THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE

www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com

JUNE 2016 NO. 942 IS VIENNA THE WORLD’S BEST TRAMWAY CITY?

Trams’ role in cutting pollution – and saving lives Kansas City welcomes its streetcar German vision of a driverless tram Toshkent mayor closes tramway ISSN 1460-8324 £4.25 COTS Romania 06 Using ‘Components The daunting task Off The Shelf’ for LRT of modernisation 9 771460 832043 “On behalf of UKTram specifically Voices from the industry… and the industry as a whole I send V my sincere thanks for such a great event. Everything about it oozed quality. I think that such an event shows any doubters that light rail in the UK can present itself in a way that is second to none.” Colin Robey – Managing Director, UKTram

The 11th Annual UK Light Rail Conference brings together over 250 decision-makers for two days of open debate covering all aspects of light rail 27-28 July 2016 operations and development. Delegates can explore the latest industry Conference Aston innovation within the event’s exhibition area and examine LRT’s role in alleviating congestion in our towns and cities and driving economic growth. Birmingham, UK Topics and themes for 2016 include: > Safety and security in street-running environments > Refurbishment vs renewal? BOOK NOW! > Low Impact Light Rail To secure your place > Delivering added value from construction and modernisation please call > Managing timetable change and passenger disruption +44 (0) 1733 367600 > Environmental considerations for LRT construction or visit > Selling light rail: Who? When? How? www.mainspring.co.uk > What the Luxembourg Rail Protocol means for light rail > Tram-Train: Alternative perspectives > Where next for UK LRT? > Major project updates

SUPPORTED BY 204 CONTENTS The o cial journal of the Light Rail Transit Association JUNE 2016 Vol. 79 No. 942 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL 212 EDITOR Simon Johnston Tel: +44 (0)1733 367601 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 210 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, Stas 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 204 SYSTEMS FACTFILE: VIENNA 224 PRODUCTION KC Streetcar opens; UITP calls for MENA Neil Pulling explores one of the world’s Rick Wilson vision; Toshkent tramway to close; warnings great tramways, where transport provision is Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 E-mail: [email protected] over the future for Russian systems; six placed at the heart of the city’s appeal. DESIGN new lines planned for Miami-Dade; Debbie Nolan battery trams for Charlotte’s Gold line? WORLDWIDE REVIEW 229 ADVERTISING Changsha maglev opens; Dresden COMMERCIAL MANAGER Geo Butler TRAMS: AN AIR QUALITY SOLUTION 210 CarGoTram operations cease; Oslo opens Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 E-mail: geo @lrtap.com James Harkins looks at the public health metro connection; Wimbledon Tramlink PUBLISHER issues surrounding our pollution-choked upgrade is nished; Hitachi/AnsaldoBreda Howard Johnston cities and considers how light rail can save cars arrive in Honolulu. Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the lives – and money. LRTA and LRTA Publishing on the third Friday of each MAILBOX 234 month preceding the cover date. ROMANIA’S TRAMWAY REVIVAL 212 A Swiss perspective on project delays; So a’s LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY Mike Russell concludes his two-part review unusual gauge explained and more thoughts Brian Lomas E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] of tramway operations in modern-day on the proposal to convert the Isle of Wight LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) Romania. railway to tramway operation. Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up members of the Light Rail Transit Association. RAIDING THE PARTS BIN 220 CLASSIC TRAMS: HAGEN’S LEGACY 236 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES Scott McIntosh considers the future – and Trams last ran in the German city of Hagen LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), past – prospects of using ‘off the shelf’ 40 years ago, but many vehicles are still in use 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. components in urban rail. elsewhere in Europe, as Mike Russell reports. Tel: +44 (0)117 9517785 BACK ISSUES Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION Cleaning the air while creating great cities Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. While climate change campaigners shout loudly about the effects of LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE pollution on Mother Earth, and how shifts in temperature are affecting c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY, UK. crops and weather systems, why is it that we don’t hear enough about the Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 effects of emissions on public health? While surely no sensible person in England and Wales. could argue that we are not having a de nite and possibly irreversible effect LRTA CHAIRMAN on the planet’s ecosystems through our rapacious consumption of natural Andrew Braddock resources, we must also remember that we as a species are far from immune. E-mail: [email protected] The effects are obvious for anyone who has spent time wandering around the busiest LRTA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN streets of any major city. As well as the images we see of face-masks being the compulsory Paul Rowen fashion accessory for many Asian cities, I can think of at least ve occasions over the past LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE c/o 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU, 12 months when I have been noticeably out of breath and with blackened shirt collars UK. Private Limited Company, No. 06169422 after no more than half an hour’s exposure to some of Europe’s ‘greatest’ thoroughfares. in England and Wales. The main cause is always fumes from the legion of internal combustion-engined vehicles © LRTA Publishing 2016 (many of which are nowhere near as clean as we’ve been led to believe). Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also No-one would also pretend that light rail solutions are cheap, but they are effective later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the and do so much more than just offering transport that people like. After all, what price opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of do you put on the future health of our cities – and of our children? LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. Meanwhile, Kansas City has opened its new streetcar – a short starter line that No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in bisects the heart of the city, connecting key businesses and tourism hot-spots. What any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and makes this project particularly interesting is its part in the grand vision of a ‘connected retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from city’; its introduction is a small facet of a ground-breaking scheme that also includes the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the free public Wi-Fi over a new ‘technology spine’ that cover 5.2km2 (two square miles) magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. of the downtown area. Best of all, it’s free. A perfect example of light rail’s role in COVER: Wiener Linien ULF-B1 757 passes the transforming a city, we hope it realises its expansion plans. Simon Johnston, Editor Austrian Parliament building, August 2015. N. Pulling

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 203 News UITP calls for MENA transport vision Cities urged to act now to combat congestion and emissions driven by cheaper car ownership

eeting at its Middle to invest in new skills and adapt East and North their structures to include and Africa Transport facilitate data-based decisions. Congress and “The big issue in the MENA ExhibitionM in Dubai on 25-27 region is that we have cheap April, UITP (the International oil which has pushed against Association for Public Transport) public transport for decades, called for urgent action to cut but congestion is something we congestion in cities across the need to deal with, whatever the region by developing a public oil price,” said Khalid Alhogail, transport vision to cope with Chairman of the UITP MENA rapid urbanisation. Region and CEO-Board Director Cities are facing the issue of of Saudi Public Transport sprawl, as economic growth Company. “Here we see the combined with relatively low challenge because we need to cost car ownership is leading to build big networks in a very short a substantial increase in private time and cities are becoming transport. With populations Dubai has increased public transport patronage by 215% between 2006 and crowded and congested because and urbanisation expected to 2015, by providing a metro, tramway and improved bus system. N. Pulling of an absence of transport.” continue rising, public transport The role of governance was and integrated masterplans New light rail systems have been and non-motorised modes will debated at the event and the and to develop diverse public built in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, be crucial to limit traf c and main recommendations were transport infrastructure, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the congestion, which has already for cities to take the lead in supported by policies to reduce United Arab Emirates, with more reached alarming levels in many establishing a transport vision, car use. Technology will act as planned in states such as Qatar, cities across the region. to advance comprehensive an enabler and cities will need Jordan, Kuwait and Oman. Meanwhile it has been “The big issue in the MENA region is that we have cheap oil which announced that French operator RATP Dev has agreed a joint has pushed against public transport for decades, but congestion is venture with Zain Capital to something we need to deal with, whatever the oil price.” bid for public transport projects in the UAE, in readiness for the Khalid Alhogail, Chairman of the UITP MENA Region planned World Expo 2020.

KC Streetcar’s part of the new ‘Smart City Corridor’

Kansas City (MO) Mayor ‘Smart City Corridor’ for new Sly James launched the rst technologies, many running streetcar to serve the city’s over one of the largest free downtown area in 57 years public wi- zones in the US; on Friday 6 May. The 3.5km 25 touchscreen kiosks and 328 (2.2-mile) 16-stop route runs wi- access points have been from Union Station northward placed at or around streetcar along Main Street to the City stops that will reach 20 000 Market neighbourhood on the residents over a 5.2km2 (two banks of the Missouri River. sq. mile) radius. The kiosks Services are free and there are include details on tourism, 12 486 parking spots within businesses and restaurants, as one block of the route. well as streetcar schedules and The new line cost USD102m, related information. including USD37.3m in US The wi- network is also Department of Transportation being used to collect data that it (DoT) funding alongside is hoped will improve decision- proceeds from a one-cent making on key city services. sales tax and increased Operations and maintenance KC Streetcar’s opening hours property taxes within the are provided by Herzog Transit are 06.00-0.00 Monday-Thursday, designated Transportation Services using four 23.6m 06.00-02.00 on Fridays, 07.00- Development District. three-section low-oor Urbos 02.00 on Saturday and 07.00- USD1.7bn in development has cars (801-804) supplied by CAF 22.00 on Sundays. been announced along the USA under a USD18m contract A pilot project is also corridor since voters approved awarded in November 2013. underway in Kansas City to test the streetcar in December Delivery delays contributed collision avoidance technology 2012; of that the city estimates to the line’s hoped-for March on autonomous city buses. TOP: KC Streetcar awaits the USD381m can be directly opening being missed, the rst The city hopes to win a ceremonial rst run at Union Station, attributed to the project. car arriving on 2 November USD40m Smart City Challenge on 6 May; 802 sits behind, the rst to The new route is much more 2015 and the nal one reaching grant from the US DoT to help run in passenger service. than a people-mover however, the city from CAF USA’s facility nance this and other new ABOVE: 801 reaches the Historic City forming a key component of a in Elmira, NY, in April 2016. technologies. Market on East 5th Street. Both: A. Grahl

204 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Toshkent mayor nally Japan’s new tram-train closes the city’s tramway Fukui Railway and Echizen Railway (both 1067mm-gauge) Uzbekistan capital’s tramway succumbs to declining ridership launched a new tram-train service on 27 March, connecting the systems at Tawaramchi. n 29 March Toshkent Four new low-oor cars, L01 Mayor Rakhmonbek and LO2 owned by Echizen, Usmonov announced and F1001/2 owned by Fukui that the city’s provide through operation Oremaining six-line 87.8 route-km between Echizen-Takefu (54.5 route miles) tramway in Fukui and Washizuka- is to be closed by the end of Haribara on the Echizen August 2016 in order to provide Railway, running on street additional road space to reduce through the city. traf c congestion. Diesel buses On the same day the transit would provide replacement centre was completed on the service and parallel routes have west side of JR Fukui station been operated from 5 April. (Fukui Ekimae); the Fukui Mayor Usmonov said the city Railway station branch was hopes to sell the 30 KTM-19 trams extended by 143m to a new dating from 2007 and the 20 terminus adjacent to the centre. Pragoimex Vario LF trams bought The new cars were built by in 2011. Declining ridership Czech-built partly low-oorVario LF tram 2006 in the leafy suburbs of Toshkent Niigata Transys in 2013-15 and gures on the network currently a few days before the end of service on line 17. Rolly Fukui has boosted its eet with see the trams carrying 20 000 a fth car from the same rm. passengers/day, but numbers Toshkent has been the only in 1936-37 and 1965-71. At have fallen as frequencies have city in Uzbekistan to operate its maximum 500 trams were been lengthened, with only 48 trams since 1973. The system operated across a 12-line system. trams in daily service. was opened as a horse tramway A metro line in the city Tramlines 12 and 26 were by Belgian interests in 1901, was opened in 1977 and has closed on 12 April, line 8 was and the 9.9km (6.2-mile) line expanded to three lines (36.2km), closed on 24 April and line 17 on converted to electric traction in though it has not opened any 2 May. From three depots in 2001, 1912. This was metre-gauge but new sections since 2001. An the city now just one remaining the whole eventual 71.9km (44.7- extension to line 3 is reportedly A Fukui low-oor tram-train at the in service, the previous one mile) system was converted to still under construction and a transit centre terminus with former closing in August 2015. Soviet standard gauge (1524mm) fourth line is planned. Stuttgart GT4 735 on tourist service. Y. Nogi

