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THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

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JANUARY 2017 No. 949 RUSSIAN REVOLUTION: RESHAPING

DC Streetcar takes its place in US capital’s transit future Lessons from Croydon’s fatal crash US voters nationwide back LRT funding CRRC in Škoda takeover discussions

Preston 01> £4.40 ’s first new Creating connections tramway for a decade for the Rheinland 9 771460 832050 LRT MONITOR TheLRT MONITOR series from Mainspring is an essential reference work for anyone who operates in the world’s light and urban rail sectors. Featuring regular updates in both digital and print form, the LRT Monitor includes an overview of every established line and network as well as details of planned schemes and those under construction.

POZNAŃ

Tramways play an important role in one of of the main railway station. Poland’s biggest and most historic cities, with In 2012 a line opened to the east of the city, the first horse-drawn tramline opening in 1880. with an underground section containing two An overview Electrification followed in 1898. sub-surface stations and a new depot. The The network was badly damaged during World reconstruction of Kaponiera roundabout, an A high-quality War Two, resuming operations in 1947 and then important junction, is set for completion in of the system’s only east of the river Warta. Service returned to 2016. When finished, it will be a three-level image for ease the western side of the city in 1952 with the junction, with a PST interchange on the lower development, opening of the Marchlewski bridge (now named level. Future plans include construction of the of future after the 14th century Polish Queen Jadwigi). much-needed line to Naramowice. Outlying districts were gradually connected Poznań has introduced many new in recent major over the following three decades, a key recent years – from 2003 Siemens Combino reference development coming with the opening of the (14 cars), from 2011 Solaris Tramino (45) and projects and express PST (Poznański Szybki Tramwaj) line in partially low-floor Moderus Beta produced by 2007, cutting journey times from the densely- MPK Poznań subsidiary Modertrans (24). The populated northern districts of Winogrady and partially low-floor Tatra RT6, in service since known plans Piątkowo to the city centre by 30 minutes. 1997, were extensively modernised but are now The missing PST section to the city’s railway being phased out. In late 2015 MPK Poznań for the future station opened in 2011. This 2km extension is selected Modertrans to deliver 20 partially carried in a cutting, parallel to the railway line low-floor trams with an option for further ten and below the level of the Roosvelta Street. that was exercised in June 2016. Unlike the other Trams terminate at the former platform seven 44 cars, these latter ten will be double-ended.

SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS Opened: Horse 1880, Electric 1898 Fleet: 180 x with modifications, Wojciech Tulibacki - CEO Contact names Lines: 18 (+ 1 night service and 1 tourist service) 4 x Konstal 4N with modifications, 11 x Tatra +48 61 839 6011 System length: 82km RT6 MF06AC, 47 x Düwag GT8, 2 x Düwag Jerzy Zalwowski - Finance Director Stops: 130 GT8NF, 24 x Modertrans Moderus Beta Marek Grzybowski - Engineering Director and numbers The vital Depots: 4 MF02AC, 45 x Solaris Tramino S105p, one Jan Firlik - Operations Director Gauge: 1435mm Solaris Tramino S100, 14 x Siemens Combino Media contact: for the key operational Power supply: 600V dc (total 342, including 14 works cars) +48 61 839 6099 Annual ridership: 120M (2012 estimate) @ [email protected] decision-makers statistics Operator: Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo General contact: Komunikacyjne w Poznaniu (MPK Poznań) +48 61 839 6000 @ [email protected] Operator website: www.mpk.poznan.pl

SPAIN

MURCIA VINNYTSIA METRO

The Murcia tramway was promoted and is stops in total, 24 for the regular service and four The metre-gauge tramway at Vinnytsia, dating trams featured bogie motor cars and trailers of Most of the initial section of the first two approximately 39% metro, 36% tram, 25% . Blackpool’s tramway celebrated its 130th additional services provided by a refurbished owned by the city government, and is operated for the shuttle. The 11-strong Citadis from 1913, has in recent years been transformed the Karpfen type dating from 1959-63; a few lines were inaugurated in 1969 as pre-metro STIB anticipates 415M passengers by 2017. anniversary in 2015 and is the oldest of the UK’s heritage fleet. Although the fleet roster is by the Sociedad Concesionaria Tranvía de 302 fleet is maintained at a depot near Nueva into arguably the finest in Ukraine, following a solo motor cars are still in operation. The Zürich tram subways, converted in 1976 to a six- A departure from 45 earlier vehicles (still in first-generation electric tramways – indeed, one extensive, and almost all maintenance is still Murcia. This joint venture of Comsa Emte Condomina. Showing steady passenger growth deal concluded in 2007 for the transfer of cars provide the majority of services on the station, 11 km initial metro line. STIB/MIVB service), the 94m M6 CAF ‘Boa’ from of the oldest street-running electric tramways carried out in-house, at any one time no more Concesiones and FCC holds a concession period the line carried its 20 millionth passenger in 2016. surplus rolling stock from Zürich () six-route tramway, with seven Tatra KT4 increased metro operations by extending from 2007 represent a new generation of fully in the world, and one of only three that still use than 40 cars are usually to be found in of 40 years and a total investment of EUR264M. Construction was noted for its speed (two accompanied by a ten-year maintenance articulated cars, repainted in a pseudo-Zürich initial city coverage. The Chronos network now through-gangway trains. Forthcoming M7 double-deck trams in regular passenger service. operational condition. One of the highlights for The initial 2.2km line and four stops opened as a years) and minimal traffic disruption. It was also contract. A requirement was that the Zürich cars livery, making up the balance. consists of four conventional metro lines (M1, stock will be for lines scheduled for automatic The seaside resort’s fortunes declined the heritage fleet is the world-famous demonstration project in 2007 with the whole recognised for environmental considerations should retain their blue/ivory livery, and although Very high frequencies are provided and high M2, M5, M6) and three lines (T3, T4, operation. throughout the 20th Century, but careful ‘Illuminations’ festival each autumn when cars of opening officially in May 2011. such as the reuse of excavated material and they have been renumbered with Vinnytsia fleet passenger loadings are experienced throughout and T7). The premetro network consists of three Not an original feature, stations have been management enabled the tramway to continue covered with spectacular lighting effects offer The single 18km line forms a ‘V’ that connects careful replanting of 90% of the affected trees. numbers, the Zürich fleet numerals continue to the day. A recent extension has linked the outer subway and surface tram lines. The completion fitted with barriers to improve revenue and in 2005 a business case was put to the UK tours along the Promenade. the northern part of the city to the centre; it is Clever marketing initatives included the offer of be displayed internally. ends of lines 2 and 6, and an outer-end circular of a connection at Gare de l’Ouest/Weststation protection. As with tramway stops, metro Government which sought funding for a A funding package has been agreed thatwill operated as a regular service connecting Nueva a lifetime pass in exhange for private cars. Today, most routes are served by three- service introduced, whilst new was in 2009 enabled to form a circle line and as stations are bi-lingualy named in French and comprehensive rebuild of the system’s allow a 600m branch of the tramway to be built Condomina to the Universidad de Murcia and a Recently plans were announced for a 2km section articulated Mirage cars, built between introduced in December 2015, providing further a consequence the metro was significantly Dutch. Cross-mode ticketing covers STIB infrastructure, along with other seafront along Talbot Road to the town’s main railway shuttle spur from Terra Natura to the extension south from Plaza Circular to El Carmen, 1966 and 1969. The original deliveries of Zürich direct suburban connections. reorganised into the current 4 line operation. modes and other public sector operators for renovation projects. station, Blackpool North, and the purchase of Universidad Católica de San Antonio. There 28 using catenary-free operation along Gran Vía. The metro runs mainly sub-surface in services within the capital region. The system was reborn as a modern tramway two additional low-floor trams. This line is twin-track tunnels. To increase capacity as per A terrorist attack at Maalbeek station on 22 in 2012 with relaid tracks, fully refurbished expected to open by 2019. Furthermore, a SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS STIB’s Pulsar project, EUR5.2Bn was approved March 2016 killed 16 metro passengers and stops, a new depot at Starr Gate and a new fleet feasibility study is being undertaken examining SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS Opened: 1913 Fleet: 78 x Be 4/6 Mirage with modifications, Mykola V. Formanyuk - CEO in October 2015 for a ten-year programme for injured many more. This resulted in a temporary of 2 low-floor trams. The a further extension of the main line south to Opened: 2011 Stops: 750V dc Severiano Arias Gonzalez – Director General Lines: 6 12 x Be 4/4 Karpfen, 14 x B4 Karpfen, 11 x B4 + 380 432 611 693 fully-automatic operation on new extensions full closure of the metro, to be re-opened in new vehicles operate the basic service, with . Lines: 1 Fleet: 11 x 302 Santiago Molina – Technical Director System length: 19.6km FFA/SWP, 36 x Tatra KT4, one , Mykola I. Zaveryukha - Deputy Director and retrofitting some existing lines. sections. Two further metro lines are planned System length: 18km Annual ridership: 5M (2014, estimate) General contact: Stops: 36 one Gotha T57 - total 162, including various General contact: STIB network passenger journeys increased and it is hoped that these will open between Stops: 28 Operator: Tranvia de Murcia + 34 (0) 982 230 068 Depots: 1 works cars + 380 432 091 067 by 110% for 2000-14, with a modal split of 2022 and 2025. SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS Depots: 1 @ [email protected] Gauge: 1000mm Annual ridership: 68.1M (2013) @ [email protected] Opened: 1885 Jane Cole – Managing Director General contact: Gauge: 1435mm Operator website: www.tranviademurcia.es Power supply: 550V dc Operator: Vinnytska Transportna Kompaniya, KP Operator website: www.depo.vn.ua Lines: 1 + 44 (0) 1253 473001 + 44 (0) 1253 473001 SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS System length: 18km @ [email protected] @ [email protected] Opened: 1969 (pre-metro), 1976 (metro) Annual ridership: 134.9M (2015) Brieuc de Meeûs – CEO Stops: 37 Bob Mason – Director of Delivery Operator website: PALMA YENAKIEVE Lines: 4 Operator: Societe des transportes Tom Michiels – Technical Director Depots: 2 + 44 (0) 1253 473116 www.blackpooltransport.com System length: 39.9km intercommunaux de Bruxelles (STIB/MIVB) Marc Haumont – Director of Operations Gauge: 1435mm @ [email protected] Stops: 69 @ [email protected] Power supply: 600V dc Paul Grocott – Tramway Programme Manager Palma’s metro is an excellent example of the terminus at the university. Less than five months The industrial town of Yenakieve opened its and only about ten are still serviceable. The Depots: 4 An van Hamme – Media contact Fleet: 16 x , 9 x English + 44 (0) 1253 476329 blurring of definitions in the light rail industry; after opening the line suffered serious flooding tramway in 1932. The skyline is dominated by a system is the only one in Ukraine to have taken Gauge: 1435mm + 32 (0) 2525 2056 Electric Balloon, 37 x heritage/Illumination cars @ [email protected] Line M1 is a true light metro but line M2 operates and services did not restart until July 2008. large steelworks, though this is (unusually) not delivery of one of the latest Ust-Katav KTM-23 Power supply: 900V dc @ [email protected] – total 67, including 5 works cars of various types Bryan Lindop – Head of Heritage Operations CAF EMUs on lines. In November 2012 it was announced that a served by the tramway that features four prongs, bogie cars with a low-floor centre section. It Fleet: 217 x M1-M5 (Bombardier, CAF: 4- and General contact: Annual ridership: 4.9M (2015) + 44 (0) 1253 473116 Constructed between 2005-07 at a cost of second line (M2) would operate between Plaça on a mainly north/south axis, which includes the was also the only tramway other than Luhansk 5-car trains), 126 x CAF M6 ‘Boa’ (6-car trains) + 32 (0) 2515 5400 Operator: Services @ [email protected] EUR312M, the metro opened in April 2007 with d’Espanya and Marratxi using 8.35km of existing original line. The town’s limited commercial centre to trial the LT-10 bogie cars built there but its - total 343 @ [email protected] one line, now designated M1. The service rail lines. With minimal work required, revenue is located a little to the south of the mid-point, experience was even worse than elsewhere and Operator website: www.stib-mivb.be operates between the city centre’s intermodal service began in March 2013. Sharing its first and features an involved single-track loop layout. none lasted in service more than three years. station at Plaça d’Espanya and the Universitat three stations with line M1 and also running Trams serve mainly residential developments as Although Yenakieve has suffered heavy de les Illes Balears (UIB), a distance of 7.2km underground until Son Costa Son Fortesa, the well as the Red October coal mine. A feature is shelling in the 2014-15 insurgency and remains CHARLEROI with nine stations including the two termini. lines split as M1 turns north and M2 runs on the the preponderance of tramway streets, where in rebel-held territory, the tramway remains Edinburgh’s original tramways ran from 1871 until disputes with the scheme’s lead contractors From Plaça d’Espanya the line runs surface for the remainder of the route to Marratxi. tracks are laid on central or side reservation. operational unlike the subsidiary 1956, originally with cable traction, but electrified and unexpected utility works delayed the underground to just beyond Camí dels Reis then Rolling stock is all CAF supplied, with six The fleet comprises mainly Soviet-built (ex-tramway) in neighbouring Vuhlehirsk, which Charleroi is the biggest city in , a mainly Beaux-Arts is the focal point on the north of in the 1920s. Edinburgh’s second-generation project significantly. Funding problems and at surface level for a stretch of 2.5km, including Class 71 units operating on M1 and five Class 81 KTM-5 bogie cars; many are now 40 years old, was completely destroyed during the fighting. French-speaking region that once formed the the circuit. Part of the western arm (opened tramway opened on 31 May 2014, although the political disputes led to the scaling back of the the station at Son Sardina (interchange with FC EMUs on M2. The system’s depot is located on industrial heartland of Belgium. 1986) and the eastern arm (including the 2012 story of the project is not a happy one. original plans and the truncated scheme finally de Soller), before diving back underground for the line M2, just west of Verge de Lluc station. In the 1960s, Charleroi had an extensive tram Soleilmont extension) are fully grade- The original system proposed in 2003 detailed opened in May 2014, the final cost is estimated SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS network; operations were run by the separated, the remainder is mainly a street or a three-line route, with a loop serving the city to be over EUR854M. A fleet of 27 CAF Urbos 3 Opened: 1932 Fleet: 33 x 71-605 (KTM-5M3) with Oleksandr S. Vaynsteyn - CEO SNCV (National Provincial Tramways) and urban roadside tramway. This includes the 7.2km centre and northern suburbs and radial routes trams was delivered, but only 17 are needed for SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS Lines: 3 modifications, 3 x 71-623-02 (KTM-23) - total + 380 625 222 232 operations by STIC (Charleroi City Transport). northern line to Gosselies, opened in June 2013 to Newcraighall in the south and Newbridge in regular passenger services on the curtailed line. Opened: 2007 Gauge: 1435mm Mateu Capella Ribot – CEO System length: 14.2km 38, including works cars Galyna V. Kyslychka - Finance Director An increase in car and bus transport – combined when old track retained for depot access was the west. The cost of the scheme in 2003 was A public inquiry into the management of the Lines: 2 Fleet: 6 x Class 71 (M1), 5 x CAF Class 81 (M2) General contact: Stops: 31 Annual ridership: 10.7M (2013) + 380 625 290 282 with de-industrialisation – led to its decline. rebuilt. Because of the narrowness of some estimated at EUR697M. The line finally opened project was called in 2014 and is ongoing; System length: 15.55km Annual ridership: 1.2M (2014) + 34 (0) 871 930 000 Depots: 1 Operator: Yenakiyivske Tramvaino-Troleibusne General contact: Had a plan to reinvigorate the area with a streets in Gosselies, the line uses single track in in 2014 contains parts of two of these lines, meanwhile, encouraging passenger figures and Stops: 19 Operator: Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca (SFM) @ [email protected] Gauge: 1524mm Upravlinnia, KP + 380 625 222 232 52km metre-gauge métro léger (light metro), different streets for each direction. These covering a 14km route from revenues have led the City of Edinburgh Council AVAILABLE Depots: 1 Operator website: www.trensfm.com Power supply: 550V dc integrating former tram routes and the Vicinal extensions were followed by a reorganisation to York Place in the city centre. to investigate a number of potential extensions interurban Anderlues line been adopted, it of services to provide four routes (M1 – M4) all Authorisation for the tram network came from to the east, reinstating some or all of the would have provided eight branches off a radiating from the city loop. M3 and M4 run at a the Scottish Parliament in March 2006. Breaking proposed line to the Port of Leith, Ocean PARLA YEVPATORIA central circuit of Charleroi. Continuing economic ten-minute headway at peak times, but M1 and ground in 2008, management problems, Terminal and Newhaven. decline and political vacillation resulted in M2 only manage a 30-minute headway. cancellations and long delays leading to the Services are provided by BN/ACEC LRVs, The single Tranvia de Parla circular line is 8.3km stretch has four stops with a “Sur” and “Norte” Yevpatoria is a resort on the Crimean Black Sea track and opened in 1990-91. The route pattern abandonment. once 54-strong in anticipation of the bigger SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS long and serves the major facilities and urban alternative for each. coast; its metre-gauge tramway opened in May was reorganised some years ago to provide The metro launched with a short section in system. The bi-directional Charleroi version is Opened: 2014 George Lowder – CEO Colin Kerr – Head of Engineering developments of the dormitory town of Parla. The system uses five-section 2.4m-wide 1914 to cater for resort visitors as well as locals. more direct links and enable the circuitous route 1976, but progress was slow and openings much closer to the original appearance than Lines: 1 +44 (0) 131 469 5402 +44 (0) 131 338 5769 It connects with the local Madrid interurban rail Alstom Citadis 302 trams, housed in a depot at During its existence there have been several 2 to be suspended in winter months. stalled after 1996 with just 25km delivered; contemporary examples on ’s Kusttram. System length: 14km @ [email protected] @ [email protected] network at Parla Centro on its western flank the system’s northern end, close to the Plaza de suspensions of service, whilst from 1923-41 On Prospekt Lenina, cars on trunk some infrastructure completed to an advanced A tender was launched in April 2016 by Société Stops: 15 Lea Harrison – General Manager Gaynor Marshall – Media contact and Parla Norte to the north stretch, opening in Toro stop and adjacent to the interurban rail operation was restricted to summer months. connect with the shuttle line 3 to the railway stage has never seen services, with other parts Régionale Wallonne du Transport for Depots: 1 @ [email protected] +44 (0) 131 475 0129 two phases in May and September 2007. tracks. Current use is around 5M passengers In recent years four routes have been station. This uses either coupled Gotha cars or an not begun. Although four stations on the refurbishment of the 45 cars currently used. Gauge: 1435mm Sarah Thompson – Head of Operations @ [email protected] Double-track for its entire length, the layout is annually (2014), above initial estimates. operated, two of which are seasonal. Of these, articulated Tatra KT4 motor car, one of three Châtelet branch were completed, and four more In early 2016, the city council announced plans Power supply: 750V dc +44 (0) 131 338 5784 Operator website: www.edinburghtrams.com interesting not just for its almost circular nature Future plans include two more lines, both line 4 to the New Beach was built as a single- converted to double-ended configuration. In early partially constructed, the structures now lie to open the long-dormant Châtelet tramline, Fleet: 27 x CAF Urbos 3 @ [email protected] but also for a 2.4km stretch of split-running on circular. The city’s current financial situation and track roadside line in 1981 and operates 2016 a prototype partial low-floor for the system ravaged by decay and vandalism. with a 600m extension to a new hospital. Annual ridership: 5.3M (2015) the eastern side of the system where the a recent scandal concerning the system’s June-September. Much of the rest of the system was unveiled by PK Transportnye Systemy. Operator: clockwise and anti-clockwise tracks are in original funding mean that extensions are not is laid in single-track with passing loops. The Since the Russian seizure of Crimea in March separate streets a 250m block apart. Each expected to be announced in the near future. most recent extension, serving the northern 2014, visitor numbers have declined, affecting SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS KEY CONTACTS Sputnik-2 housing estate, was built as double- both ridership and frequencies on the tramway. Opened: 1887 Didier Gilson – Director General GeneralMonseux contact: Gerard – CEO Lines: 4 @ [email protected] @Xavier [email protected] Robert – Operations Manager SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS System length: 33km Philippe Vandemeersche – Technical Director Veronique +32 (0) 7123 Benoit 4111 – Commercial Director Opened: 2007 Fleet: 5 x Alstom Citadis 302 Tomas J. Perez Cortes – Maintenance Manager SYSTEM FACTS KEY CONTACTS Stops: 48 (operational) @ [email protected] OperatorGeneral Contactwebsite: www.infotec.be Lines: 1 Annual ridership: 5M (2011) Juan Carlos Martínez Moreno Opened: 1914 Power supply: 550V dc Olexandr V. Melnik - CEO Depots: 1 +32 (0) 7123 4112 + 32 (0) 7123 4115 System length: 8.3km Operator: Tranvia de Parla S.A. – Technical Leader Lines: 2 (+ 2 seasonal) Fleet: 16 x Tatra KT4, 5 x Gotha T57, one Gotha + 380 656 927 678 Gauge: 1000mm Xavier Robert – Operations Director @ [email protected] Stops: 16 General contact: System length: 14.9km B57 - total 24, including works cars Vladimir V. Sysoyev - Engineering Director Power supply: 600V dc @ [email protected] Operator website: www.infotec.be Depots: 1 + 34 (0) 900 702 010 Stops: 42 Annual ridership: 13.1M (2013) + 380 656 933 314 Fleet: 45 x BN LRVs Marc Bolly – Head of Infrastructure Gauge: 1435mm @ [email protected] Depots: 1 Operator: Yevpatoriyske Tramvaine Upravlinnia General contact: Annual ridership: 8M (2014) @ [email protected] Power supply: 750V dc Operator website: www.viaparla.com Gauge: 1000mm imeni I. O. Pyatetskoho, KP + 380 656 927 678 @ [email protected] Operator: TEC Charleroi NOW SOUTHERN EUROPE  | 5 EASTERN EUROPE  UKRAINE | 11 2 | WESTERN EUROPE  BELGIUM WESTERN EUROPE  UNITED KINGDOM | 1

