTK Engineering will serve as the owner’s During World War Two, this artery was courts. In order for the tram project to representative for the CAF vehicle production deemed so important that scarce cement and contract. Parsons Brinckerhoff and HDR steel was allocated to its complete rebuilding. Engineering worked on the initial scheme At the time, some two-motor cars were fitted design. CAF USA has a USD20.5m contract to with a ‘field tap’, so with the controller in run CINCINNATI build five low-floor cars, plus an option for an 8, full line voltage could be sent directly to additional 25 cars. The city's name comes from the Society of the motors. Once a decade or so, during tram Completion of the loop north of 12th Cincinnati. This organisation was established days, there would be a spectacular accident in 1783 by Revolutionary War officer veterans, Street is expected by June 2014. The southern involving a runaway tram. Today, with track both American and French. The society took loop’s completion is scheduled for October brakes, this is unlikely to occur. the name from the Roman dictator, Cincinnatus, 2015. The route’s launch date is April 2016. called from his plough to lead Rome’s armies Because the Henry Street shops are located Where next? in war against the Aequins. Once victorious, he on the northern loop, commissioning of the Cincinnati has a City Manager form of returned to farming. The American and French trams, training operators and establishing government. Elected officials set policy, but veterans honoured General George Washington maintenance practices will take place at a the day-to-day running of the city rests with as the same sort of leader. leisurely pace. However, while the schedule With the building of Fort Washington in 1788, a professional staff. The City Manager is Milton civilian community was established outside its appears to be unhurried, road construction Dohoney Jr, who is enthusiastic about the stockade. Both were located on the north bank is taking place along the main avenues of a prospect of trams returning to the city’s streets. of the Ohio River across from the Licking River major city. Consideration must be taken to When the trams do return, they will be and midway between the Little and Great Miami maintain traffic lanes and pedestrian access operated under contract with the Southwest Rivers. At the end of the 18th Century, waterways to shops and buildings. Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA). were the main means of inland communication. One man. One dream. One bottomless Paul Grether will manage the tram operation; Thus, Fort Washington was the keystone to the reservoir of boundless energy and a belief he was hired from the Metropolitan Atlanta post-Revolutionary War settlement of much of that leadership must lead. One tram line. the states: Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. (Georgia) Rapid Transit Authority, where he Nicknames for Cincinnati include ‘Queen City guided the Atlanta Streetcar Project. of the West,’ ‘Gateway to the South,’ ‘Porkoplis’, The author would like to acknowledge The most recent vote on stopping the after its meat packing industry, and, with a nod the assistance of Bruce Bernard, Wm. project took place in November 2012, yet to Rome, ‘A City on Seven Hills.’ Myers and Joseph Warnaky from the Ballot Issue 48 was rejected and Mayor Now with a population of some 300 000, the City of Cincinnati, Mayor Mark Mallory, Mallory moved quickly to advance works. city is the county seat of Hamilton County. Jason Baron and Chris Eilerman in the Besides stopping the tram project, Issue preparation of this article.
258 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Worldwide Review
ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES. Metro line A re-opened on 6 March with 45 new 1500V dc cars built in China by CNR. Two five-car Fiat trainsets have also been allocated to the line. A. Bailey
AUSTRALIA BROADBEACH – SOUTHPORT. The first of 14Flexity 2 trams left the Bombardier factory at Bautzen in mid-April for delivery to the Gold Coast tramway project that is being built by the GoldinQ consortium. Passenger service should start in mid-2014. A. Bailey GENERAL. As the general election campaign hots up, Liberal Party leader Tony Abbot, who hopes to oust Prime Minister Julia Gillard, has said that federal funds should be spent on highways, and not on transit projects. Such a move would bring to a halt many projects across the nation. A. Bailey MELBOURNE. T he S t ate Alstom is delivering yet another design of the Citadis low-floor tram to Paris. Car 703, seen at Vitry workshops, is part of a Transport Authority Network batch for lines T7 and T8, and will enter service in December. J. C. Vaudois Development Plan was published on 27 March and forecasts an Lichtenwerderplatz and Gersthof. is understood STIB is looking for 1, using a fleet of 17 six-car trains increase in passengers from Route 41 will run to Augasse. The a new partner to run the service. from CNR Changchun. IRJ 1.8m/day to 3.8m/day by 2033. 4.6km (2.8-mile) extension of line Plans have been published for an Timetable and operational changes 26 to U-Bahn U2 Hausfeldstrasse underground tram stop at Meiser, COLOMBIA are proposed to provide capacity will open on 5 October. SV, EB as a pre-metro project. T-2000 BOGOTA. Engineering studies for for an extra 50 000 peak travellers CHARLEROI. The opening of the a metro line have started. Although within ten years, upgrading to a AZERBAIJAN tram service to Gosselies is likely to the mayor has said construction metro-style service. BAKU. Transmash Holdings has be on 28 or 29 June. T-2000 will start before the end of 2014, Major projects include the won an order for three new metro OOSTENDE. Gent low-floor it is likely the studies will take two 9km (5.6-mile) Melbourne Metro trains in readiness for next year’s tram 6332 has joined Antwerpen years, and as yet there is no news tunnel and 130km (80.7 miles) extension to create metro line 3. 7266 on the coastal tramway, for of a financial package. A. Bailey of new track to serve the airport, A. Bailey training purposes in readiness for Rowville and Doncaster. the summer. T-2000 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Meanwhile eight more Alstom BELGIUM SANTO DOMINGO. Further to XTrapolis EMUs have been ordered ANTWERPEN. Friday 1 March BRAZIL last month’s news, the President from Alstom for AUD176m saw the official start ceremony PORTO ALEGRE. The first opened the 12.8km (7.8-mile) (EUR139m). J. Chuang for the new EUR100m tramline to two cars for the 1km (0.6-mile) east–west metro Line 2 on 1 April. Wommelgem. This will feature a Aeromóval atmospheric railway some 15 three-car Alstom-built AUSTRIA park-and-ride site on a branch near linking the airport with the trains provide the service. Rail.co WIEN (Vienna). City planners the outer terminus adjacent to the metro arrived from manufacturer announced three more tramway motorway, served by an express T’TRANS on 13 April. The ESTONIA extensions: line O from Praterstern tramline to the city centre using the BRR37.8m (EUR14.5m) project is TALLIN. The city council has to Innstrasse (new development tram subway under Carnotstraat part of the city’s infrastructure revealed plans to extend tramline on the former railway goods yard) and Turnhoutsebaan, built two plans for the 2014 FIFA football 4 to the airport via Ülemiste 1.6km (0.9 miles, 2016); line 15 years ago but never finished. World Cup. E. B. Havens railway station. ‘Postimees’ from Alten Landgut to Bahnhof The city terminus will be SÃO PAULO. Tenders have Meidling (4.5km, 2.7 miles, 2016); underground at Astrid (near been invited for a 25-year PPP FRANCE line 18 from Schlachthausgasse to Centraal Station), although trams concession that will deliver metro BORDEAUX. 26 43m Alstom Stadion (U2 interchange) 2km (1.2 will continue to a turning circle line 18, a monorail also known Citadis trams are being delivered at miles), 2015. Years given are for under Rooseveltplein. The only as the Bronze line. The 14.4km the rate of four per month to bring work to start. intermediate stop in the subway (8.9-mile) line will connect São the fleet to 100 cars in readiness for E1 4523 and 4789 have been will be Zegel, and it is hoped to Paulo and Santo André. A. Bailey the extensions to lines A, B and C broken for spares, while 4823 and achieve a 15-minute journey time in 2014-15. There are options for c3 trailer 1252 were sold to Kraków. between the park-and-ride and CHINA between five and 30 more. The city’s busiest section of Astrid when the line opens in CHENGDU. The second phase The Mayor has announced that tramway, 2.8km (1.7 miles) of March 2015. Surface tracks north of the Chengdu metro network line A will eventually reach the Währinger Strasse (routes 37, 38, of the park-and-ride junction in was approved on February 25 and airport at Mérignac. A. Senut 40, 41, 42) will be replaced by Ruggeveldlaan will be used to access will see a further 183.3km (113.8 LE MANS. Tracklaying for the buses from 6 July to 18 August Deurne depot. These tracks should miles) of line completed by 2020. second tramline started on 26 to permit track relaying. Routes be in use by the end of 2014. T-2000 Together with the Phase 1 works March. Completion is planned for 37 and 42 will be combined as BRUSSEL/BRUXELLES. The still in progress, this would take the second quarter of 2014. A. Senut route 37 from Antonigasse to restaurant tram service using the network to 291.3km (181 miles) LYON. The magistrate has rejected Hohe Warte. Route 38 will be modified articulated PCC 7601 and eight lines. A. Bailey SYTRAL’s plans for the 2km diverted to Zimmermannplatz. ceased on 1 March, officially to HARBIN. Trials have started on (1.24-mile) EUR27.5m extension Route 40 will operate between permit modifications. However it the 17.5km (10.8-mile) metro line of tramline T5 to Chassieu by 2014,