Dublin’s 20-year light rail plan NEWS IN PICTURES Light rail features heavily in the Plans for Metro South and new 20-year transport vision the Lucan line were in the for the Irish capital and its last Dublin transport strategy surrounding region, published in published ve years ago, but April. The EUR10.3bn plan from have yet to be progressed. the National Transport Authority The plan also includes heavy rail covers Dublin, Meath, Wicklow improvements, new park-and- and Kildare. Projects include: ride facilities, and bus corridors. A Metro North – Metro link from St Stephen’s Green to Swords Unrest at Luas has continued and serving Dublin Airport despite a number of non-driving Metro South from St Stephen’s staff accepting a new deal over Green to Bride’s Glen pay and conditions. Drivers Luas Cross City (underway) refused to accept the proposals Luas Green line extension to Bray and a programme of one-day Centro Luas Cross City extension strikes covering six days was to Finglas reinstated at the end of April on Midland Metro to reach New Street in May Luas extension to Lucan top of a work-to-rule implemented Public services on the new Corporation Street – Stephenson Street (New Street Luas Red line extension to in mid-April. The strike threat station) section of Midland Metro in Birmingham (UK) are due to start on 22 Poolbeg has also spread to DART drivers. May. This follows trials using tram 37 in the early hours of 24 April. Following completion of this section and the commissioning of the new stop at Snow Hill, construction will move onto the Stephenson Street – Centenary Broombridge depot works underway Square section, which is to be constructed without overhead wires. Work will Construction of the Broombridge Broombridge areas is also due also start later this year on the line in Wolverhampton to the station, another Luas depot on the Cross City line to start following completion of section that is to be built without wires. One of the Urbos trams is to return to CAF for tting of the roof-mounted is underway and it is hoped that preparatory works during early battery system and this will then act as the template for the remaining 20 major works will be completed 2016. Work continues at the trams to be modi ed at Midland Metro’s Wednesbury workshops. by the end of 2016. Tracklaying former Midland Great Western Both extensions should be operational in 2019. on the northern extension in Railway cutting that runs from the Phibsborough, Cabra and Broombridge to Broadstone.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 205 News Warning given for Russian tramways ElectroTrans highlights the urgent need to modernise services, but encouraging plans from Samara

he 6th ElectroTrans MAP GET, the International A new Ust-Katav 71 633 exhibition was held in Association of Urban Surface 100% low-oor tram that Moskva on 6-8 April, Electric Transit Operators entered service in the city concluding just ten days advised its members to increase of Samara on 18 April. Tbefore the city marked 117 years their marketing efforts and Z. Aleksandr of electric tramway operation. provide new services to attract There were no full-size more passengers, plus modern tramway exhibits this year, but fare collection technology to the occasion was used to sound replace conductors. a warning about the future for Some positive news from the tramways in Russia with the conference came in the form of news that smaller towns such as an announcement of plans to Krasnoturinsk and Volchansk upgrade the key tramline in the are proposing to abandon their city of Ulyanovsk. tramways (plus Toshkent in The next exhibition and Uzbekistan). conference will be held on Under Russian law all tenders 20-22 June 2017. for transit operations have to Meanwhile, 1000km (600 new line will link Tashkent Street infrastructure construction and be treated equally regardless miles) to the east, the Transport to the new stadium. to lease the rolling stock under a of mode, which favours cheap Ministry of Samara Region has The project’s RUB1.2bn separate agreement. combustion-engined buses as approved funding for a new (EUR16.4m) budget was initially Project documentation is opposed to ageing tramways tramway line in Samara, one of planned for the acquisition of being prepared by St Petersburg’s requiring large investment in the 11 Russian cities preparing rolling stock, but authorities Transmost engineering infrastructure and vehicles. to host the 2018 World Cup. The have decided to allocate this to consultancy.

Liège to re-tender The rst step towards driverless trams tramway contracts The German state of Hessen clearing the way for trials in in the automotive sector; the Société Régionale Wallonne du has approved the technical Frankfurt-am-Main. Based technology could ultimately Transport (SWRT) is to re-tender requirements of a new Bosch- upon a system launched in provide the basis for full LRV the DBFM concession for the developed tram collision 2014, the latest version is the automation, the rm claims. planned 21-stop tramline for avoidance system that also rst to offer automatic braking, With an aperture of up to the city of Liège, following offers automatic braking, derived from the rm’s work 70°, a radar sensor can monitor unsuccessful appeals against a the track up to 160m ahead, European Union block on the measuring the speed and PPP award on nancial grounds. distance of moving objects in In December 2014 the its path, while differentiating MobiLiège consortium of Alstom, between static objects such as BAM PPP PGGM and DG Infra buffer stops. Data from this and was selected to nance and build a complementary video sensor the 12km (7.5-mile) line linking is processed by the control Sclessin and Bressoux (location of unit, which also dynamically a new depot) via the city centre, monitors the vehicle it is tted including 19 Citadis trams. to to provide a detailed image Services would be run by regional of the environment. bus and tram operator TEC. If an object is detected in Although the city has the tram’s path, the driver reportedly spent EUR33m on receives visual and acoustic preparatory works, construction warnings and, if no action is was suspended in March 2015 taken within two seconds, an after the EU statistical of ce emergency brake is applied Eurostat objected to the nancial The new Bosch system warns tram drivers of any impending collision: if the although this can be adjusted structure of the PPP concession. driver brakes too late, or not at all, the brakes are independently engaged. Bosch by the driver at any time. It has now been decided to abandon the 2014 contract and invite new proposals under a restructured concession. SWRT Antalya trams reach Expo 2016 and the airport is required to pay EUR1.6m to MobiLiège in cancelling the Turkish President Recep Tayyip ve-section low-oor tram from airport; two of the new trams award, but it remains to be seen Erdoğan and Prime Minister the Eurotem joint venture of have been delivered, with the whether the consortium will seek Ahmet Davutoğlu were aboard Hyundai Rotem and Tüvasaş remaining 16 (203-218) to come additional compensation. the rst passenger service on being supplied from its Adapazari by the end of the year under a The new tender process and Antalya’s tramway extension factory in north-western Turkey. contract awarded in 2015. subsequent contract award is to the site of Expo 2016 and the The 15.4km (9.6-mile) route The new vehicles will augment expected to delay completion of airport on 22 April. Test running from Meydan to Expo 2016 has the existing eet of 14 CAF trams the line until at least 2022. started on 3 April, using a new a 2.4km (1.5-mile) branch to the supplied for the 2009 opening.

206 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Miami-Dade’s LRT masterplan Six new rapid transit lines planned for the Florida county, but no timescales revealed

n 21 April the Miami- A planned Tri-Rail Coastal Dade Metropolitan Link is also endorsed as part of Planning Organisation the SMART plan, introducing (MPO) adopted a commuter rail services on a Oresolution to endorse its SMART 136km (84.5-mile) section of (Strategic Miami Area Rapid the Florida East Coast Railway Transit) plan that envisages the northwards from Miami to Boca creation of six new urban rail lines Raton and Jupiter. across the county, including ve All six of the proposed transit proposed new LRT alignments: projects revealed under the Beach Corridor: Formerly Bay SMART plan were endorsed Link, connecting the city with in a 2002 voter ballot which Miami Beach via the MacArthur authorised a 0.5% sales tax to Causeway fund urban rail expansion. They South Dade Transit Way: are now to be studied further to LRT replacing congested US determine costs and potential Highway 1 bus lanes sources of funding for project East-West Corridor: Relieving development. That sales tax the congested Dolphin revenue was originally largely Expressway to the western intended to deliver 143km suburbs (89 miles) of Metrorail Kendall Corridor: A second expansion, but so far all that east-west line, along Kendall has been delivered is a 3.9km Drive from Dadeland Metrorail (2.4-mile) link to Miami station International Airport with Northern Corridor: A line other funds being used to running north from North West prop up crumbling transport 79th Street along 27th Avenue infrastructure across the county.

Preston depot opens Qatar unveils new vehicle designs Melbourne’s new Preston depot and workshops, built at a cost of On 17 April the designs for class and Family class. Almost oor cars will be operated, AUD190m (EUR124m) to replace the planned Doha metro and 100km (62 miles) out of 111km using the APS surface power the East Preston facility, opened Lusail tram cars were unveiled (69 miles) of tunneling for the supply system already in on 17 April, with capacity for 75 by promoter Qatar Railways four-line 164km (102-mile) use in Dubai. With 35% of trams. By that time there were 33 Company, combining Qatari metro have been completed, construction completed, the Bombardier Flexity E class trams in service on lines 11 and 96; next heritage and culture with and the system is expected to rst phase is expected to open to be equipped will be line 86. modern technology. start carrying passengers in in 2020. Thales is supplying The metro trainsets are late 2019/early 2020. telecommunications, security Shanghai Metro line 8 branded Al Faras, after the The Lusail trams are and fare collection systems. joint venture signed much-prized Arabian horse branded Al Mehmel, inspired Thales is also responsible for A partnership of Shanghai breed: 75 three-car sets are by the traditional dhow signalling, communications, Shentong Consulting (51%) and Keolis (49%) is to operate on order from Kinki Sharyo used for pearl shing in the operational control and the 6.6km (4.1-mile) elevated in Japan, in a consortium led Gulf. The 33km (20.5-mile) fare collection systems on automated peoplemover that by Mitsubishi. Each train will system is being built by an the metro. The Red line will will form the six-station southern have two standard-class cars, Alstom-led consortium, and provide interchange with the section of Shanghai metro line 8. and one car split between Gold 28 32m Citadis 100% low- Lusail tramway. The contract signed on 27 April includes two years of pre- operational work and ve years of operations and maintenance from the opening of the line in December 2017. LA extension draws many riders new to transit Surveys show that more than 70% of the 5000 daily riders on Los Angeles’ Gold Line Foothills extension are new to transit, and 66% of those previously used a car for their journeys; 57% did not travel further west than Pasadena. Artist’s impressions of the catenary-free Alstom Lusail tramway and the Kinki Sharyo Doha metro rolling stock. Qatar Rail

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 207 News

Testing begins on new BART cars Battery-powered trams for The rst new Bombardier train for San Francisco’s BART rapid transit system started dynamic Charlotte’s Gold line? testing at the system’s Hayward facility in early April, marking the rst of a new eet of 775 cars Three manufacturers interested in streetcar replacement programme over the next ve years in a 2012 contract worth USD2.5bn. harlotte Area Transit Capacity constraints are now System (CATS) has so severe that the agency has announced that it negotiated an increase in deliveries plans to replace its from ten to 16 per month, with Gomaco-builtC heritage trams BART working towards a target on the 2.3km (1.4-mile) Gold date of December 2016 for line with seven new low-oor passenger service. It has also trams and is reviewing proposals stated that it hopes to secure the from Brookville Equipment funding to increase the order to Corporation (Liberty), Siemens 1081 cars – increasing the number (S70 Streetcar) and Stadler of seats in the eet by 49%. (Tramlink). The move is part of the city’s Valley LRT project begins rebranding to shed the ‘novelty’ The ground-breaking ceremony image of the USD37m line that for the 13km (eight-mile) rst stage opened in July 2015 and in of the Valley Line LRT project in preparation for the opening of Edmonton, Canada, was held on 22 the 4km (2.5-mile) second phase April. The CAD1.8bn (EUR1.122bn) of the line west to Johnson C. Gomaco-built Charlotte 92 (right) at the Trade Street Stub on 20 August 2015. Valley LRT line includes 11 stops Smith University and east to The second phase of the Gold line will extend westwards, removing the need for between the city centre and Mill Sunnyside Avenue. Construction the rubber-tyred ‘faux trolley’. P. Ehrlich Woods, as well as an elevated bids for the USD150m extensions station with a 1400-space park- and-ride facility and transit centre are due in June, with works the line voltage will also be raised use of onboard energy storage in the Wagner industrial area. A scheduled to begin later in to 750V dc from a planned seven to mitigate the application of second phase would see the line the year for a 2020 opening to substations. overhead power lines through extended to Lewis Farms for an coincide with the introduction of As the second phase will cross the iconic intersection; all three additional CAD1.4bn (EUR953m). the new eet; currently energised the junction of Trade and Tryon manufacturers offer such a at 650V dc with two substations, streets, CATS is reviewing the solution via battery storage. Metrolink’s role in the Greater Manchester vision High-capacity Metrolink lines links to Manchester Airport and interchanges in Ashton, Bolton, help residents access employment in Manchester (UK) city centre underground services, as well as Oldham Mumps, Stockport at places like the Airport, future and orbital routes are among road improvements. and Wigan. But, crucially, high capacity Metrolink services proposals to be consulted on this Greater Manchester Interim we are looking beyond this for Manchester city centre and summer. The ideas are part of the Mayor Tony Lloyd said: “Our towards a future, integrated and a transformed Piccadilly station vision for Greater Manchester in plans include funded priorities, comprehensive travel network for to integrate HS2 [the high-speed 2040 that include improvements such as opening a new Metrolink all parts of Greater Manchester. line from London], Northern to the heavy rail network, line to Trafford Park and new “Our early thinking includes Powerhouse Rail, local rail and development of rapid transit town centre public transport potential new orbital links to Metrolink.”