6 | CENTRAL EUROPE  POLAND

@ [email protected] | www.mainspring.co.uk/monitor 5 CONTENTS The official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association JANUARY 2017 Vol. 80 No. 949 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL 12 EDITOR Simon Johnston E-mail: [email protected] 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road, Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tony Streeter E-mail: [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR Michael Taplin 18 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, Staffs ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail: [email protected] SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS Tony Bailey, James Chuang, Paul Nicholson, Richard Felski, Ed Havens, Bill Vigrass, Andrew Moglestue, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Vic Simons, Herbert Pence, Alain Senut, Thomas Wagner. NEWS 4 SYSTEMS FACTFILE: BONN 22 PRODUCTION Rick Wilson Investigations continue into crash; Neil Pulling surveys the contrasting and Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 E-mail: [email protected] US ballots approve major transit funding; complementary light rail offerings in the DESIGN CRRC in Škoda acquisition discussions; former seat of German government. Debbie Nolan Modertrans unveils first low-floor tram. ADVERTISING WORLDWIDE REVIEW 28 COMMERCIAL MANAGER ’S GUILD LINE 10 Vancouver opens SkyTrain extension; Geoff Butler Professor Lewis Lesley of Trampower outlines Passenger testing on Wuhan’s first tramline; Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 E-mail: [email protected] the plans for an all-new UK tramway scheme. HKL exercises Artic option; announces PUBLISHER Howard Johnston new tram plans; approves metro DC STREETCAR DEVELOPMENTS 12 ; Detroit completes QLine trackwork. Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the LRTA and LRTA Publishing on the third Friday of each Vic Simons examines the role that the new month preceding the cover date. streetcar in the US capital is taking in the MAILBOX 34 LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY region’s regeneration and growth. Thoughts on Sandilands; Is Metrolink the Brian Lomas world’s best? Why not an Oxford St ? E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] MOSCOW GOES FULL CIRCLE 18 LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) Witold Urbanowicz visits the new ring metro CLASSIC TRAMS: 36 Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up and looks at the tram plans that promise a Mike Russell discovers the seldom seen members of the Light Rail Transit Association. transport revolution for Muscovites. heritage gems in the Slovakian capital. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)117 9517785 Now is not the time for knee-jerk reactions BACK ISSUES The events in the early hours of 9 November shocked the world. The tragic Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 accident at Sandilands claimed the lives of seven passengers and delivered PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION ‘life-changing’ injuries to many more, but let’s put this into context – the Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. last fatalities onboard a British tram happened in 1959. LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE Sadly the sheer scale of the loss in Croydon has exposed an ignorance c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY, UK. of the mode that has transported billions of passengers in safety and comfort since Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 the UK’s second-generation tramway revolution began in the 1990s. We’ve seen calls in England and Wales. for heavy-rail style signalling, driverless vehicles, fully segregated alignments and a LRTA CHAIRMAN whole range of impossible and frankly nonsensical measures to improve safety. When Andrew Braddock I say impossible, I don’t mean from a technical standpoint as a range of effective driver E-mail: [email protected] assistance systems are already available, and of course there is always more complex LRTA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN signalling technology that can be imported from main line rail – but at what point does Paul Rowen this cease to be desirable? After all, we’re not looking to build railways in the street. LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE c/o 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU, This is not the place to attempt to prejudge the results of any of the multiple UK. Private Limited Company, No. 06169422 investigations that are currently running in parallel, suffice to say that there will be in England and Wales. valuable lessons that can and must be learnt so we hope these inquiries are in equal © LRTA Publishing 2016 measure swift and rigorous. Any accident that involves the loss of life of any passenger Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also on a system deserves meticulous scrutiny, but we must avoid taking later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the knee-jerk decisions that may jeopardise the future of the mode. opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of Contrast the millions killed each year on the roads – but has anyone ever called for a LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. reduction in highway investment? Of course not. Very simple mathematics on fatalities No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in per passenger mile shows that modern light rail has an exemplary safety record. any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and However the safety and comfort of passengers, both actual and perceived, is the single retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from most important issue for any transport operator. I am sure that you will all join the the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the TAUT team in offering our thoughts to the teams at First Tram Operations, Transport for magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. , the British Transport Police, London’s emergency services and the relatives of COVER: Fokstrot trams are the latest deliveries to one all those who are still dealing with the effects of this tragedy. Simon Johnston, Editor of the world’s great tramways – Moscow. M. Janduła

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 3 News Investigations ongoing into fatal London Tramlink derailment Initial report reveals excessive speed caused the Sandilands crash that killed seven and injured 51

even people died and It is still to be confirmed how 51 were injured, some many passengers were onboard To Beckenham Junction seriously, after an the tram, but is believed to be and Elmers End early morning London around 60 – this means that Sandilands TramlinkS service overturned almost all passengers suffered tramstop A232 on the segregated alignment some form of injury. To Croydon and at Sandilands Junction on The RAIB was notified of the Wimbledon 9 November while operating accident and attended the scene the 05.55 service from New as emergency services helped Addington. to free trapped passengers. Its The accident is one of the worst report showed no apparent faults in recent times on a European with the tram (although footage tramway and the first loss of from the onboard CCTV system life onboard a UK tram since 28 was not available), its braking Final position January 1959 when a driver and system or the track and that the Approximate position of derailed two passengers were killed after accident appeared to be a direct of speed limit sign tram 2551 a Corporation tramcar result of the tram approaching caught fire after a collision with a the junction at excess speed. The lorry on Shettleston Road. report also acknowledged the The initial Rail Accident low light and heavy rain at the Investigation Branch (RAIB) time of the accident. Direction of travel from Lloyd Park and report released on 16 November It recommended various New Addington revealed that the onboard data measures to improve safety at recorder of inbound tram 2551 this point following various (one of the original Bombardier allegations that reports had been CR4000 Flexity Swift vehicles made of other trams approaching ABOVE: Tramlink 2551 derailed and overturned at Sandilands Junction on delivered for the system’s opening the junction at excessive speeds 9 November, ending up on its side in the middle of the junction. in 2000) showed that it arrived at in the recent past. the junction at 06.07 travelling Following recovery of the at 70km/h (43.5mph) – more tram, which was extensively than three times the 20km/h damaged on one side and has (12.5mph) maximum speed limit since been transported to an for the curve. Some braking was RAIB centre in Farnborough, found have been applied around restoration of the track and 180m before the 20km/h speed testing of the infrastructure, restriction notice, but this only full tram services resumed in reduced the tram’s speed by the afternoon of 18 November. 10km/h by the time it entered In the interim services had the curve. only been provided between After derailing and flipping Wimbledon and East Croydon, onto its right-hand side, the tram New Addington and Addington travelled for approximately 25m Village and Harrington Road on its side before ending up on to Beckenham Junction with the outside of the curve in the alternative bus services added middle of the junction. There over the closure period. was some damage to the track Additional speed restrictions and lineside equipment and and signs have been introduced many of the passengers were left near Sandilands tramstop, as trapped inside. advised in the RAIB interim After leaving the Lloyd Park report, and Transport for tramstop, the route passes London (TfL) indicated that it ABOVE: The junction at Sandliands, showing inbound and outbound services through Sandilands tunnels had implemented the advice on with Bombardier CR4000 trams, in March 2013. Neil Pulling (three closely spaced tunnels additional speed restrictions with a total length of 512m), and signage and carried out a the bend between Birkbeck and inspector, the ex-Head of before emerging into a cutting rigorous safety assessment prior Harrington Road. Operations, Rail and , approximately 100m before the to restoring services. FirstGroup subsidiary First for Centro, the former Managing left-hand 30m radius curve on Speed restrictions have been Tram Operations, which Director of London Rail, an expert which the accident occurred. implemented at three further operates the network on behalf in driver training and the General The 42-year-old Tramlink locations on the Tramlink of TfL, will also be carrying out Manager of UKTram. driver was arrested on suspicion network: in the opposite enhanced speed monitoring Separate investigations are also of manslaughter by the British direction between Sandilands across the tram network. underway from the Office of Transport Police. He undertook and Lloyd Park; on the TfL also took advice from an Rail & Road and the British tests for alcohol and drugs approach to Sandilands from independent panel of experts Transport Police, but no following the crash, but has since Beckenham Junction/Elmers convened by UKTram that timescale has yet been given as been released on bail until May End Branch. A precautionary included an ex-RAIB & HMRI (Her to when these investigations are and removed from duty. limit has also been added to Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate) expected to conclude.

4 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Blackpool to Modertrans Gamma opens consider tram/ bus interface the door to new markets Although it is not intended to hold a public inquiry into 100% low-floor model features innovative passenger and driver systems the Transport & Works Act application for the roughly n 18 November Polish 600m North station branch of tram manufacturer the (UK), Modertrans unveiled the Department for Transport its first 100% low- has asked Blackpool Council Ofloor tram, theModerus Gamma. to respond to five objections The 32m five-section air- that have been received. These conditioned car has capacity for include a petition seeking a new 244 passengers, with seating for bus station for the town rather 66 that includes USB charging than a tramway extension. points. The driver’s cab features The council has rejected touchscreen information panels, these calls as having no relevance while a new pneumatic levelling to the scheme being proposed; system maintains a constant a new bus ‘hub’ is being floor height, regardless of load, suggested close to the new tram and a capacitor system stores terminus and railway station energy recovered during braking. as part of the Talbot Gateway Construction of the prototype scheme, but this will not be a was financed by a PLN14m formal bus station. (EUR3.1m) grant from the BOTH: The first Moderus Gamma It is expected that the review National Centre for Research is unveiled in the Poznań workshops will be complete by early 2017 and Development and the EU, on 18 November. Modertrans with a decision on the application and undertaken with the Pozna being issued by the summer. University of Technology. cars (Moderus Alfa) for Modertrans was founded in 2011-13. A three-section Guided tram tours on 31 December 2005 to take 25% low-floor articulated tram Tour operator Ffestiniog Travel over the workshops of the followed in 2012, and this has extended its escorted holiday Pozna undertaking MPK. Moderus Beta joined the fleets in programme with more dedicated UK Initially focused on repairs and Pozna , Katowice and Wroclaw; and European tram tours for 2017. modernisations, the company a double-ended version followed. Highlights include a 14-day tour of English tramway and light metro gradually increased the range Vehicles manufactured or systems and musuems in May of modern components refurbished by Modertrans 2017 that also includes driving and incorporated into its rebuilds, can now be seen in Gdansk, hands-on experiences; a 16-day including chopper-controlled Pozna , Elblag, Szczecin, tour of Central Europe in June 2017 dc motors, and then asynchrous Wrocław and on the Upper home city, which includes a that takes in Vienna, Budapest, motors. As well as the Pozna Silesian interurban network. requirement for 30 single-ended Bratislava, the fleet, modernisation of trams Now the company hopes and 20 double-ended low-floor and Hannover as well as various from Katowice and Szczecin the Moderus Gamma will take vehicles with a minimum 60% heritage sites; and a 14-day tour was undertaken. it into new markets as well as low-floor. TheModerus Gamma of trams and trains in Northern in early September. The first new trams to be built participating in the upcoming allows Modertrans to meet these Visit www.ffestiniogtravel.com by the company were 12 bogie tender for 50 trams for its requirements.

CRRC in Škoda discussions

In a 28 November statement to does not disclose the proposed the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, price of the acquisition and no China Railway Rolling Stock legally-binding transaction Corp (CRRC) confirmed that documents have been signed, its subsidiary CRRC Zhuzhou although it is understood that Electric Co. has CRRC is keen to make a formal entered negotiations regarding proposal by the end of 2016. a 100% takeover of Czech-based Škoda Transportation Škoda Transportation in a move manufactures the full range of rail to further expand into the equipment, as well as , European rolling stock market. electric and hybrid and Škoda Transportation already has tie-ups in China, including the innovative 15T The two companies have advanced traction and electrical ForCity derivative running on the Qingdao tramway. CRRC co-operation agreements for the systems; if the deal is concluded development of light rail vehicles it will be the first time CRRC has an export business that accounts Over the past few years, CRRC for the Chinese market, and taken over a company with such for over half its total revenues. has undertaken an aggressive Škoda already supplies electrical a comprehensive portfolio. The company has more than approach to international and traction equipment to Škoda generated a profit of 5000 employees and most growth, with major metro orders CRRC Nanjing Puzhen for trams CZK588m (EUR21.7m) in recently acquired the Finnish in North America and Africa that and metro cars for the cities of 2015, against a total turnover rolling stock manufacturer have involved the creation of Suzhou and Beijing. The filing of CZK18.3bn (EUR677m), with Transtech. local manufacturing facilities.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 5 News US voters approve transit funding plans As well as voting for a new President, 8 November saw mass approval of finance for major schemes

n addition to choosing their Kansas City activist Clay President and members of Chastain’s measure for a tax Congress on 8 November, increase to fund a city-wide light many US voters were asked rail system was defeated by 60/40; toI take part in ballots for local this was the ninth time in the last and state-wide transit measures. 20 years that he has tried as an About 70% of these were individual to persuade voters to approved, totalling USD200bn in increase taxes to fund LRT. future investment. The result of the presidential One of the most significant is election saw a win for Donald Los Angeles County Measure M, J. Trump. Most of the schemes which passed with 69.8% in mentioned above also rely favour (the proposal to raise on federal funding for their sales tax needed a two-thirds implementation. During his majority to pass); USD120bn will campaign Trump had spoken of be raised over 40 years to fund the need for increased federal transport projects, including Proposition 1, approved by Seattle voters, will bring an extra 100km of light rail to infrastructure investment, and regional rail, metro, light rail a city that has seen steadily increasing patronage on its existing system. P. Ehrlich while the majority of this will and the downtown tramway inevitably be focused on roads, the circulator (see TAUT 944). In the In Washington State, voters which wants to expand streetcar American Public Transportation San Francisco Bay Area, measure approved light rail expansion service, and put light rail on Association has expressed hope RR received 70% approval for a with Proposition 1 likely to the Beltline 70/30 in favour. An that a significant portion of the USD3.5bn bond issue for BART raise USD53.8bn over 25 years, advisory vote in Virginia Beach, new spending would be dedicated rehabilitation and modernisation. including 100km (62 miles) of VA, came out against (57/43) to public transport. Official A result of 71% approval came new light rail in 2024-41 on eight extending the Norfolk light rail Republican policy is however to for Santa Clara County VTA new lines, including the Tacoma line through the city, while in wind down and eliminate the projects through a half-cent sales Link tramway. The Portland area North Carolina’s Raleigh (Wake federal transit programme. tax increase over 30 years to raise plan for a southwest light rail County) 53% voted for a tax to Former Labor Secretary Elaine USD3bn. However, San Diego line to Tigard was dependent on fund the USD2.3bn tramline with Chao has been nominated as Measure A failed to achieve the the success of a ballot in the city a half-cent sales tax increase. Secretary of Transportation two-thirds approval to finance of Tigard that was approved by Voters in New Jersey in the Trump administration. USD7.5bn for transit, securing a very narrow margin (153 votes approved a state constitution Ms Chao is a transit advocate, just 57%. Elsewhere in California, on 25 155 ballots cast). amendment to direct that funds having previously spoken of the Sacramento voters rejected a Atlanta, GA, decided 70/30 in raised by the recently-enacted need for co-ordinated policies on half-cent sales tax increase to favour of a half-cent sales tax to fuel tax increase be used for sustainable movement to drive raise USD3.6bn for LRT plans. generate USD2.5bn for MARTA, transportation projects only. employment and growth.

Supertram investment A business case for up to Praha network digitised for speed control GBP230m (approx. EUR270m) to Dopravni podnik hlavniho be invested in South Yorkshire’s Supertram system (UK) can be mesta Prahy (DPHMP), the developed, following financial tramway network operator support from the UK Government in the Czech capital Praha in the Autumn Statement. (), has used its track- Up to GBP1.57m (EUR1.86m) will recording trailer to create a be spent on developing a strategy digitised record of the whole for long-term plans for the Sheffield 142.4km (88.5-mile) system. system. In a recent consultation, This digital track map has 94.8% viewed the tram as an important mode of transport, with been loaded onto newly- 91.2% seeing it bringing future developed software fitted benefits to the region. to three Škoda 15T ForCity articulated trams designed Stadler preferred for Ostrava Stadler has been selected as to provide automatic speed preferred bidder for 40 low-floor control; coupled with onboard trams worth CZK1.4bn (EUR51.7m) track lubrication equipment, for the Czech city of Ostrava. The the aim is to ensure that the three-section 25m air-conditioned many curves on sections of Metelitsa cars will be built in tramway in the old city are the Belkommunmash plant in taken at the most appropriate Minsk, , and should all be speed to minimise wheel The Škoda 15T tram is a 100% low-floor car with rotating bogies, well-suited to delivered by late 2020. complex networks in historical street layouts. V. Waldin This is the second order for squeal and track wear and Stadler’s Metelitsa trams; earlier maximise passenger comfort this year the type was selected while maintaining optimum with the software in 2017. reduce noise and wear. DPHMP for the new suburban system in service speed. Onboard track lubrication expects to take delivery of 250 Sankt Peterburg, with delivery of 23 Project testing is in progress equipment has been used 15T trams from Škoda by 2018; vehicles to take place from late 2017. and, if successful, it is proposed on the Praha network since 9201-9388 were in service by to equip a further 22 15T trams January 2015 in order to the end of 2016.

6 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Alstom trams to replace Caen TVR Steel wheels on steel rails to replace guided rubber tyres in north-western French city from 2019

he French city of Caen la will be chosen after a public Mer, which has operated competition this winter. the rubber-tyred TVR X05 trams, the latest transit system since development of the Citadis, T2004, has awarded Alstom a with Ixege lightweight bogies contract for 23 33.5m Citadis X05 featuring axle-connected wheels low-floor trams as a replacement. and frame-suspended permanent The EUR51.5m contract will magnet traction motors, are see delivery of the new stock already on order for (35), for the inauguration of service Nice (19) and Sydney (60). The in September 2019. There is an roughly 16km (ten-mile) TVR option for a further nine cars. network has used overhead for 13 Work on the EUR243m years. The vehicles will be built at tramway, which replaces the La Rochelle, with bogies from Le single guidance rail TVR line (the Creusot and traction equipment concession with Bombardier/ from the Tarbes factory. Colas Rail is being terminated The order takes the number of early) will start in early 2017. Citadis trams ordered to more than Stop platforms will be extended 2300. The new vehicles for Caen by 50% as the TVR vehicles are will be the first in to offer The Bombardier-built TVR vehicles used on the single rail system in Caen have 24.5m long; the exterior design onboard USB charging sockets. become expensive to maintain and support. They will disappear in 2019. B. Lane Light rail to Glasgow Airport could be ready by 2025

A GBP144.3m (EUR171.8m) and the airport terminal. City best value for money due Glasgow Airport plays a crucial tram- scheme is being put to airport journey times of 16.5 to its greater attraction for role in the continued growth forward for a new connection minutes have been suggested. If users. Both proposals are of the region. between Glasgow city centre, approved, construction could outlined in a strategic business “We’ve long argued that Paisley and Glasgow Airport begin in 2021 and the scheme case developed jointly by a new rail link between the in the UK as the flagship could be operational by 2025. Renfrewshire Council and airport and the city centre is project in the GBP1.13bn An alternative light rail Glasgow City Council that will essential for the thousands of (EUR1.35bn) Glasgow and solution would cost GBP102m be reviewed by Renfrewshire tourists and business travellers Clyde Valley City Deal. (EUR121m), involving a Council, Glasgow City Council who fly into and out of Under the proposal, tram- combination of the existing and the Glasgow and Clyde Glasgow every day.” train vehicles would operate heavy rail network and a new Valley Cabinet in December. Glasgow Airport is Scotland’s on the heavy rail network connection at Paisley, and using Councillor Frank McAveety, largest charter hub and was between Glasgow Central a system Leader of Glasgow City one of Europe’s fastest-growing Station and Paisley Gilmour similar to that at other airports. Council, said: “Glasgow and the airports during the first six Street before moving onto new Studies have shown that Clyde Valley is the economic months of 2015, according to tram tracks between Paisley tram-train would offer the powerhouse of Scotland and trade association ACI Europe.

EIB transit investment in Ukraine NEWS IN PICTURES The European Investment Bank The first trial run on ’s new signed a 22-year EUR200m loan tramline to Sykhiv (Kinoteatr agreement with the Ukrainian Dovzhenka) took place on 10 Government on 11 November, November using modernised aimed at supporting nationwide Tatra KT4SU 1053. Passenger public transport modernisation. service on the new line 8 from With match funding from Ploschad Soborna began on national and local government, 17 November; Elektron trams EUR408m will be put into delivered to the system are 1181-7. urban transport in 11 cities, including modernisation of 32km (20 miles) of tramway in Odesa, 9.2km (5.7 miles) in Kyiv and 4.5km (2.8 miles) in Lviv. Domestic Danhai tram breaks cover Electronic fare collection is also The first of 15 domestically-produced 34.5m, five-section, low-floor trams for to be introduced in Lviv. the under-construction Danhai system in Taipei, Taiwan, was unveiled on 16 By the end of 2021, 56 new November. When complete, the Danhai tramway is expected to reach 14km trams will be purchased for (nine miles) in length. Odesa, nine for Kyiv and nine Built by Taiwan Rolling Stock Corporation (a joint venture of China Steel, KT4SU 1053 testing the first new tramline Nippon Sharyo and Sumitomo) with assistance from Voith Engineering in for Lviv, while 36 metro cars will for decades in Lviv on 10 November; it Germany, the double-ended stainless-steel car was christened ‘Warrior’. join the Kharkiv fleet. has since opened. V. Karaim

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 7 News Tram trials begin Paris T3 celebrates ten years Friday 16 December marks two de Saint-Ouen and the northern important milestones for light extension of line 14 at Porte de on Metrolink 2CC rail in the French capital: the Clichy – and offers tramway access tenth anniversary of the opening to a further 600 000 residents New line will increase capacity and flexibility of line T3a (Boulevard Victor – and 300 000 workers in the seven Pont du Garigliano RER station districts the line now covers. in the 15th arrondissement with With established urban rail Porte de Vincennes metro station travel between central Paris in the 12th arrondissement); and the suburbs on radial axes, and the continuation of T3b to T3 delivers vital suburban links Porte d’Asnières. and also has an important T3b opened as far as Porte de environmental element, creating Vincennes in December 2012 a ‘green belt’ around the city and the combined line currently with large sections of grass track. carries 240 000 passengers Around one million passengers each day. The latest 4.3km are carried on the eight current (2.7-mile) extension to Porte de tramlines in the city each day d’Asnières features eight new (two of which use the NTL/ stops – including interchanges Translohr rubber-tyred system), with metro line 4 at Porte de with two new conventional lines Clignancourt, at Porte under construction – T9 and T10.