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 259 Worldwide Review
due to poor passenger projections GEORGIA Medienhafen started on 8 April. STUTTGART. The first new and an initial rate of return of only TBILISI. Plans to revive the Route 704 should be running to Stadler-built Stadtbahn set, 3.2%. SYTRAL intends to revise the tramway have been suspended here from December. DS 3501+3502, was unveiled at plans and press ahead. A. Senut by the city council despite a ESSEN. Planning permission has Killesberg on 7 April. NICE. The 11.3km (seven-mile) memorandum of understanding been given for the new section of tramline T2 linking the airport with Systra. It is understood the tramline 109 in Berthold-Beitz- GREECE and Jean Médicin will open in mayor is not willing to go any Boulevard; work should start this ATHINA. Metro line 2 was December 2017 according to the further without the promise of summer for opening in 2014. DS extended from Aghios Antonios to mayor. The EUR650m project government finance. E. B. Havens FRANKFURT AM MAIN. To Anthoupoli on 6 April. urbanrail.net is fully funded and the eastern address a tram shortage, Pt cars section will be in subway. GERMANY 728/38/48 have had their subway ITALY “Metropole Nice Côte d’Azur’ BOCHUM-GELSENKIRCHEN. additions removed to function as CAGLIARI. The EUR24.3m PARIS. Line T5 with its 15 Stadler is delivering Variobahn street trams again. DS tramline 3 (Gottardo – Policlinico) Translohr rubber-tyred trams is low-floor trams 531-45, to be used GERA. The start of work ceremony should open this summer as work now due to open with the start on the rebuilt line 310. The high for the EUR56m second stage of the approaches completion on the of the new school term in early court has rejected attempts by Stadtbahn project took place on 12 1.8km (1.1-mile) viaduct that forms September. Alstom, which now opponents of the new tramway April, at what was to be a temporary a branch off the existing line. TR owns Translohr, has rechristened to get work stopped. The first turning circle at Berufsakademie the system ‘New TL’. T-2000 overhead mast on the new line was for use from 26 April. This will JAPAN PUY DE DÔME. The new electric erected on 19 April. permit the tramway to Bieblach FUKUI. The 21.4km (13.2-mile) rack railway was to re-open on The number of Stadtbahn-B Ost to be upgraded. There will Fukui Railway Co has successfully 2 May after six months of closure cars sold to Bursa in Turkey has also be a new 3km (1.8-mile) line applied to the Transport Ministry due to safety concerns. A new increased from three to ten. OR for route 4 to Langenberg. DS and Prefecture for assistance under management is in place. TR BRAUNSCHWEIG. Significant KREFELD. Tramline 043 was the Regional Transport Activation TOURS. The first trial runs on temporary bus replacement of to be cut back from Tackheide & Restoration Act, and will receive the new tramway took place on 25 trams will be a feature of the system to Hbf from 9 June. The branch a JPY1bn (EUR7.7m) ten-year loan. March on the northern section of from 27 June until November due to Tackheide carries too few Niigata Transys delivered 1001, the line, between the Loire river to track work. DS passengers to justify the the first Bombardier-based three- bridge and the depot. BREMEN. As is becoming expenditure necessary to renew section low-floor tram, on 12 In April testing moved to the common, the withdrawal of the the infrastructure. DS March. The 27m-long, 2.65m-wide, central section of the line, which is last Wegmann trams was largely MAINZ. Tenders have been trams can carry 155 passengers equipped with APS surface current symbolic, and two sets were noted invited for the overhaul and (53 seated), making them the most collection. Y. Allain in service for football traffic on refurbishment of six Düwag capacious in Japan. Three more 20 April. DS Stadtbahn-M trams. are on order at the cost of JPY317m HUNGARY DORTMUND. On 28 March MÜNCHEN (Munich). SWM is (EUR2.4m) each. BUDAPEST. On 14 March Bombardier delivered tram 20, a spending EUR19m on building a Fukui Railway is taking over tenders were invited for phase 1 replacement for the car of the same new depot for the inspection and the ex-Stuttgart GT4 735 from the of the reconstruction of tramline number that was badly damaged in maintenance of U-Bahn trains, to Tosa Electric Railway at Kochi to 1 between Bécsi út and Kerepesi an accident. open in 2015. The 160m by 30m use as a tourist tram. In the near metro station. Work on the The level crossing of line U47 depot will have three tracks. future Fukui Railway will extend project will start in the autumn and Bundestrasse B1 towards S-Bahn line S2 is to be extended Echizen Railway Mikuni line via for completion in September 2014. Aplerbeck is to be replaced by from Dachau to Altomünster Tawaramachi to provide through The estimated cost is HUF41bn a subway to relieve peak-hour (30km, 18.6 miles) by December service. New low-floor cars will be (EUR135.9m). Phase 2 will follow, congestion on the motorway. OR 2014. Class 420 EMUs will be purchased. H. Usui, Y. Nogi including a new tram bridge across DÜSSELDORF. Work on drafted in from Stuttgart to work HANKAI (OSAKA). Low-floor the river Danube. TR the tramway extension to this section. SV tram 1001, reported in our April issue, was supplied by Alna Sharyo. The interior is fitted out to resemble a traditional Japanese tea room. Y. Nogi HIROSHIMA. The 18.6m three- section low-floor trams 1001/2 were delivered by Mitsubishi. They are painted in maroon livery and carry the name Piccola; Mitsubishi has already supplied five-section cars of this type. C. Brown, Y. Nogi SAPPORO. The first low-floor tram was handed over by Alna Sharyo on 29 March. The type A1200 three-section car is 16.98m long with a floor height of 350mm. It carries 71 passengers (27 seated) on runs on two bogies each with a three-phase 85kW motor controlled by inverters. The contract price was JPY260m (EUR2m). Revenue service started in early May. It is planned to form a circular tramline by connecting the present terminals Susukino and Nishi 4-chome. H. Usui, Y. Nogi TOKYO – YOKOHAMA. Saturday Alna Sharyo has delivered Sapporo’s first low-floor tram, A1201. The Japanese system in northern Hokkaido has to deal with 16 March saw the inauguration heavy winter snows. H Usui of through operation between
260 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Tokyo’s 1067mm gauge Fukutoshin line and Toku Railway’s Toyoko line at Shibuya. The Toyoko line was already connected to the Yokohama metro. A through journey takes 48 minutes, compared with 37 minutes on JR East, and trains run every 15 minutes, with a fare of JPY450 (EUR3.50) (JR East JPY620, EUR4.83). A. Bailey TOYAMA. The Toyama Chiho Railway has purchased its second Alna Sharyo low-floor tram, T102 – a three-section car with two bogies, 16.3m long. The same type is used by Nagasaki, Toyohashi, Hankai and Sapporo. Y. Nogi
LATVIA DAUGAVPILS. An LVL4.6m (EUR6.5m) contract for 12 new trams with Belkommunmash was signed in April and the first should be ready for testing in July. The Russian tramway system in Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia, is difficult for foreigners to visit, but a British 83% of the project costs will be group managed to obtain visas for a trip in March and found ex-Magdeburg Tatra T4D trams running on newly-relaid track in covered by the European Regional Prospekt Mira on 27 March. P. Haseldine Development Fund. globalpost.com CHRISTCHURCH. The gondola RVZ-6 5 has been converted to a passengers carried since the first MALAYSIA re-opened on 19 April after two café tram. N. Semyonov 9.8km (6.1-mile) line was opened INDUSTRY. China Southern years of closure for earthquake SANKT PETERBURG. Tramline in May 1994. TR Rolling Stock Corporation is remediation work. The latest 3 has been running down the ZARAGOZA. It is reported the building a USD131m assembly estimate for the restoration rebuilt Ulitsa Sadovaya since new tramway has helped reduce plant in Batu Gajah with an annual of heritage tramway service is 1 March, linking Pl Sennaya motor traffic in the city centre by capacity of 100 cars. A ground- October. stuff.co.nz and Pl Repina. Route 16 has 60%, and is now carrying 500 000 breaking ceremony was held on been extended from Pl Repina passengers/week. J. Pena-Gonzalvo 9 April. A. Bailey PANAMA along newly-restored tracks to PANAMA CITY. Alstom tested Metro Narvskaya. Route 3 is SWITZERLAND MOLDAVIA the first metro train on the home to the three double-ended FRAUENFELD – WIL (FW). CHISINAU. The 2013 government standard-gauge Barcelona FGC Belkommunmash 843 cars. Abe4/8 7001, the first of five budget includes funding for a network for eight weeks before The governor has announced Diamant LRVs to be delivered by tramway feasibility study. A. Bailey shipping. RGI a RUR85bn plan to extend the Stadler, arrived at Wil workshops metro by 10km (6.2 miles) to on 27 March. It will be on test until NETHERLANDS PHILIPPINES Pulkovo airport. It is believed this the end of June. The remaining AMSTERDAM. Metro work on MANILA. The submission date for is an alternative to the Aeroexpress cars will arrive before the end of Sunday to Thursday sees the closure bids for 48 new LRVs for the 16.9km link before the 2018 world football 2013. A. Moglestue of the tunnel after 21.00 with (10.5-mile) line 3 was put back by championship. N. Semyonov service cut back to Amstelstation a month to 15 April. E. B. Havens. TURKEY and three lines in operation: 50 SAUDI ARABIA ANKARA. Turkish company Isolatorweg – Gaasperplas; 51 POLAND RIYADH. An automated light MNG Holdings and China South Amstelveen – Spaklerweg and 54 TORUN. Monday 11 March saw metro is proposed to serve the King Rolling