Budapest team wins European tram driver championship A total of 27 teams from winners with 3270 points, 17 European nations came followed by Team Leipzig together at Berlin’s Lichtenberg with 2880 and Team Lyon tram depot on 23 April to with 2860. Jim Kouazan from participate in the fth annual Team Lyon was judged best Tram-EM European Tramdriver individual diver, and Franka Championship in front of a Sonntag from Berlin, fourth crowd of 18 000 spectators. overall, was best female Drivers were put through driver. a series of tests demanding At the conclusion of the skill and judgment, and in the event, BVG tram director case of the teams from outside Klaus-Dietrich Matschke Germany, in unfamiliar handed over the baton to Berlin trams (teams had the Andrés Muñoz de Dios from day before to practice). Team Metropolitanto de Tenerife, The winning teams from (le to right) Leipzig, Budapest and Lyon on the podium Budapest (Eszter Mull and where the 2017 contest will at the end of the championship. Tram-EM Antal Harsányi) were the take place on 3 June.

208 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org 10 great reasons to attend Intermodal: Exploring the future Hear policies on integrated transport from the UK Government, local authorities of passenger and operators from across the UK. Join over 200 senior decision-makers for two days of open debate on the issues transit and the that face UK regions in developing attractive, sustainable transport solutions. role of technology Discover the latest innovative financing and urban planning models. Learn from case studies on the creation of successful connected cities. Understand the importance of land Nottingham Conference Centre usage policies and the ‘50-year’ plan. Gain a greater understanding of the 20-21 June 2016 passenger lifecycle and the role of technology in re-enabling “lost time”. Explore passenger transport’s role as I NTERMODAL a retail service and the opportunities Moving people, for additional revenue growth. driving growth Unravel the complex relationships of travel in deregulated markets.

Workshop with peers on the creation of safe, secure passenger environments. See how the Midlands is going about seizing these opportunities...

WELCOME AND KEYNOTE ADDRESS Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP Presentations and debates on: Secretary of State for Transport • How Devolution can change the transport dynamic • The 50-year Plan: Linking land use and the role of efficient mobility • Transport for the North: Urban transit priorities Hear speakers from: • Urban transport: The EIB Financing Perspective • Nottingham City Council • Strategic highway planning and the intermodal mix • City of Wolverhampton Council • How cycling and public transport make a dream team • Campaign for Better Transport • Trends in the taxi sector and its role in transport integration • Urban Transport Group • How effective urban transport can change the employment landscape • European Investment Bank

• Workplace mobility plans and their effect on CO2 profiles • Transport for the North • Driving growth through the regional supply chain • Rail Forum East Midlands • Car Dependency Scorecard: How does your city rank? • Transport for London • One size doesn’t fit all: Alternative transport solutions • Mott MacDonald • The role of personal behaviour change programmes • UKTram • Fuel cell and inductive wireless charging Innovations for public transport • Keolis • Transport for all: The role of community transport • Bombardier Transportation Digital solutions for the door-to-door journey • • Ballard Power Systems • Big Data: Security and privacy considerations • Integrated Transport Planning • Trends in passenger information services • Bircham Dyson Bell • The Robin Hood card: Transforming travel • Community Transport Association • Creating safe and secure passenger environments • National Infrastructure Planning Board • Goudappel Coffeng For more details on attending, exhibiting or • Austin Analytics sponsorship call +44 (0)1733 367607 or email • Trapeze Group [email protected] www.mainspring.co.uk/i-modal

Event supporters Cutting pollution TRAMS: A SOLUTION TO POOR AIR QUALITY James Harkins looks at the public health issues surrounding our increasingly pollution-choked cities, and how trams and light rail can save lives - and money

n important new dimension in light rail/tram vehicle development is the development of onboard hydrogen fuel cells, offering another attractive Aemissions-free alternative to traction power and catenary-free operation. In 2015, Foshan, a city of some eight million people in southern China, rolled out the rst of many CSR Sifang low-oor trams that will be powered by hydrogen. Similar vehicles have recently entered service in Qingdao, a city of nine million inhabitants in eastern China. Each can carry up to 380 passengers, has a range of 100km (over 60 miles), and offers a maximum operational speed of 70km/h (43mph). Refuelling will take a claimed three minutes. Best of all, Cities such as Los Angeles (seen above) are choking under the weight of fossil fuel-based industry and combustion- engined vehicle tra c. Sadly this situation is not unique, with other areas around the world even having to recommend as hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity residents stay indoors on days where pollution levels reach dangerous levels. through a chemical reaction of hydrogen and Above: trekandshoot / shutterstock – Below: Paolo Bona / shutterstock.com oxygen, the ‘exhaust’ from the vehicles will be nothing but water vapour. China has impressive wider light rail “Various governments ambitions and has really put its weight behind have tried to sell us the the mode in supporting urban growth while reducing congestion and pollution. As part ‘low cost’ options of more of a major demographic rebalancing over the past three decades, China now has over 170 e cient roads, cars, vans, cities with more than one million inhabitants; currently over 50% of the population live in buses and trucks,but such cities, and following global trends this is expected to rise to 70% by 2030. With a evidence shows that these potential population of 1.5 billion by this time, the issues are obvious to all. do not work on the scale In addressing these challenges, plans exist to build and equip more than 2000km (1250 now required.” mile) of new lines by 2020 and up to 4000km (2500 miles) by 2050. This forward-thinking exceed European Union limits – long after or alcohol – and the problem is not new. development of even more environmentally- they were obliged to comply with agreed A quick look back at the country’s National friendly tram power systems – as well as others boundaries. Health Service in 1999-2000 (when gures from smaller streetcar manufacturers such Increasingly, air quality has moved up the in this format were last readily available) TIG/m operating in Aruba and Dubai – is political agenda: campaigners have repeatedly shows that there were over 10 500 respiratory signi cant in the ght to secure clean air in challenged the UK Government’s plans, disease-related operations, resulting in 2.8m the world’s towns and cities. and in March this year the country’s of cial bed days per year for treatment alone. Air pollution has well-proven links to opposition party (Labour) strongly criticised coronary artery and respiratory disease and the government’s record. Time for action strokes, with studies showing that traf c-related Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn claimed at Given such powerful evidence, and the wider pollution can seriously affect lung function, Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament legal implications for continued failure to particularly in both children and older on 16 March that 500 000 people in the abide by EU regulations, governments must people. It is also well known that diesel UK would die due to a failure to meet air take immediate action to tackle high pollution vehicles emit more of these dangerous pollution rules, and that an estimate by the levels, particularly targeting nitrogen dioxide

pollutants than petrol models. Royal College of Physicians put the cost to the (NO2) and ne particulate emissions. In the UK, 16 cities and regions, including economy at GBP20bn (EUR25bn) a year. But the story goes further. Following a London, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham Air pollution has been estimated to cause landmark court ruling in April 2015, a panel and Glasgow, have levels of air pollution that far more deaths in the UK than either obesity of Supreme Court justices ordered that the

210 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Tra c gridlock is a common sight in towns and cities worldwide, crippling areas not designed to cope with the The She eld – Rotherham tram-train pilot could growth in private car usage; trams and light rail can reduce tra c and associated pollution. bibiphoto / shutterstock attract a whole new audience to urban rail. R. Buckley

UK Government must meet its obligations to local authorities currently put off by for rail users – in effect taking the railway to under European law on pollution limits and subconscious considerations of the people by going where they want to. consult on new air quality plans. The case’s over-engineering, cost overruns and general Substantial evidence from continental ndings showed that areas such as London, urban blight. In the UK there needs to be Europe shows that tram-train schemes can Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, a change to the current Department for develop signi cant revenue streams and Aberdeen, Liverpool, Bristol and Leeds would Transport Cost Bene t Ratio measurement enhance the modal switch from road to rail not meet pollution limits until 2030 – 20 years tool from the short 12-20-year period to in urban areas. However there is also evidence after the original deadline of 2010. something that better reects the 50-year-plus that tram-train schemes will only be delivered Various governments around the world generational bene ts of light rail. if the wider industry works in partnership to have tried to sell us the ‘low cost’ options of We also need to be more imaginative in make that happen. more ef cient roads, cars, vans, buses and our delivery to capture the soft bene ts of We have the money and the expertise, trucks, but the evidence fundamentally shows urban regeneration and renewal, creating the so this nasty nettle has to be grasped and a that these do not work on the scale now vibrant places to live and work seen in many statesman’s view of funding over multiple required before towns and cities choke. continental countries. Only then can we generations is needed. If this is done, we Given the slow take-up of electric vehicles enjoy both a greater freedom of movement will go a very long way to cleaning up and due to high initial purchase and leasing and continued longevity – and not one at the regenerating our cities. costs, and fundamental aws in the current expense of the other. technologies and infrastructure around them, A recent report launched by UKTram at a James Harkins is Chairman of the Light Rail Transit a step-change is needed urgently now that meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Light Association's External Relations Group, Secretariat of the facts are in the public domain. There is Rail Group shows that signi cantly higher the UK All-Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group and also the strong moral imperative to reduce regeneration and jobs are created in the Managing Director of the not-for-pro t Light Rail (UK). illness and the risk of early mortality of our eight UK city regions with light rail or tram hard-working families, the very young and systems, something that will help drive the older citizens. rebalancing and growth of the economy. DEFINING LIGHT RAIL But there is a solution to clean, sustainable, ef cient urban movement – and one that The case for tram-train There is o en some confusion in the has been proven worldwide for over 150 There is also a role for an intermediate type of terminology used to describe light rail because years. UK light rail and tram system usage has rail vehicle – the tram-train. Tram-trains can the technical and operational scope the term encompasses is very wide. been on the rise – in the 2014/15 nancial run on mainline railways but have many of Light rail – or more properly Light Rail Transit – year England recorded passenger numbers the characteristics of the modern LRV. is a mode of transport that uses rail vehicles that of 239.8m according to the Department In the UK they would typically have a are more versatile than conventional ‘heavy for Transport – a record since the start of oor height of 950mm to give level access rail’ trains and have street-running capabilities. the compilation of comparable statistics in on standard platforms, plus the exibility A light rail vehicle (LRV) can negotiate sharper 1983. Light rail journeys have risen 51% for street-level platform operation; magnetic curves in both the vertical and horizontal since 2005 – this is in a climate of major track brakes and balancing making them planes, and negotiate steeper gradients and stop expansion in Nottingham, Manchester and capable of running on ‘line of sight’, as well as much faster than a conventional train. It can the West Midlands that is driving the mode’s inter-working with conventional trains and therefore operate in ‘line of sight’ mode without having major signalling requirements. popularity in the UK. It is worth noting freeing up capacity at main stations. LRT also moves large passenger ows in a more that this has been achieved without direct This would enable them to run on cost-eective way than buses, but at a fraction operational subsidies – unlike a number of non-segregated tramway alignments and of the cost of a full urban railway or metro, so lesser-performing mainline Train Operating thus provide better transport access in places can be more appropriate in urban or inter-urban Companies enjoy. Globally, there are more where a railway route does not run close to the systems in medium-sized cities. It also oers than 13.5bn light rail journeys per year, intended destination of passengers – but where valuable feeder and urban connector roles for according to a statistics brief released by it would be either dif cult or prohibitively wider transportation networks. the UITP in October 2015. These gures are expensive to construct a conventional railway. It is also clean, relatively quiet, and can be quicker to build than heavy rail systems. growing year-on-year, too, further proving Tram-trains have the potential to attract In terms of attractiveness, LRVs can provide the popularity of rail-based urban transport new passengers to rail, by facilitating a better the ambience of a train, but run in places where with cities and passengers alike. transport offering (whilst reducing overall trains cannot; they are thus able to attract There is a simple method of increasing the costs), and by the development of new motorists out of cars where a bus would not. attractiveness of light rail and tram systems services and creation of journey opportunities