Metrolink 3021 undertaking testing in the early hours of 1 December. TfGM he first test tram ran and give greater operational between St Peter’s Square flexibility to the system. and Exchange Square on The benefits of the Second Metrolink’s City Crossing began when the TSecond City Crossing (2CC) in first phase opened from Victoria the early hours of 1 December. to the newly-expanded stop at The new UK line connects Exchange Square in December the expanded St Peter’s Square 2015. Fast-tracked thanks to the stop that opened in December European Regional Development 2015 with Exchange Square Fund, the new line means a and Victoria station. It runs via six-minute daytime service runs Princess Street and Cross Street between Shaw and Crompton, and will allow more frequent Oldham and the city centre from Paris is a city with major emissions concerns; T3a and T3b have helped to remove services through the city centre Monday to Saturday. cars from the roads and establish a ‘green’ belt around the city. RATP/D. Sutton

Tampere construction contract signed Locally-built Citadis in An alliance agreement to build of 2017, concluding in 2021. The Transportation subsidiary ’s Tampere tramway was standard-gauge double-track Transtech was selected as The first locally-builtCitadis signed by the city council and a line is to run eastwards from the preferred bidder to supply 15-20 trams have arrived at the consortium of VR Track, Pöyry city centre to Sampola where it ForCity Smart Artic low-floor trams Songjiang tramway in Shanghai, and YIT in late November under will split into branches to serve with a ten-year maintenance China. Trials on new line T2 a revised estimate of EUR238.8m. Tampere University Hospital and contract. This agreement were to begin in December, with The Finnish Government is to Hervanta and the planned depot. includes an option for up to both it and line expected to provide EUR71m. The consortium was selected 36 more trams and a possible open in 2017; together, the Work on the first phase is as preferred bidder in June 2015 extension of the maintenance lines total 31km (19 miles) expected to start in the first half and in October 2016 Škoda contract by up to 30 years. with 42 stops. Alstom announced in 2015 that in a joint venture with Shanghai Rail Traffic Equipment Development Co. it had won an NEWS IN PICTURES appproximately EUR72m order for 30 Citadis for T1 and T2. BKV marks Hungarian revolution It was the first Chinese order for To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Hungarian Citadis vehicles, with Alstom revolution, two sets of specially-decorated Budapest providing traction systems, UV trams operated in regular service on route 6 bogies and train control and (Móricz Zsigmond körtér – Széll Kálmán tér) between monitoring systems (TCMS). 23 October and 4 November. Their destination boards By 2020 Songjiang plans to carried the number ‘1956’ in recognition of the event. build six tramlines to create a In this view, 3888, with trailer 5869 and motor car roughly 90km (56-mile) network 3885 in tow, is passed by 3898, towing trailer 6010 and motor car 3873, as it approaches the Nyugati railway – and Shanghai in total expects station . Andrew Fieldsend to have created 800km (500 miles) of lines by the same year.

8 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Coming soon...

MANCHESTER VVoices from the industry…

“It was a pleasure to be involved with the 18-19 July 2017 conference once again – the whole place really buzzed.” Colin Robey – Managing Director, UKTram

The UK Light Rail Conference and exhibition returns to Manchester for 2017, bringing together over 250 “A great event, really well organised and decision-makers for two days of open debate on all the dinner, reception and exhibition space aspects of operations and development. made for great networking time.” Andy Byford – CEO, Toronto Transit Commission With over eight hours of dedicated networking time, delegates can explore the latest industry innovation within the event’s exhibition area and examine LRT’s role in alleviating congestion in our towns and cities “I really enjoyed the conference and made some helpful contacts. Thanks for bringing and its potential for driving economic growth. such a professional event together.” Will Marshall – Project Manager, USA Topics and themes for 2017 include:

> Cyber security – Responsibilities and safeguards > Safety and security: Anti-vandalism measures > Innovative models for procurement and > Digitisation and real-time monitoring resourcing strategies > Energy optimisation policies > Putting light rail at the heart of the community > Managing obsolescence > Street-running safety challenges > Wire-free solutions > Next-generation driver aids > Composite and materials technologies > Are we delivering the best passenger environments? > Rail and trackform innovation > From smartcard to smartphone ticketing > Major project updates

SUPPORTED BY ORGANISED BY

www.mainspring.co.uk Preston

31A DEVELOPING THE Park-and-Ride Gamull Lane GUILD LINE M6

esignated city status in Cromwell 2002, Preston (UK) suffered a Road considerable economic setback following the 2008 banking crisis Retail Park with a major casualty being the Preston North End GBP700mD (EUR826m) Tithebarn regeneration Football Club project that would have seen 13ha (32 acres) West View of the city redeveloped with retail, residential Skeffington Road Leisure Centre and leisure complexes and a new bus station. Situated on the major M6 road corridor in the county of , between DEPOT LEGEND and Blackpool, the city’s population of over Deepdale 140 000 is currently heavily automobile Street Guild Pilot line dependent, with nearly 70% of trips made Planned Guild line by private car. Buses carry 6%, with walking Ringway Heavy rail and cycling making up the rest. The city’s St. George's Original Longridge line Centre Miller first-generation tramway closed in 1934. Arcade Footbridge over M6 As a result, Preston suffers severe road Preston Station congestion and associated emissions and exceeds the EU recommended safe levels The planned route from Preston station to the park-and-ride site of air pollution; the treatment of related at the M6. There are up to 12 intermediate stops planned in total. illnesses costs the NHS an estimated GBP100m/annum in England's north-west. Professor Lewis Lesley of Trampower explains the programme Regional transport authority Lancashire County Council has plans to build more roads to deliver England's first new tram scheme for over a decade. to accommodate traffic growth, after which bus priorities may be introduced, while Preston We have since developed a software exiting strength of roads, without the need to City Council has a Transport Plan covering package that allows a large number of relocate utilities. the period 2012-26 in which a tramway potential routes to be evaluated for financial LR55 uses prefabricated concrete ground scheme is seen as a way to reduce car journeys. viability. Developing a robust business case beams glued into the road surface and low- Trampower is helping to deliver this vision. that covers operating costs is critical, but it profile rails that are glued into the beams. As must also consider asset depreciation and heavy road vehicles are proven to be the worst NAO report and the funding shortfall recovery of initial investment. enemy of embedded tram tracks, part of the The UK’s National Audit Office (NAO) 2004 New schemes can therefore be self-funding, proving programme included a length of LR55 report Improving public transport in England using commercial finance on a partnership installed at Rotherham bus station. Facing over through light rail 1 questioned why English basis with construction contractors, reducing 2.5m buses each year, data from the installation tramway schemes cost twice that of other the risks of multi-million pound bid costs was analysed and from this a section of EU countries on a like-for-like basis and for publicly-backed schemes that may lead track was replaced by why legal costs should be greater than those to nothing. Using open book negotiated LR55 in March 1996. It has since needed no for engineering design. The report also contracts provides an incentive to reduce maintenance, has not corrugated, and at examined how each scheme delivered to costs further, as these savings are shared. present wear rates should be good until 2026. that point was procured through a unique Trampower has been in discussion with a LR55 uses the existing strength of roads. contract, how procedures attempted to number of commercial funders to provide Separate rails allow utilities to be left in place offload risk onto the private sector, and it the GBP25m (approx. EUR30m) required to and being laid one rail at a time means at criticised over-optimistic patronage forecasts establish the Guild line in Preston. Until the least 100m per week of track can be installed and outturn costs higher than budget. revenue-generating tramway is ‘spade ready’ without closing roads. The track costs are A consequence of this report was that these monies cannot be drawn down so the less than half those with conventional then Transport Secretary Alistair Darling initial works have been financed through foundation slabs and girder rails, and LR55 cancelled UK government funding for three the Preston team’s own funds at its own risk, is quicker to install, needing about 5% of planned schemes: Leeds, and until the commercial finance is released. the excavation. Several Chinese steel mills South Hampshire. Despite expansion on advertise LR55 rails in their product range. existing systems, no new town or city has Cost reduction through innovation Many UK tramways have overhead since embarked on a new tramway project and With the Preston Trampower scheme, a line power systems more akin to main this led to soul searching about the future of number of technical innovations are planned line railways; our solution (in place at the new systems in Britain as reliance on central to develop a framework for reducing both Carnforth Railway Centre since 2004, where government funding as a key component capital and operational costs. it has survived severe gales and all manner of imposes a number of major restrictions. Probably the most intractable challenge extreme weather scenarios) centres around a In September 2011 the Department for for any new tramway is street track. Current main principle of an elastic suspension with Transport published its Green light for Light convention uses a concrete track slab of a single wire. The contact wire suspension Rail review and while its tone was upbeat, around 500mm thickness. Girder rails are element of this solution has been adopted on the underlying message reinforced that of fixed to the slab and the road surface is built the Ashton line of the Metrolink network. the NAO report: “The Department would up to the rail head. For such tracks up to 25% For rolling stock, we propose the City Class not expect any funding to be provided for of scheme cost relates to the relocation of tram originally developed as a solution to the any light rail system unless it follows a more utilities inaccessible through the track slab. rising cost of vehicles due to a lack of mass standard and uniform core design taking The low-impact LR55 track was developed production. With a comparatively small advantage of lower cost specifications.”2 to avoid this street disruption as it uses the marketplace of tram builders, economies

10 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org ABOVE: A sample of LR55 embedded tram track. BELOW: LR55 transition rail in situ at Alsing Road in Sheffield.

The City Class demonstrator, the first of seven planned vehicles, will soon be running on a pilot line in the UK city of Preston. of scale are impossible compared to buses, and the permission lapsed in 2013. Work on this section and is now used as a footpath/ for example, that benefit from technologies the scheme continued however and on 10 cycleway. This will be extended towards the from the truck market, sharing engines, November 2016 the Preston City Council city centre when tram tracks are installed on axles, gearboxes, brakes and suspension Planning Committee unanimously approved the former railway easement. This has the components etc. Using existing components the application to use and adapt existing rail support of both Lancashire County Council off the shelf (COTS) from other industries, tracks, construct a depot at a former coal yard and Preston City Council and some s106 the smart bit of the City Class programme was off Deepdale Mill Street and build a model funding has been offered in assistance. designing and testing the interfaces between tramstop as part of a pilot programme. The expectation is that these further these components in a rail environment. This pilot will use around 1km (0.6 miles) of applications could be granted during 2017, so A 10m mock-up was built to promote extant rail track, mostly double-track. that during 2018 it could be possible to have tramways in many cities in the British Isles. It is well over 20 years since a train last ran nearly the whole line open, with a tram every A low-impact bogie and drive were built and on these rails and the line has become six minutes to serve the 18 000 people who fitted to a redundant 1930 Blackpool tram that overgrown with vegetation and dumped live in the Brookfield and Deepdale areas. ran for two years. From this testing, a full-size rubbish. Walking the tracks indicates that The expected travel time from the M6 to the 29m-long prototype was built. It is designed some refurbishment will be needed, as well city’s railway station is 15 minutes, requiring to go around 15m curves and up 10% as replacing missing fishplates and bonding six new trams; the existing demonstrator gradients and has operated in Birkenhead and the rails for electrical continuity and current will be used as a live spare and to augment Blackpool. It is the only 100% flat floor tram the service on occasions such as match days with entrances 300mm above the rail head. “So with nearly everything to carry supporters to the Preston North These infrastructure and rolling stock End football ground, a short walk from the innovations have been put together for the in place, we are optimistic proposed new tramstop at Skeffington Road. Preston tramway demonstrator. So with nearly everything in place for this that work will start on the first phase, the Trampower team is optimistic Building a network that work will start on the pilot scheme early Ten potential lines in the city were analysed, pilot scheme early in 2017.” in 2017 and the firstCity Class tram will soon from which four showed promise. The one be running again, with six more to follow. that offered the best Internal Rate of Return return. This pilot scheme will allow driver and This will allow a six-minute service level and (IRR) was chosen for development; the 6km maintenance staff training, as well as public an initial forecast for 1.8 million passengers (3.75-mile) Guild line has around 80% of familiarisation with a modern tramway. each year over the full line. its total length on the Longridge railway Considerable discussions with funders and About 35% of those are anticipated to formation that closed to traffic in 1967. other stakeholders have included canvassing be car drivers attracted away from using We estimate that an end-to-end time of over 5000 households within walking their own vehicles for short journeys in around 15 minutes is possible, even with 12 distance of the tramway. Nearly 2000 and around the conurbation with the tramstops, some being request stops. responded and 80% of residents are in favour. promise of a new efficient, congestion-free The full line will serve a park-and-ride at The also ran an online and environmentally-conscious travel Junction 31A on the M6 motorway, a major poll on future transport for the city and 78% alternative; as such we envisage that the retail park, a large leisure complex, the voted for trams, with only 22% for ‘better Guild line provides a model for how costs Preston North End football ground, the city buses’. All businesses that will be served can be reduced and shows a less cumbersome centre and Preston railway station, which by the tramway in the city centre were also form of implementation. presently serves eight million passengers canvassed, with an overwhelming majority each year but is expected to increase to ten supporting the Guild tramway scheme. million by 2020. There is a validated planning application REFERENCES The first stage of building the line was that covers the section between the end 1. www.nao.org.uk/report/improving-public- achieving the appropriate permissions from of the pilot line through the city centre to transport-in-england-through-light-rail the local council; an application for planning the railway station and an application will permission was made and granted in 2010 for shortly be lodged for the section along the 2. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/3618/green-light- a short ‘demonstrator’ section but sadly no Longridge railway alignment to the M6 for-light-rail.pdf agreement could be reached on depot location motorway. The track has been removed on

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 11 Washington DC

Following a few false starts, in early DC STREETCAR 2016 the US capital finally opened its modern streetcar DEVELOPMENTS starter line along H and Benning

United Streetcar-built 201 laying over Streets. Vic Simons at Union Station looking east down reports on what has H Street on 30 September 2016. The new development surrounding the been a very long line can be seen both on both sides of the street. Vic Simons gestation and what the future holds.

he morning of 27 February 2016 marked a key milestone in the transit landscape of the US capital, Washington DC, with the opening of the Tfirst modern light rail service in the city. The line had been planned for well over a decade but had been through many trials and tribulations in its realisation. This 3.8km (2.4-mile) starter line restored streetcar operation to the seat of US Government after an absence of 54 years. The opening was met with the usual fanfare granted to second-generation US systems, and overseen by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser – the fourth mayor of the capital with responsibility for the project. Two of her predecessors had promised an opening during their tenure and Ms Bowser made a point during her address of thanking the city’s residents and businesses for their patience while apologising for the delays. Washington DC is the Federal capital of the Following the opening ceremony on 27 February, hundreds await their first DC Streetcar ride. Andrew Grahl , designated such in 1790, and

12 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org sits within the District of Columbia (hence the DC that is the usual shortened version, which avoids confusion with Washington State some 4800km (3000 miles) to the west). As such is not part of any of the 50 states, although it was created with land around the Potomac River donated from neighbouring Maryland and Virginia.

Streetcar heritage The built-up urban area of Washington has spread way beyond the original square of its formation and the metropolitan area is now home to around six million people, although Washington DC’s first-generation streetcars used Although originally delivered to Twin City Rapid the city proper houses only roughly one tenth the conduit system; some of these tracks are still Transit in Minnesota in 1946, PCC 1076 now wears of that total. Originally the city included visible in the Georgetown district as a lasting reminder the final DC Transit livery as it runs on the streets of an area south of the Potomac River in what of the city’s transit heritage. David Baron via Flickr San Francisco’s Market Street Railway. Jay Galvin is now the State of Virginia; the southern boundary is now formed by the Potomac. severely and the system never fully recovered Known as Metrorail, expansion soon Although horse-drawn streetcar operation as many preferred their strike-born followed as per the original 1968 plan and began in 1862, electrification did not arrive in alternative forms of travel around the city. there are now six lines, serving 91 stations, DC until 1888 and services reached their peak Abandonment began in 1958 and the last over 188km (117 miles) of track; with over shortly after World War One. At its zenith, the PCC entered the Navy Yard Car Barn on 215m passengers each year, it is the second- system had almost 320km (200 miles) of track M St SE in the south-east of the city on busiest rapid transit system in the US after under the administration and management of 28 January 1962. As a farewell gesture to the New York Subway. Constructed to the the consolidated Capital Transit organisation the city, the previous day saw free rides for unusual of 1429mm, rolling stock with services also running into both Maryland children accompanied by a fare-paying adult comes from five different manufacturers that and Virginia. As with other US cities, the and so many took advantage of this offer that although visually similar feature substantial streetcars gradually succumbed to automobile 27 additional cars had to be brought into distinctions in the engineering and and motor bus competition allied to a shift service to accommodate the demand. operational interfaces. towards suburban living. Historian Zachary When the system closed there were a The system is designed for automatic M. Schrag notes that in 1948, Washington large number of surplus PCC cars. While operation although an operator is always on area residents owned 203 000 automobiles some were sent for scrap, more than 200 saw board for manual override if required and to but just seven years later this figure had risen further life in Europe with others distributed open and close the doors. Trains draw power to 418 000. Alongside major strikes over pay across other North American systems, at 750V dc using third rail current collection also affecting service schedules in the post- including Toronto and later the historic and are formed into married pairs with war years, the number of bus and streetcar Market Street F line in San Francisco. services operating with up to eight cars. trips declined by 39 000 a day. Claims of under-investment and deferred In fact, the wildcat strikes of 1945 Birth (and decline) of Metrorail maintenance have dogged the Metro for disrupted Capital Transit streetcar services It was soon clear that the dismantling of the many years, with increasing failures, safety in the city – and effective government capital’s streetcar network was not in the concerns and breakdowns in recent times. employee operation – so severely that then best interests of either DC or its surrounding The Metro also saw one of the worst rail President Truman forced a seizure of assets conurbation, with traffic congestion growing disasters in recent US history when, on on 21 November that year. He stated that the significantly over the following decade. 22 June 2009, two southbound trains cessation of services “strikes at the very roots The first plans for a rapid transit system were collided outside Fort Grove station, killing of orderly government”, vowing that “the drawn up by the newly-formed Washington nine and injuring 70 more. federal government will not permit this kind Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Shortly after his confirmation as General of action to interfere with its processes either (WMATA) in 1968. The first 7.4km (4.6 miles) Manager and Chief Executive in November, in the capital or any part of the nation.” opened in March 1976, with the Red line route 30-year transit veteran Paul J. Wiedefeld Further substantial disruptions with between Rhode Island Avenue and Farragut announced sweeping changes. His aggressive striking workers in 1955 affected ridership North, all located in the District of Columbia. plan for renewals was confirmed in May 2016 and includes service reductions and rolling shutdowns of various sections of the network; these issues even drew comment from President Barack Obama: “This is just one more example of the under-investments that have been made. The DC Metro has historically been a great strength of this region, but over time we have under-invested in maintenance and repairs.” As well as major upgrades and enhancements, further extensions are in the pipeline, the most noteworthy being the Silver line extension to Dulles Airport, the main international airport for DC. Opening in two phases, this USD5.6bn project will add a total of 37km (23 miles) to the system in one of the biggest urban rail projects currently underway across the US. Following delays due to design changes to account for changing state legislation, the full link to the airport is expected to open by the end of the decade. services feed into from both On the first day of passenger service for the Kawasaki-supplied 7000-series Metrorail trains (14 April 2015), Maryland and West Virginia to the north, WMATA 7002 leads an eight-car Blue line service north from King Street - Alexandria station. Andrew Grahl marketed as MARC (Maryland Area Regional

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 13 Washington DC

Commuter); and Virginia in the south, under the VRE () brand. Some MARC services on the from operate during the off-peak and over weekends, otherwise these services are generally inbound to Washington in the morning and outbound in the evening. The two-line VRE is largely a peak-hour Monday- Friday operation with very limited service in the reverse direction and none at weekends.