Stock are planning a joint Amstelstation – Gein. Later this the start of work on the PLN47.7m Saud University campus, including venture to build metro trains with summer there will be a seven-week (EUR11.4) project to build 1.9km a link to the nearby planned metro a USD110m factory in the Sincan tunnel closure. OR (1.1 miles) of new tramway linking station. A. Bailey area. A. Bailey UTRECHT. The new terminus at Plac Teatralny and the University. Jaarbeurs (on the south side of the Completion is scheduled for SINGAPORE UNITED KINGDOM railway station) was brought into summer 2014. TR MASS RAPID TRANSIT. In BLACKPOOL. Blackpool Council use from 22 April. order to reduce overcrowding at has joined forces with Lancashire Nine ex-Wien trams have been QATAR barriers, passengers exiting 16 County and Blackburn-with- sold to Kraków in Poland. OR DOHA. The metro Red Line North central area metro stations before Darwen councils in a bid to take will be built by a consortium 07.45 will get their rail journey free control of transport funding in NEW ZEALAND including Impreglio, SK of charge from 24 June. RGI the area. A number of projects AUCKLAND. After operation at Engineering & Construction, and form part of a strategy package Easter the waterfront tramway Galfar Engineering. Stations will SPAIN that includes the proposed branch operation was suspended for nine be built by Yapi Merkezi, STFA and ALACANT (Alicante). It is tramline from North Pier to months to permit construction Aktor. Contracts for the Red Line reported that a solution has been Blackpool North station. projects requiring dismantling of South will be awarded shortly. RGI found to the impasse over the Tram service improvements the overhead to go ahead. opening of light rail line 2, and were introduced for the spring on It is understood discussions RUSSIA full service will start at the end of 2 April with a daytime 12-minute between the city council and KAZAN. Inaugurated on August with an eight-minute peak headway (15-minute on Sundays) Waterfront Auckland have finally 1 November 2012, new type headway, and 15-minute service at reducing to a 30-minute headway identified a way of keeping the 71-134 bogie tram 1207 from other times. A. Moglestue during the evening. However, the existing loop running with a PMTZ is used on circular tramline VALENCIA. Some 9.62m tram Heritage tram service has been NZD100 000 (EUR65 400) subsidy 5 linking the railway station and passengers were carried in scaled back to operation over Bank while plans for extension into the the athletes’ village for the 2013 2012, and in March 2013 the Holiday Weekends and during the city are drawn up. 3 News online World Student Games. Veteran undertaking marked 100 million Illuminations, although there
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 261 Worldwide Review
Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square returned to public use on 26 April, following Trackbed preparation for Manchester Metrolink’s Airport line underway alongside completion of the last major street works for the tram project. Edinburgh Trams the M60 motorway, seen from Fairy Lane bridge, on 11 March 2013. Mike Haddon is the prospect of operation for a with the revised schedule by the been used since the incident and January to September 2014. Its week during the summer as part of end of the year. that it is working with the points completion will see the Metrolink an enthusiast event. “We want to remind people that manufacturer on a solution. stop receive new platforms to Bank Holiday weekend a programme of overhead and LONDON (EMIRATES AIR increase capacity and allow more operation is to be ‘themed’ with underground cable installation LINE). The cable car across the trams through Victoria in light a regular timetable including will be carried out in the coming Thames carried two million of additional services coming first and last trams of the day months. This will be planned in passengers from its opening last on to the network in future. extending to Fleetwood. During a way that limits disruption as summer to early April this year. During the reconstruction only much of the day a 30-minute much as possible and we’ll make Despite low carryings over the a single track will be available for headway with two trams will details available once they are winter months and the failure Metrolink use and Transport for operate between Pleasure Beach confirmed.” to build up a base of regular Greater Manchester is proposing and Bispham; two other heritage The council has also opened a users, those passengers using the to temporarily close the Victoria trams will operate as ‘specials’. period of public consultation on its cableway awarded the service 93 stop to passengers in order to BRISTOL. The debate over the proposed changes to traffic flows points out of 100 for satisfaction. maximise the number of services route of the proposed Ashton Vale and the public realm in the Princes Transport for London hopes that can run through it while the to Temple Meads bus rapid transit Street and George Street area. The the balance between leisure and improvements are delivered. system crossing the Princes Street proposals involve giving priority regular passengers will improve Current proposals, which are Bridge is continuing, with Mayor to tram and bus services as well as in the next few years as further yet to be endorsed by committee George Ferguson still against buses improving pedestrian access. regeneration takes place. members, will see the Bury to operating in front of the ‘M shed’ LONDON (TRAMLINK). The MANCHESTER. Withdrawal Altrincham through service museum. In consequence he is Rail Accident Investigation Branch of T68A trams has now begun maintained every 12 minutes investigating alternative routes has reported on the derailment with 2004 and 2006 leaving with double trams, plus a using Cumberland Road. that took place on London the operating fleet in March supplementary service from Bury However, it has been pointed Tramlink at East Croydon station after further M5000 trams were to Abraham Moss to cater for local out that the city has signed on 17 February 2012. Westbound commissioned for passenger duties. passengers and to connect with a an agreement with the UK tram 2538 split the points at low The T68A class is only just over bus service from Abraham Moss to Department for Transport, which speed on its approach to the tram 12 years old but they are not able Piccadilly. The Droylsden section will insist on the original route stop, without causing casualties to operate in multiple, unlike of the Bury service would be being followed if finances for an to the 100 passengers on board. older T68 cars. The four remaining linked to the Eccles service while alternative route are considered A track circuit failed to respond T68As are normally in use on the the Rochdale to East Didsbury not to stack up. A review of the to the tram and lock the points to Eccles/MediaCity line, for which line (as it will have become by alternative routings and their costs prevent movement. they were originally purchased. next January) will be maintained is expected to report in June. The track circuit had not Most heavy civil engineering through Victoria at its current EDINBURGH. Bad weather been adjusted according to work on the Rochdale town centre 12-minute headway. in March delayed contractors manufacturer’s operating extension is nearing completion. During the work, it is expected undertaking concreting and joint instructions and the railhead may Road closures have been put in that passengers wishing to use sealing in the St Andrew Square have been contaminated with silt. place to allow signalled junctions Victoria will be diverted to the area, although it returned to Although within specified limits, to be installed. It is still hoped to nearby Shudehill stop where public use on 26 April. The delays the tram’s wheel tyre to wheel tyre open the extension early in 2014. additional signage and ticket are not expected to affect the resistance was relatively high. Also, The Department for Transport vending facilities will be provided project’s overall schedule, which is reported the RAIB, a non-standard has now indicated that it is with staff on hand during the expected to see trams in operation point controller installation meant minded to allow the closure of busiest times to advise passengers. by the early summer of 2014. protection against points moving the Woodlands Road stop on the Additional measures would also be Road and track works between under vehicles relied on correct Bury line, which is only open put in place to cater for demand Shandwick Place and Haymarket operation of the track circuit. Mondays-Fridays at restricted during arena events. Junction are scheduled for The RAIB made three times. However, closure is subject The Metrolink stop works completion during the summer recommendations to London to ratification by the Office for Rail and associated enhancements with York Place scheduled to Tramlink that focus on operational Regulation, which, the DfT warns, are being funded by the Greater complete by the end of the year. and signalling arrangements, is not necessarily automatic. Manchester Transport Fund and Transport Convener Lesley the control of silt and railhead A major multi-million pound European Regional Development Hinds said: “This is the first of four contamination, and track circuit refurbishment of Manchester Fund. The redevelopment of major city centre work sites to be settings. London Tramlink has Victoria railway station, which Victoria station is being funded completed in 2013, all of which indicated that the track leading to incorporates the Metrolink by Network Rail, Manchester City are on course to be finished in line East Croydon Platform 2 has not stop, is due to take place from Council and TfGM.