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PART ROMANIA’S TWO TRAMWAY REVIVAL Mike Russell continues his review of tramway operations in modern Romania, starting in the north-east and working anti-clockwise to conclude in Craiova.

Botoşani ABOVE: The An unprepossessing medium-sized town in common outer north-east Romania, Botoşani is only a short terminus of the two tram routes in Botoşani distance from the borders with Moldova is Fabrica de Mobilă: and Ukraine. Its most recent recorded 333, an ex-Dresden population was around 106 000, making it Tatra T4D bogie car by some margin the smallest Romanian town (still in that operator’s to feature a tramway service. This is also livery) and one of Romania’s newest tramway which, although the few unrebuilt planned during the Communist era, was the examples in the city, only one to be opened following the fall of is seen departing on the Ceauşescu regime. route 101 for Luceafarul on 24 April 2015. Addressing a pressing need to improve connections between residential and LEFT: Ex-Dresden T4D industrial areas because of the inadequacy enters the Eminescu of bus capacity, Botoşani opened its two- terminal loop on 24 route standard-gauge tramway in September April 2015. This has 1991 with routes linking the (former) remained the limit industrial area by a common segment to of Botoşani route 102 despite the intention two separate residential areas of the town. to connect it to the These routes had only a short time to Luceafarul section of demonstrate their capabilities before the route 101. Note the local decline of the industries they were intended registration plate (337) to serve. Subsequent developments have well on the front panel.

212 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Botoşani

Oradea Cluj-Napoca Arad Timişoara ROMANIA

Craiova

demonstrated how a tramway in decline can be rejuvenated by competent management. ABOVE: Seen heading outbound towards Bulevardul Muncii on 31 August 2011, former Berlin Tatra KT4D Original rolling stock featured a series 9163, now 22 in the Cluj eet, prepares to pass under the railway bridge spanning Strada Oaşului. of ten three-section V3A articulated cars of the Bucureşti type; six similar cars from Cluj-Napoca were also supplied. However the tramway was not competently operated and several vehicles quickly deteriorated into an unserviceable condition despite their youth. Secondhand Tatra T4D cars arrived from Magdeburg to relieve the situation, but the tramway continued its descent into decline. In 2002 the management was replaced and the new chief decided that the entire operation had to be relaunched with ‘new’ cars. His source was Tatra T4D cars from Much of the Cluj-Napoca tramway is laid for Cluj-Napoca is (so far) one of only two Romanian Dresden and today the entire service is still on-street running and at Mănăştur the trams share tramways to have ordered new low-oor rolling stock, operated by these trams, with regular and road space with frequent bus and trolleybus services. though its original desire for 12 such PESA Swing cars well-patronised services. The Dresden cars On 26 April 2015 Cluj 77 sets o for the railway had to be reduced to four on nancial grounds; 83 is retain their striking yellow/black livery and station, with the stabling area for spare trams and seen on 26 April 2015 in Strada Mareşal Ion Antonescu in the Mănăştur district. Note Calvaria church, a most still carry Dresden EDV eet numbers, trolleybuses just visible in the background. This Tatra KT4D arrived in 2009 from Potsdam, where it was prominent landmark, in the background, and the road in many cases partially obscured by the local 225 and whose operator’s livery it still wears. reconstruction works with the temporary platform. Botoşani vehicle registration plate required for all Romanian trams in recent years. Two routes are operated (101: Fabrica de “A tramway reconstruction plan in Cluj-Napoca was ‘sold’ Mobilă – Luceafarul, and 102: Fabrica de Mobilă – Eminescu), each to a basic ten- to passengers advertising that a new eet on rebuilt track minute frequency, increased to eight minutes in Monday-Friday peak periods. Operation would halve journey times from 40 to 20 minutes.” runs around 05.00-23.00 Monday-Friday, nishing at 19.30 at weekends. Construction Later attempts at introducing electric trams constraints. At that time, the eastern of a link between the separate ends of the two were unsuccessful and it was not until the section was completely suspended for bridge routes was started but aborted. changed economic conditions of the 1980s reconstruction works but the entire line was that Cluj achieved its ambitions. operational again from June 2014. Cluj-Napoca The system is unusual in being effectively System length is about 13km (eight Next we move to the area of present-day a long broadly east-west linear axis, worked miles) and service levels on each section Romania which was under Austro-Hungarian normally as two separate routes from each vary from around eight minutes in peak rule when the rst tram systems were opened; end to the central railway station, but with periods to 10-11 minutes at other times. The one of the area’s most important cities, and some through journeys, mainly on weekdays. western route, 101, linking Piaţa Gării with the regional capital, is Cluj-Napoca. The main operating depot is some distance Mănăştur, Strada Bucium (where a storage Traditionally known simply as Cluj, the beyond the eastern terminus at Bulevardul yard is situated for trams and trolleybuses), is sufx Napoca was added in 1974 to mark Muncii. As with other tramways built in the characterised by traversing parts of the city the existence of an early Roman settlement, last Ceauşescu years, construction standards centre and serving both recreational zones but most of its 325 000 present-day local were poor and in 2010 a plan was drawn and the high-rise housing development at inhabitants continue to use the simpler form. up for complete reconstruction in seven Mănăştur. Several trolleybus routes also Cluj is an old university city: its rst was distinct phases designed to improve the serve the latter district via more southerly founded in 1581 by Ştefan Báthory, Prince of infrastructure ahead of the introduction of parts of the town; trolleybuses have been in Transylvania and later King of Poland, and modern low- oor rolling stock. operation in the city since 1959 and the eet today’s university is the result of the 1959 A revised plan saw reconstruction in two now totals over 100 vehicles, including some unication of two educational institutions: consolidated phases with disruption ‘sold’ converted from articulated Paris motorbuses. the older Hungarian one and a newer to passengers with extensive billboards The eastern tram route (100), linking Piaţa Romanian one. It is actually a three-language and onboard notices advertising that a new Gării with Bulevardul Muncii, serves a more university, where students can choose to eet on rebuilt track would halve journey industrialised area with small pockets of study in Romanian, Hungarian or German. times from 40 to 20 minutes. The western residential development; the terminal loop The electric tramway was one of those section was dealt with rst and by early 2014 is set in grassland surrounded by a forest of opened in 1987, but this was not the town’s service had been reinstated using a mixture electricity transmission pylons. rst experience of tramways. A standard- of high- oor former German tramcars and The rst rolling stock was a mixture gauge steam-worked system was inaugurated four ve-section Polish-built PESA Swing of Timis motor and trailer bogie cars and in 1883 and eventually reached a length of low- oor trams – a reduced order from the 12 articulated Bucureşti-built cars of types V2A 9.3km (5.8 miles) before closure in 1909. cars originally tendered for due to nancial and V3A. Their deciencies and unreliability

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were countered from 1997 by the acquisition converted to single-ended layout and more In Spring 2015 the section along Bulevardul of Tatra KT4D articulated cars from Berlin powerful motors and air brakes were also Decebal was not in use, resulting in all cars and T4D bogie cars from Magdeburg; in 2009, tted. Several of these rebuilt cars survived working through from Pod CFR to Cartierul a further ten KT4D cars were acquired from in service until 1976. Nufărul via the railway station; this closure Potsdam. Some of the KT4D cars remain in The routes threaded their way through also resulted in suspension of line 2 – between service alongside the four PESA Swing the old town’s narrow streets and whilst it is Cartierul Nufărul with Ioşia – a modied low- oor articulated cars delivered in 2013. obviously to be commended that tramways remnant of the former cross-town line which here have survived and developed in recent linked the west and east stations. The section Oradea years, the most characterful of these old to Gara de Est included a number of industrial Oradea, in Romania’s Crişana region, had an sections have been abandoned in favour of sidings, used until 1994 by what was at one electric tramway established during the last concentrating operations on the broader time an extensive freight operation by electric years of the Habsburg empire when the town avenues leading to high-rise housing estates. locomotives over tramway tracks – a feature was known as Nagyvarad. Today it lies in Bihor Today’s network features an extensive loop shared with other former Hungarian tramways. county and has a population of near 240 000. covering much of the central area, the main A reminder can be found at Piaţa 1 Decembrie, A standard-gauge tramway was railway station and Bulevardul Decebal. where in 2011 electric locomotive 3 from inaugurated in April 1906 with 14 wooden- Services from both the main northern 1906 was restored under the sponsorship of bodied two-axle cars, some of which enjoyed terminus at Pod CFR (1) and the southern Siemens and is now displayed on a plinth. remarkable longevity. From 1958 the bodies one at Cartierul Nufărul (4) operate in Although many journeys terminate at Pod of 34 such cars built between 1906 and pan-handle formations to cover this loop, CFR – a turning circle sandwiched between 1944 were rebuilt with a simpler roof prole with journeys designated in black operating road and railway bridges in the north-west of and fully-enclosed platforms. Many were clockwise and those in red anti-clockwise. the city – a long extension on roadside reserved

ABOVE: The old and the new at Oradea’s Piaţa 1 Decembrie, with Siemens ULF car 53 on its way to Nufarul, with electric freight locomotive 3, restored by Siemens in 2011, now displayed on a short length of track as a reminder of the days when freight movements over this, and other legacy Hungarian tramways, were commonplace.

The junction with Strada Olympiadei on 1 August A contrasting view of Strada Olimpiadei from April In 1997, Oradea acquired over 30 KT4D articulated 1975, with rebuilt four-wheel car 26 from the 1920s 2015, with ex-Dresden and Magdeburg T4D motor cars cars from Berlin but only 11 are currently still standing at what was then the northern stub terminus and B4D trailers that now comprise the majority of the serviceable. One of them is 224, formerly Berlin of line 4 – note the ‘dog’ in the overhead for automatic Oradea eet. The full triangular junction here was laid 9091, shown here on 14 April 2015 returning from bow-collector reversal. In the background a line 1 to accommodate a revised operational pattern aer Întreprinderea Sinteza on the long roadside-running formation headed by Electroputere bogie car 58 can withdrawal of the wooden-bodied four-wheel cars line serving industrial estates bordering the main be seen, with high-rise ats under construction. formerly used on shuttle route 4 along Strada Decebal. road leading to Hungary.