Streetcar plans take shape Back at street level, the return of the streetcar ABOVE LEFT: Alstom-built 6140 is the rear car on the first passenger train on the Silver line, photographed at had long been an aspiration of the city the current Wiehle-Reston East terminus on opening day, 26 July 2014. Andrew Grahl authorities, with planning beginning in ABOVE RIGHT: The first day of Silver line service at intermediate station, Tysons Corner. Andrew Grahl the late 1990s. A variety of alignments were proposed by the District of Columbia, with the first to be implemented chosen as a line in , in the south of the city, using an abandoned railway right of way. Initial plans recommended the use of Diesel Multiple Units, but these were subsequently changed to an electrified system taking traction power from overhead lines at 750V dc. Following a ground-breaking in 2004, construction was halted shortly afterwards due to a land ownership dispute with railroad operator CSX and other landowners which has still not been resolved. Indeed, the city took the decision to build the line on the streets which also upset local residents. Despite the purchase of new streetcars, the whole project has been mothballed with the streetcars being put into storage in 2009 awaiting a decision on future plans. The first three of the second-generation streetcars were built in Ostrava, Czech Republic, by Inekon (also a supplier to both Car 201 at the Oklahoma terminus on Portland and Seattle) and were completed in 24 September 2016, showing some of the 2007, but the lack of storage facilities within remedial work to the platform edge to allow adequate clearance. Vic Simons DC meant that they had to be stored locally before finally being shipped to the US in 2009. As the ongoing infrastructure was not in place, these Inekon 12 Trio cars were stored at the Greenbelt Metrorail facility. The system’s other three streetcars were built by in , based on a design originally developed jointly by Inekon and Škoda that explains the similarity of design, with delivery in 2014. The Inekon cars are numbered 101-103 with United Streetcar 100 vehicles numbered 201-203. The USD229m H Street/ route was conceived in the early part of this century and some track had been ABOVE LEFT: Streetcar 13-001, now car 201, in front of one of the earlier Inekon deliveries east of Oklahoma laid by 2012. Various efforts were made Avenue, on 1 June 2014. Cars were stored at each end of the line with private security until the tracks to the car to complete the scheme for the original barn were built. A Metrorail train crosses the in the background. Andrew Grahl 2014 projected opening but these stalled due to opposition within the District ABOVE RIGHT: View from the driver’s cab approaching the terminal crossover at the eastern end of the line Department of Transportation (DDOT) – the just past Oklahoma Avenue on 30 September 2016. Vic Simons agency responsible for administration and management of public transport infrastructure operations and maintenance procedures. With remedial action taken, by late 2015 in the District of Columbia – and self- The APTA report confirmed that none of the line was ready for testing, although limited confessed ‘inept project management’. these issues would be fatal to the project, but trials using the United Streetcar vehicles had This meant that construction proceeded at strongly recommended the appointment of a begun as early as December 2013; indeed, a snail’s pace leading to the perception that dedicated project manager with the authority it was some of these early trials that helped the project could not be delivered. to make decisions and speed up the process. identify many of the deficiencies in both the In 2014 the DDOT resolved its internal In early 2015 the DDOT engaged Leif vehicle specification and infrastructure. problems and established a new team which Dormsjo, an experienced and highly- The opening date of February 2016 was identified, with help from an independent respected engineer, to revitalise the project. determined largely by delays in obtaining the APTA audit, 33 issues to be resolved before Mr Dormsjo’s experience included work on fire safety certificate from DC Fire Department; service began. These included elements the Maryland Department of Transportation the process took 18 months. However, before such as rolling stock and infrastructure LRT project (see TAUT 948 for the line could open to passengers, the stored modifications, and safety and disabled more detail on urban rail developments Inekon streetcars needed some refurbishment access improvements, but mainly focused in Maryland), and he quickly resolved the and upgrades after five years in storage before on staff training, documentation and remaining issues. testing and commissioning could begin.

14 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org An overview of the temporary DC Streetcar Car Barn with four of the system’s six cars on 16 August 2015. The permanent structure is rising An behind overview Inekon of the 102 temporary in the foreground. DC Streetcar Andrew Car Barn Grahl with four of the system’s six cars on 16 August 2015. The permanent structure is rising behind Inekon 102 in the foreground. Andrew Grahl

A new operating team Operations and maintenance of the system have been subcontracted to RDMT, a joint “Construction of the permanent 1400m2 depot and office venture between RATP Dev and Texas-based McDonald Transit. DDOT signed a five-year block facility is nearing completion.” contract with RDMT in July 2012, with staff coming on board in the testing and Both vehicle types are bi-directional, which required reinforcement before track commissioning phase bringing LRT expertise air-conditioned, 70% low-floor cars, which construction could commence; despite from both RATP Dev’s worldwide subsidiaries have different front end designs albeit being advertised as a connection to Union and also from its US experience in Tucson, within the same overall dimensions: they Station this is via a five to ten-minute walk . Current General Manager Cleve are 2.45m wide, 20.3m long and with a that lacks cover. The route at the western end Cleveland has over a decade’s knowledge of total passenger capacity of 157; 29 seated. goes through a district being gentrified and high-level light rail operations garnered from Operating on standard-gauge track, traction redeveloped with modern apartment blocks both Sound Transit (Seattle) and the the Tucson power is drawn from fed and many restaurants and bars, although the streetcar that opened in July 2014. by three substations, with a fourth under eastern end is not quite as salubrious. A temporary base and storage facility has construction. TAUT was informed that the Mainly street-running, there is a short been set up close to the Oklahoma terminus, demise of United Streetcar had caused no section of segregated alignment on the on the corner of Benning Road and 26 St NE, problems for the operator as many parts for Hopscotch Bridge; otherwise the double-track prior to permanent facilities being erected the two designs are interchangeable. route is very straight with only a slight curve on the same site. The 0.8ha (two-acre) site The new eight-station line runs from the as the line moves from H Street to Benning currently houses a car barn and the point where H Street crosses the railway Road. The initial modest ridership forecasts control room as well as management offices immediately to the north of Union Station have been significantly exceeded with and operating staff facilities. Construction of on the Hopscotch Bridge, to Benning Road daily passenger figures of around 2500/day the new USD28m 1400m2 depot could only close to its intersection with Oklahoma compared with the projected 1500; Saturday begin once a land ownership dispute had Avenue. The western terminal station has figures are higher still, rising to more than been resolved, but is now nearing completion. been constructed on top of the bridge, 3000 per day. Four cars are needed for peak service with a fifth on standby kept on a turnback facility RIGHT AND BELOW: The control room towards the eastern end of the route so it can inside the temporary car barn facility, also showing a close-up of the CCTV system that be slotted in at a moment’s notice if required. monitors the streetcar route. Vic Simons There is now a seven-day-a-week service running to 12-minute headways; the end- to-end running time is around 22 minutes. This is slightly faster than the parallel bus routes despite one of these being limited stop. There is a steady demand throughout the day with the peak ridership being at lunchtime periods. Friday and Saturday evenings tend to be particularly busy with people going out to eat seeing the streetcar as a better option than a taxi, particularly as service operates until 02.00 – this is especially relevant as services are currently fare-free. Whilst there is no specific traffic signal priority there are interfaces within the traffic light control software for the streetcar not to face serious holdups at intersections in normal traffic conditions.

The ‘core network’ Perhaps surprisingly, development of the network is not currently focused around completion of the that was

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 15 Washington DC

Inside the temporary car barn at Oklahoma Avenue showing the basic equipment required to maintain and service the vehicles; the permanent facility is due to open in 2017. Vic Simons

M Takoma Avenue

LEGEND

Existing DC Streetcar line

Georgetown — Benning extensions

Planned core streetcar network

Above-ground railway lines

M Metrorail interchange

M

M

M Georgetown M M M H St NE H St NE H St NE & 3rd & 8th & 15th St NE St NE St NE M DEPOT H Street H St NE H St NE Union & 5th & 13th H St NE & 19th The M M Station St NE St NE Benning Road NE White St NE & Oklahoma House Ave NE

M M Benning Road

Potomac River M

M M Anacostia River The Pentagon

Buzzard An interior shot of United Streetcar 100 number Point Poplar 203, the first car in passenger service on opening day. Point Andrew Grahl M

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Potomac River Washington Highlands

16 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org abandoned in 2010 (tracks remain in situ at Firth Stirling Avenue SE and South Capitol Street), but instead extensions at both ends of the existing line. At the western end, a 5.8km (3.5-mile) projection is planned to take the line through the downtown area and out to Georgetown. Due to the historic nature of parts of this route the DDOT is actively exploring the option of wire-free operation similar to that seen in Dallas and Seattle and for sections of the new line along Woodward Avenue in Detroit that are due to open in 2017. Consideration is also being given to the creation of dedicated transit lanes to accelerate the service; whether such lanes would be restricted to the streetcar, with Looking down H Street from the Union Station terminus during final testing in late 2015. Mario R. Duran Ortiz grade separation, or if buses will also be allowed to use them is unclear at this early At this stage a number of intermediate to bring business to the revitalised area stage and no preferred alignment has yet stations have been identified including stops along the streetcar corridor, noting that been confirmed. This project was originally at Shaw Howard University and at Gallery prior to its arrival pedestrians would “run costed at USD370m but when prepared the Place/Chinatown where it may intersect instead of walking” down H Street, such was estimate did not envisage off-wire operation with the Benning – Georgetown line and at its reputation. or the creation of transit lanes. L’Enfant Plaza near the waterfront where it On the subject of passenger revenues, The eastern extension will take service will link with the Anacostia line. Jones explained that the introduction of 2.7km (1.7 miles) to a direct Metrorail The Anacostia line will start at its junction fares is a long way off in the DDOT’s connection at the on with the North-South line at L’Enfant Plaza thinking. However he confirmed that the the Blue and Silver lines and this is planned near the Southwest Waterfront. From there issue is being studied closely and whatever as part of the rebuilding of Benning Road it will cross the Anacostia River on the 11th the outcome the key objective of having a and the bridge over and Street bridge and turn south-west along fare system for streetcars, will be integration the Anacostia River. Alternatives show both Railroad Avenue where there will be a stop with Metrorail and local bus services. It median street-running and gutter-running to allow direct interchange with Metrorail. would appear that the introduction of fares in the stretch between the rebuilt bridge and It will continue south-west to eventually will be delayed until at least one of the future the Metrorail station. terminate at the junction of Anacostia and extensions is opened, although DDOT would In the longer-term, there are plans for South Capital. Portions of the existing track not be drawn on this statement. a 35km (22-mile) core network as part of will be incorporated into this route. A full The extensions will also likely bring a 59.5km (37-mile) aspirational planned environmental assessment was undertaken wire-free streetcar operation. Many of the network. In addition to the full Benning and approved by the Federal Transit new-build streetcar and light rail projects – Georgetown route, the core network Administration in 2014, although there are around the world feature an element of will include service in Anacostia, and a no costs or timescales for this line or for the battery or supercapacitor application and north-south route through the city centre remainder of the core network. Jones believes that this is the “future of to Takoma Avenue. This could use the city centre operation” with intermediate existing one-way system to link with the ‘A block diagram of a system’ charging stations or overhead wiring to Anacostia route at Southwest Waterfront, In conversation Derek Jones, Associate permit charging at the suburban ends of lines before terminating at the Buzzard Point spur Director of DDOT’s Transit Delivery division, as is seen in Dallas. overlooking the confluence of the Anacostia explained that the delays in opening the RDMT’s Cleve Cleveland summed up and Potomac rivers. With large sections of new line were deeply regrettable but that the present initial line as “a good system dedicated alignment, this could replace four the hiring of Dormsjo was the catalyst for doing what it was meant to do”, but he too overcrowded bus routes on which some change. Describing the initial route as “no is looking to the future. However, it will estimate daily ridership is as high as 60 000. more than a block diagram of a system”, be no more than a ‘toy’ system in starter With that level of anticipated ridership Jones added that while the pre-opening issues mode until the extensions at both ends are new vehicles will be required, with the were significant and required close attention, operational and there is a clear timeline and possibility of either multiple operation or he oversaw “the best safety certification team funding for the full core network. Whilst at additional-sectioned cars – either way, longer in the USA”. He is also clearly pleased with present it is having some impact locally, it platforms and larger stops will be needed. the success of the system in helping is not making a significant contribution to removing cars from the core city area – but the extensions should see this partially remedied. It will also be interesting to see what impact on ridership any charging of fares will have. Washington is a major tourist city as apart from the well-known destinations such as the White House, Capitol Building and the Smithsonian Institute there are many important and impressive museums and memorials. It is recommended that visitors use public transport as much as possible as the city's traffic congestion is notorious.

TAUT would like to thank Derek Jones and Terry Owens of the DDOT and Cleve Cleveland from operator RDMT for their assistance in the preparation of this feature. Full operational information and further From the Union Station terminal stub, passengers must cross the four-lane highway to the left and walk through details about the streetcar’s future plans are the multi-storey car park as the heavy rail tracks are immediately underneath the streetcar end point. Vic Simons available at www.dcstreetcar.com

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 17 Moscow

PESA Fokstrot car 3554 departs the Metro terminus of route 30. Martyn Janduła

Mayor of Moscow, Sergey Sobyanin (left), and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the opening day of the (line 14) in September 2016. mos.ru MOSCOW GOES FULL CIRCLE Witold Urbanowicz reports on a new metro ring and a string of 12 minutes at other times; weekend daytime headways are also six minutes. RZD provides other transport developments in ’s capital. services on behalf of . In order to encourage ridership, travel was n 10 September Moscow gained September with 26 stations. The opening free of charge for the first month. Following a second orbital urban rail line. ceremony was attended by, among others, the trial period, passengers can change Although it is a classic railway, Russian president Vladimir Putin, Moscow between the MCC and the metro or monorail completed by Russian Railways Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, and head of Russian without any extra charge within a time (RZD) and resembling Berlin’s Railways Oleg Belozerov. period of 90 minutes from first use. OS-Bahn or London’s Overground, it is fully By early November, a further five stations The MCC has proved very popular integrated with the metro and even received its had opened. In total, 17 of the stations already, with nine million passengers using own number – 14 – on Moscow’s metro map. allow interchange with 11 metro lines the service during the first two months of For now residents can use 31 stations, (some with direct access) and ten offer operation. The current daily record, from 17 but Moscow will eventually have a total of interchange with nine suburban railways November, is more than 312 000 passengers three orbital lines as the first section of a (so-called elektrichkas). According to official (the same number of daily passengers as the second circular metro route is also under announcements, further works on improving Filyovskaya metro line) — a number that construction. Yet even that isn't the end of transfers to other forms of transport exceeds the target figure of 225 000 daily developments in the Russian capital. will continue until 2018. It is stated that passengers after a year of operation. The The MCC, or Moscow Central Circle, is RUB74.8bn (EUR1.1bn) has been transferred most popular station is the sole subterranean expected to revolutionise the daily commutes from the federal budget to Russian Railways Ploshchad Gagarina stop, which offers a of millions of Muscovites. The Moscow for the completion of the project and Moscow change to Leninsky Prospekt metro station on municipality claims that passengers will spend RUB15.5bn (EUR227.1m) on the the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya line. It is calculated have gained a total of more than 350 new interchange hubs. All platforms are designed that 25 800 people use the railway stop daily interchange possibilities. Travel between to serve persons with reduced mobility. (the metro station is used by 61 600). Other the distant districts is now possible without The MCC is served by 33 five-section popular stops include Vladykino (18 300) and passing through the city centre, which Lastochka (‘swallow’) trains from the Siemens Botanichesky Sad (17 700). should relieve some metro stations located Desiro family, of which deliveries commenced The MCC has already relieved the circle in the downtown. Average journeys in the in 2011. Top speed is 120km/h (75mph) and metro line (Koltsevaya), by 15% on the capital will be shortened by 20 minutes. the vehicles have toilets, air-conditioning Prospekt Mira – Komsomolskaya section, Moscow’s authorities claim the MCC and free Wi-Fi. Peak hours require 28 trains 11% Komsomolskaya – Kurskaya and 9.5% should relieve the circle metro line (14 per direction), with five in reserve. Beloruskaya – . Lower (Koltsevaya, 5) by 15% and central railway On weekdays there are 134 pairs of passenger volumes are also recorded at some stations by 20%. departures, with trains running from 05.45 terminal railway stations, like Belorussky, until 00.30. The journey time for the whole Savylovsky and Yaroslavsky stations, with A great start ring is 84 minutes and peak hour headways are drops at the latter reaching 7.5%. The orbital line’s planned length is 54km six minutes (there are plans being discussed It is estimated that during the first year (34 miles) and the first stage opened on 10 to decrease that to four minutes), dropping to of operation 75m passengers should use the

18 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org One of the 33 Siemens Lastochka Electric Multiple Units, ES2G-032, leaves An elevated view of the stylish new MCC station at Luzhniki, located to the Luzhniki Station. mos.ru south-west. mos.ru

MCC. Of those 34.5m will come from the basis of an agreement between the city of and 1954 and impresses today with its rich metro, 20.2m from railway connections, Moscow and RZD, began in 2012. In total décor – prime examples of the architecture of 12.7m from buses and 7.5m from surrounding 419km (260 miles) of single track was laid, the Stalin era. With a length of 19.4km (12.1 neighbourhoods. In 2025 the overall number civil engineering works carried out, dozens miles) and calling at 12 stations, this line of passengers is expected to rise to 300m. of stations built or rebuilt, and a new depot orbits the entire centre, serving seven out of constructed. Also, the northern section of the nine major railway stations. It is currently the Moscow’s penchant for rings line was expanded by a third track for freight most popular metro line, undoubtedly filling Initial ideas of constructing an orbital traffic, and the northern section of the large a very important role in the city’s transport rail line in Moscow appeared in the 19th orbital line located outside Moscow equipped system. Legend suggests, though, that its Century and it was eventually built between with a second track for the same reason. creation was a result of pure accident: Stalin 1902 and 1908, mainly for freight traffic. Even before the creation of line 14, supposedly put a cup of coffee on the metro Work on its reconstruction for the launch Moscow already had one circular metro line, extension plan, leaving a brown circular of a city train service, conducted on the Koltsevaya, (5). This opened between 1950 imprint (hence the line’s chosen colour).

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 19 Moscow

As we have seen, the opening of MCC does not exhaust the subject of orbital lines. The first section of the intended second circular metro line is under construction, with the portion between Petrovsky Park and Delovoy Tsentr opening to passengers in early 2017. According to the plans, the whole 59.5km (37-mile) line is to be completed in 2020; trains will stop at 28 stations. When completed, the new circular line will take over the short 3.4km (2.1-mile) Kakhovkaya line (11) with its three stations. Close-up of the This line, opened in 1969, is the remainder front end of one of the former route of the Zamoskvoretskaya of the MCC’s line before it was diverted to serve the new Siemens expanding neighbourhoods of Lastochka. mos.ru and Zyablikovo.

More metro investment Razumovskaya station, where a cross- 50 lines serve 416km (258 miles) of route on Currently, the metro consists of nearly platform interchange with the Serpukhovsko- two disconnected parts of the network. 339km (211 miles) of route and 203 stations Timiryazevskaya line (9) is offered. The new It is claimed to be the fourth-largest tramway on 12 lines (excluding the monorail and section is 5.4km (3.4 miles) long and there are system in the world and reached its peak MCC). Investing in the network remains three new stations. in the 1930s; routes in the centre were a transport priority on a scale not seen The western part of line 8, working now as subsequently replaced by trolleybuses and anywhere else in Europe; in 2012 the city two independent lines under one name, is to the metro. In the 1960s and 1970s trams were adopted a plan for the development of be extended from Park Pobedy to eliminated in the western part of the city and the metro until 2020. Under initial plans, (7.25km/4.5 miles and three stations), with the system was effectively divided into two 145.5km (90.4 miles) of lines and 67 stations opening still expected to take place in 2016. separate sections. The last new route opened would have been constructed in this period, Also to be opened is the first section of the to Strogino in 1982. later increased to 168km (104.4 miles) and already mentioned second metro circle line A new wave of closures followed in the 80 stations. However, it is clear that some (11) between Petrovsky Park and Delovoy mid-1990s, when trams started disappearing planned investments are delayed; since 2012 Tsentr (10.5km/6.5 miles and five stations). from major thoroughfares near the centre. a total of 35km (22 miles) of lines and 18 new All this means that the metro requires new The last closure occurred in 2008 on Lesnaya stations have been constructed. and additional trains for expanded lines, as street towards Belorusskiy vokzal, and on In 2015 Tekhnopark station on the well as to replace the oldest trains. Over 700 sections of Volokolamskoye shosse. However, (2) was opened and cars of the 81-765 series are to be delivered services on both of them were reinstated in the Tagansko- line (7) by Metrovagonmash by 2020 to align with 2012 and 2013 respectively. was extended by one station to Kotelniki. the Moscow General Development Plan that There have been many tramway network In 2016 the (1) was envisages the total route length increasing to development plans – but they are still waiting extended in two stages from 650km (387 miles) by 2025. to be realised. Under the current plan, new to . The station, serving the fast tramlines will appear within the next New Moscow area, became the 200th on Fast tramways few years in Northern Golyanovo, Western the Moscow Metro. Also, the Lyublinsko- Moscow is not only investing in heavy rail, Biryulevo, and Ivanovskoye (with a possible Dmitrovskaya line (10) was extended north but also its tramway, which has existed in extension to Balashikha). of Maryina Roshcha, reaching Petrovsko- electric form since 1899. As of October 2016, The city is finishing the design of a line to link Krasnogo Mayaka street and Prazhskaya metro station with the districts of Biryulyovo Zapadnoye (along Podolskikh Kustantov) and Biryulevo Vostochnoye (along Elevatornaya). This line is to be 8.3km (5.2 miles) long with ten stops. A 2.1km (1.3-mile) elevated section will be built, with one stop, and a new depot constructed in the area south of the intersection of Podolskikh Kustantov and Kharkovskaya. These lines are to be finished in 2018. A further section, to 6th microrayon Zagorya, will have eight stops on a 5.2km (3.2-mile) line, and a 700m elevated section. The average speed on the new lines is to reach 25-28km/h (15.5-17mph). A further planned fast route will link Lianozovo railway station with Severny District along Pskovskaya street and Dmitrovskoye shosse. This line will be 5.4km (3.4 miles) long with nine stops. The possibility of extending the line to and Medvedkovo metro stations is also being considered. The third planned fast line is to connect Shosse Entuziastov and Ivanskoye District, with the terminus in the area of MKAD A five-carLastochka junction. The new section will cover 3.6km departs Luzhniki station (2.2 miles), but a section of existing tracks to in an anti-clockwise Shosse Entuziastov will also be rebuilt and direction. mos.ru the whole line will be 6.5km (four miles) long, with six stops. Construction is planned

20 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org FAR LEFT: Kievskaya station on — note the ornate lighting and fittings along the entire platform. Martyn Janduła

LEFT: A shuttle train at Park Pobedy station, running one stop to Delovoy Tsentr. This is the western section of Kalininsko- Solntsevskaya line (8), unconnected to a longer stretch of the line in the east. Witold Urbanowicz to start in 2019-20. In the future the line The wait for new vehicles the rotary bogies (whilst the classic axial might also be extended to Balashikha. Currently there are 916 passenger tramcars wheelset is maintained). In October 2016 transport operator in service across the city's massive network. Due to the tight delivery schedule, Mosgortrans announced a tender for In June 2013 Mosgortrans ordered 120 trams production was almost entirely carried out project documentation for a tramway line from a joint venture of Poland’s PESA and in Bydgoszcz in Poland – uncommon for on Sakharov prospekt in the city centre. Russia’s Uralvagonzavod (UVZ). Russia, which usually promotes the domestic It is intended to connect existing lines PESA offered 71-414 Fokstrot trams, market. The first tram entered service in June on Kalanchevskaya and Chistoprudny originating from the Twist platform. The 2014. However, due to changing politics, Boulevard, enabling the introduction of a the economic downturn, and depreciation new diametrical route linking the north-east of Russia’s currency after the annexation of to Severo-Vostochny and South to Yuzhny. “Moscow is not only Ukrainian Crimea, war in eastern Ukraine and There are also ambitious plans for the sanctions, the contract faced problems. Only former city of Troitsk and Novomoskovskiy investing in heavy rail, 60 cars were delivered, with Moscow being district – the new Moscow development unable to pay for the rest at the time; however, areas. In all it is planned to lay 135km (84 but also its tramway, deliveries resumed in late October 2016. miles) of tramway tracks in 2018-19; one These issues have not deterred Moscow such line will link Salaryevo metro station which has existed in from trying to obtain further new trams. and Troitsk. Also planned is an 11.7km electric form since 1899.” In August the city announced a tender for (7.3-mile) circular route with 16 stops to 300 fully low-floor new trams with delivery serve the developing area of Kommunarka, set for 2017-19 and 30 years maintenance. then pass to Ostaflevo, Yuzhnoe Butovo, three-section vehicles are 26m long and one Requirements include that 70% of Voskresenskoe and allow easy access to tram can carry 190 passengers (at five people components must be produced within the planned Stolbovo metro station. per square metre), including 60 seated. the Eurasian union (Russia, Armenia, Belarus, When finished, it would operate as an Trams from the Twist family are designed for Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan). Any foreign independent line, with a depot in Gavrikovo. systems with worn tracks and a characteristic manufacturer wishing to enter the market Construction is to start in 2017 for a possible feature of the vehicles is the lower static would therefore require support from a local opening in 2020. pressure of an axle on infrastructure given partner company.