262 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org TYNE & WEAR. Nexus has light rail in the northern suburbs Westwood has been named the started on 7 April, which appeared begun the process of phasing in of Washington. The state hopes to Purple Line Extension. It could be to be successful; 100 new discs ‘Pop’ smartcards throughout the complete both lines by 2020. open in 2023. have been purchased from Kovis Metro network. Gold Cards in the E. B. Havens Approval has been given for in Slovenia. At least a month of form of electronic smartcards are BOSTON, MA. T he bomb a commuter rail service to link testing is planned. E. B. Havens now being issued to concessionary explosions at the Marathon LA and Perris, the home of the ORLANDO, FL. Bombardier has passengers and testing of the new finish line in Boylston St on 15 Orange Empire Railway Museum. been awarded a ten-year USD195m gate system was due to start in April caused the Green line to be The 38km (23.6-mile) extension contract for the operation and May using pupils from a school temporarily cut back and several will cost around USD232.7m to maintenance of the SunRail in Gateshead. A wider roll-out of subway stations to be closed. complete. E. B. Havens commuter rail service. The pay-as-you-go using Pop Cards will Normal service resumed the MINNEAPOLIS – ST PAUL, company is already supplying 20 take place in September. following day, but on 19 April MN. The first gauging run on coaches for the line. The first part Emirates Airline has taken a the whole MBTA operation was the new Central Corridor light of the 50km (31-mile) line should year-long sponsorship of two shut down from start of service rail line took place in late April. open in 2014. Rail News Tyne and Wear Metro trains which until 20.00 as the manhunt in The USD957m project is 90% PHILADELPHIA, PA (SEPTA). are now branded. Emirates uses Watertown reached its conclusion. complete. Public service will start 1981 double-ended Kawasaki tram Newcastle International airport, Hyundai Rotem finally started in May or June 2014. E. B. Havens 101 has been given a red livery of with direct flights to Dubai and delivery of 75 commuter rail NEW ORLEANS, LA. The city the Philadelphia & West Chester other destinations. coaches to MBTA in April. The council is supporting a bid to Traction Co to mark the 100th WEST MIDLANDS. Following its order was supposed to have been have the St Charles tramway anniversary of the Media tramline fortnight’s closure over the Easter completed in December 2012. officially listed as a National on 1 April. It also carries fleet period, Midland Metro reopened R. Barrows, E. B. Havens Historic Landmark by the National number 38, representing one of to passengers on 15 April. During BUFFALO, NY. After three years Park Service. two Jewett cars delivered in 1913. the closure, engineers worked of delays, the project to refurbish Opened in 1835 the line is the E. B. Havens around the clock to complete the 27 LRVs is to be accelerated oldest operational tramway in the PITTSBURG, PA (PAT). The work to cut back platforms along following a meeting with world. E. B. Havens port authority will break ground the route to accommodate the contractor AnsaldoBreda. Car NEW YORK, NY. The South Ferry this year on a USD36m transit hub new fleet of CAF Urbos 3 trams 126 has returned to the city, and subway station re-opened for line on the Castle Shannon light rail expected to start arriving later this 110/1/3 are being dealt with. The A service on 4 April. It is hoped line. It will include an apartment year. The work was completed on whole project should be complete to resume through service to the building above the existing park- time and on budget for Centro, the in 2015. Rockaways in June. Kawasaki is and-ride site. Work is expected to integrated transport authority. CAMDEN – TRENTON, NJ. delivering R188 class subway cars take three years. E. B. Havens To commemorate the 60-year Work is approaching completion 7811-7899. They will be mixed PORTLAND, OR. On the Portland anniversary of the closure of the on an intermodal transfer station with R142A cars modified to be Streetcar, United Streetcar 22 was first Birmingham tram system, at Pennsauken between the diesel compatible and used on line 7. delivered on 4 April. By the end of it is expected that one of the light rail line and the Atlantic City The Smith/9th St elevated the month, 21 had still not entered current fleet will be repainted in intercity rail service. E. B. Havens station in Brooklyn has re-opened service. Local media have started a representation of the former CHARLOTTE, NC. After months for F and G line service after two publishing articles querying Birmingham City Tramways of deadlock, the city capital budget years of rebuilding work. ERA United Streetcar’s competence livery. has been approved without NEW YORK – NEW JERSEY and ongoing viability. Read more about the Midland funding for the extension of the (PATH). 24-hour daily service Those involved with the revival Metro Birmingham City Centre downtown tramway. E. B. Havens resumed from 1 March, for the of the Willamette Shore Trolley extension on page 220. DALLAS, TX. The regional first time since Hurricane Sandy took delivery of Gomaco Council WEST YORKSHIRE. T he Council of Governments has re- knocked out large parts of the Crest replica tram 514 on 26 West Yorkshire local authorities, allocated USD31m in funding system in 2012. PATH has received March, and were soon able to move Passenger Transport Executive towards an extension of the Oak USD275m in federal recovery it under its own power using the Metro and York City Council have Cliff city tramline to reach the funds. ERA generator trailer. drawn up a GBP1.4bn (approx. Bishop Arts District. The extension NORFOLK, VA. A pr ivate OERHS aims to start public EUR1.66bn) ten-year transport is due to open in 2015, a year after proposal to build the Virginia service on the southern part of development programme that phase 1 of the Oak Cliff line. Beach extension has been the line by 4 July. The suburban includes highway, rail and bus E. B. Havens submitted, and will be tested city of Hillsboro is considering a transport improvements. DETROIT, MI. The FTA has against any other private bidders. circulator tramway in its eastern Amongst the proposals is approved the environmental A study has also been launched suburbs, to link with TriMet’s electrification of major rail routes assessment study for the M-1 Rail into extending the other end of MAX light rail at Quatama/205th including a significant upgrade for private tramway on Woodward the line to the Naval Base. J. May Ave station. S. J. Morgan, E. B. Havens the Caldervale line between Leeds, Avenue, clearing the way for OCEANSIDE – ESCONDIDO, CA. SALT LAKE CITY, UT. Monday Bradford, Halifax and Manchester; construction to start later this Tests of a Sprinter diesel LRV 1 April saw a fares increase by extension of the New Generation year. Passenger service is planned refitted with new brake discs UTA. A single ride on the light rail Transport trolleybus network; an for 2015. E. B. Havens upgrade of the motorway network; HONOLULU, HI. The rapid and a rail-based link to Leeds transit authority has approved Bradford International Airport. a USD1.75m change order with AnsaldoBreda to increase the USA number of seats in each two-car AUSTIN, TX. A director has been metro set from 76 to 96 by adding hired to take forward the city’s folding seats. E. B. Havens light rail project, which is intended HOUSTON, TX. The light rail line to complement the existing diesel celebrated 100m passengers since light rail line to Leander. The opening in January 2004 with scheme has been titled Project a day of free rides on 9 April. Connect and includes bus rapid The first two of the second batch transit from 2014. E. B. Havens of Siemens S70 LRVs carried BALTIMORE, MD. The MTA passengers for the first time. is seeking PPP proposals for the E. B. Havens proposed east–west Red line light LOS ANGELES. The 14km Portland Council Crest GOMACO replica tram 514 was delivered to the Willamette rail, and also for the Purple line (8.6-mile) metro extension to Shore Line at the end of March, and should be in service from July. OERHS
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 263 Worldwide Review
For the first time in 80 years a Manchester tram was back on Middleton Rd beyond Former Cambridge horse-drawn car 7 ran in the city between 1894 and 1914 and the gates at the Heaton Park tramway event on 24 March. Onboard are the Lord is now subject of a UK Heritage Lottery Fund grant for its restoration at Ipswich Mayor and Keith Whitmore, Chairman of the Heaton Park Tramway Trust. A. Flood Transport Museum. ITM system is up 15 cents to USD2.50, movements, Leeds 6 returned to its general replacement of some areas used for a short period in Bradford the highest in the US. An adult home on the Heaton Park Tramway of worn timber. It is expected to before operating in Cambridge monthly pass is USD83.75. following its stay over the winter return to service in the near future. as tram 7 from 1894 until 1914. E. B. Havens months at Beamish. Construction of the new depot Visitors to the museum, at the SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Muni). CARLTON COLVILLE (UK). The building at Lakeside has made Old Trolleybus Depot in Ipswich, The Golden Gate National Park East Anglia Transport Museum little physical progress in the last will be able to view progress of the has approved plans for the 1.4km has predicted it will receive its months, although work behind restoration over the next five years. (0.87-mile) extension of heritage 500 000th visitor since opening the scenes to secure a final lease Full details of museum opening tramline F to Fort Mason. The line in 1972 during one of its early agreement as well as grants has times and prices are on the website will be single track through the season open days. The museum progressed. The original appeal www.ipswichtransportmuseum.co.uk Fort Mason tunnel. P. Ehrlich will offer that person free raised GBP18 000 (EUR21 000) NEUCHÂTEL (CH). TN tram 44 SEATTLE, WA. On 22 April the admission and participation in a with the promise of a further has been returned to its home city of Bellevue approved the local press feature. GBP30 000 (EUR36 