214 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org RIGHT: Arad’s six Astra Imperio low-oor trams work trunk route 3. On 15 April 2015 unit 1504 is seen in Calea Timişoră heading for Aradul Nou terminus. Recent road reconstruction has seen unprotected traction poles placed centrally in the carriageway, a practice largely discontinued before World War One.

ABOVE: Ganz motor car 2 of the former Arad- Ghioroc light railway has been restored in the local Astra works and is available for private hire and excursions over the former Kleinbahn. It is seen at Ghioroc during a tour on 13 October 2005.

One of the sights of the Arad tramway is the sole Five double-ended Düwag GT6 cars from A layout of Arad’s interurban light railway station pair of former Rhein-Haardtbahn ET6/EB6 articulated Bochum-Gelsenkirchen survive in the Arad eet and is displayed as part of the recent improvement works cars built in 1963 and acquired in 1995. They are have proved useful during track reconstruction. near its former terminus at Piaţa Podgoria, bearing normally used on the interurban line to Ghioroc and Car 51 takes the newly-relaid Piaţa Podgoria junction on witness to the passage of trams both on town services are seen here approaching Piaţa Podgoria on line 11. 15 April 2015. and the interurban line that ultimately replaced it. track paralleling the main road to Hungary its neighbour. Its tramways have endured An interurban metre-gauge light railway (a mere 10km/six miles away) takes trams an interesting if rather tortuous history. linking Arad with Ghioroc and beyond, through an industrial zone to a terminus at A horse-drawn operation was introduced using petrol-electric motor cars, opened in Întreprinderea Sinteza. This is a development as early as 1869 and steam and diesel November 1906 with a terminus at Piaţa from the Ceauşescu era and was originally traction were later used but proposals for Podgoria; the line was electried in 1913 with operated at infrequent intervals as a shuttle electrication were stillborn, largely through new Ganz motor cars. Former trailers and service to and from Pod CFR by one former the outbreak of World War One. In 1929 de-motored petrol-electric cars were retained Magdeburg Tatra T4D car (1206, later Oradea the entire operation was closed. A further as trailers. The railway depot was at Ghioroc 33 and today renumbered 44) that had been attempt at opening an electric tramway in and from that settlement prolongations modied for double-ended operation whilst in 1944 foundered as a result of wartime troop extended north and south to Pâncota and Germany. Some cars on the main route 1 now activities, but in 1946 the city nally gained Radna respectively. continue as a through journey to and from its rst electric line, laid to metre-gauge. From 1964 the line was cut back in Arad the city, generally at a 16-minute frequency. By 1975 there were still just four routes, but from Podgoria to Vama Micalaca, with Oradea has been an assiduous acquirer of the last years of Communist rule expanded connection to the urban tramway. During German rolling stock and most services are the system greatly with new lines to the north the 1970s, a large new chemical works was now operated by Tatra T4D/B4D motor and serving Sere Arad and the municipal heating built on land north of this interurban line trailer sets from Magdeburg, supplementing a works, and to extensive high-rise housing around 11km (6.8 miles) east of central Arad; small number of Berlin Tatra KT4D articulated developments in the inner south-west for the urban tramway was extended here from cars. Most surprising was the acquisition in which large volumes of passenger trafc were 1978 and the Kleinbahn truncated to a newly- 2008-09 of ten new Siemens ULF ve-section rightly predicted. Some more traditional installed triangular junction between the low- oor cars of the Wien (Vienna) type, sections remain, however, of which that main line and the new branch to Combinatul together with a maintenance contract. Some served by line 6 to Piaţa Gai is probably the Chimic. In 1983, following transfer to the feature all-over advertising while others carry best example, with a side-running single-track tramway company’s management, tram the standard Wien ULF red/grey livery. line terminating at a loop around the village operation was extended through to Ghioroc, The tramway today is still municipally church, with the tramcar contesting the a total distance of around 21km (13 miles) owned and operated by Oradea Transport Local available space alongside a variety of free-range from Arad. The Pâncota and Radna branches S.A. Single journey tickets at RON3 (EUR0.68) farmyard livestock. were not converted and closed in 1991. Many can be obtained from vending machines As part of the developments of recent examples of the original eet remain in storage but other tickets and passes must be bought years, a single-track line was built branching at the former Ghioroc depot and Ganz motor from kiosks. A two-journey ticket costs RON5 from line 6 at Băile Termale to serve a new car 2 and a trailer were nicely restored by the (EUR1.12) and a day ticket RON13 (EUR2.90). industrial zone known as Platforma Vest, local Astra works in 1995 for private hire work. but trafc on this section has not reached The level of service between Arad and Arad expectations and operation is now reduced to Ghioroc was, and remains, irregular, with For a period, Arad was one of the main cities just one return shuttle journey from and to gaps of around two hours at slack periods and of Hungary, today lying only a few kilometres the Făt Frumos loop in each of the morning a rich mixture of rolling stock. From around inside Romania’s land border with and afternoon weekday peak periods. September 2014 the service was cut back to an

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established intermediate reversing triangle at Sâmbăteni with motor bus connections to and from Ghioroc on account of bridge reconstruction adjacent to the former interurban depot, but through tramway operation has recently been resumed. For fans of classic post-war German rolling stock, Arad presents a real fascination. Surely there can be nowhere else in the world where the unpredictability of the sequence of trams on all routes is so marked. Secondhand acquisitions from no fewer than 12 German tramways have arrived here, thanks largely to the initiative of the former Engineering The reversing triangle at Sâmbăteni, where tram In 2006 Arad acquired nine 30-year-old Stadtbahn-M Director, Hans Golda. service on the interurban line to Ghioroc was curtailed double-ended cars from Essen, an undertaking Düwag articulated tramcars that originated by road works for a period starting in September 2014. with which it had an established relationship; 1006 retains its Essen livery and eet number and is seen in Essen, Bochum-Gelsenkirchen, Mülheim- This April 2015 view shows ex-OEG ex-Bielefeld set 304+314 and the connecting replacement bus service departing from Făt Frumos terminus on 15 April 2015, an-der-Ruhr, Mainz, Ludwigshafen, to Ghioroc, provided by a former Essen vehicle. with an ex-Ulm ex-Stuttgart GT4 in the background. Würzburg, Ulm and Bielefeld co-exist alongside solo or coupled GT4 cars from Stuttgart, whilst at one time two-axle cars “Timişoara's tramway enjoyed strong and progressive from Halberstadt and Zwickau were found in the passenger eet. Some of these are retained growth under a succession of long-serving managers.” for works duties. Several former Halle Tatra T4D cars are also at work, although all but embankment to reach one route or the other. the new Romanian administration by one of the large eet of similar T4R cars A later development has been the opening Dr Ing Corneliu Miklosi (May 1920-1949). delivered new to Arad during the 1970s and of a proper road and tramway underpass Due to the poor condition of the vehicles and 1980s have been displaced by the second- beneath the railway, permitting the shortage of money and spare parts after World hand acquisitions. A highlight is seeing the introduction of through circular services. War One, in 1921 Dr Miklosi began a complete coupled set of former Rhein-Haardtbahn Several of the numbered routes – especially tramway reconstruction. New bodies for articulated cars working peak journeys over those on the Ghioroc interurban and to existing cars were built in the company’s all or part of the interurban Ghioroc line. The the heating works – are infrequent and workshops and a later signicant project was most recent acquisitions have been of four consultation with timetables is essential. construction of the rst Romanian bogie Lohner GT6 and seven ex-Bielefeld Düwag With all this variety to inspect, it is tramcar – type Gb 2/2 of 1949. His in uence GT6 and GT8 articulated cars from Innsbruck quite remarkable that Arad offers one of upon every aspect of Timişoara’s tramways and Stadtbahn-M cars from Essen. the cheapest day tickets in the country – a was profound and the public transport Nevertheless, the supply of suitable metre- bargain at a mere RON8 (EUR1.8), giving full museum that opened in 2000 bears his name. gauge rolling stock from Germany is hardly access to the entire urban tramway. Single Modernisation continued after 1949 with inexhaustible and Arad has introduced six tickets at RON2 (EUR0.45) can be purchased tramcar T1-62 (1962). locally-built Astra Imperio three-section from kiosks on the network and must be This project was followed by the creation, low- oor articulated cars (built with Siemens cancelled on board. under Ing Gheorghe Bihoi, of the new large- co-operation) for operation on its trunk capacity Timis tramcar in 1969. Initially route 3 to Aradul Nou. These appear in Timişoara intended as an articulated car, the Timis was an all-over green livery, in contrast to the Timişoara (formerly Hungarian Temesvár) in uenced by the Communist authorities in German rolling stock which continues to has been described as one of the jewels in Bucureşti and downgraded to a train (motor carry both the livery and eet numbers of its the former Austro-Hungarian empire and car and trailer) arrangement. Production former operators. Since delivering these new even today ne examples of its ancestry and began in a new factory that was also part of cars, Astra has withdrawn from the tramcar landscapes are to be found – it is currently the transport company and continued until building industry, so the small Arad eet of the third largest city in Romania, with a 1977, when the regime decided to transfer Imperio cars is likely to remain unique. population of around 320 000. this activity to a factory belonging to the If the eet composition of the Arad The city is also ercely proud of its place Ministry of Engineering Works. Until 1990, tramways is complex, so too is the route in history and a small monument in one of Timis cars were produced in the Electrometal network. Route numbers increment from 1 to the central parks testies to the fact that in factory (inside the same Dâmboviţa 18, with some barat variations, whilst some November 1884, Temesvár was the rst place workshop that was transferred in 1977). of the infrequent extensions beyond Sere in the empire to have its streets illuminated From 1971 the Timişoara eet was Arad to the municipal heating plant carry the by electricity. In this it predated the rather updated with around 130 motor and 120 designation CET. This multiplicity of route stultied approach of the imperial capital. trailer Timis units built in the Dâmboviţa numbers disguises the fact that the network In public transport terms, Temesvár was close factory; these cars were supplied to almost itself is actually quite simple, with the main behind Wien, with its rst horse-drawn all other Romanian tramways during the axes being the north-western lines to the tramway opening in 1869 and the 1970s and 1980s. A prototype articulated housing estates, with their main terminus at introduction of electric operation in July version was built in 1982 (type Timis V2) the loop at Făt Frumos, the southern route to 1899. The lines were laid to standard-gauge and operated here as eet number 230 but Gara Aradul Nou (recently reconstructed as and an extensive network has since no production series followed. Another part of road improvements with, amazingly developed to serve all parts of the city, with prototype articulated car (type T-83 V2C), for the early 21st century, a new series of nine routes. The city’s layout is such that with a new body and electrical equipment centrally-mounted traction poles in the several of these operate either as full circular featuring chopper control, was publicly rebuilt carriageway) and the circular routes to or pan-handle type routes. tested on Timişoara tracks before 1989. The the housing estate at Voinicilor. From the earliest times, the Timişoara political upheaval after 1989 changed the When rst opened, this development was tramway enjoyed strong and progressive intended mass production of this tram. served by two physically separate branches, development under a succession of long- Timişoara was amongst the rst one direct from the main line to a loop at serving managers. Enric Baader (July Romanian tramways to acquire German Bila, and the other a more indirect branch 1869-September 1918), whose reign is rolling stock following the 1989 revolution along Calea Renaşteni and Strada Voinicilor commemorated in the name of a street with the rst being GT6 cars from Karlsruhe to a separate loop on the opposite side of the opposite the headquarters building and who with GT8 cars from the same source main CFR railway line. Passengers could be was responsible for conversion from horse following later. From 1995, transfers from seen scrambling up and down the railway power to electric traction, was followed under Bremen arrived in large numbers and