ABOVE: Mock-up of a new Metrovagonmash 81-765 train for the metro. mos.ru

BELOW: Metrovagonmash 81-717 car 2596 — one of nearly 3000 of the type still in service on Moscow metals — at Salaryevo, which became the 200th station on the network when it opened in February 2016. Witold Urbanowicz

The new station at Shelepikha, to the west of the city, affords impressive views of some financial district architecture. mos.ru

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 21 Moscow

ABOVE: Moscow’s expanded metro network carries over 2.5bn passengers each year; this is forecast to grow to over 3bn by 2020. Martyn Janduła

RIGHT: A pair of PESA Fokstrot trams on lines 6 and 28 on the stretch shared with line 15 between Metro Sokol and Detskiy Kombinat. Witold Urbanowicz

At the end of September 2016 Other interesting developments are A precursory change, already implemented Transmashholding announced that taking place in the Russian capital. Famous a considerable time ago, was closing one of Metrovagonmash (part of Transmashholding) for its permanently congested, broad the wide Moskva River embankment roads to was the winner. The price per vehicle is streets, prospekts and boulevards, Moscow is cars in the area of – and passing it RUB95m (EUR1.4m) with a total contract value witnessing a significant change – and it’s not completely to pedestrians. of RUB56bn (EUR820.8m). The project will be about new, large investment projects. From Until recently Moscow had one of the implemented jointly with PK ‘Transportnie 2015 a scheme called ‘my street’ has been biggest trolleybus networks in the world. Sistemy’ and production is to be carried out implemented, with the city’s centre becoming Along with the changes to the street in the Tverskoy Coach Building Plant. The more pedestrian-friendly. The streets are appearance, trolleybuses – running since manufacturer has stated that the vehicles will narrowed, leaving space for wider sidewalks, 1933 – have disappeared from a number of use pivoting low-floor bogies, and the cars will bicycle paths and trees. Thus, the Russian sections in the heart of the city. New mayor, have an increased number of doors compared capital has joined a number of cities across Sergei Sobyanin, argued their inefficiency with those currently running in Moscow. They Europe that limit car traffic in the centre. and that they should be replaced with motor will also have information and advertisement buses so since May virtually no trolleybuses screens, air-conditioning and Wi-Fi. can be found within the Sadovoe Koltso ring “Good news for the road. However, the head of Mosgortrans More trees, fewer trolleybuses claims that only 1% of the overhead has been All these investments may seem surprising transport sector is that dismantled, with trolleybuses diverted to given the troubled Russian economy. However, other routes, and that there have been no as a capital city Moscow is in a privileged the football World Cup complaints from the Muscovites about the position; money here is not an issue. changes. Recently Mosgortrans claimed that Moscow is also a much wealthier city in is to be held in Russia trolleybuses will come back to the centre, comparison to others in Russia. Other cities, in 2018.” but with battery power supply. So far 12 maybe with the exception of Sankt Petersburg, such vehicles, able to run 15km (nine miles) still have to struggle with maintaining proper without overhead wires, have been ordered. service on the existing tramway networks, with Only last year, 47 streets were rebuilt. Despite all this transformation, Moscow metro projects stalled or being progressed at Sidewalks were widened by an average of three is not giving up the car. The city continues a quite slow pace. However, good news for the metres and 4300 trees were planted. Plans to build more roads and is carrying out transport sector is that the football World Cup for this year include 59 streets, including preparations for the reconstruction of roads is to be held in Russia in 2018. Cities that are the Sadovoye Koltso, Bulvarnoye Koltso, connecting to the outer ring road – the to host games should benefit from investment; Kremlevskaya Naberezhnaya, Novy Arbat so-called MKAD. Muscovites are very proud apart from Moscow, venues are located in and . According to city estimates of the changing face of the city and streets, Sankt Peterburg, Kazan, , Nizhny around 1200km (750 miles) of overhead lines using analogies to New York or Paris. ‘Now, Novgorod, Samara, Volgograd, Saransk, will be hidden under the ground, and at least it looks as it does in the West’ – they proudly Rostov-on-Don, Sochi and Yekaterinburg. 450 building facades renovated. claim, driving in their swanky cars.

Sankt Peterburg LM-99 AE 3012 at Universam on line 10 bound for Tallinskaya PESA 71-414 Fokstrot trams originate from the company’s Twist design. with PESA Fokstrot 3524 heading for Mikhalkovo on line 30 in the background. The three-section vehicles are 26m long and one tram can carry 190 passengers Witold Urbanowicz (at five people per square metre), including 60 seated. Martyn Janduła

22 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Bonn

Neil Pulling travels to a former seat of German SYSTEMS government in the post-war years, a city GERMANY with a light rail system Bonn FACTFILE that integrates two formats and includes No. Bonn, connections with 111 Germany neighbouring Köln.

orld-famous ABOVE: confectionery B100C 9364+9353 conglomerate head east over HARIBO owes its Kennedybrücke, the central crossing last two letters to on 1 August 2016. Wthe Germany city of Bonn. Those with a less sweet tooth might attribute RIGHT: Tram 9462 the city’s international standing passes the high- differently as Ludwig van Beethoven, platform end at Bertha born in the city in 1770, still helps the von Suttner-Platz/ tourist trade despite his preference for Beethovenhaus in Vienna. Konrad Adenauer was from the centre of Bonn Köln, 25km (16 miles) to the north. (April 2010). The key German political figure of post-war reconstruction, Adenauer proved instrumental in Bonn becoming the seat of government in 1949. It kept this role until 1999 with the full transfer to Berlin, capital of the reunified Germany since 1990. Not deflated by reduced status, Bonn thrives with the infrastructure Words and pictures by to support its conference trade and Neil Pulling.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 23 Bonn for being the head office location for many network, an arm of the municipal utilities ten-minute intervals, is the longest and major international organisations. These concern, Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB). Part of busiest of the specifically SWB lines. Both include courier DHL, postal carrier Deutsche the transport association Verkehrsverbund termini are on the Rhine’s east (right) bank, Post and telecommunications giant Rhein-Sieg (VRS), SWB transport runs but it uses both of the system’s river crossings Deutsche Telekom. beyond the present city boundary into (Kennedybrücke and Südbrücke, each also a The city retained national government Rhein Sieg Kreis. This district with almost road bridge) to serve central Bonn. The left functions and UN secretariats after the 600 000 residents almost totally encircles bank has the approximately 8km (five-mile) transfer of many functions to Berlin. Bonn and owns Siebengebirgs und ‘Stammstrecke’ core route which includes A tribute to its role in Germany’s modern Siegburger Bahn (SBB), a successor to an two long tunnels with several underground history, Bonn was designated a Federal City early electric line. Managed by SWB since stops. Line 66 uses this as far as the junction in 1994 and continues to grow: the mayoral 2004, SBB owns some of the rail vehicles south of Olof Palme Allee, a distinctively office forecasted a 12.1% population increase which are marked accordingly. styled surface stop that opened in 2004 from 311 300 (2014) to 348 900 (2040). With an opening in 1975, Bonn followed and is named after a road commemorating Bonn is in the south of Nordrhein- Köln as an early tramway to Stadtbahn the assassinated Swedish prime minister. Westfalen (NRW) state near the border conversion. With the new lines came Previously this stop and a nearby predecessor with Rheinland-Pfalz. Transport has a high Düwag Stadtbahn-B high-floor stock that had other titles; one of these was Deutsche profile in this densely-populated area and was well-suited to longer journeys; as in Telekom which has headquarters and many roads in and around the city are prone to Bonn, versions of this highly-regarded type premises in the area. congestion; busy with freight and tourist remain the principal stock across other Begun in September 2000, sponsorship vessels, the Rhine flows north through the NRW Stadtbahn operations. The stops are and naming rights (now ended) led to city. Main railway lines pass north-south on signed with ‘stadtbahn’ superimposed on a ‘Telekom Express’ becoming a synonym for both banks of the river. Since 2002 they have large U, for Unabhängig (independent). This line 66. With Siegburg gaining ICE services, been supplemented by the Köln – indicates the free-standing nature of these the station rebuilding included a Stadtbahn Main high-speed line and ICE trains serve lines rather than underground sections, terminus beneath the main line platforms Siegburg/Bonn station, which also has a although these are substantial in Bonn. H for which opened in October 2000. At line 66’s direct S-Bahn connection with Haltestelle signs appear on SWB’s tramway southern end, a single-track section passes Bonn Airport. stops. The intended tramway conversion through an area with a resort ambience. Bonn expanded significantly in 1969 with was not completed, so today’s SWB system Around Königswinter the line is close to the the incorporation of Bad Godesberg to the combines tram and Stadtbahn. Separate for Rhine, in places separated only by the river south and Beuel on the Rhine’s east bank. most of their respective coverage, there are promenade. There is parkland around Bad These are all served by a light rail operation sections where the two vehicle types serve Honnef terminus and the area is overlooked which developed from separate tramways the same stops, as between Ramersdorf and by Drachenfels, a ruin-topped outcrop in and local railways. Trolleybuses were used Oberkassel Süd/Römlinghoven. the Siebengebirge hills. from 1951 until 1971. The current system At 30km (19 miles), the multi-faceted The Bonn – Köln Stadtbahn service is part of the Stadtwerke Bus und Bahn Stadtbahn line 66, which mainly runs at consists of lines 16 (46km/29 miles) and 18 “With an opening in 1975, Bonn followed Köln as an early tramway to Stadtbahn conversion. With the new lines came Düwag Stadtbahn-B high-floor stock that was well-suited to longer journeys; as in Bonn, versions of this highly-regarded type remain the principal stock across other NRW Stadtbahn operations. ”

LEFT: R1.1 trams 9473 and 9459 at Hindenburgplatz in Dottendorf.

RIGHT: KVB B80D 2301 with a Köln-Bad Godesberg service on the core route at Olof Palme Allee.

BELOW LEFT: Düwag R1.1 9461 on Friedrich Breuer Strasse in Beuel, on a small part of the system shared with road traffic.

BELOW RIGHT: Stadtbahn 7759+7652 emerge from the covered platforms created with the Siegburg station rebuilding for ICE services.

24 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org

SWB surface lines near Bonn Hbf (seen in the right background); the sign to the left denotes access to the underground Stadtbahn.

THE FLEET SWB rail vehicles and buses are numbered with the first two digits in reference to the initial build year. Collective identity is diluted by multiple liveries. Present on a few trams, a two-tone green is on many Stadtbahn cars and may have SWB or SBB logos – or none. Two red and white schemes are evident, the newer featuring dots. All-over advertising is prevalent on the trams and the addition of Köln stock introduces even more visual variety. Stadtbahn services are generally operated by paired vehicles. Some of Bonn’s early stock went to where most remain in service as DSW21’s 401-series, while the 60 ABOVE: Seen contemporaries and later B80/B100 from a low area of (a distinction according to km/h) Bonn Hbf's central are the Stadtbahn mainstay. platforms, 7576 is K5000 on a northbound (0360-0374) from 2003 are afternoon peak line the newest type; these and KVB 68 service. (Köln) counterparts cover the jointly- operated lines 16 and 18. Dransdorf ABOVE RIGHT: depot off line 18 between Brühler With Drachenfels Strasse and Robert-Kirchhoff-Strasse in the background, handles the Stadtbahn fleet; this B100C 9353 is also a venue for an annual approaches Bad Beethoven Festival. Honnef terminus. Trams 9451-9474 are Bonn’s R1.1 specification of the bi-directional, RIGHT: Central three-section Düwag MGT6D (SWB) Bonn’s overlap of and are 28.6m long, 65% low-floor trams and Stadtbahn with a capacity for 172 passengers, 72 on Berliner Freiheit. seated. All are maintained at the depot near Bonn-Beuel main line station. Detailed interactive system maps are available at swb-netzplan-bonn.de/ index.php/de/netzplan

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 25 Bonn

NETWORK FACTS ABOVE: Stadtbahn Opened: 1891 (electric from 1902) platforms at Konrad Lines: 6 Stadtbahn; 3 tram (some Adenauer Platz; the restricted hours only) tram counterparts Depots: 2 are out of view to the right. Approx. weekday hours: 04.30-00.30 RIGHT: The main Line frequency: Varies (timetables part of Bonn-Beuel on SWB’s German website; journey depot lies beyond planner on English counterpart) the old building Gauge: 1435mm (right). Power: 750V dc, overhead supply BELOW LEFT: Fleet: Approx. 75 Stadtbahn; Stadthaus platforms 25 low-floor tram in 2010 during the Deutsche Telekom INFORMATION line 66 sponsorship; City network/operator: Stadtwerke the tunnel leading Bonn (SWB) www.swb-busundbahn.de to Bonn Hbf is just visible in the left Regional network: Verkehrsverbund background. Rhein-Sieg (VRS) www.vrsinfo.de Civic and tourist information: BELOW RIGHT: www.bonn.de Oberkassel Süd/ Römlinghoven on a section with track-sharing by Stadtbahn and tram.

BELOW FAR RIGHT: An SWB K5000 tram pair leaving Bonn West with a line 63 service, Tannenbusch Mitte to Stadthalle, Bad Godesberg.

26 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org (48km/30 miles), each with a mainly The main Stadtbahn tunnel was 20-minute interval. Their southern completed in 1975, with temporary termini on the Stammstrecke are both arrangements for Bonn Hbf until underground, respectively Bonn Hbf SWB’s complex underground space and Bad Godesberg Stadthalle. They there opened in 1979. At the northern overlap briefly near Bonn Hbf, part end there is a grade-separated junction being on the surface alongside the in use, but elsewhere are indications main Bonn – Köln railway line. Lines that the project was not completed 16 and 18 take separate routes to Köln as planned. The four platform faces from a junction near Bonn West. have the capacity to service the Part of general contraction, unbuilt Hardtbergbahn line – there tramway coverage in the very centre is also a junction and tunnel stub of Bonn was lost to pedestrian zones needed for a future connection. by 1974. Today’s principal tramlines This approximately 8km (five-mile) (others have limited operation over western extension has been the same tracks) are 61 and 62; these championed and opposed for combine between Stadthaus and the decades. The Hbf central platforms ABOVE: Close to Königswinter BELOW: 9357+9354 at the road southern suburb of Dottendorf. also have low-floor areas that could Fähre (ferry) stop on the Rhine's crossing near Hangelar Mitte on This section includes the system’s accommodate trams. There is a eastern bank. the Siegburg line. surface presence at Bonn similar provision beyond Stadthalle Hauptbahnhof. Line 61 (8.8km/5.5 terminus in the Bad Godesberg tunnel miles) mainly follows streets, albeit which opened in 1994; this is for an with a high level of traffic segregation, extension to Mehlem, which lost its including sleeper track on the tram service in 1976. extension to Auerberg opened in 1994. SWB gained attention with its plan The decision not to install a turning to re-engineer 25 Stadtbahn vehicles loop here related to the new fleet of dating from 1974, rather than buying bi-directional R1.1 trams; a loop new. With an expected 25 more remains in use at the south of line years of service and at an estimated 61 at Quirinusplatz. Line 62 (12km/ EUR47m saving, the project is mainly 7.5 miles) has some fully separate done in-house at the Beuel depot with rights of way east of the Rhine and complete interior refurbishment, also shares track with line 66 on two including air conditioning and sections. In-tunnel Ramersdorf stop passenger information systems, is one of several with only low-level expanded drivers’ cabs and new platforms, requiring that line 66 is traction packages. worked by the folding step-fitted The first five cars were completed Stadtbahn B stock. by Vossloh Kiepe, which supplied More centrally, there are separate the components for the others to be “SWB is re-engineering 25 platforms for tram and Stadtbahn at completed at the Beuel depot. Konrad Adenauer Platz and Stadthaus, Easily distinguished by the addition Stadtbahn vehicles dating from between which the two formats of an extension below the cab share track. This contains the central windows, the first rebuilt pair entered 1974 in-house at the Beuel depot, interchange, Bertha von Suttner Platz/ service in December 2012 and 7463 Beethovenhaus, which has connected was exhibited at the 2014 Berlin rather than buying new, giving an dual-height platforms for handling InnoTrans in a special ‘comeback of the two vehicle types. the year’ livery. estimated EUR47m cost saving.”

ESSENTIAL FACTS Local travel: The all-mode (also includes local/regional main line rail) zone and time-based VRS ticket structure may confuse some visitors. Choosing the best ticket should be informed by travel planned outside the Bonn area on the same day, for example, if using Cologne Bonn Airport or travelling further north in the state. The SWB ‘Service Center’ outlets are opposite Bonn Hbf and near Bonn-Bad Godesberg station, and there is also a kiosk at Bertha von Suttner Platz/Beethovenhaus. Tickets cost from EUR2.80 for a single journey up to 90 minutes; for the full Bonn system, the 1b Tages ticket at EUR8.50 (EUR12.90 for up to five travelling together after 09.00) may be the best option. The state-wide counterpart SchönerTagTicket NRW costs EUR29.50 (for up to five people this costs EUR43).

What is there to see? South of Bertha von Suttner Platz/ Beethovenhaus are the Beethoven birthplace and Münsterplatz, the impressive heart of the city. South from Hofgarten park or north from Ollenhauerstrasse stop, the ‘Path of Democracy’ walk through the Federal Quarter recalls the years of national government. Bönnsche Bimmel (http://boennschebimmel.de) is an upmarket party hire and dining service using a 1911 Herbrand trailer converted to tram use in 1949. The Drachenfels 1.5km (0.93-mile) (www.drachenfelsbahn.de) and riverside relaxation can be found at Königswinter. Rebuilt 7463 carrying a special livery to publicise the Stadtbahn-B rebuilding project.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 27 Rail T&UT ad 2016 130x185mm.qxp_Layout 1 02/12/2016 08:03 Page 1

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MORE CAPACITY, LRT ON AN ISLAND SYSTEMS FACTFILE: GREATER SAFETY PARADISE ANTWERP TAUT looks at the future of automation Celebrating its tenth anniversary, Antwerp is expanding and upgrading for tramways and urban rail systems, Metrotenerife is looking to deliver further its highly-varied light rail operation focusing on the success stories of connectivity with an extension to its with new routes and rolling stock. automated metros in the UK and France second line and a range of smart ticketing Neil Pulling reports from the De Lijn and the potential for driverless trams. initiatives. Mike Russell visits the island. system in Belgium’s lively second city.

