THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com MARCH 2019 NO. 975 TRAM OpeNINGS: WILL 2019 BREAK RECORDS? From Algeria to Qatar – 15 new systems could launch this year Siemens-Alstom merger in doubt Manchester revives subway plan US shutdown causes transit hardship El Paso Tel Aviv £4.60 Streetcar re-opens Troubled LRT project after 44-year absence on track for 2021 2 days of interactive debates... 8 hours of dedicated networking... only ONE place to be Musée du Transport Urbains Your two days will include presentations and BRUSSELS: 16-17 MaY 2019 interactive debates on topics such as: > Autonomous trams: Lessons learned and next steps > Digital twins and next-generation virtual modelling > New approaches to safety and risk assessment models > Enhancing engagement and the customer experience > Managing disruption during major projects > Advanced asset monitoring strategies > Challenges from 24-hour operations EU Light Rail > Environmentally-friendly renewal innovations Driving innovation > Tramway innovation: Past, present and future > Digital wayfinding and real-time passenger information > Case studies from recent light rail expansion schemes EU Light Rail brings together leading opinion-formers and decision-makers from across Europe for two days of debate around the role of technology in the development of sustainable urban travel. With presentations and exhibitions from some of the industry’s most innovative suppliers and service providers, this event also includes technical visits and over eight hours of networking sessions. Find out more at www.eulightrail.com CONTENTS The official journal of the Light Rail 89 Transit Association MARCH 2019 Vol. 82 No. 975 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL EDITOR – Simon Johnston [email protected] ASSOCIATE EDITOr – Tony Streeter 104 [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR – Michael Taplin [email protected] NewS EDITOr – John Symons [email protected] SenIOR CONTRIBUTOR – Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS Tony Bailey, Richard Felski, Ed Havens, Andrew Moglestue, Paul Nicholson, Herbert Pence, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, egion of Waterloo of egion R Alain Senut, Vic Simons, Witold Urbanowicz, Bill Vigrass, Francis Wagner, Thomas Wagner, Philip Webb, Rick Wilson ourtesy of of ourtesy 116 C PRODUCTION – Lanna Blyth Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 [email protected] NEWS 84 SYSTEMS FACTFILE: innsbRUCK 104 Manchester unveils tram-train and ‘Sightseeeing’ trams normally refer to a DESIGN – Debbie Nolan cross-city tram subway vision; Innsbruck special route; Neil Pulling finds that in this ADVertiSING and Casablanca systems expand; Austrian city that tag applies anywhere. COMMERCIAL ManageR – Geoff Butler Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 Siemens-Alstom merger in doubt; [email protected] US Government shutdown hits operators. WORLDWIDE REVIEW 110 New metro to connect Cairo and Ramadan PUBLISheR – Matt Johnston NEW TRAMWAYS foR 2019 89 City; Den Haag prepares tender for 60 new Tramways & Urban Transit Michael Taplin presents his annual trams; Singapore announces Cross Island 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road, predictions of the new tramways that could line alignment; Austria’s Achenseebahn Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK open around the world this year. takes delivery of electric trains; USD125m Tramways & Urban Transit is published by Mainspring design contract awarded for extension to on behalf of the LRTA on the third Friday of each month preceding the cover date. EL PASO’S stREETCAR RevivAL 96 San Francisco’s BART. Vic Simons revisits Texas for the opening of this new modern/heritage service. MAILBOX 115 The debate around the cost of UK tramways. TEL AVIV: REAlising THE DREAM 100 PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION Following major delays, Tel Aviv is back on CLASSIC TRAMS: PRAgue HERITAge 116 Warners (Midlands), Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK track with its plans to open its first light rail Mike Russell delves into the roots and LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) service in 2021, with plenty more planned. operation of Prague’s second heritage line. Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up members of the Light Rail Transit Association. Looking forward to what could be a record year LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY Brian Lomas Last year at this time Michael Taplin suggested as many as 21 new tramways [email protected] [email protected] could open in 2018, but as always there were a few delays. These were caused SuBSCriPtioNS, MEMBERSHIP AND BACK ISSueS by a variety of local conditions – including financial difficulties; regulatory LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley or approval issues; contractor bankruptcies and rolling stock delays – but Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 none were show-stoppers. Some of these systems have therefore rolled over [email protected] Website: www.lrta.info into this year’s lists, but it is also