000) in grants town from AMTUIR Paris to join alignment for the East Link light The EATM is open every and external funding. Costs the ANAT collection. EA rail line. The USD2.8bn project Thursday and Sunday until the have risen and the Manchester ROCKHILL FURNACE, PA. The is expected to be complete in end of September plus Saturdays Transport Museum Society is Trolley Museum of Railways to 2023. Construction has started from 1 June and Tuesdays and seeking further funding from Yesterday is to acquire one of the for the light rail extension Wednesdays during school enthusiasts to allow construction first Düwag U2 LRVs delivered to to SeaTac; it should open in holiday periods. It is also open to start shortly. San Diego in 1981, and is appealing September 2016. E. B. Havens every Bank Holiday Monday. The new depot is intended to for funds. E. B. Havens TACOMA, WA. Sound Transit has CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE. house most of the fleet that has chosen its preferred alignment The museum has announced the been built up in recent years, CONTRIBUTORS option for the extension of the appointment of Tony Hill as its including the trams acquired Worldwide items should be sent to tramway. The 3.7km (2.2-mile) new General Manager. Mr Hill from Blackpool. A major project Worldwide Editor Michael Taplin USD133m line will reach the was previously Director of the is the restoration of Rawtenstall at Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, Hilltop area via Portland Ave and Museum of Science and Industry 23, a single deck UEC-built car Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK – Fax: Martin Luther King Way, more in Manchester and prior to that was from 1912 that has been stored +44 (0)1983 862810 or e-mail than doubling the length of the Head of Marketing at Manchester for almost 50 years after its rescue [email protected]. line. E. B. Havens 2002 Ltd, which dealt with the from a farmyard. After initial UK and Ireland items are WASHINGTON, DC. WAMTA has Commonwealth Games. He was storage at Bonwell Street in welcomed by the Home News exercised its option with Kawasaki to take up his new post at the end London it was acquired by the Editor, John Symons, 17 Whitmore to increase the order for new cars of April. MTMS in 1987 in largely stripped Avenue, Werrington, Stoke- by 100 to 528. This will enable Work is continuing on the down condition minus truck and on-Trent, ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail the agency to avoid mid-life refurbishment of Sheffield motors, although a suitable [email protected]. overhaul of its Breda cars. 510 including painstaking alternative (ex-Bruxelles) is held Contributors this month Tramway construction for replacement of the murals the by the society. It is hoped that include R Ellis, Mike Haddon, John the future terminus of the tram carried as part of the ‘Last the restoration of the tram will Horne and Eric Pounder. H St tramway on the Hopscotch Tram’ celebrations in its home city. be the next major project after Acknowledgements this bridge over the Amtrak platforms The original panels with murals completion of the new depot in month are also due to bbj.hu, at Union station started on 1 April. have been removed and will be 2014; donations will be sought to Birmingham Post, Blackpool Evening Passenger service is now planned conserved. secure its completion. Gazette, Bristol Post, BS Blickpunkt for July 2015. E. B. Havens The museum is now fully open IPSWICH (UK). Ip s w ic h Strassenbahn, DS Drehscheibe for the summer, although activity Transport Museum has received Strassenbahn, EA Eisenbahn MUSEUM NEWS and visitor numbers were affected GBP49 000 (approx. EUR58 000) Amateur, Edinburgh Evening News, BEAMISH (UK). The Great North by the poor weather in March. from the Heritage Lottery Fund Fylde Tramway Society, Herald Festival of Transport – ‘Our Friends Easter patronage was slightly lower towards the restoration of an Sun, IRJ International Rail Journal, Electric’ event to celebrate the than last year. 1880s-built horse drawn tramcar. Manchester Evening News, The 40th anniversary of the tramway HEATON PARK (UK). Leeds The body of the tram spent over Morning News, North Wales Weekly took place in early April with the 6 returned from Beamish at the 95 years as a workshop extension News, Nottingham Evening Post, OR loan of trams from Crich Tramway end of March and was quickly to a bungalow, and is believed to Op De Rails, RGI Railway Gazette Village (Glasgow 1068) and the put through a programme of be the last surviving East Anglian International, T-2000 Tram 2000, Wirral Tramway (Lisbon 730). refurbishment, including a coat of horse tram. urbanrail.net and Wolverhampton As part of interlinked tram waterproof paint to the roof and The vehicle in question was Express & Star.
264 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Advertorial PCAT: a revolution in track construction
PCAT offers a cost-effective new solution for the construction of future generation rail track systems. PreCast Advanced Track's John Hammond explains.
CAT (PreCast Advanced Track)* is a new concept in railway construction and challenges the traditional engineering method of supporting railway tracks onP loose ballast or cast in situ slabs. Whilst ballasted tracks have some advantages, they also have significant drawbacks, including: • Enormous ongoing maintenance reduces track availability, increasing costs and liability. • Ballast has limited availability and must be completely replaced periodically with new primary aggregates – a huge carbon impact. PCAT – HS* slab structure's unique self aligning relocate many of the underground services. • Unbound ballast is unsuitable for High tensioned joint. PCAT. Should access be required to apparatus for Speed Rail where it can be sucked up into repairs or alterations to the track alignment the trains components, increasing wear and • Unique alignment and coupling allows in the future, slabs can be detensioned and damage to engines and drive mechanisms. rapid construction and local slab removal removed and services repaired, slabs replaced • Effects of increased flooding risk and for sub-base repairs if required, and track or track altered if required without causing lack of protection to the track subgrade re-adjustment and realignment if major impact to road and metro operations. creates instability of earthworks resulting foundation settlement occurs. PCAT City Metro’s rapid track in slippages and foundation failures. • 200mm-high train containment up- construction process maximises the benefits PCAT – the future rail system – provides a stands increase safety and reduce rail/wheel of the existing road structure by in-situ cost-effective solution for the construction airborne noise. recycling the bituminous layers to provide of modern railways and provides a unique • Internal cellular rubber cylinders reduce the 200m deep HBM (Hydraulically Bound opportunity to rapidly replace/upgrade weight, absorb vibration and reduce Material) base. This minimises the need for ballast tracks to slab-track on existing ground- borne noise. imported materials and waste to be removed. networks. PCAT addresses the traditional • High Speed passenger services by day as The unique PCAT City Metro system drawbacks of flat slab-based systems – well as High Speed freight trains by night provides the opportunity for fast installation notably speed of construction and ability to with unlimited 24/7/365 track availability. in urban environments, reducing cost, build be maintained or replaced if settlement or • Minimal track maintenance = maximum programmes and disruption to traffic flow. damage occurs, as well as long-term durability. track availability = maximum revenue. PCAT UGR* slabs are available for PCAT slabs are designed and manufactured • Maximum customer satisfaction and secure underground rail applications, and can to fine tolerances, using corrosion-free return on capital investment. enable a reduction in track height that may concrete with 120-year design life, for long provide corresponding savings through a life, low maintenance trackbeds. Adjacent New track construction takes place reduction in tunnel diameter required. slabs are connected and tensioned with simultaneously on dual tracks without Contact PCAT to see how new track corrosion-free bespoke connectors to produce the need for adjacent haul roads and is construction methods can provide cost a non-conducting concrete monolithic undertaken with normal construction plant. savings for your project. maintenance-free structure. Pandrol PCAT high modulus slab systems reduce *PCAT is a Registered Trade Name and is adjustable rail fixings provide site fixing construction depth, allowing an increase patented technology. tolerance and enable fine tuning of the in gauge by 350mm in height in tunnels alignment to precise rail requirements. and under structures, thereby enabling New technology and revolutionary low- track lowering to be carried out in a single cost trackbed structures – and PCAT's rapid overnight possession, permitting future use cn o tACT info erection process – challenges the ballasted track of double-deck trains, oversize freight trains construction approach for High Speed and and providing space for OLE equipment. T: +44 (0)1565 633111 E: [email protected] Heavy/Light rail, and cast in situ concrete slabs PCAT City Metro* offfers a unique W: www.precastadvancedtrack.com for Metros and guided bus projects. In addition, jointing system, inbuilt ducts and chambers ongoing maintenance is minimised, providing for track services which are located within maximum infrastructure availability – a the structure and combined with the ability PCAT HS-HR* slab system reduces to easily remove/relocate slabs. This provides maintenance and renewal by up to 90%. major benefits over existing systems. For new High Speed lines the PCAT –HS* The shallow construction depth and slab structure provides: modular concept minimises the necessity to
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 265
265 PreCast Advertorial.indd 2 03/05/2013 09:30 Letters
MAILBOX Get your views into print Letters should be clearly typed and preferably not handwritten. [email protected] +44 (0)1832 281145 We reserve the right to shorten contributions for publication.