PLUS... FEBRUARY + Classic Trams: San Francisco’s E-class Torpedo cars ISSUE + The latest news, rolling stock orders and movements, system developments and transport policy and leading industry comment on sale from around the world. 20 January Worldwide Review

AUSTRALIA MONTRÉAL. Bombardier has been BENDIGO. Now being completely awarded an eight-year CAD331m refurbished to W8 (EUR232m) contract (with a standard by the Bendigo tramway two-year option) to continue workshops are Melbourne 981 to provide operating and and 983. TW maintenance services for AMT’s MELBOURNE. The Evolution Rail six commuter rail lines. consortium (CRRC Changchun/ Montréal Gazette EDI Downer) has signed the TORONTO. TTC’s 6.6km AUD2bn (EUR1.4bn) PPP contract (four-mile) St Clair tramline for 65 EMUs and 30 years of 512 resumed operation on maintenance. The first train will 20 November after five months be delivered by November 2018. RGI modification to permit the use of SYDNEY. The NSW Government Bombardier Flexity low-floor trams. gave the final go-ahead to the Delivered towards the end West Chatswood of November were 4427 and – Parramatta automated metro refurbished prototype 4402. on 14 November, and expects The prototype of the batch for construction to start by 2021. Metrolinx was moved from The former Rozelle tram depot, Thunder Bay to Kingston for rebuilt as a shopping centre, opened testing on 27 November. D. Drum on 22 September, with cosmetically- VANCOUVER. The CAD1.43bn Vicinal Autorail AR193 leading the DeLijn Hermelijn articulated car, 6332, that restored R1 tram 1995 featured as (EUR1bn) 10.9km (6.8-mile) carried the official party including the Flemish Minister for the November opening a dining venue. RGI, TW Evergreen SkyTrain extension of the extension of Gent line 21 from Zwijnaardebrug to Zwijnaarde – seen at the opened on 2 December, linking southern end of the new curved bridge that spans the Ringvaart canal. M. Russell Lougheed and Coquitlam. LINZ. The plan to rebuild part The 36m cars are five-section of October). 1995 T6 8702 has of the Mühlkreisbahn railway CHINA and 100% low-floor and are been earmarked for the tramway as a 900mm-gauge light rail line CHANGCHUN. Tramline 55 was equipped with supercapacitor museum. BS is being re-evaluated against extended 700m (0.4 miles) to the energy storage, giving the re-extending trains to Linz Hbf new West high-speed rail station possibility of running for 4km sharing the new tram bridge, on 28 August. The system is (2.5 miles) without overhead power . A EUR12m contract which would require dual-gauge operated by 43 high-floor bogie supply. RGI has been placed with Ekova Electric track, and through running with trams (901-43), though pre-war XI’AN. The 39.1km (24.2-mile) for new traction equipment and the Linzer Lokalbahn. EB cars 951-3 remain at the depot. BS first phase of metro line 3 was motors on two Tatra KT4 and 12 WIEN (Vienna). With B1 low- HONG KONG. MTR plans to inaugurated on 8 November linking KT6 trams. RGI floor trams 786-9 entering service double the capacity of its Ma On Yuhuazhai and Baoshuiqu, and in October, E1 4769 and C3 1353 Shan metro line by replacing providing interchange with lines FINLAND were withdrawn. BS four-car trains with 15 eight-car 1 and 2. It is worked by 41 six-car HELSINKI. HKL has exercised an trains from next year. GRN trains supplied by CRRC Dalian option with Škoda Transtech for 29 BELGIUM SHENYANG. China’s first new with Alstom traction equipment. Artic 35m low-floor trams that will GENT. PCC 6240 has been sent tramway of the modern era has urbanrail.net be used on the 25km (15.5-mile) to Knokke depot on the coastal increased its fleet from 30 to 60 ZHUHAI. The 8.7km (5.4- Raide – Jokeri line when it opens tramway to be used as a source of trams, with the delivery of three- mile) tramline equipped with in 2022. A prototype should arrive parts for museum car 6226. T-2000 section cars 031-060, running on the AnsaldoBreda Tramwave in 2019. The cars in this batch will three lines. surface contact system is still be longer than the 27.6m trams BRAZIL A new link to the South station experiencing technical problems, currently being delivered to the SALVADOR. Test running on of the high-speed railway has been and no passenger service has main HKL system. IRJ metro line 2 began at the end of built, but not yet opened. It is been introduced yet. BS September and it is hoped to start understood that line 6 will link the FRANCE revenue service before the end station with the airport. BS CROATIA PARIS. STIF, the transport of 2016. IRJ SUZHOU. Two years after the . Design work is starting authority for Île-de–France, has opening of the 18.1km (11.2-mile) for a 13km (eight-mile) tramline awarded Alstom a EUR70m contract CANADA line 1, two more tramlines south-east to Zagreb airport, for 22 Citadis XO5 trams that will CALGARY. After 35 years of are under construction; 18 which would be built in stages, be used on future line T9 from service, Calgary Transit’s first LRV, Bombardier-type five-section trams starting in 2019. RGI October 2020. Delivery of the 44m Duewag-built 2001, made its (0101-18) assembled by CRRC 100% low-floor cars will start in last passenger-carrying trip on Nanjing Puzhen, will be joined CZECH REPUBLIC mid-2019 and they are designed to 17 November. It had run 2.5 million by nine shorter versions and MOST. The EVO1 prototype be 97% recyclable when they come km (1.55m miles). ctvnews 18 trams built under Škoda licence low-floor bogie tram has been to the end of their lives. KITCHENER. A team from the (0201-18). BS numbered 316 in the Most fleet and The 10km (6.2-mile) line T9 will LRT project visited the Thunder Bay URUMQI. The first metro train has been repainted in fleet livery. run from Porte de Choisy to Orly- factory of rolling stock contractor for the new system was unveiled T3 253 is being rebuilt as Vario Ville. There is an option for a further Bombardier in late November and at CRRC Zhuzhou in November; LFR.S by Pragoimex. BS 68 trams; some will be required found the first of 14 Flexity trams 27 six-car trains are being delivered PRAHA (Prague). The last 17 for line T10 (Anthony – Clamart) under construction, but unlikely for the 27km (16.7-mile) line 1, trams with in 2021. to be ready for delivery by the end due to open in 2019. IRJ unrebuilt bodywork are Although the decision on a of the year as promised (originally WUHAN. Passenger-carrying 7121/2/42/4/74/89/91 and contract for 371 RER New Generation May 2016). They were told the fleet tests have started on a new 7205/35/56/62/9/73/5/82/5/9/90, trains is not due to be announced will be in the city by the end of 2017, 16.8km (10.4-mile) CNY2.6bn usually in coupled sets on lines until the New Year, it appears a delay likely to cost CAD1.2m (EUR355.4m) tramline, using 1 and 9. All are likely to be that the Alstom/Bombardier (EUR841 700) and delay the start the first cars from a fleet of withdrawn in the first months consortium is the only bidder left of passenger service, planned for 21 ordered from CRRC Zhuzhou of 2017 as more Škoda 15T arrive in the competition, since CAF have early 2018. D. Drum with Siemens equipment. (up to 9388 delivered by the end been told not to submit a best and

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final bid. The new stock is to enter The first of 40 NF6 trams to be service on line D from 2022. IRJ sent to IFTEC in for mid- SAINT-ÉTIENNE. Driver training life refurbishment was 2102. The with the new CAF trams started EUR20m contract will run until on 21 November. summer 2019. The Rheinbahn has given up GERMANY looking for a new contractor for BERLIN. The election of a new the buffet service on line U78 to coalition to run the city council (which ceased in 2014), from September 2016 saw plans and the equipment is being for further tramway extensions removed from Stadtbahn-B cars announced (with work on all 4101-4; 1973 GT8SU 3206 (Duewag of them to start before the next 1973) has joined the museum elections in 2021: Alexanderplatz – fleet. BS Potsdamer Platz – Rathaus Steglitz; /MÜLHEIM/. Turmstrasse – Mierendorffplatz; Both undertakings were suffering Warschauer Strasse – Hermannplatz; significant staff shortages (12%) last Pankow – Heinersdorf – Weissensee. autumn, resulting in ten-minute On the U-Bahn the refurbished headways being increased to D57 survivors 2000/1, 2020/1 15 minutes from 15 November until A computer-generated image of the Alstom Citadis XO5 for line T9 in Paris. STIF and 2246/7 (DL68) are ready to at least March. enter service on the U55 shuttle, After repair of fire damage at line 22 was cut back from 12 with 7000 visitors. A shuttle releasing the F76 trains back to line Talbot Services in , former December until summer 2018. BS service from Max-Weber-Platz U5. No more U-Bahn extensions are Docklands LRV 5230 has returned INDUSTRY. The factory site of was operated using museum set planned after completion of U5. to service in a new version of the FTD Fahrzeugtechnik Bahnen 490+1401 and P set 2010+3004. The The last S-Bahn units of yellow livery. In Essen the 900m Dessau has been acquired by 49-year old P trams can still be seen classes 480 485/885 are, since (0.6-mile) section of guided Chinese interests that have in passenger service on line 21. BS 30 October, no longer permitted busway in Wittenbergstrasse taken on 50 workers to compete in NAUMBERG. The heritage to use the east–west Stadtbahn due (former tramway alignment) was the railway business. BS tramway carried its 100 000th to the conversion to cab signalling. abandoned on 10 October. BS . Teething troubles passenger of the year on 7 October, They are still used on the Ring, not FRANKFURT/Main. U5-50 LRVs with bogies and software led to compared with 23 December due for conversion until 2025. up to 910 were in service by the two periods in September and in 2015. The total for 2016 was The next timetable change is end of October. BS November when all 27 Vossloh expected to be a new record, planned for 21 August 2017, when FRANKFURT/. Despite NET2012 trams had to be removed 125 000. In 2017 the line the long-standing reconstruction the demonstration of a Solaris from service. This led to the should be operating 400m at Ostkreuz will permit the re- Tramino 100% low-floor tram in re-appearance of 124 and 213 on (0.25 miles) further, from introduction of line S3 to Westkreuz. September, the state parliament schools services, and the regular Vogelwiese to Salztor. BS The modernisation of GT6 is refusing to release a credit to use of 500-series high-floor trams NÜRNBERG. The first trial trams continues, with consequent permit the purchase of new trams. on line 5. BS run on the tramway extension renumbering: 1070-3 are now 1570- The city is appealing to the federal KÖLN (Cologne). ROBEL has to Am Wegfeld took place on 3, while 2005-15 are now 2205-15. government for help. BS delivered three new powered 12 October. Regular passenger So far 125 of 189 Bombardier Flexity GÖRLITZ. The Transport Plan works cars (6311-3) and five service on extended line 4 started Berlin trams are in service, and the 2019-2028 includes the retention trailers (6611-5) to renew the track on 11 December (opening ceremony remaining option for 21 is about to of tramway operation and the maintenance fleet, replacing 6201, on 10 December). From the be exercised. purchase of the first three low- 6405 and 6701. BS same date route 6 was re-extended The Tatra era (582 were delivered floor trams by 2021, with five . Planning from Plärrer to Westfriedhof. BS in 1976-97) is fast approaching its more to follow. The operating permission has been granted for the . Six new end, although a strategic reserve agreement with Veolia- 3.5km (2.2-mile) tram extension to Schwebebahn cars were delivered of 40 KT4D is expected to survive will expire on 31 December 2017, Neustädter Feld (Damaschkeplatz by the end of November, when until 2019. 219.282, 219.481, 6166, when the operation will revert to the – Hermann-Bruse-Platz), and work the first of the existing fleet to be and 5117+5563 are expected to city as Görlitzer Verkehrsbetriebe will start in 2017. BS removed from the line was 02. DS survive in the museum fleet. BS GmbH. BS . Delivery of Stadler . The entry GOTHA. The city has rejected Variobahn trams was completed into service of Solaris Tramino an offer by local bus operator with the arrival of 236 on ATHINA. Tenders have been 100% low-floor cars was finally Steinbrück to replace the city 28 October. invited for the construction of the completed on 22 October, when tramway and Thüringerwaldbahn The first test runs on the first phase of metro line 4, 12km 1457 (delivered in December 2015) interurban with buses. Steinbrück Mainzelbahn took place on 28 (7.5 miles) from Alsos Veikou to entered traffic. Solaris engineers claimed that conversion to bus November. With the opening of Goudi. IRJ are still on site sorting out teething operation would reduce the subsidy the new line to Lerchenberg on problems. BS requirement, but city councilors did 11 December, the route network GUATEMALA . Trams returned not believe the plan was realistic. DS became: 50, Finthen Römerquelle GUATEMALA CITY. A 20km to the rebuilt Bismarckstrasse . The first new ET490 set – Hechtsheim Bürgerhaus; 51, (12.4-mile) north–south light rail for the first time since 2013 on for S-Bahn service was delivered on Finthen Poststrasse – Lerchenberg; line estimated to cost USD770m 8 November, at first for testing and 10 October and soon went on trial 52, Bretzenheim – Hechtsheim is to be tendered as a public- training, but on 11 December for between Ohlsdorf and Barmbek. Schinnergraben; 53, Lerchenberg private partnership in 2017 after a public service on line 3. DS ET490 101 is the first of eight – Hechtsheim Bürgerhaus. When proposal prepared by Spanish DORTMUND. The first operation dual-voltage sets (750 V dc third rail the new line to Zollhafen is engineers was included in through the new section of and 15kV ac overhead). It will not opened in 2017, it will be served the government’s economic tram subway at Vahleweg/ enter service until autumn 2017. by line 59 from Hochschule. BS programme. Marsbruchstrasse on line U47 was Work has started to build the new MÜNCHEN (). Route 25 on 13 November. DS S-Bahn line from Hasselbrook to Bad was extended to Berg-am-Laim HUNGARY DÜSSELDORF. It is hoped that Oldesloe. BS from 11 December after an opening BUDAPEST. MÁV, the national planning permission for a tramway . In connection ceremony the previous day. rail operator, took over the HÉV extension from Freiligrathplatz with work on the new tramline The 140th anniversary of suburban light rail lines from BKV to Flughafen will be given in to Bahnstadt, and the new tramway operation was celebrated on 24 November, with operational early 2017. motorway bridge at Eppelheim, at the MVG museum on 21 October, expenditure funded by central

30 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org government and the city of Underground could increase that Budapest. to 73 300 with a main interchange The ex-Hannover Stadtbahn between lines at Pearse, and the cars delivered in 2016 are expanded network allowing numbered 1610-19 (ex-Üstra improved interchange with 6105/9/14/5/27/4/32/72/6/92). DS and bus services. DEBRECEN. Work will start in Night Luas services were again 2017 on a HUF21bn (EUR67m) to be provided on Fridays and project to create a transport Saturdays in December and over interchange at the railway station, the festive period. Generally a including a new tram terminus.TR 30-minute Red line headway was to be provided from The Point to INDIA Tallaght and Saggart alternately LUCKNOW. Alstom unveiled until 03.00, with the same the first metro train for the city headway on the between in a ceremony at its Sri City plant St. Stephen’s Green and Brides Glen on 4 November. The company is until 03.30. supplying 20 four-car trains for the 22.9km (14.2-mile) metro, due to ISLE OF MAN open in 2020. IRJ DOUGLAS. The horse tramway attracted 69 542 passengers in the The points have been installed at Meadowhall for the UK's tram-train pilot IRAN 2016 operating season, an increase scheme and the platform at Parkgate, in the extreme distance, is under ISFAHAN. Metro line 1 was from 48 772 in 2015. Income construction. Richard Buckley extended by 800m from Shohada increased by GBP30 000 (EUR35 to Takhti on 2 November, while 000), although the tramway was closer to the Summit Hotel it would in its place. De Lairesserstraat three new intermediate stations still expected to show an albeit- have rolled towards the buffer stops. and De Johannes Vermeerstraat were opened on the existing line. reduced deficit of GBP60 000 Although crews were aware of the will lose their trams with lines urbanrail.net (EUR71 000). instruction that trams were not to 7 and 16 diverted to Postjesweg TEHRAN. The intermediate Work has now begun on be left unattended, it was custom and Hoofdweg. Route 9 will run Shahid Sayyad-e-Shirazi station repairing the road surface of the and practice to do so at the Summit. from Diemen to Sloterdijk on metro line 3 was opened on 7 Promenade, along which the An improvement notice was and route 1 from Osdotp to November. urbanrail.net tramway runs, pending a decision issued which ordered management Muiderpoortstation. Line 14 will being made on a revised scheme for to review procedures for managing run to Centraal Station, replacing IRELAND its full reconstruction. and communicating changes line 9. OR DUBLIN. Iarnród Éireann (Irish The 2017 operating dates have to railway infrastructure to staff DEN HAAG. The work at Rail) has developed a truncated been announced as 8 April–5 that may be affected, and review Scheveningen Noorderstrand version of its DART Underground November, an extended season supervision requirements at the was achieved in such a way that expansion project involving compared with previous years. Summit station. Much of this route 1 resumed operation here shorter tunnels and less capacity The dates for the Isle of Man work has been done and work from 17 November. Route 9 followed on the central core. It is hoped Railway are 18 March–5 November, on improving the parking brake on 11 December. digitaletram.nl these economies could secure and maintenance procedures is at an . The Hoek van government approval to allow 9 March–5 November. However, advanced stage. Holland rail line will close on construction to begin in 2020. note that on all lines a daily service 1 April to permit conversion to The planned expansion may not be provided early and late metro operation. Replacement originally included an 8.6km (5.3- in the season. BERGAMO. The 9.2km buses will run until September mile) tunnel from to SNAEFELL. A summary of the (5.7-mile) tramline 2 2017, when line B will start operating , with stations at report prepared by the Health will link Bergamo and Villa to Hoek van Holland and line A Inchicore, Heuston, Christchurch, & Safety at Work Inspectorate d’Almé on the railway alignment as far as Vlaardingen-West during St Stephen’s Green, Pearse Street and following the runaway of Snaefell closed in 1966. Eleven more trams weekday peak periods. OR . Trains would then tram 3 on 30 March 2016 has will be required. EA continue to Clontarf Road, and to been released by the Isle of GENOVA – CASELLA. Service NEW ZEALAND Howth/Malahide and Drogheda. Man government. This revealed was suspended from 14-18 October AUCKLAND. The Dockline IÉ is examining three options: shortcomings in the recording of after a violent storm brought heritage tramway in the Wynard • Shortening the tunnel length by inspections and maintenance of down trees. TR Quarter resumed partial operation deleting the Inchicore to Heuston the parking brake on the Snaefell on 9 October. TW section, possibly involving the Mountain Railway trams together MYANMAR removal of a station at Inchicore. with failures in the way changes YANGON. It is reported that the POLAND • Terminating the tunnel at Pearse to railway infrastructure were tram operation along Strand Rd BYDGOSZCZ. PESA was the station, where it would connect managed. Tram 3 was destroyed ceased in July 2016 after just six only bidder on the contract for 18 with the existing Dart system. after it left the Summit station months of operation due to a lack low-floor trams, and a PLN141.1m • Building proposed connecting unmanned and overturned just of passengers. M.Rowe (EUR31.6m) contract for 15 line, with a requirement to change before Bungalow, after travelling five-section and three three-section trains at Heuston to connect with 1.75km (1.1 miles). trams has been signed. Delivery will the Kildare line and Hazelhatch. Changes had been made to the AMSTERDAM. The EUR200m be in 2017-18. RGI Assessment of these options track layout at the Summit during contract for 63 new trams from CAF is expected to be complete by the closed winter season and had was signed on 11 November; there the end of 2017. The total cost of not been completed around the is an option for a further 60 cars. BUCURESTI. The government the scheme, sidelined in 2015, is Summit Hotel. Trams could not When the new North–South has approved the construction EUR4.5bn of which the tunnel reach the intended dropping off metro line is opened in July 2018 the of metro line 6 in the period makes up EUR2.65bn under its point and as a result tram 3 had number of trams along Leidsestraat 2017-22, which will link Gara Nord original design. The remainder been moved to the down line to will be reduced by 25%, along and Otopeni airport. TR includes the cost of re-signalling, allow another tram to unload. Vijzelstraat by 50% and through . System reconstruction new trains and other measures. It had been left unattended but Rembrandtplein by 25%. Line 5 will has been completed and in October IÉ currently has the capacity to secured about 10m further down no longer use Leidsestraat, but will all lines were in service, albeit bring 43 700 passengers into the the line than it would have been in divert to terminate at Westerpark. limited, as the only cars available city every hour, but DART the previous year. If it had been left will run to Centraal Station were the ten Siemens ULF. BS