216 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org these distinctive short two-section Hansa by Schunk. At present two such trams are in square (Piaţa Victoriei) and narrow Strada articulated cars, both motors (GT4) and operation, but a further 12 have been sent to Alba Iulia in 1989 and their diversion onto matching trailers (GB4), have become a be modernised. new tracks through Piaţa Regina Maria. striking feature of the system. Included in Some outer sections of Timişoara’s tram Pedestrianisation created a large public space the transfer were the ve identical cars routes, such as the new route 9 to Dâmboviţa for the visit of President Ceauşescu, but had originally delivered to Bremerhaven under via Bulevardul Liviu Rebreanu, the south- this been planned for one year later it is an arrangement by which Bremen agreed to eastern prong to Ciarda Roşie and the probable that trams would still be serving purchase them should Bremerhaven later north-western arm to Calea Torontalului, their traditional route with its narrow street. decide to abandon its tramway, which in due serve the usual high-rise developments of One should not infer however that the course it did. Subsequent acquisitions from the Communist era, but other sections retain tramcar is in any way the poor relation as a Bremen in 2007 have been of the Wegmann a decidedly Hungarian feel, with single- complementary trolleybus system of seven two-section cars, a development of the Hansa storey housing. Chief amongst these is the routes was inaugurated in 1942 and between series. More recently Rathgeber articulated section of line 5 to Războieni which, despite them the two modes provide all the important cars from München (2000), Düwag GT8N extensive reconstruction in the 1990s, public transport services in the city. cars from Frankfurt-am-Main (2005) and entirely retains that Magyar aspect. The The undertaking is proud of its heritage; for Düwag GT6 cars from Düsseldorf (2006) have south-western line to Freidorf passes through the electric centenary in 1999 an impressive arrived. Initially these acquisitions retained an entirely Hungarian village atmosphere on parade was arranged (sadly rather spoiled their original liveries but subsequently a new its way to the extended terminus at Abator, by appalling weather conditions) and a uniform colourscheme of yellow and white but is currently worked by motor buses. book published chronicling the history of was applied, later changed to the ‘wavy line’ In 2015, South African investment group the tramways from surviving records. From livery of mauve and white. Nepi began construction of a new mall, 2000, the Corneliu Miklosi Museum of In 2015, Regia Autonomă de Transport Timişoara Shopping City, in Calea Sagului. historic rolling stock was created in part of Timişoara (RATT) invited bids to modernise This project includes a proposed extension the old depot in Bulevardul Take Ionescu, some of its Wegmann GT4 trams with of tram services; it seems that either line 2 or in conjunction with the newly-formed a partnership between Astra Arad and 7 will serve this loop with a stop at the mall’s TramClub Banat. A great deal of restoration Electroputere VFU Pascani winning the entrance and tracks, poles and catenary are work has been carried out by the undertaking contract. The project involves only the motor already in position, except for a small area – a remarkable achievement given the cars, which now carry a new body tted where an air pollution monitoring station nancial constraints upon Romanian with air-conditioning by Thermo King; is situated. Completion is awaiting nal transport operators. Currently the museum is they are equipped with two ac-type electric approval from the EU Commission. closed for reconstruction works. motors, each of 200kW, supplied from IGBT Much of the tramway track has been In 2010 Timişoara moved to a smartcard inverters. The control equipment is provided reconstructed in recent years, with several ticketing system with rechargeable by ICPE SAERP of Bucuresti, the brakes are by remodelled layouts, and a notable feature was contactless cards that offer signicant Hanning & Kahl and the pantograph is made the banishment of trams from the central reductions for regular travellers over standard

Early this century, Regia Autonomă de Transport Ex-München Rathgeber motor car 2039 was Düwag GT6 2518 was one of a small number of such Timişoara acquired more modern Wegmann cars, amongst the rst to receive the new Timişoara cars acquired from Düsseldorf in 2006, all of which built in 1973, from the undertaking in the German mauve/white wavy-line livery; seen here in Strada 3 retained their Rheinbahn eet numbers but few of city of Bremen; this train is formed of motor car 3513 August 1919 on 20 June 2007 shortly aer repainting, which remain in service in Timişoara. This example and trailer 3713. It was seen in Strada 3 August 1919 with the Piaţa Traian tramway junction in the has just departed from the Gara de Nord terminus on on 20 June 2007. background. 20 June 2007 to begin a journey on panhandle route 1.

ABOVE: Former Karlsruhe Düwag car 109, originally built in 1964 as a GT6 two-section model and subsequently lengthened to GT8 form, entering Timişoara’s Bulevardul Regele Carol I on its route 3 journey from Abator to Gara de Nord on 20 June 2007.

LEFT: One of the rst two ex-Bremen Wegmann articulated motor cars to be completely rebuilt and modernised as Armonia models is 3517, seen during its public presentation on 8 July 2015 whilst en route between the city centre and Dâmboviţa depot. Silviu Danescu

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 217 Romania

fares, which remain available. Single journey tickets for RON2 are available from kiosks while a day ticket (and electronic version) for trams, trolleybuses and motor buses costs RON10 (EUR2.23).

Craiova This university and manufacturing town in Wallachia, the southern region of Romania, has a population of around 270 000, and is reached by train from the capital in around three hours. As such it is remote from all the other remaining tramways in the country and was not opened until 1987, despite the fact the manufacturing plant of Electroputere is to be found here. This rm produced bogie Craiova was one of the last Romanian systems to continue operation of Timis cars in passenger service; 010 cars for Bucure ti, Oradea and Timi oara ş ş was one of those that had been subject to modernisation late in its career and is seen here on the turning loop at starting in 1954 but had no reasonably local Izvorul Rece on 22 June 2007. The vehicle has since been retained as a works car. system on which to test the cars – a most unusual situation for a vehicle manufacturer. residential and university areas, with the recent acquisitions have been of Tatra T4D cars Laid to standard-gauge, the tramway here main boulevard anked by high-rise blocks from Dresden which, like other second-hand is effectively one long line on a broadly north- of apartments and the tramway laid each side arrivals, retain their German livery. west/south-east axis, with only the central of a central grassed median strip. At one time Single tickets cost RON2 when bought from section sustaining a regular and frequent this central section witnessed trams around kiosks or RON2.5 (EUR0.55) on the car. There service. This section, between Craioviţa Nouă every four to ve minutes but service levels is a premium fare of RON3 (EUR0.67) for the and Pasaj Electroputere, serves the built-up have decreased in recent years. Some journeys long prolongation to Işalniţa while a day (about one in two or three) are extended at ticket for RON6 gives unlimited access to all each end: from Pasaj Electroputere to the tramway and motor bus operations. automobile factory, passing through a largely industrialised area, and in the north-west Conclusion from Craiovita Nouă to Izvorul Rece, a Although three of the Ceauşescu-era lightly-developed section with a turning tramways have closed in recent years circle shared by tramcars, sheep and goats. (Braşov, Constanţa and Reşiţa), together Beyond Izvorul Rece, a long extension with the much older rural line between Sibiu further in a north-westerly direction takes and Răşinari, there is no reason to think the tramway to the ultimate terminus near that any of the survivors are under threat. the Işalniţa thermo-electrical plant and Two are under reconstruction or have just adjacent to a huge fertiliser factory that completed a rebuilding programme, and the In 1998, Craiova acquired ten Tatra KT4D closed in 2010. This section is otherwise older systems have resumed a progressive articulated cars from Berlin. Numerically the last was undeveloped and service is sparse, with no programme of track renewals. 110, formerly Berlin 9110, seen in Calea Bucureşti on better than an hourly frequency even at The big problem on the horizon for all the 22 June 2007. This car was to be one of four examples of the type selected for modernisation in 2013. factory shift-change times; it is laid entirely tramways is that of rolling stock renewal. as roadside reserved-track. Romania has made great strides since the In 2011, construction of an overpass in 1989 Revolution, and more recently since its the city centre necessitated the truncation admission to the EU in 2007, in adapting to of the tramway to operate only at the outer a market-based economic model, but there is ends, with ex-Berlin KT4D and ex-Dresden still a long way to go and overall conditions T4D articulated cars coupled back-to-back in the country are difcult. Consequently to a temporary stub terminus. Ex-Wien E1 the monies available for eet renewal are cars operated a shuttle from Craiovita Nouă limited and will depend to some extent on to Işalniţa. Major tramway infrastructure the availability of EU funding. The sheer reconstruction supported by EU funding magnitude of the task ahead is daunting, began in March 2013 and has resulted in because arrivals of ex-German rolling stock the entire line being rebuilt except for the have proved a lifesaver but these vehicles Road works in central Craiova in the early part of sections between Işalniţa and Izvorul Rece cannot have indenite life. this decade required the through tramway service to and on Strada Henry Ford. Reinstatement of For those who have never, or not recently, be severed; a temporary crossover was installed in Calea Bucureşti and coupled pairs of cars provided full service was planned for early 2016. visited Romania, a tour of the surviving service on the eastern section. On 21 May 2011, Craiova was unusual in persisting with systems would prove interesting, revealing former Dresden Tatra T4D cars 206 and 204 are seen the operation of Timis cars long after most examples of excellent updating work (such cautiously negotiating the temporary crossover. other operators were withdrawing them, and as the track in Brăila) and contrasting with several such cars were substantially rebuilt the patch-and-mend solution so often found and modernised locally in the mid-1990s elsewhere. For admirers of the German by Electroputere. Sadly no such cars are still Düwag tramcar, Romania remains the Mecca, available for service. Acquisitions from the with many more such cars in operation west came in the form of Tatra T4D cars from than anywhere else, and in a sometimes Leipzig, KT4D articulated cars from Berlin and bewildering variety of liveries that proclaim the former Wien E1 cars that came here after a their provenance. It can only be hoped that four-year sojourn in Rotterdam. A surprising future economic conditions will improve series of acquisitions was of a small number to the point where sufcient funds for eet of three-axle motor cars from München. Cars renewal become available to enable these of this design require careful and regular tramways to full their potential. maintenance procedures which might A view at the Işalniţa terminus of the Craiova tramway, reached by a long rural extension beyond ordinarily be beyond the capabilities of a small The author acknowledges with grateful the city limits that only receives an hourly service. provincial tramway such as Craiova, though thanks the considerable assistance of Cristina This view on 21 May 2011 shows Craiova 660, unlike similar cars acquired by Bucureşti those Albu, Radu Czech and Silviu Danescu in the formerly Wien 4767, an E1 car built by SGP in 1971. in Craiova were never retrucked. The most preparation of this feature.