great to see some interesting newcomers. FOR CORPORATE SuBSCriPtioNS VISIT The French city of Caen, for example, is replacing its rubber-tyred guided bus system www.mainspring.co.uk with a more reliable steel wheel-on steel rail system; Lusail is opening the first section of a tramway project that will eventually join a mega metro as Qatar prepares for the 2022 LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling DA16 2BY, UK. FIFA World Cup; and by the time you read this there will be at least one new tramway Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 in Australia. If everything goes to plan we could well see over 300km (185 miles) of new in England and Wales. routes in countries around the world – from Algeria to Qatar. LRTA ChaIRMAN – Paul Rowen The second decade of the 21st century has seen more than 65 new cities adopt urban [email protected] rail solutions – from heritage-style cars in Oranjestad, to modern streetcar circulators © LRTA 2019 in Washington DC, rubber-tyred systems in Medellín, street-running tramways in Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also Edinburgh and Tours, and full LRT systems in Beijing and Addis Ababa. Every continent later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution is covered and while the solutions may be different, the objectives are the same: is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the connecting people to opportunity through sustainable travel, removing road opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of congestion, improving air quality and driving economic growth and regeneration. the LRTA or Mainspring. All rights reserved. This issue we’ve also got reports from the opening of the distinctive El Paso system – No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including which features re-engineered stylish cars from the 1930s to provide a 21st Century service. photocopying, recording or by any information storage and They still ride beautifully and prove what any millennial will tell you – retro’s cool. retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from Our latest Systems Factfile also covers one of the world’s great tramways: Innsbruck. the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the For scenic views, there are few better places to experience modern light rail. magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. Let’s remember, inserting a tramway into a city environment can be a fantstically complex undertaking. But it’s definitely worth the effort. Simon Johnston, Editor Cover images: Peter Libeskind, Vic Simons, NTA www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MARCH 2019 / 83 News Innsbruck opens new tramlines - but shortages bring buses to others Routes 2 and 5 open as planned on 26 January, despite rolling stock and driver shortages he Austrian city of delivered or drivers trained to Strasse, and line 3 from April due was marked by a family festival on Innsbruck went ahead operate them. As a result, existing to work at Südtiroler Platz and in 25 January, with the ceremonial with the introduction of lines 1 and 3 were temporarily Anich and Bürgerstrasse). inauguration at 16.00 and free tramlines 2 and 5 from replaced by bus operation (line 1 The bus substitution may rides until 20.00. T26 January, and 3.5km (2.2 miles) was due to be bus-operated from continue until December, by The project has cost of new tramway, despite not this spring anyway, due to a which time Bombardier should EUR396.7m, including EUR140m having enough new trams construction site in Ing.-Etzel- have delivered all 20 new Flexity for the new trams, with one third trams. Operator IVB reportedly granted from Land Tirol, and the stated that the delay is due to remainder coming from the city. certification issues surrounding Funding has been secured the new vehicles. The substitute for the 1.2km (0.75-mile) buses were found from the eastern extension of line 5 from withdrawal of line O, which had Schützenstrasse to S-Bhf Rum, reached its capacity and was and the 2.2km (1.4-mile) western replaced by the new tramlines. extension to S-Bhf Völs to create Line 2 runs every 7.5 minutes a regional tramline, that should from Josef-Kerschbaumer-Strasse be operating by December 2021. in Olympisches Dorf (Olympic The patronage of IVB’s Village) to Technik West/ tramway continues to grow, Peerhofsiedlung (alternate cars). reaching a record 67.8m in 2018. Line 5 runs every 15 minutes from Schützenstrasse in Olympisches For more detail on Innsbruck’s Dorf to Technik West. Both use light rail system, see this issue’s Innsbruck routes 2 and 5 opened as planned on 26 January, despite heavy a new bridge over the River Inn. Systems Factfile starting on snowfall and issues with rolling stock supply. Manni Schneiderbauer The opening of these additions page 104. Free travel in Luxembourg Metro Northwest to open this spring Testing along the full 36km The AUD8.3bn (EUR5.27bn) to begin from March 2020 (22.4-mile) route of Sydney’s Metro Northwest route runs Metro Northwest line began from Chatswood to Epping On 21 January Luxembourg’s scheme, although the Mayor on 14 January.