Stray currents: Why does the UK not follow worldwide practice? I suspect the answer to N. C. Friswell’s and react to excesses. It was perhaps question about electrolytic damage (TAUT because the procedure was imperfect that 904) was a knee-jerk reaction by engineers often the first indication of damage was a possessed of little, if any, experience of sometimes-catastrophic failure of gas and tramways when, in 1990, they first heard water mains. of the effect. They attempted to solve from Well-designed modern tramways first principles an already well-understood suffer minimally. Substations at frequent and controlled effect by unsuccessfully intervals and continuously welded rails modifying previously over-specified guarantee low resistance paths for return foundations to create a form of Faraday cage. currents. Embedded tracks in sound Andy Steel in TAUT 905 asserts that “all deadened and insulated coatings restrict recent British tramways have been designed linear contact with earth. As Andy to the same standards and materials as are confirms, although today’s trams consume used in continental Europe”. I beg to differ. greater currents, track voltage drops are When explaining the British policy relating sufficiently low that the surrounding to stray currents he fails to mention that paving, even when wet, allows only minor the approach of “floating” (isolating from leakage. Consequently, it is puzzling A 2010 photograph of a new overhead earth) the traction supply is at odds with why in the UK there is the obsession with line pole in Gent showing, bottom right, the rest of the world. Elsewhere, for sensible the terminal of a bond to the rails. Bob Hall providing fully-insulated rails. safety reasons, tramway operators connect Guarding against electrolytic damage is one terminal of their supplies (invariably “British practice on understandable if it does not compromise the negative) firmly to earth. safety, which is not the case. Suppose It is significant that Blackpool, with stray currents is an overhead line support pole was in an unbroken century of experience, accidental contact with the live overhead declined to introduce an earth-free wholly unacceptable” conductor. First-generation tramways had network whilst refurbishing its electric no obligation to bond traction poles to supply. Furthermore, where in continental Europe can you the track, unless earthed guard wires protected nearby aerial find absurd foundations like those shown in David Holt’s telephone wires from live trolleywires, where the Board of photograph of Metrolink? Trade stipulated a minimum of one in every five should be It is little wonder that electrolysis presented first- so treated. As a result, electric shocks occurred, some fatal. A generation tramways with problems. They invariably derived similar situation exists on modern tramways. power from a single source, commonly a coal-fired generating In the real world, tracks do not remain earth-free for long station that needed both access to a railway siding or canal and concrete pole foundations act as insulators. There are for fuel deliveries and a copious source of cooling water. many similar scenarios where the first, possibly long delayed Those limitations prevented it from being near its tramway’s indication is a severe shock or worse. If, or probably when electrical load centre and, on occasions, it was distant from it happens, a blame game will erupt. Other branches of the network. Cable ducts for feeders and return circuits electrical distribution, together with tramways throughout installed at the same time as the rails commonly followed the rest of the world, adopt equipotential bonding, a concept those routes, thus resulting in lengthy, convoluted cables in which all circuits have an earth reference (one point on incurring significant voltage drops. the circuit is firmly connected to earth) and all metalwork Tracks a century ago used 60ft (18.2m), or more likely, other than circuit conductors is bonded. That the rails form a 45ft (13.7m) rails, jointed with fishplates. Those joints were portion of the return circuit has no bearing on the policy. inefficient conductors despite copper bypass bonds, a condition The ideal earth location is where the return cable connects that worsened if components worked loose or fractured. with the rails, rather than the substation busbar. Insulation Mother Earth is an imperfect electrolytic conductor failures cannot then introduce dangerous touch potentials and rails in extended linear contact with the surrounding and a low resistance circuit allows a high fault current to paving allowed sizeable stray currents to migrate through rapidly open protective switchgear. British practice is wholly the ground, trespassing wherever possible through buried unacceptable and, in fact, seems to fly in the face of Office metals owned by other utilities. The ratio of stray to total was of Rail Regulation guidance. Its Tramway technical guidance inversely proportional to the relative conductivities of the notes – 001 – May 2008, Design requirements for street track, formal and unofficial paths. They somewhere had to leave Clause 6, Appropriate Standards – Para. 4 states: “It should those rogue paths to rejoin the negative conductor, at which always be remembered that the protective provisions against point(s) consequent loss, or sometimes build-up, of metal electric shock in this second standard will take precedence occurred, lead being particularly prone to assault. Tram rails over provisions against the effects of stray currents where had sufficient mass to withstand some erosion, but to the safety of staff, or protection of the public, are concerned.” owners of other services it was wholly unsatisfactory. I suggest the lesser danger is to adopt the established The regulating body, the Board of Trade (subsequently principle, embraced by most of the world’s tramways, of the Ministry of Transport), introduced strict regulations, earthing the negative, ideally at track connection point(s). including a maximum 7-volt difference between any two Equipotential bonding to standards adopted on other electrical points on the trackwork. Feeder cable ducts to outlying installations will then eliminate danger from rogue voltages. termini included a monitor wire for staff to record voltages Bob Hall, by e-mail
266 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org Sci-fi on the Manx Electric Railway Public transit's blow to the right (tonnes). A Winter saloon has only got four A quick note to complement Mike Russell It is interesting to note that US public axles and 4 x 3 = 12t, but she accommodates and the team on its excellent and informative transport patronage is the highest since the 48 passengers and a crew of two (see page supplement in the last issue on the Manx late 1950s (TAUT 905, News). This is surely 18 of the MER supplement) that amounts Electric Railway (TAUT 905). Some beautiful largely indicative of the current global to around four tonnes, so the empty car can views on a system that indeed has a economic situation – that is affecting your only weigh eight tonnes. remarkable history has inspired me to visit average citizen quite deeply in the pocket – Now I know G. F. Milnes was a good, the Island this year to experience the MER and the rising costs of gasoline. progressive car builder, but I did not for myself. However, I think it also shows how know that they had access to lightweight I found the short section on Mercury Americans are becoming more European-ised composites in 1899! Arc rectifiers particularly fascinating. It is in their thinking toward the automobile, Scott McIntosh, by e-mail amazing how ‘Heath Robinson’ technology and also how the political climate is shifting. such as this has lasted into the 21st Century, In this regard I am referring to the 'American PRAGOIMEX: An example for us all but a little internet research has shown that Dream' – the traditional conservative In my opinion, the May issue of TAUT (905) a similar setup was also used on Melbourne Republican viewpoint – that everyone was one of the most interesting for some tramways until recently and there is also one should own a large house in the suburbs time. Firstly, it was impressive to read of the in use at the MOTAT museum in Auckland, and an equally large automobile, or more developments in Portland, Oregon, since my New Zealand. than one automobile, to serve their personal only visit to that city was in 1987 when there You can see a link of one in action in transport needs. was just one MAX light rail line. But perhaps Melbourne at the following link: www. even more interesting was to read about the youtube.com/watch?v=KGb-nUK41tc ‘Is the US rejecting company PRAGOIMEX. Incredible things, I’m sure all readers This supplier of small tram orders could be would agree, and I’d be fascinated to learn a the 'American very helpful to many systems and might even little more about the technology and have been a saviour to Liverpool's tramway which tramways used them if any readers Dream' of suburban scheme had it come earlier. Sadly, however, know more. I’m sure I’ve seen similar the case for Liverpool appears to be lost. There equipment powering Doctor Who’s TARDIS! living and multiple has all along been a particular problem there, M. Tweniger, by e-mail in that not every council affected has been in car ownership?’ agreement, unlike Greater Manchester where every council has been in favour of the tram- The quest and push to reject urbanity way and so enabled the enormous expansion as has been referred to on the letters pages of Metrolink to take place. of Tramways & Urban Transit on numerous One of the biggest problems in Great Britain occasions over the years is withering, is still politics. Unfortunately there is still hopefully to be replaced by a more rational a lot of opposition to tramways, especially – and possibly more appropriate stance in on the part of town councillors who are times of austerity – to embrace the nature of used to driving cars and still regard the car community and urbanity further. as the normal mode of transport. Hence Is this a significant move away from the the rejection of a tram proposal by Derby right and to the Democrat left? I believe it Council, which you also reported in the same is and that the Democrats may well have issue. What a contrast with its neighbour control of the political arena in the United Nottingham! Perhaps when the new lines at States for many years to come... Nottingham are open and Derby people visit, N. Clarke, by e-mail as surely they will, there may be local popular demand for a similar system. MER’s revolutionary car builders! It all comes down to the fact that we I was delighted to see the MER supplement in have still got to keep plugging away at the TAUT 905, the production was excellent and advantages of trams – the developments in the content informative and interesting, the Manchester, Nottingham and Birmingham picture of No 19 at Ballajora on page 12 was (and hopefully Sheffield and Croydon in Mercury Arc Rectifiers convert high voltage particularly lovely. the future) will provide us all with suitable alternating current (ac) to direct current (dc) and until I was interested by a comment on page ammunition. recently were used on the MER. John Boyd 14 saying that the MER axle load is 3 tons Geoffrey W Heywood, by e-mail
The full list of the year’s meetings and meeting places MEETINGS & EVENTS can also be found at www.lrta.org
MAY 2013 Thursday 16. Dartford 19.30. John JUNE 2013 Monday 17. Sheffield 19.30. Saturday 4. West Midlands 14.00. Prentice: East London. (TLRS) Tuesday 4. Southampton 19.30. Members’ presentations. General meeting. (TLRS) Saturday 18 Taunton. No meeting: Members’ slides. (LRTA/SEG) Monday 17. Wickham 19.30. Ian Tuesday 7. Southampton 19.30. National AGM in Newcastle. (TLRS) Monday 10. Richmond 19.30. Ann Gledhill: San Francisco – Pt 1. (TLRS) Peter Hall and Doug Cross: A world Monday 20. Liverpool 19.30. Watkins: Dartford Tramways, and Tuesday 18. London 19.00. Carl tour by tram and train. (LRTA/SEG) Models night. (TLRS) models evening. (TLRS) Isgar: Living in Den Haag. Wednesday 8. Brighton Monday 20. Sheffield 19.30. Tuesday 11. Leeds 19.00. Mike Thursday 20. Dartford 19.30. David (Southwick) 19.40. David Brown: Tony Williams: Metrolink. Waring: Belarus. Rivers: Northern Italy 2006. (TLRS) Sir Herbert Walker’s Revolution Monday 20. Wickham 19.30. Martin Wednesday 12. Brighton Thursday 27. Manchester 19.00. – The Southern Railway. (TLRS) Petch: Southampton. (TLRS) (Southwick) 19.40. Roger Brasier: Metrolink visit. Meet at St Peter’s Wednesday 8. Richmond 19.30. Tuesday 21. London 19.00. Alan London Electric Tramways Square 18.30 for 19.00. Bernard Norgate: ‘80+ years a Williams: Brussels to Tervuren. 1901-1939. (TLRS) (Note: Brought forward from August) tramfan’ (TLRS) Saturday 25. Beeston 14.00. John Saturday 15. Taunton 14.00. Alan Saturday 29. Beeston 14.00. Tuesday 14. Leeds 19.00. Ian Lessells: Europe in the ’60s/70s. (TLRS) Kirkman: Tramway modelling: New David Birch: Nottingham Suburban Dougill: Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Saturday 25. Garstang 14.00. methods and materials. (TLRS) Railway. (TLRS) tramway and the Hill of Howth line. Workshop session. (TLRS) Monday 17. Liverpool 19.30. Saturday 29. Garstang 14.00. Wednesday 15. Bristol 19.30. Arthur Thursday 30. Manchester 19.00. Outdoor Meeting: Venue: TBA. Geoff Price’s garden tramway. Turner: Eastern Germany in 2012. Tony Williams: Metrolink. (TLRS) Venue: Halton on Lune. (TLRS)
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 267 Classic Trams
SPANNING PART THE ANDES 2 Mike Russell continues his journey across South America, and in this article considers a second operational heritage line in Argentina – as well as other restoration projects and a miniature tramway in the grounds of a former railway station... 1
ome 400km (250 miles) south-east Summer high-season operation (January Córdoba of Argentina’s capital lies the resort and February) is nominally daily from 12.00 Still further into Argentina’s interior – about of Mar del Plata, a popular tourist to 19.00, in other months on Saturdays and 400km (250 miles) north-west of Rosario – destination on the South Atlantic Sundays 12.00-17.00. However, potential lies Córdoba, which had an electric tramway coast. The city had its own electric visitors need to prepare for disappointment, between 1909 and 1962. There was then a tramwayS system, which closed in 1954. In a for operations in recent years have been 27-year interregnum before electric traction surprising move, a heritage tramline opened intermittent at best with services liable to returned with the country’s most recent in 1995 following the acquisition of two disruption at short notice. Nevertheless, the trolleybus system, still functioning with veteran former Lisboa bogie cars. opportunity to ride on century-old Lisboa three routes. In this city, too, a flourishing The original line, in Lisboa’s 900mm bogie cars will make the uncertainties supporters’ group has sprung up, the gauge, was about 1.5km (just under a mile) in attending a visit pale into insignificance. Asociación Amigos del Tranvía de Córdoba length and laid as single-track in the central (AATC). The AATC imported Lisboa domed- reservation of the coastal highway, Bulevar Rosario roof bogie car 350, a 1907 Brill example similar Marítimo, paralleling La Perla beach and All other provincial Argentinian towns to Mar del Plata 343, with the intention of extending north from Asilo Unzué, itself 2km replaced trams either with motorbuses or lobbying the city council to permit the laying (1.2 miles) north of Plaza San Martín in the city trolleybuses. In Rosario, a city of over a million of a street-running tramway in the city centre. centre. Operation began on 21 December 1997. inhabitants 320km (200 miles) north-west of This ambitious project has yet to be An extension about 4km (2.5 miles) in the capital, only one trolleybus route remains realised and, given the high traffic levels and length was constructed in 1999, taking the from a former seven-route system and, as narrow streets, may prove to be stillborn. In line north along the central reservation and elsewhere in Argentina, this has oscillated the meantime, restoration work on 350 has then turning inland by a section of street- between municipal and private ownership. progressed quickly and with the co-operation running in the un-metalled Curo de Brochera. Re-municipalisation took place in 1993. of the local industrial museum the car is now This was followed by a creek crossing by girder exhibited in a compound on the outskirts of bridge to reach Parque Camet, an important “Mar Del Plata's coastal the city, in the hope it will operate again. recreational centre, with a further 3km (1.9 miles) laid within the park grounds. section closed in 1999 and Valle Hermoso However, the original coastal section The last tramway in this survey of present-day closed in 1999 and in March 2000 the trams in March 2000 the trams Argentinian installations is wholly different. were transferred to the internal park lines, About 65km (40 miles) north-west of Córdoba to which operation has since been confined. transferred to the park” lies the village of Valle Hermoso (‘beautiful The long coastal extension and street- valley’), whose railway station fell into disuse running section appear never to have been With support from enthusiasts and the with closure of the line many years ago. The operated, but the track remains in situ local authority, in 2011 the municipal premises, together with a considerable parcel although there is evidence that trams did at company restored one of the 1961 Fiat/Alfa of land, are now owned by Professor Osvaldo one time cross the creek girder bridge. After Romeo trolleybuses that was used for tram Pedro Ferreiro, who also obtained some a long hiatus, due to stolen running-wire, replacement which is now available for hire. former railway rolling stock – still stored here operation eventually resumed in 2003. In the trolleybus depot in early 2012 were – with some adapted as a workshop. the bodies of two former Rosario tramcars, The Professor also built a small