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Piccadilly; Bury and Piccadilly; DUBAI. Serco has been awarded a Airport and Deansgate-Castlefield; three-year extension of its contract East Didsbury and Rochdale Town to operate the Downtown Dubai Centre via 2CC; and Eccles and Trolley, until 2018. Trade Arabia Ashton-under-Lyne. Additional services 07.00-19.00 Monday- UNITED KINGDOM Saturday will link Altrincham and BLACKPOOL. The tramway’s Bury direct; East Didsbury and winter service resumed from 6 Shaw & Crompton via 2CC; and November with a basic 15-minute MediaCityUK and Etihad Campus. headway during the day and In 2015 Transport for Greater 30-minutes early mornings and Manchester announced that evenings, co-ordinated with the incumbent RATP Dev as well as parallel bus service. KeolisAmey, National Express CARDIFF. The Welsh Government and Transdev had pre-qualified has indicated that conventional for the new seven-year operations electrification is not the only and maintenance contract. TfGM Six months to build a new urban tramway may set something of a record. alternative for replacing diesel has confirmed that it is currently In November the tracks were laid and the overhead were up in Samarkand’s trains on the ‘core’ Valley Lines evaluating submissions with a Buyuk Ipak Yuli Ulitsa. R. Yumagulov during the next franchise. decision of a preferred bidder to Stored energy systems and hybrid be made shortly. RUSSIA CHF50m (EUR46.5m). There is an systems will also be considered. LONDON (UNDERGROUND). KAZAN. The last KTM-8 trams option for a further ten sets. EA The ‘core’ lines are defined as London Mayor Sadiq Khan has were taken out of service on . Bombardier Flexity trams the Valley Lines north of Cardiff confirmed a freeze on bus and tram 7 November. transphoto.ru up to 5031 were delivered by the end Queen Street plus the Cardiff Bay tickets, Pay As You Go journeys KHABAROVSK. Three 71-623- of October; the company switched line. The new contract is due to start on the Tube, Docklands Light 02 trams have been ordered from production from Bautzen to Wien in October 2018. Railway and Transport for London Ust-Katav for RUR48.9m from 5029. EDINBURGH. The proportion of rail as well as bike hire charges (EUR720 000, with delivery before Sent to Beograd in October were Edinburgh Airport travellers using until 2020. As the mayor only the end of 2016. RGI trailers 1455/61/9/74 while 1457 the tram has fallen to 8% of journeys has the power to set fares on NOVOSIBIRSK. Tramlines 2 and 1500, plus motor cars 469/73 to/from the terminal – previously, TfL services, travelcards including and 8 were extended on new track were scrapped; 466/72/5/6 are the 10% of journeys were being made use on services and to Ustal Sloboda (CHP-2) from last of this type in service, together by tram. The lower usage has been their associated daily and weekly 9 November. transphoto.ru with trailers 1458/9/78. Short Flexity attributed to the fare being GBP1 caps are expected to increase in PAVLODAR. The call for tenders 6001 entered service on line 3 from (EUR1.2) more than the bus; the line with inflation. As a result, for the supply of 25 new trams 4 November. tram location of the tram terminal away Mr Khan has called on the UK closed on 5 December. transphoto.ru CHUR - ST. MORITZ (RhB). A from the main airport building; and Government to follow his lead and SANKT PETERBURG. PKTS CHF67.9m (EUR63.1m) option the establishment of Uber transport freeze fares on London’s suburban production batch 71-931 low-floor for nine more Flügel sets has been services in the city. Although bus rail services. articulated car 0103 was badly exercised, increasing the order services to the terminal have seen The Northern line ‘Night Tube’ damaged on 26 November when placed in June from 27 to 36. EA a fall, they still provide some 25% was launched on 18 November it was hit by a truck in a traffic GENEVE. Stadler has started of all journeys. with 8-15 minute headways accident. transphoto.ru delivery of Be6/10 Tango trams Overall tram passenger use between Morden, High Barnet and SARATOV. Former Moskva 1820-32. The first has been is buoyant, with a 9% increase Edgware on Friday and Saturday KTM-8 trams 4215/21/66 entered decorated by a local artist and recorded in the year to May 2016. nights. The 24-hour service was service on 25 November as entered service on line 14 on It is also expected that the opening expected to commence on the Saratov 1329/31/2. transphoto.ru 1 December. BS of the long-delayed Edinburgh Piccadilly line in December. LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS – Gateway tram-train interchange SOLENT. Portsmouth City, SOUTH KOREA GLOVELIER (CJ). Stadler is on 11 December will encourage Southampton City and Isle of SEOUL. Bids have been invited delivering Be4.4 651-5, which rail passengers from Fife and Wight Councils are negotiating a for 32 four-car metro trains for will work with existing ABt further north to switch to the devolution deal with Government the 30km (18.6-mile) line 9, for renumbered 715-9. EA tram for Edinburgh Airport. The which could give a new Solent delivery by the end of 2018. The LUGANO. The linking GBP41m (EUR48m) station adjoins mayoral authority GBP900m metropolitan government has the town centre with the railway the roundabout; its (EUR1.07bn) over the next 30 approved plans to merge the city’s station, closed since August 2014, construction was held up due to years to improve infrastructure, two metro operators in 2017. IRJ re-opened on 11 December with the tram project delays. transport and housing. The two new 100-passenger cars built The cost of an inquiry into Councils’ prospectus specifically by Garaventa/CWA Constructions the Edinburgh tram project has mentions light rail as a project . The Citybanan Olten. EA now reached more than GBP6m that the money would be spent on. subway for commuter rail services (EUR7m), according to Scottish SOUTH YORKSHIRE. The on the north–south link will Government figures. It was final vehicle of the batch of seven open for revenue service on . CAF has delivered originally estimated that it would (399 201-207) to be used on the tram- 10 July 2017, relieving capacity the first of 21 six-car automated cost no more than GBP1m train pilot was delivered in October; problems on the bridges south of metro sets that will be used on line (EUR1.2m). No witnesses have yet work continues on infrastructure Stockholm C. There will be new M5 when it opens in 2017. RGI been called and the chairman, from Meadowhall to Parkgate in underground stations at Stockholm Lord Hardie, is not expected to Rotherham. None of the batch has City (metro T-Centralen) and UKRAINE produce his report until 2018. yet entered service. Odenplan (the latter offering metro KYIV. The second PESA 71-414 . TYNE & WEAR. New Metro stations interchange and replacing the Fokstrot 100% low-floor tram was Manchester Airport services will could serve planned housing at existing surface station Karlberg). delivered to Shevchenko depot on be extended beyond Cornbrook Murton Gap and Killingworth Moor 22 November. transphoto.ru to Deansgate-Castlefield, and by 2022, under proposals by North SWITZERLAND ODESSA. The latest T3 rebuilt eventually to Victoria, after Tyneside Council. A public inquiry AARAU (WSB). Five 60m with a low-floor central area by opening of the Second City was to take place in November and three-section metre-gauge trains STS KP Kyivpasstrans is 5008; 2966 Crossing (2CC) early in 2017. December. have been ordered from Stadler and 3300 arrived earlier in 2016. Services will run seven days a The trial allowing cyclists to for delivery in 2019 at a cost of transphoto.ru week between Altrincham and carry non-folding bikes on the

32 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org network is to be extended until contract for operation and HEATON PARK (UK). The ‘Large Attraction of the Year’ and a March. Usually only folding bikes maintenance of the 7.8km (4.8- tramway will re-open for the 2017 Bronze award for ‘Artistic, Cultural are allowed. mile) modern tramline to Herzog season on 19 February, weather & Learning Experience’ at the WEST MIDLANDS. Provision for Transit Services. The contract is permitting. Special operating days 2016 Devon Tourism Awards. The a new Midland Metro terminus is worth USD20m over seven years. are to include an event on 2 April tramway will now be fast-tracked to be made during the rebuilding of Construction was expected to to celebrate 50 years of the into the South West Tourism Wolverhampton station, which is start before Christmas with service Manchester Transport Museum Excellence Awards in 2017. expected to start in 2017. The scheme planned for late 2018. E. B. Havens Society; 9 April when free travel is part of an ongoing GBP120m PHILADELPHIA, PA. SEPTA will be granted to residents in local CONTRIBUTORS (EUR142m) redevelopment project. staff in the city transit division postcodes; a ‘Tramtastic Day Out’ Worldwide items for inclusion went on strike from midnight on on 2 July; and the annual Trans- should be sent to Michael Taplin USA 31 October in a dispute over pay Lancs Vehicle Show on 3 September. at Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, BUFFALO, NY. The rebuilt and conditions. The strike was KLAGENFURT (AT). Tramway Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. USD4.4m light rail subway station settled after seven days, in time for operation returned to this Austrian Fax: +44 (0)1983 862810 or serving the new University of partial service to resume on 7 city from 22 September to 3 e-mail: [email protected] Buffalo Medical school opened on November and full service on October, marking 125 years from UK and Ireland items and 21 November. E. B .Havens election day. E. B. Havens the inauguration of the former images are welcomed by Home CHARLOTTE, NC. CATS has PORTLAND, OR. The city tramway (closed 1963); 110m News Editor John Symons, 17 awarded a USD41m contract for is planning a 1km (0.62-mile) (120 yards) of track was laid in Whitmore Avenue, Werrington, six more LRVs to Siemens, which extension of the Wiesbadener Strasse and battery Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 0LW, UK. will supply S70 cars as already in South Waterfront line from SW car 25 shuttled to and fro with E-mail [email protected] use on the Blue line. The new cars, Lowell to SW Hamilton. crossbench trailer 111. BS Acknowledgements are due to for the extended Gold line, will SEATTLE, WA. Preliminary SCHWANDEN - ELM (CH). The BS Blickpunkt Strassenbahn, ctvnews, have hybrid traction, with batteries utilities work started on 2 November association set up to remember digitaletram.nl, DS Drehscheibe, EA to permit operation on a section to connect the South Lake the Sernftalbahn (closed 1969) Eisenbahn Amateur, EB Eisenbahn, without overhead. Union and First Hill tramlines by a has acquired Stern & Hafferl Edinburgh Evening News, GRN The existing heritage tramway new line on 1st Avenue. E. B. .Havens ET26 109/10, which were originally Global Rail News, IRJ International operation on the Gold line is WASHINGTON, DC. All the Be4/4 6 and 5 on the Swiss line. Rail Journal, Mike Haddon, Montreal expected to cease when the 4000-series Breda-built metro Car 6 is being restored at Elm bus Gazette, OR Op de Rails, Richard extension is opened in August 2020. cars were removed from service garage, while 5 is having asbestos Buckley, RGI Railway Gazette The lowest construction bid came from 18 November after concerns removed and will be displayed in a International, T-2000 Tram 2000, from Johnson Brothers Corp. at about their ATC interface museum at Engi-Vorderdorf. EA TR Today’s Railway, Trade Arabia, USD94.08m. E. B .Havens were revealed. They returned SEATON (UK). The Seaton tram, transphoto.ru, urbanrail.net DENVER, CO. Plans to open to service within days, but only as Tramway has won a Silver Award for and Wolverhampton Express & Star. two more light rail extensions (lines intermediate cars. R. Barrows G and R) in 2016 were not achieved, with mid-January now being more MUSEUM NEWS likely. E. B .Havens BLACK COUNTRY LIVING DETROIT, MI. Tracklaying on MUSEUM (UK). A bid for GBP10m the Q Line tramway was completed (EUR12m) of Heritage Lottery PMP Transport Films on 11 November; passenger service Fund money is being made for a is expected in spring 2017. redevelopment of the museum, Check out our website for recent releases and new locations. The third of six Brookville Liberty to include an expanded circular Still serving electric traction enthusiasts worldwide – hybrid trams was delivered in tramway. and yes we are happy to supply those with no internet access. late November for operation on CRICH (UK). The Tramway 2088. Makeyevka. Ukraine. March 1995. Trams, Trolleys, 2128. San Francisco. USA. April 2011. Trams, light rail, the 60% of the line that will be Museum Society is hoping to Buses. Just beyond the trolleys of Donetsk the next system trolleybuses, buses, cable cars. A chance to catch up on the of trams & trolleys starts in this industrial area. West Coast city which has so much transport. overhead free. E. B. Havens provide its depot with a fully NEW YORK, NY (Metro North). insulated roof, insulated doors, 2089. Jenakijevo & Donetsk. March 1995. Trams, Trolleys, 2153. Reims. France. Trams. May 2011. Another new A further 60 M8 EMU cars have partition walling and extra wall Buses, freezing cold snow driven by harsh winds but tramway for France, two lines with multi coloured tram amazing scenes including several works vehicles. cars running without overhead in the historic city centre. been ordered from Kawasaki, with insulation at a cost estimated to an option for a further 34. The be GBP400 000 (EUR472 000). 2092. Kiev. Ukraine. Tram, Trolleybus, Bus. March 1995. 2167. Minsk, Polotsk. Belarus. Tram, Trolleybus, Bus. June commuter rail system already has It is hoped that half this sum At last we reach the capital amidst sleet and snow, 9Tr 2011. The first volume of our tour including all locations trolleys still in action, trams act as feeders. with trams or trolleybuses in this little visited place. 405 cars of this type. E. B. Havens can be obtained from grant funding OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. The city but the remainder will need to be 2097. Calcutta Trams. 1960-80s. An archive feature 2168. Vitebsk. Belarus. Tram, Trolleybus, Bus. June 2011. council has awarded a management raised by an appeal. starting with HEC Piercey shots in 1968 then film by Alan A visit which started wet but came out sunny so we could Mortimer, Martin Rickitt and video by Richard Lomas. enjoy the old RVZ trams, depot visit and trolleys.

2120. Hungary. Trams, Trolleys, Buses. 1992. Taken on an 2206. Romania. Trams, Trolleybuses, Buses. 1966-1994. Airtours one day outing and it was a Sunday; a sample of HEC Piercey collection, John Taylor and Richard Lomas. the many types of trams plus trolleys, metro,buses. Constanta, Braila, Galati and Bucharest the capital.

2121. Hungary.Tram,Bus,Trolley. Fen 1996. A snowy scene 2207. Romania. Trams, Trolleybuses. 1994. By Richard in the Hungarian capital, mainly trams, many locations Lomas. loiesti, Brasov, Iasi, , Oradea, Timisoara, plus the rack railway with cab ride in snow. Resita and Craiova - fantastic amateur scenes.

TRANSPORT DVDs FROM THE UK AND EUROPE Current tram DVD list: Travel the world of trams, you can even travel back in time with the PMP archive. 013 - Croydon 2012 042 - Midland Metro 2015/2016 Numerous overseas and UK tram or trolleybus systems being covered in 2016, 014 - Vienna 2012 039 (Rail DVD) - and see them first on our web site and follow our blog.

019 - Sheffield Supertram 2013 Wuppertal; includes film of A SELECTION OF FILMS FROM OUR EXTENSIVE RANGE, SENT POST FREE WORLDWIDE. 026 - 2014 DVDs £15 EACH, TWO OR MORE £12 EACH. CREDIT CARDS WELCOME. 035 - Nottingham Express Transit 2015 ORIGINAL SOUND ONLY, NO MUSIC OR COMMENTARY PMP, 17 BIRCHWOOD DRIVE, LOWER PEOVER, ALL DVDs £8 EACH, POST FREE, PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES & CHESHIRE, WA16 9QJ Tel: 01565 722045 Fax: 01565 722038 POSTAL ORDERS PAYABLE TO “MARK ELLIS” E-mail: [email protected] www.greateasterntransportfilms.co.uk www.pmpfilms.com 31 IVES ROAD, NORWICH, NR6 6DY UK TEL: 07585 923605

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 33 Letters

MAILBOX Get your views into print Letters should be clearly typed and preferably not handwritten. [email protected] +44 (0)1733 367615 We reserve the right to shorten contributions for publication.

Does Sandilands fuel the case for driverless trams?

When Tramlink opened in 2000, it was under the proud slogan It may also be asked why the Y-junction near Sandilands was “Croydon is on the Right Track”. Perhaps the recent tragic not completed with a straight chord laid on the abandoned accident suggests it may be (in part) on the wrong track. The railway alignment. Apart from its operational utility, the accident was probably caused by a) excessive speed of the vehicle existence of a three-way junction (and of three sets of facing b) its vertical stability, and c) the absence of grooved (girder) rails points) would impose a physical speed restraint on drivers. Given in key parts of the system, or a combination of all three. that the Croydon point-setting is subject to central control, The existence of a short-radius curve on the Sandilands bend is drivers would presumably need to slow and visually satisfy almost unique on the Tramlink system when such sharp curves themselves of their direction over all these facing points. were indeed commonplace on first-generation British tramways. The matter is of wider significance as the next expansion of However, these typically occurred in street-running sections Tramlink may well be directly affected by the Inquiry’s findings within city centres. Excessive tram speeds were effectively and recommendations. More importantly, the whole question of constrained by either traffic light control or conflicting road new tramways or light rapid transit elsewhere in London may be vehicle movements or both. politically determined by perceptions of the safety of such networks. Previous types of British trams do not seem to have suffered John MacBryde, Highgate (UK) problems of instability. Unlike contemporary motor buses, they were not usually subjected to tilting tests, presumably because It was interesting to note the two suppliers of ‘driver assistance of the level nature of street-running or reserved alignments. systems’ recognised at the Global Light Rail Awards (TAUT 948). One exception seems to have been the innovative all-metal car While comprehensive driver training, as the judges mentioned, introduced in 1932 by Edinburgh Corporation Transport; this was can never be replaced, surely there is a pertinent case to be made experimentally subject to a successful tilting test of 22.5 degrees. for such systems. Systems that read the track and conditions and The relevance of vertical stability to modern trams is that these offer driver warnings or impose maximum speed limits are within are increasingly of a low-floor (+330mm) design and the absence easy reach technologically and anything that acts as an additional of adequate underfloor space means that all ancillary electrical or layer of safety to ensure that the horrendous loss of life and injuries other apparatus (e.g. air-conditioning etc) is located at roof level. seen at Sandilands never happen again is worth the investment. It may well be that such vehicles have a vertical centre of gravity T. Wittamly, by e-mail not so very far off that of a traditional double-deck tram. Tramlink is also largely on reserved tracks – contrasting LRTA Chairman Andrew Braddock: John MacBryde makes some strongly with networks where the majority of the system is interesting points, but the interim RAIB report clearly indicates that accommodated within the public highway. The most extensive the tram was travelling at more than three times the 20km/h speed sections of (interurban) reserved track were in lengths such limit for the curve ahead of the Sandilands stop and the use of grooved as Barrhead – Glasgow, Airdrie – Glasgow and Blackpool – or girder rail would have made no difference to the outcome. Indeed, . All of these were authorised shortly before, during there is a tendency to use conventional Vignoles rail on many off-street or after World War One. Presumably they were subject to very sections of tramways to help reduce wheel-flange wear. rigorous inspection by the then Board of Trade or newly-formed Unfortunately, at the speed involved, the tram would have been Ministry of Transport. It is not entirely clear what inspection bound to leave the track on a 30m radius curve. Though uncommon on regime (HSE?) was in force before the opening of Tramlink. the Croydon network, curves of this radius (or sharper) are frequently Older lines were laid entirely with grooved tram rails although found on tramways the world over and it can obviously be said that the Fleetwood reserved section was initially laid with bullhead these are potential weak points in cases of excessive speed. rails, equipped with continuous check rails. I believe the latter In common with other road vehicles (which can be regarded as their was made a condition of the running of double-deck vehicles. close relatives) the behaviour and vigilance of tram drivers is absolutely Perhaps the Sandilands Junction ought, in accordance with the critical to safety. The loss of life on 9 November will rightly raise issues ‘precautionary principle’, to be laid with grooved (girder) rail. of speed control but we must guard against draconian proposals that Given the capacity of modern articulated low-floor trams to might put the cost of more new tramways in the UK out of reach. speedily negotiate very small radius curves in street-running, it Trams have an extremely good safety record and we need careful would seem absolutely essential to equip all such isolated and analysis of what happened in Croydon to ensure that remains the case. locally untypical 90-degree curves on reserved sections with the Getting people to give up their cars in favour of public transport added security of grooved track due to the higher speeds possible. makes it safer for everyone. Trams are best at ensuring this happens.

Is Metrolink really the world’s best? The majority of Metrolink uses former heavy The same Ashton tram route, according I am writing to pass comment on rail lines and stations; certainly, the Altrincham to Tameside Council leader Kieran Quinn, [Manchester] Metrolink being named to Bury line primarily uses old stations that was going to bring “massive benefits” to the ‘Operator of the Year’ at the recent Global have been tarted up and rebranded. So too for borough when it opened in 2013, including Light Rail Awards (TAUT 948). My belief the Oldham/Rochdale line into Manchester my home town of Droylsden. Yet both Ashton is that Metrolink is a joke amongst many Victoria. Lines such as the Ashton-under-Lyne and Droylsden are as squalid, down-at-heel Mancunians – and I am not alone as this is route use the main road corridor previously places as you could wish to find. A large shop, backed up by many comments in local media. served by a significant and reliable bus service just metres from a Metrolink stop, has been Transport for Greater Manchester can when it would have made more sense to empty (give or take a few months in 2015) boast as much as it likes about the number introduce a rail link from Ashton to Victoria. since the line opened in February 2013. of journeys being made by trams around TfGM advises you to take a tram from Ashton The full 9.7km (six-mile) route took more the city, yet it can’t actually say how many into Manchester that takes 30-45 minutes, yet than four years to complete and while unique passengers make up these journeys. a train from Ashton takes 10-12 minutes. businesses suffered, no compensation was

34 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org offered; houses could only be sold at reduced TfGM’s Metrolink Director, Peter Cushing, The line to Ashton offers a fantastic prices due to the desolation of construction responded: We are fully aware of Mr Baxter’s platform for continued investment, growth and work. Yet TfGM tells us that trams bring with grievances relating to Metrolink, much of which regeneration throughout the borough, while 2CC them an increase in house prices – yes, but is either wrong or ill-informed. Metrolink is an will give us the ability to target greater capacity only because they fell so far in the first place! undoubted success story and the envy of owners and frequency of service in line with demand The same Tameside council leader, having and operators across the globe. across the network. made such grandiose claims, now believes Our multi-award winning expansion there should be a circular route to link up programme - one of the most complex light rail Why not an Oxford Street Monorail? the region’s other major towns. Government projects to be delivered in the UK - has seen us There has been much talk recently about the money for Phases 3A and 3B of the Metrolink treble the size of the original network and we are loss of bus passengers in London as traffic and expansion was obtained on the promise of now connecting more people than ever before, other impediments slow buses to walking pace. a six-minute service – there is no six-minute including those households in deprived areas, One of the worst thoroughfares, which has service on the East Manchester line and never with jobs, retail and leisure opportunities exercised the minds of at least two London will be because it is underused and unloved. Initial findings at this early stage show that a mayors is Oxford Street, with its thousands of As it stands, Metrolink is great for quarter of all trips on the new extensions would shoppers crossing the road at the many traffic Manchester because it simply takes people have otherwise been made by car and more than lights and along the street at all points. From away from the outlying boroughs and into three-and-a-half times more people are using the the point of view of pedestrians, the buses and the city so businesses here suffer badly. Now, a Oldham and Rochdale Metrolink line than used taxis get in the way and add danger to crossing Second City Crossing has wreaked more havoc the former heavy rail services. the road; for the buses, and their passengers, across the centre; businesses have reported a You only have to look to places like MediaCityUK, the shoppers slow them to unacceptable major downfall in takings during construction, Oldham and Wythenshawe town centre to see the levels and make it difficult to maintain any but again no compensation is offered. impact Metrolink is having in regenerating the meaningful schedule. Rerouting the buses Reliability issues on the system are also a areas it serves, while a Nationwide house price into parallel streets is not the answer because joke. Barely 48 hours after its wins at the Awards survey found that Metrolink has a significant they too would soon be over-congested. a simple accident caused meltdown, and impact on property values, with homes 500m It would seem therefore, that a service other incidences since that time have caused from a stop attracting a premium of 4.6% relative that went under or over the street to separate further disruption. Not for the first time. to a property 1500m away. vehicles and pedestrians might be an answer. Trams break down in the first sign of Operated mileage is consistently exceeding 99%, A tunnel would be very complex given all the bad weather, cars end up on tracks due to patronage and customer satisfaction is on an underground services to be found and rerouted, poor signage, assaults on staff and other upward trajectory and the Second City Crossing, not to mention the Central line, as well as passengers take place regularly. But nothing is due to open early next year, is set to further very expensive and disruptive in a street that ever Metrolink’s fault. Always someone else. improve operational flexibility and reliability. depends on selling products for its lifeblood. The boss of Metrolink RATP Dev is quoted Figures recorded for crime and anti-social A solution that should be seriously as saying: “Winning Operator of the Year behaviour between April and July 2016 show a considered is to terminate through bus services again is testament to the hard work of our significant reduction in incidents compared to the at suitable points at either end, probably team in Manchester and signifies the very same period the previous year and our continued Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road high quality of customer service it provides, investment in the TravelSafe Unit – and the and build a monorail above the street with day-in, day-out.” And there you have the work we do with local agencies – reflects our frequent stops. Of course, such a suggestion ‘emperor’s new clothes’ mentality. commitment to deterring crime and anti-social would bring forth a veritable storm of protest To sum up, Metrolink is largely just former behaviour on the network. from many who would look upon this as a heavy rail infrastructure with a few additions. With regard to cars being driven onto tracks, all sacrilege and wanton devastation of a fine old Millions upon millions of passengers used signs and road markings are based on industry- street. The word carbuncle would probably be these lines previously when trains ran on standard principles and meet all legislative the least of those used! This solution would them so Metrolink hasn’t just found 36 guidelines, while the vast majority of motorists not be very popular among bus passengers million passenger journeys that didn’t exist are able to navigate junctions without incident. who can now travel through, though transfer previously. It seems that infrastructure It is worth emphasising that Metrolink does not could be made simple and free. funding in the region is invested into ‘simply take people away from outlying boroughs However, the problem is serious and Metrolink at the expense of every other form into the city’. More than a third of tickets bought getting more so all the time. London streets, of transport – yet it still manages to mess up. from stops on the East Manchester line are for and particularly Oxford Street, are grinding It is simply not robust enough and the people destinations within the line, and this is common to a halt. Considering the lack of other running it can’t accept failure or criticism. across the network. practical ideas, maybe it is time to grasp this Metrolink is a shambles and has been since The economic benefits associated with nettle and do what all the future plans used day one, it is a system that simply isn’t fit for building new lines can take many years to to advocate in the 1950s and ’60s. Let’s build purpose. If we are best in the world, then God be realised. Indeed, our own evaluation on a monorail to keep the people and vehicles help those everywhere else. the initial economic impact of the Metrolink apart and keep Oxford Street moving. Trevor Baxter, Droylsden (UK) expansion will be done over five-plus years. Simon Brown, Reading (UK)