218 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org AWARD SPONSORS

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www.lightrailawards.com Components RAIDING THE PARTS BIN TO BENEFIT LIGHT RAIL

The Solaris Tramino for the German city of Jena benets from the Polish manufacturer’s bus experience, utilising many common interior and trim components. Solaris

Scott McIntosh considers the from scratch for a speci c application. Now, • Sentinel adapted its successful steam road with the opportunity to take advantage lorry powertrain (boiler, engine and brakes) future – and past – prospects of potentially multi-use COTS products into a range of lightweight railcars that for using ‘o the shelf’ manufacturers cease to be makers and become operated successfully on UK and British system integrators who can utilise off-the- Colonial railways in the 1920s and ’30s. components in urban rail. shelf hardware, components and operating In many cases the components were taken systems to meet their needs. In theory (at straight off the Sentinel production line. t is an unfortunate truism that in the least) integrators can focus their efforts on the • Efforts were made by the noted light rail modern world of bright-eyed enthusiasm, task-at-hand rather than having to design, engineer Holman F Stevens to adapt road a lack of historical context and political build, and debug equivalent new products. motor components (mostly Ford chassis) desire ‘to be seen to do something’ can There are three major areas where this to provide lightweight railcars; these were lead to decisions being made on the approach is promoted in the rail industry: less successful, with road-biased parts being basisI of fashion, even in industries such as • Major vehicle sub-systems (traction insuf ciently robust to stand up to the transport that should be based upon science packages, braking systems, heating- more demanding world of railway traction. and calm deliberation. ventilation-air conditioning and • Walker Brothers of Wigan were successful The enthusiasm for COTS (Commercial communications) in adapting the rugged 153hp Gardner Off-The-Shelf) is one such fashion. In • Control and monitoring data and engine, designed for heavy lorries and buses, theory COTS items are products which are operating systems to power railcars; rst for a number of Irish commercially available to the mass market • Station auxiliary equipment (ticketing, narrow-gauge lines, then for the Great with published pricing and speci cations. lifts and escalators, informatics) Northern Railway (Ireland) and later for Such products are expected to be used ‘as is’ Australia and South America. The result was and equivalent components based on And while it may be worthwhile examining a rugged and reliable unit that could stand industry standard speci cations should be each in turn, it is important to recall that up to light to medium railway use. The design readily available from multiple suppliers at aspects of this approach are not new. descendants are the Stadler articulated competitive prices for immediate delivery. railcars in current use across Europe. It is claimed that published pricing and A little history However the biggest success was begun speci cations facilitates the purchase of an The transfer of know-how and indeed whole by the work of the Associated Equipment item at market pricing and reduces the need blocks of equipment into the rail industry has Co. Ltd (AEC). This company had grown for formal competitive bidding with the a long history, with varying levels of success. out of the London Underground group and associated costs and time delays. In the 19th Century railways often by the 1920s it was building most of the Given the comparatively small size of pioneered mechanical development and buses for the group. AEC realised that its the railway industry – and the even smaller expertise transferred from them to other established and successful 130 bhp six- sub-sector occupied by tramways and metros areas, but the rapid rise of industries such cylinder internal combustion diesel engine – an argument can be made that it no longer as electrical and automobile engineering that was used in London buses and numerous makes economic sense from a time, risk, or resulted in a change of ow. A number of other commercial vehicles, was capable of cost point of view to design a new product speci c examples can be quoted. powering a lightweight self-contained railcar.

220 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org The UK’s Derwent Valley Light Railway experimented with this railbus in the 1920s; LNER Sentinel steam railcar 225 ‘True Blue’ at an unknown NER station in the a Ford chassis mated to a body constructed locally. Rail Archive Stephenson 1930s. Rail Archive Stephenson

The vehicle featured a chassis-mounted of suppliers. Thus a 1937 Blackpool Brush maximum extent practicable, including both motor and cardan shaft drive to the wheels. car has a body by Brush, bogies by EMB, component- and subsystem-level COTS. The prototype was built and sold to the English Electric motors and English Electric In the US (an early adopter of COTS), it Great Western Railway, its solid engineering controllers. Only the bodyshells were unique: is claimed that this approach has produced making it a success that led to the GWR all the other major components were supplied major bene ts to the Defence Department, building up a eet of 38 cars between 1933 ‘off the shelf’ to a number of systems. including lower costs, reduced development and 1939. Post-war the same basic concept The wider adoption of components from time, enhancement of the available supplier resulted in development of railcars for the outside the industry was often prevented base and the early adaptation of state-of- GNR(I), CIE and ultimately the British by space and weight considerations and the the-art commercial products to maintain Railways diesel mechanical railcar eet. rugged operating conditions encountered technological superiority. This use of commercial road vehicle engines in a tramway; axle-hung motors have a However, not everything is as good as the must rank as one of the longest-lived examples particularly strenuous life and it was only in proponents may claim. Undertakings such of the use of COTS in the rail industry. the case of the comparatively few cars to have as defence and public transport often have body-mounted motors that something drawn very demanding environments; customers The situation today from the wider electrical industry could be and operators rightly expect high levels Over the last decade, an important trend in considered, as in the Adtranz/Bombardier of reliability and components have long the US freight railroad industry has been the GT6N/8N cars and in the commercially- working days and are expected to have introduction of ‘GenSet’ (short for ‘Generator undeveloped UK City Tram. long working lives. For example, how many Set’, or sets of engines turning generators/ This approach to integrating ‘virtually people in Shef eld travel home in a 1992 alternators) locomotives to reduce fuel standardised’ components has continued Supertram and then sit down to watch the consumption and air pollution. with modern tram manufacturers and news on a 25-year-old television? And yet GenSet technology replaces the large whilst it may not meet the purist’s de nition we expect 98% dependability out of the diesel engine and generator found in almost of COTS it has certainly helped to speed tramway – a very high demand on reliability all existing freight locomotives with two the development and production of new and ruggedness. I well remember one metro or three much smaller diesel engines and vehicles, reduce their cost and improve complaining to me that the escalators they generators. These smaller power units can be acceptance time. Specialist manufacturers were being advised to purchase for their large lorry engines or off-road diesel engines are particularly strong in the elds of stations were three times the price of a and are already designed to meet appropriate braking (hydraulic, pneumatic and electro- locally-produced item; it took some time Environmental Protection requirements. mechanical), suspension and auxiliaries before they realised that they needed a Advanced computer technology allows (sanding, windscreen washing, door product that could work 20 hours a day, seven for precise ignition control, starting and operation, lighting and ventilation). hours a week, whereas the local product was stopping only as power is needed; fuel At the same time, many large designed for an of ce and would usually only consumption and exhaust emissions can manufacturers have developed standard work ten hours a day for ve days a week. be signi cantly reduced by using smaller ranges of bogies for the different classes of They bought the Metro-speci cation units. engines only when needed. vehicle they offer, (e.g. the Bombardier FLEXX It is essential that a rigorous assessment Some of the US short-line conglomerates range) that are available, virtually off the shelf of performance requirements and are re-engineering older locomotives for a rail vehicle. The one problem with these environmental concerns be made to ensure adopting such technology; using off-the- in-house off the shelf components is that low-risk adoption of ‘almost equivalent’ shelf components in kit form and its own the manufacturers tend to only offer them components into demanding transport workforce, one company has completely for products that they assemble themselves applications. Many important electrical rebuilt older yard locomotives into – don’t expect to see Alstom or Siemens cars and mechanical design factors need to ‘new’ GenSet locomotives. These rebuilt running around on Bombardier bogies – or be considered, including: functionality, units are 30-40% less expensive than a vice versa – at any time in the near future! packaging, operating temperature extremes, newly-purchased GenSet unit. This work shock levels and duration, random vibration demonstrates how the imaginative use The pros and cons spectra and airow. In some cases, hardware of COTS can de-skill a refurbishment/ Proponents of COTS claim that its adoption may need to be repackaged to meet special rebuilding project to the point where it is can meet the ‘faster, better, cheaper’ goals spatial requirements or enclosures may need within the capability and nancial ability of of leaner government procurement and the to be modi ed to survive in harsh, hostile, a small undertaking, railway or tramway. highly commercial short-termism of public/ and extreme environmental conditions. In the case of rst-generation tramways private partnerships. COTS is meant to The US has a rather unattractive word for the major car builders adopted the practice encourage the utilisation of the best available this – ruggedisation; but whilst adopting of ceasing to be ‘makers’ to become dual-use non-development products from the concept may produce a component that system integrators at a very early stage, commercial/industrial suppliers in lieu of now meets the purchaser’s long-term needs with components coming from a range specialised industry components to the the additional work may have eroded the

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 221 Components

Great Western Railway diesel railcar W35W leading a Portishead to Bristol train A Eurotunnel Brush Tri-Bo electric locomotive leads a lorry shuttle out of the in June 1953. C.R.L. Coles/Rail Archive Stephenson Channel Tunnel in May 1996. Brian Stephenson cost advantage. There is also no guarantee (EMC) will cause to their project. This seems that the component will never meet the that anyone will be willing to undertake especially prevalent in industries where large requirements, or the mitigation measures the modi cations on the component in the projects with detailed customer speci cations necessary make the product unusable in its future when spare parts are needed. are the norm – such as the railway (and more intended application – e.g. the required extra particularly the urban tramway) sector. ltering might double its size and weight; or Electronics Requirements are delegated down from the extra shielding might mean no-one could One major area where COTS will offer prime contractor to sub-contractor and the open the door to reach the front panel. signi cant opportunities is in the eld requirement to meet EMC risks gets lost or Consequent delays make the project late of electronics (both system control and ‘forgotten’ in the process. The designer sees a and over budget, with the contractor ending passenger-facing) and in supervision and functional requirement at the de nition stage up playing the all-too-familiar games of control software. Here the technology is and believes it can be met by a commercially- ‘Project Manager musical chairs’ and ‘pass evolving so rapidly and equipment used on available product; along with the functional the parcel of blame’. European railways is as rugged as it gets in requirement, there are a whole range of civilian applications. environmental conditions such as shock Conclusions Requirements for these harsh environments and vibration, temperature and consequent While these issues would seem to militate are set out in the European Union’s heat dissipation, ingress protection, and of against the use of COTS, it must not be speci cations for embedded electronic course EMC. A lot of the issues arise because mistaken that I am arguing against the assemblies on railway vehicles that require commercial products – IT equipment, power concept. COTS can certainly help speed up components of comparable resilience to those supplies, instrumentation, etc – are pressed product delivery – as shown with Le Shuttle – used in military applications. One European into service against EMC requirements they and it can help keep the product up to date in railway standard in particular, the EN50155 were never designed to meet. the rapidly-developing world of electronics. (Railway Applications – Electronic Equipment A new and (one hopes) better component Used On Rolling Stock), provides an example “COTS can certainly help may be developed during the construction of such a tough almost-military speci cation. process and if standard hardware The demanding requirements of EN50155 speed up product delivery... architecture is adopted it may be possible are used on railway systems all over Europe, to upgrade to the new unit with minimum an early application being the shuttle trains and it can help keep the delay. It may also help the operator to that provide roll-on, roll-off service through upgrade systems during the long life of the Channel Tunnel. Nine shuttles serve product up to date in the railway equipment, whereas a system-speci c the tunnel and each is some 730m long and component could rapidly become an orphan made up of 28 vehicles and two locomotives. rapidly-developing world and ultimately a museum piece. The development project team had to design However, it must not be assumed that the equipment that could withstand the impact of electronics.” adoption of COTS will automatically result of shock and vibration on Le Shuttle rolling in a better, cheaper product, delivered more stock whilst meeting EN50155 requirements. These problems can arise at a late stage in quickly. Electronics engineers may consider The Le Shuttle project team had just six the design and build phase when the sub- railwaymen hopelessly conservative, but months to design, develop and deliver the contractor has signed up to meeting ‘the spec’ that often comes from a career of having to train’s control system to production. This that can’t be later reneged upon, whatever the maintain a public service with wonder-gizmo tight timeline meant that COTS modules and engineering practicalities, without substantial equipment where the wheels fall off. assemblies had to be used extensively as there commercial penalties. To add to everyone’s If one is to get the best advantage out of simply wasn’t the time to develop custom dif culties, the sales negotiators may have COTS it is important to have experienced boards. This rapid production shows a bargained away any room for manoeuvre staff who understand the potential issues; potential advantage with COTS – the result when they attempted to achieve closure of the involve them at an early stage in the may not be cheap, but delivery can be rapid. contract some months – or years – previously. process and give them the time and budget The result is often an emergency patching to identify potential problems and ways Technical risk exercise. This may be called ‘Gap Analysis’ or to avoid or mitigate them long before To mangle a famous opening line, ‘The ‘Contract Compliance’, but in reality it is a production runs begin. railway is a foreign country: they do desperate scrambling where the commercial Some degree of early understanding of what things differently there’. One feature of speci cations which a product is said to meet the stringent speci cations mean can save a the electronics industry that has become are compared with the more stringent project lot of delay, cost and bad publicity at the back apparent over the years is the dif culty that speci cations or the railway standards, and end. Searching for late-stage ‘quick xes’ can many project managers seem to have in the identi ed ‘gaps’ are lled by extra testing only lead to disorder. As we used to say in the anticipating the problems that requirements which may show the need for ‘mitigation military: Order – counter order – disorder – such as Electro-Magnetic Compatibility measures’. It may then be that it is found personal abuse – physical violence.