working Mar del Plata today which it is expected will form future cross-bench tramcar – 5.3m (17ft 5in) long The existing operation comprises single- restoration projects. One is car 277, a 32-seat by 1.05m (3ft 5in) wide, seating 21 with an track, all laid in park grassland but with six double-ended four-wheeler built in 1939, operating speed up to 7.2km/h (4.5mph) – internal road crossings, a junction and short retrieved in a semi-derelict state and which which he numbered 652 and painted in cream depot branch, and a full triangular junction is now beginning to take good shape. It is with brown livery in recognition of its big (one arm of which is unwired) leading to the hoped to obtain a suitable truck from the brother at the Buenos Aires heritage tramway. creek bridge, which is not currently served. remains of the Montevideo heritage fleet. He also laid track to 600mm gauge and erected Starting from a stub terminus at the Golf The second tramcar body – from car 291 – overhead wiring supported by traction poles. Clubhouse on the Atlantic coast, the line’s is one of ten similar two-axle cars acquired in Operation began on 6 March 1998. overhead is suspended from lightweight 1946-7 to ease rolling stock shortage. It came Several other car bodies are to be found metal bracket-arms on wooden traction poles. from local tramway operator la Compañía on the circuit, which describes a sinuous The two-car fleet lives in a corrugated shed de Tranvías y Balneario de Quilmes, in the route, entitled Paseo Con Ciencia (Science adjacent to the park’s Equestrian Centre. The south-eastern suburbs of Buenos Aires – Excursion), threading its way between areas cars are 342, a clerestory-bodied bogie car following that company's takeover by the devoted to examples of exotic flora and fauna, built by John Stephenson & Co of New York in Buenos Aires municipality, which did not and scientific and environmental exhibits, 1906, and 343, first of the 1907 batch of cars require the rolling stock. including a home-built planetarium. built by J G Brill of Philadelphia and fitted Car 291’s body currently resides on a Argentina’s latest tramway is a fully reserved- with a new domed roof in the period 1959-61. rubber-tyred chassis and is a longer-term track system using Düwag cars from San Diego There is an unrealised plan for a further preservation project, but the fact that (USA) and is found in the city of Mendoza, extension within the park to form a complete conservation of these two former Rosario nestling in the foothills of the Andes. circuit, and to activate the coastal boulevard tramcars is being given tangible support › Surviving tramways and restoration extension, but it must be questionable by the municipal transport company is an projects in Chile, Bolivia and Peru will whether this will now be achieved. encouraging omen. form further articles later in the year.
268 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org 1 The terminus of the Parque Camet tramway in Mar del Plata is at the Golf Club house, adjacent to the main road paralleling the coast, with the South Atlantic ocean just beyond. Lisboa bogie car 343, a Brill product of 1907, later (like most of the type) is fitted with a domed-roof body built in Santo Amara works.
2 On 9 February 2012, car 343 is seen progressing slowly along the track within Parque Camet, a popular local recreation area, with one of the several internal road crossings in the foreground.
3 Mar del Plata's second bogie car is a John Stephenson product still retaining its original (albeit much rebuilt) clerestory bodywork. Car 342 is seen here within the rather rudimentary corrugated iron depot building.
4 The first section of the Mar del Plata heritage tramway was 2 laid in the median of the coastal highway to Lisboa’s unusual 900mm gauge. A substantial extension towards Parque Camet was laid but never operated and today sections of track are all that remain of this ambitious project. Operations are now sadly restricted to within the park.
5 The body of Rosario tramcar 291 was in a sorry condition when recovered for restoration and is seen within the trolleybus depot on 13 February 2012. The car was 3 4 one of ten acquired by Rosario in 1946-7 for fleet renewal on the bankruptcy of the local Quilmes tramway in south-eastern Buenos Aires.
6 Work is well advanced on restoration of Rosario four- wheel tramcar 277, whose 1939 body was found locally in a dilapidated state. No plans are known for its intended eventual operation.
7 Lisboa bogie car 350, one of the Brill-built batch of 1907, has been acquired by members of 5 6 the local tramway enthusiasts’ association in Córdoba (Asociación Amigos del Tranvía de Córdoba), which is attempting to persuade the city council to permit construction of a heritage tramline. Lucio Peñaloaza
8 The miniature electric tramcar on the Valle Hermoso line is a cross-bench car, 652, permitting visitors to give close attention to displays of flora and fauna as they progress slowly around the circuit.
7 8 All photography by Mike Russell except where otherwise stated.
www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org JUNE 2013 / 269 BOOKSHOP Order online from: lrta.info/shop – or by post from: LRTA Publications, 35 High Street, Moulton, Spalding PE12 6QB Postage & packing: Any UK address: Add 10% (minimum £2.00, maximum £7.50) All addresses outside UK: Add 20% (minimum £4.00, maximum £15.00)
Charleroi’s trams since 1940 Coal, steel and corn elds New book from the LRTA
By Geoffrey Skelsey & Yves-Laurent Hansart Geoffrey Skelsey & Yves -Laurent Hansart The story of the Belgian industrial town of Charleroi’s two tramways,have put together which the story of were the Belgian industrial town of Charleroi’s two tramways, part of one of Europe’s most extensive networks. which were part of one of Europe’s most Traditional two-axle trams still ran in the 1970s and then,extensive in a remarkable networks.
metamorphosis, part of the local network of the celebratedTraditional Vicinal two national-axle trams still ran in the 1970s and then, in a remarkable undertaking evolved - with considerable dif culty - into a regionalmetamorphosis, light part of rail the local network of the celebrated Vicinal national undertaking system, extended in 2012. evolved - with considerable difficulty - into a This wide-ranging book explores the colourful history ofregional the two light rail tramways system, extended since in 2012.
1940, with insight into the political and economic problemsThis widewhich-ranging lay book behind explores the colourful history of the two tramways since their decline and partial revival. 1940, with insight into the political and Supported by outstanding images from photographers whoeconomic knew problems the which networks lay behind their decline and partial revival.
well, this is a unique contribution to transport history. Supported by over 200 outstanding Softback, A4 size, 112 pages, with over 200 illustrations inillustrations colour by photographersand black who & knew the networks well, this is a unique white and numerous maps including a large fold-out plancontribution of the combined to transport history.
STIC/SNCV network in 1969. Softback, A4 -size, 112 pages with over 300 illustrat and black & white ions in colour Price: £22.50 – An LRTA publication. Trade rates available to bookshops, and numerous libraries maps and including museums. a l arge fold plan of the combined STIC/SNCV -out Contact [email protected] for more details. network in 1969.
Order on-line from: lrta.info/shop or by post from: The Belgian Vicinal: Tram & Light RailLRTA Publications, Fleet 35 High Street, 1885 1991 Moulton, Spalding PE12 6QB
£22.50 plus £2.25 postage & packing to a ny UK address £22.50 plus £4.50 postage & packing to a ll addresses outside UK By Dirk Eveleens Maarse (by Airmail to Europe; surface mail to rest of world – for Airmail dispatch to addresses outside Europe , please add £6.75 P&P) This long-awaited new book from the LRTA complements the late Keith Davies’ The Vicinal Story: Light Railways in Belgium 1885-1991 and covers in great detail all the steam, diesel and electric vehicles operated by this iconic system from its inception through to the split into the Flemish and Wallonian regional transport companies 21 years ago. Dirk Maarse has created a masterful compendium of the amazing variety of Vicinal rolling stock, operated on three different track gauges, with illustrations in both black and white and colour of most types. Numerous tables set out the details of numbering schemes, construction and withdrawal dates, manufacturers and a host of other information for the passenger and goods eets. A must-have for fans of Belgium’s vast secondary tramway network! Price: £45.00 – Hardback A4 – 246 pages. An LRTA publication. Trade rates available to bookshops, libraries and museums – contact [email protected] for more details.
To place an advertisement please contact Andy Adams Telephone: +44 (0)1832 281135 Email: [email protected]
270 / JUNE 2013 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org
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