The full list of the year’s meetings and meeting places MEETINGS & EVENTS can also be found at www.lrta.org

DECEMBER 2016 JANUARY 2017 Greenwood: Trams on professional slides, videos and models (TLRS) film, 1898-1959 (part 3). (TLRS Norfolk) Thursday 26. Manchester 19.00. Saturday 17. Beeston 12.00. Xmas Monday 9. Thames Valley 19.30. Monday 16. Liverpool 19.30. John Ryan, Mark Ovenden: Weird transit maps Dinner plus John Crofts: Nottingham Eddie Dawes: London requests from former BR Liason for Electrification from around the world. Trams - The First Generation. (TLRS) the TLRS photographic archive. (TLRS) of ’s Underground System. Friday 27. Edinburgh 19.30. Monday 19. Sheffield 19.30. Stuart Wednesday 11. Brighton 19.40. Ian (TLRS ) Gavin Booth: Edinburgh and Cooke: Rails on the Isle of Man 2016. Gledhill: The making of a Powerpoint Monday 16. Sheffield 19.30. Mike Musselburgh trams. Monday 19. Wickham 19.30. presentation. (TLRS) Waring: Trams in Eastern Romania. Friday 27. Leicester 20.00. Christmas Bash. (TLRS) Friday 13. Glasgow 19.30. Sholto Monday 16. Wickham 19.30. Videos & Alan Murray-Rust: Czech provincial Tuesday 20. Leeds 19.00. Mel Thomas: Travels in Germany. (STTS) photos. (TLRS) trams and trolleybuses. (TLRS) Reuben: Tramway Odds and Ends. Saturday 14. 14.00. Tuesday 17. London 19.00. John Laker: Saturday 28. Garstang 14.00. Mark Tuesday 20. London 19.00. Prof. Modelling – includes Area AGM. (TLRS) HD video – Eastern Germany 2016. Casson: "Grime Street" model Lewis Lesley: Southwark Supertram. Saturday 14. Norfolk (Holt) 14.30. Cecil Saturday 21. Taunton 14.00. AGM plus tramway. (TLRS)

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 35 Classic Trams BRATISLAVA’S HIDDEN GEMS A European capital holds a collection of historic tramcars that seldom sees the light of day. Mike Russell reviews the heritage fleet of Bratislava’s tramway. 1

ratislava, on the river Danube, is home-built car 18 of 1937, which rides on type were in passenger service until the end is an ancient settlement in a 3200mm truck. This car is of four-window of 1987 and Bratislava ultimately had a fleet of territory that, for around nine design and was in passenger service until 67 of them, including the second prototype centuries, was annexed by 1971, after which it served successively as a of 1955. This was originally tested in Praha Hungary. Following World War driver trainer and works car. before – after regauging – spending most of BOne it became part of the newly-formed Starting in 1938, the tramways’ workshop its career in Bratislava, where it continued to state of and since the constructed what became a series of 15 carry its Praha fleet number 6002. ‘Velvet Revolution’ has been the capital of two-axle cars on long wheelbase (4050mm) The T3 type is represented by car 275 of independent Slovakia. It lies only some 55km trucks, built over a period to 1950. Six had 1964. This again went through renumbering, (34 miles) in a direct line from neighbouring five-window and the others four-window first as 7509 and later an interim period as Wien (Vienna), the former imperial capital. bodywork. The preserved example is car driver training car 8136 from 1987. This is one Though dwarfed by that city it has in recent 31 (originally 101 until the general fleet of the early examples of Tatra T3 cars; later years been reinventing itself, not just as an renumbering of 1942), the first to be built, examples are still in daily service in the city. economic centre in its own right but as a which features the five-window design From 1969 Bratislava acquired no fewer tourist destination of note. and three-leaf folding platform doors; later than 87 K2 articulated vehicles; much rebuilt Bratislava never had horse-drawn trams; examples had two-leaf doors. It was also the and modernised, many are still in service its first operations were electric and began on only example built for left-hand running today. Car 317 of 1971 has been selected for 27 August 1895. Laid to metre-gauge, as now, – Czechoslovakia authorised the rule-of- the museum fleet and reverted to its original the line was quickly extended but remained the-road change in autumn 1938 and it was number after serving as 7009 since 1983. quite small, with overall track length still not implemented after 15 March 1939, the date A heavily disguised former passenger car exceeding 14.3km (8.9 miles) in 1939. Today’s of declaration of Slovakian independence – is the two-axle Schörling railgrinder. The larger system is mainly post-war. and was in service until the end of two-axle bodywork and grinding equipment were As befits an operation in Hungarian- tramcar operation in the city, then passing to mounted on the truck of one of Bratislava’s administered lands, initial rolling stock came the Brno collection. ten Tatra 6MT motor cars, 70, seriously from Ganz of Budapest. From 1936 until well Car 38 was another of this same design, damaged in a collision in May 1972. The 6MT after the end of World War Two, however, originally built in 1940 but withdrawn in was a series of 60 two-axle motor cars built by the construction of new, larger-dimensioned 1958 following serious accident damage. The Tatra at its Česká Lipá works in 1952-53 and tramcars took place in the operator’s own replacement car bearing the same number supplied to just six metre-gauge operators: workshops, which must have employed was built new on a motorised extended Jablonec nad Nisou, Liberec, Most, Teplice considerable numbers of highly-skilled two-axle truck of the type supplied by SGP of and Ústí nad Labem in addition to Bratislava. craftsmen, something quite commendable Wien. From 1973 it was dedicated for use as a Few have survived. for a network of such small size. driver trainer and after withdrawal first went Although most of the Bratislava cars Until the first Tatra bogie cars arrived in to the Brno museum before returning. donated to the Brno museum have either 1959, all Bratislava’s metre-gauge tramcars The vehicle initially retained in Bratislava returned home or been scrapped, two were of two-axle configuration; initially, was 44, built in 1949. This suffered extensive examples remain there. These are centre- they were double-ended, but many were later deterioration to the bodywork during winter entrance motor car 203 (later 23) of 1930, converted to single-ended layout. From 1959, 1995-96. As this car had been built using the built by Studénka and mounted on a a large fleet of Tatra bogie and articulated truck-frame of motor car 104, motorised in 4000mm truck, a type not included in tramcars was introduced and operation of the late 1920s from Ganz trailer 124 of 1910, Bratislava’s own heritage fleet. Also there two-axle stock finished on 31 May 1974. it was decided instead to build a replica body is car 101 (the third to carry that number), At that time, a Czechoslovak national to the original Ganz design and this splendid a trailer built in 1943 by SGP. Their future tramway collection was being assembled reconstruction is now arguably the pride of prospects are unknown. by the Brno Technical Museum and several the historic fleet. Now finished in the dark With a wonderful collection of historic examples of the Bratislava two-axle fleet green and white livery of its original operator cars restored to a very high standard, the real were transferred there in 1974-75. Some – Pozsony Városi Villamos Vasút (PVVV) – tragedy is that, despite being in full working were in poor condition and later broken up, and fitted with a bow collector, it exhibits order, they are seldom seen on the city’s but the others survived until a subsequent a distinct family resemblance to products metals. All the views seen here were taken at re-evaluation determined several to be delivered to other tramways in the empire. the annual open day at Jurajov dvor depot in surplus. At that stage, Bratislava had only In addition to building its own motor cars, September 2015, when the operator’s restored one museum car of its own and several were the workshops also built a large batch of trolleybuses and motor buses were also on returned to their home city. The result was two-axle trailers to the SGP design over a show. A European capital such as Bratislava, the genesis of the splendid collection that period of several years and 135 of 1954 has promoting its tourist offering and possessing exists today, the vehicles in all cases restored been restored as a representative. an attractive if compact city centre, together to working order and finished to a very high with a tram tunnel under the castle hill, standard, probably exhibiting the same skills … and those from Tatra could surely justify a regular Sunday passed on to younger employees by those Products of the Tatra works in Praha (Prague) afternoon circuit of around 45 minutes using engaged in building the cars originally. have not been ignored in assembling the a member of the heritage fleet. A reasonably- historic collection and one each of three priced offering would be attractive to visitors Home-built cars… models have been nicely restored. The oldest and locals alike and provide a chance to None of the original fleet survives and the is 215, one of the first 20T2 cars delivered operate members of the museum fleet in their oldest authentic member of the historic roster in 1959, subsequently renumbered 230 and authentic environment. – one of those returned from Brno – then 7230 before reverting to 215. Cars of this Come on, Bratislava – wake up!

36 / JANUARY 2017 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org 1. The large-dimensioned four-wheel car 18 represents the first type of motor tramcar designed and built in the undertaking’s own workshops: It dates from 1936. It is seen coupled to trailer car 135, built to the design of the Austrian firm of Simmering-Graz-Pauker (SGP) in 1954.

2. Annual events such as this evoke great local interest and the fine weather has brought out the crowds to inspect the historic fleet. Nearest the camera on the workshops’ track fan is the reconstruction of car 104 in green/white livery. The Schörling rail-grinder is visible to the left.

3. Car 31 is the first of what became a series of 15 long- wheelbase two-axle motor cars with fully-enclosed bodywork built in the Bratislava tramways’ own works starting in 1938. This prototype was one of six built to five-bay design. Some cars of this type remained in passenger traffic 2 until May 1974.

4. The high standard of workmanship carried out in the Bratislava workshops is evident from this interior view of the reconstructed body on car 104. The underframe of this car was that of car 44.

5. The historically-correct green/white livery applied to reconstructed car 104 is of very recent origin; when originally restored it appeared in the traditional Bratislava red/ 3 4 cream fleet livery applied from the mid-1930s.

6. The first bogie cars to operate on the metre-gauge lines in Bratislava were examples of Tatra’s type T2, received in 1959. One of that first batch, 215, is now part of the heritage fleet. Note the roof-mounted red star, a feature carried by many Czechoslovak tramcars during the communist era.

7. After the came the more stylish T3 — 275 dates from 1964 and, like many other 5 6 members of the heritage fleet, had an after-life as a driver trainer or works car after ceasing passenger service. Many other, albeit later, deliveries of T3 cars remain in service in the city.

8. The externally un-numbered rail-grinding works car built by Schörling in 1972 on the modified truck of accident- damaged Tatra 6MT car 70 was also on display at the depot open day in September 2015. Its book fleet number is 8431. 7 8 All photography by Mike Russell — 19 September 2015.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 37 BOOKSHOP Order online from lrta.info/shop – or by post from: LRTA Publications, 31 Ashton Road, Wokingham RG41 1HL Postage & packing – Any UK address: add 10%; All addresses outside UK: add 20%. For Airmail despatch outside Europe: add 30%.

Zeitreise durchs BOGESTRA-Land Tramwajem przez Stadt Warschau Band 1: Die Geschichte der Linie 310 ( – Witten) The story of Warsaw’s trams and the Tells the story of the interurban services they operated during the Nazi tramline from the suburb of Höntrop occupation of Poland from 1939 to through Bochum city centre to Witten- 1945, with details of the impact of the Heven from its inception in 1896 and 1944 uprising in the city. Polish text. various stages of modernisation to the > A4 hardback; 272 pages, 365 black light rail link of today. German text. & white pictures.

> 240 x 220mm hardback, landscape format; 132 pages, fully illustrated in black & white and colour with several maps. £18.50 plus postage & packing as £23.50 plus postage & packing as shown above. shown above.

Trams 2017 Straßenbahnjournal Sonderheft 4 Impressionen zur Wiener Straßenbahn : Solo-E1 in Wien This popular annual from The Netherlands reviews developments all A fine selection of full- and half-page around Europe with special features on views of these iconic first-generation Russia 25 years after the collapse of articulated cars from the 1970s to the the and trams in central present in the attractive Vienna landscape. Asia. Dutch text. German text.

> B5 softback; 272 pages, fully > A4 softback; 24 pages, 36 colour pictures. illustrated in colour throughout.

£17.50 plus postage & packing as £11.00 plus postage & packing shown above. as shown above.

Metrotrams Straßenbahnjournal Jahrbuch 2015 50 jaar Stadtbahnnetten en materieel Berichte und Informationen über die Wiener Straßenbahn

A new study of the development of Covering the year’s developments in light rail and pre-metro networks and the Austrian capital including the 150th their rolling stock in The Netherlands, anniversary of tramway operation, fleet Germany, Belgium and fifteen other changes and information on second-hand countries. Dutch text. Vienna cars in other cities. German text. > A4 hardback; 144 pages, richly illustrated > A4 softback; 76 pages, and with several maps. 185 colour pictures.

£27.50 plus postage & packing £23.50 plus postage & packing as shown above. as shown above.

Els transports a la Barcelona dels anys 60 Maps of London’s Transport Design variety in the first half of the Twentieth Century A wonderful collection of images from five decades ago Underground, Bus, Green Line Coach, of all forms of public transport Tram and Main Line Suburban – all are in this attractive Spanish city, covered in this comprehensive review with emphasis on the trams and of London’s public transport maps from trolleybuses. Catalan text with 1900 to 1950. Many of the maps will be Spanish summary. new to readers, and some are works of art. > A4 softback, landscape format; > 255 x 225mm hardback; 156 pages, 164 pages, 150+ colour pictures. numerous maps and sketches.

£34.50 plus postage & packing as shown above. £35.00 plus postage & packing as shown above.

Please bear in mind that we often advertise books before stock is received from publishers so delivery can take some weeks. THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE

THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE CONTENTS 5 The official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association JANUARY 2017 Vol. 80 No. 949 12 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL EDITOR Simon Johnston E-mail: [email protected] 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road,

www.lrta.org Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK www.tautonline.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tony Streeter E-mail: [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR 2017 N o. 949 Michael Taplin JANUARY 18 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, Staffs ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail: [email protected] RUSSIAN REVOLUTION: SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS Tony Bailey, James Chuang, Paul Nicholson, Richard Felski, Ed Havens, Bill Vigrass, Andrew Moglestue, RESHAPING MOSCOW Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Vic Simons, Now in its 80th year Tramways & Urban Transit is the world’s leading NEWS Herbert Pence, Alain Senut, Thomas Wagner 4 SYSTEMS FACTFILE: BONN . What caused the fatal Tramlink tram crash? 22 Neil Pulling surveys the contrasting and PRODUCTION US ballots approve major transit funding; Rick Wilson CRRC in Škoda acquisition discussions; complementary light rail offerings in the Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 E-mail: [email protected] former seat of German government. Modertrans unveils first low-floor tram. DESIGN Debbie Nolan WORLDWIDE REVIEW PRESTON’S GUILD LINE ADVERTISING 10 28 COMMERCIAL MANAGER Professor Lewis Lesley of Trampower outlines Vancouver opens SkyTrain extension; Geoff Butler the plans for an all-new UK tramway scheme. Passenger testing on Wuhan’s first tramline; Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 E-mail: [email protected] HKL exercises Artic option; Berlin announces new tram plans; Bucharest approves metro PUBLISHER DC STREETCAR DEVELOPMENTS Howard Johnston 12 Vic Simons examines the role that the new line 6; Detroit completes QLine trackwork. Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the

streetcar in the US capital is taking in the LRTA and LRTA Publishing on the third Friday of each MAILBOX month preceding the cover date. region’s regeneration and growth. 34 Thoughts on Sandilands; Is Metrolink the LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY MOSCOW GOES FULL CIRCLE world’s best? Why not an Oxford St Monorail? Brian Lomas E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] monthly publication dedicated solely to light and urban rail developments. 18 Witold Urbanowicz visits the new ring metro CLASSIC TRAMS: BRATISLAVA LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) and looks at the tram plans that promise a 36 Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up Mike Russell discovers the seldom seen transport revolution for Muscovites. members of the Light Rail Transit Association. hertiage gems in the Slovakian capital. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06),

38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Now is not the time for knee-jerk reactions Tel: +44 (0)117 9517785 The events in the early hours of 9 November shocked the world. The tragic BACK ISSUES accident at Sandilands claimed the lives of seven passengers and delivered Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 ‘life-changing’ injuries to many more, but let’s put this into context – the PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION last fatalities onboard a British tram happened in 1959. Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Sadly the sheer scale of the loss in Croydon has exposed an astonishing Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. ignorance of the mode that has transported billions of passengers in safety and comfort LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE since the UK’s second-generation tramway revolution began in the 1990s. We’ve seen c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY, UK. Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 calls for heavy-rail style signalling, driverless vehicles, fully segregated alignments and in England and Wales. a whole range of impossible and frankly nonsensical measures to improve safety. When I say impossible, I don’t mean from a technical standpoint as a range of driver LRTA CHAIRMAN Andrew Braddock assistance systems are already commercially available, and of course there is always E-mail: [email protected] technology that can be imported from main line rail – but is this ever really desirable? LRTA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN This is not the place to attempt to prejudge the results of any of the multiple Paul Rowen investigations that are currently running in parallel, suffice to say that there will be LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE valuable lessons that can and must be learnt so we hope these inquiries are in equal c/o 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU, UK. Private Limited Company, No. 06169422 measure swift and rigorous. Any accident that involves the loss of life of any passenger in England and Wales. on a public transport system deserves meticulous scrutiny, but we must avoid taking © LRTA Publishing 2016 knee-jerk decisions that may jeopardise the future of the mode. Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also DC Streetcar takes its place in US capital’s transit future Contrast the thousands killed each year on the world’s roads – but has anyone ever later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution Lessons from Croydon’s fatal crash called for a reduction in highway investment? Of course not. Very simple and rough is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the We deliver comprehensive worldwide news and analysis, incisive mathematics on fatalities per passenger mile shows that second-generation light rail opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. systems the world over have an exemplary safety record. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in US voters nationwide back LRT funding However the safety and comfort of passengers, both actual and perceived, is the single any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including most important issue for any transport operator. I am sure that you will all join the photocopying, recording or by any information storage and TAUT retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from CRRC in Škoda takeover discussions team in offering our thoughts to the teams at First Tram Operations, Transport for the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the London, the British Transport Police, London’s emergency services and the relatives of magazine without prior written approval is not permitted.

£4.40 01> all those who are still dealing with the effects of this tragedy. Simon Johnston, Editor COVER: Fokstrot trams are the latest deliveries to one Preston Bonn of the world’s great tramways – Moscow. M. Janduła England’s first new Creating connections 9 771460 832050 for the Rheinland tramway for a decade www.tautonline.com. www.lrta.org JANUARY 2017 / 3 technology features and key interviews with leading industry figures each and every month. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Personal membership with TAUT subscription: Commercial members (12 issues) To December 2017 (12 issues) UK £56.67 International £73.33 UK £51.00 International £66.00 Commercial – online only (12 issues) £39.44 Personal membership with TAUT and Tramway Review: To December 2017 (12 TAUT + 4 TR) Invoices available for Commercial membership only. £66.25 £81.25 UK International For Commercial membership online payments: www.lrta.info/commercial

Personal membership with online only access to TAUT: Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� To December 2017 (12 issues) £35.50 Forename...... Surname �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Personal membership with online access to TAUT Address ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� and Tramway Review: ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ To December 2017 (12 issues + 4 TR) £48.00 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ For Personal membership online payments: www.lrta.info/personal Postcode...... Email...... For details of Student membership and other membership enquiries please email [email protected] I enclose a cheque for £ ...... payable to ‘LRTA Subscriptions’

Please complete this form and send it with your payment to: LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK JANUARY Reduce Costs

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