222 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Comment WHY LIGHT RAIL IS ONLY EVER PART OF THE STORY Matt Johnston considers the wider role of light and urban rail and their place in the integrated transport networks of the future.

t is apt that in this same issue there is a report on the possibly historic) city isn’t a simple endeavour of either planning tramway in Vienna, a magni cent example of how light or construction and should never be underestimated. How we rail and metro services can form the backbone of transit manage the tricky relationships and expectations of businesses I networks that create vibrant and exciting cities in which and communities is key to getting the public behind us in the to live and work. It is well-proven that such systems, developed behavioural shift away from the private car. However, advances over time, contribute to the very fabric of urban life and play an in technology will assist in this process and clear vision from integral part in the lives of millions of people each year. politicians and authorities is needed to take advantage of this. But light rail cannot, and should not, ever be seen as the whole Such ambitious plans may take decades to realise as they must story. The insertion of a series of lines that link key passenger form part of the wider city-building process, but the prize is there generators such as hospitals, universities, retail centres and and obvious to see. business and retail parks should form the hub of a wider network, Public transport the world over is at a key turning point. while feeder services of buses (ideally hybrid or electrically- Individual modes offer mixed experiences for the passenger – some powered), cycling hubs and park-and-ride sites are similarly are very good, some not so – but the connections between them are crucial parts as the connectors of any always the weakest link. The only vehicle given journey where investment in light that can take you from door to door is the and urban rail can’t easily be justi ed. car, but not everyone can afford one and the Such integrated networks drive rising costs of motoring, increasing traf c regeneration and encourage con dence and congestion and the environmental and investment from local businesses impact has shown that this is not the and help organisations attract and retain answer for urban environments. the best and brightest. If transport is Clean, attractive, safe and affordable mass made cost-effective, simple, reliable, transit has to be the logical future choice. comfortable and hassle-free then every As a benchmark of how the UK is progressing member of society bene ts. If people don’t with its ‘intermodal’ aims, a new event I’m have an acceptable freedom of movement, involved with is looking at how we can link they are deemed disadvantaged and this is together bus, rail and tram networks with hardly an image that any politician wishes sustainable modes such as walking, cycling to project for their town or city. Mainspring/N. Pulling and even private hire – often seen as the Take a look at any of the liveability ‘enemy’ of public transport. It also considers indexes that are produced each year. It “As an industry we need how technology will make this easier and is no coincidence that the ‘best’ cities better for all – planners, nanciers and, in the world share great transport to truly understand most importantly, passengers. infrastructure. Melbourne, Vienna, Zürich Modern travellers live in a digital, and Vancouver, for example, all have and communicate our connected world and our transport choices established and well-integrated bus, rail must reect that. Easy journey planning, and tramway/metro systems; walking and place in the transport mix, simple cross-mode ticketing and connectivity cycling are encouraged for that last mile of en route are key markers of this revolution. the journey, and smart ticketing systems who our natural partners The sooner that the public and private allow you to hop-on and hop-off one sectors can harmonise their efforts more public transport vehicle and onto another, are and who the closely to deliver the integrated transport or rent a bicycle, with ease. These networks networks that cities deserve, the better. are vital to the success of these cities. real competition is.” Let me leave you with a few thoughts. Sadly, there is no UK city in any of Firstly, as an industry we need to truly the global liveability top tens… yet. Through historical choices, understand and communicate our place in the transport mix and both regional and national, we have disjointed transport modes where we ‘ t’. Following this it is vital that we understand who that don’t always promote easy travel. Timetables that aren’t our natural partners are and who the real competition is – a great harmonised, overly aggressive competition between modes and example of this is how Ford has gone from treating technology operators and complicated interchanges hardly foster a culture of giants like Apple’s attempts at autonomous cars as a mere novelty to con dence and simplicity in public transport. a true rival in its marketplace. That said, the right moves are being made under City Deals in Lastly, trams and metro systems ultimately equal movement UK regions to hopefully address this imbalance through local and offer something that other modes can’t. This is not as a direct decision-making that will prioritise transport infrastructure. alternative to the bus, but with a very different, but nonetheless Wise investment in sustainable, accessible transport for all important USP. It's about harnessing success and learning from becomes a virtuous circle. No-one is pretending this will be an other industries where light rail can punch above its weight. easy or quick process, no matter where you are in the world. Matt Johnston is Managing Director of Mainspring, a leading marketing I well remember the comments of Keolis expert Regis Hennion and events consultancy that operates in the passenger transport at the UK Light Rail Conference a few years ago: ‘tramways markets both in the UK and worldwide. He has a background of business mean two years of hell, followed by 20 years of heaven’. development and management consultancy across various disciplines in Inserting xed transport infrastructure into an established (and the global manufacturing, insurance and transport industries.

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The Austrian capital has one of the world’s great tramways, SYSTEMS complementing an active metro programme Vienna and cementing FACTFILE its place as one of the AUSTRIA No. Vienna, best cities to 104 Austria live and work.

he most easterly of West of the centre, trams provide ULF B 630 passes closures, line D is a survivor of an Austria’s tramways is, at intricate street coverage of a type long- the Museum of older designation system. Most of around 170km (106 miles), gone from most European cities. Natural History, with the tramway is on the surface, but by far its biggest. The longest line is around 14.5km the Ring relatively a U-Strassenbahn/pre-metro project “The sixth largest tram (nine miles), the shortest 3.4km (2.1 quiet on a summer yielded a conversion for part of Sunday morning. Tnetwork in the world,” as identi ed miles). Although a rst-generation today’s U2 metro line. Tunnels on the by the city authority, is run by Wiener system, there are also modern south of the city remain used by city Linien (WL), a subsidiary of Vienna- installations to serve late-20th and interurban trams, one of a few owned Wiener Stadtwerke Holding and 21st Century developments. A signalled sections. AG. The sole tram and metro (U-bahn) complementary work to U2’s northern Vienna’s public transport network operator is also one of several city bus extension opened in October 2013, is covered by the regional timetable providers; WL claimed 2.5 million line 26 added 4.7km (2.9 miles) of and fare co-ordination body, daily Vienna passenger journeys for new route between Kagraner Platz Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region (VOR). 2014, about 39% of the total. and U2 Hausfeldstrasse station in Vienna is strongly associated with The Austrian capital regularly Donaustadt. In the developing 22nd the River Danube (Donau), although comes top of international ‘liveability’ district, Donaustadt is the location the river’s main channels – as surveys, including in 2016. The 2014 of Bombardier’s modern tram plant. opposed to the inner city Donaukanal population for the 23 districts neared Vienna’s other major light rail producer – are well north of the city centre. 1.8 million; two million is forecast is Siemens, based at the longer The multi-section Floridsdorfer by 2029. The tramway has enough established former Simmering-Graz- Brücke is the tramway connection size and coverage to make a major Pauker (SGP) site in Simmering that between most of Vienna and the contribution to city life and despite celebrates its 185th anniversary in 2016. 21st/22nd districts across the river. closures that included cutbacks due to WL identi es almost 77% of the Using this link, line 31 is the only metro expansion, the uni-directional tramway using dedicated rights of trans-Danube tram service, and there Vienna system is represented across way. Line numbering is not only Words and pictures are some lines wholly con ned to the the city, although less-so in the east. punctuated by gaps indicating service by Neil Pulling. northern bank.

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THE FLEET

High- oor SGP and Lohner E1 (introduced 1966) and E2 (1978) trams by Bombardier-Rotax and SGP with trailers remain signicant in the eet. There are four categories of 2.4m-wide ULF; two for each of the two lengths, 24.2m (A/A1 – capacity 136) and 35.5m (B/B1 – capacity 207). The ULF ‘1’ sux indicates later models with air-conditioning amongst the modications. The national red and white livery as on E1 and E2 trams and trailers appears on illustrations of the forthcoming Bombardier trams. A mainly grey and red livery is specic to ULF stock. Wiener Lokalbahnen’s most numerous type remains the high- oor SGP/Siemens TW 100 introduced in 1979. Numbered 101126, these carry names. Fourteen Bombardier TW400 (401414) were introduced from 2000. Unlike on Wiener Linien, except for trailers, pairing of stock is common for WLB services, while the cream and blue WLB livery is used on both types. A new depot and works is being built at Inzersdorf to replace the current site next to WLB’s own tracks within Vienna, next to Wolfganggasse stop.

ABOVE: Air-conditioned ULF B1 724 at Praterstern, one of Vienna’s most important transport interchanges.

LEFT: The extremely low ULF entry point is clear in this view of B1 760 leaving Schottentor's upper level.

BELOW LEFT: Track to the le handles Wien Hbf's surface tram service; on the right is the tunnel ramp and the Hbf stop dierentiated as Südtiroler Platz.

BELOW: Trams switch tracks at the viaduct ramps to put doors on the correct side for centre-platform Gewerbepark Stadlau (le background) on the October 2013 extension.

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NETWORK FACTS Opened: 1865 (electrication from 1897) Lines: 29 Distance: 170km (106 miles) Depots: 4 Approx. weekday hours: 05.0000.30 ABOVE: 2015-built ULF A1 at Matzleinsdorfer Line frequency: Wide variations Platz, with platforms separated by a junction in the southern tunnel. Gauge: 1435mm Power: 600V dc overhead supply RIGHT: Using tram-like stock, U6 partly runs over an old city railway. Dating from Fleet: Approx. 510 trams, 185 trailers 1898, Gumpendorfer Strasse station with City network/operator: Wiener Linien Maria vom Siege church beyond. Interurban operator: BELOW: Metro extension led to a changed Wiener Lokalbahnen layout near Kagran stop. New line to the le , with the one to the right abandoned in 2013. INFORMATION City network: www.wienerlinien.at Wiener Lokalbahn: www.wlb.at Regional transport: www.vor.at Civic information: www.wien.gv.at Tourist information: www.wien.info

Nearing Schwedenplatz, SGP E1 4743 + Rotax C4 1318 cross Donaukanal, an old Specially-equipped for tourism, SGP E1 Ring Tram 4867 near Börse. Danube channel re-engineered for navigation.

RIGHT: 1978-built SGP E2 4008 with C5 trailer 1408 awaits departure at Grinzing terminus. LEFT: With Spittelau waste incineration plant in the le -background, ULF B 671 climbs Floridsdorfer Brücke over the Danube.

ABOVE: Three WL modes at Schottenring: a Siemens-Rampini bus being recharged, with tram and metro just visible beyond.

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“An area notably without trams is the very centre of the city, a core clearly delineated by 5.3km (3.3 miles) of the Ring, location of grand Austro-Hungarian era buildings.”

An area notably without trams is A much smaller installation, Wien ABOVE: The BELOW: BOTTOM: Split by the very centre of the city, a core Oper (Kärntner Ring) is signi cant as Schottentor Marshalling stock a public road in an clearly delineated by approximately terminus of the Wiener Lokalbahnen terminus loops, a at Wolfganggasse old residential area, 5.3km (3.3 miles) of the Ring, (WLB) line. Another Wiener site incorporating depot. The stop and the large Favoriten an U Bahn station. service line (le ) will depot is near location of grand buildings from the Stadtwerke subsidiary, WLB also There are also trams also be abandoned Quellenplatz stop. Austro-Hungarian Empire era. This runs an extensive bus network and on the nearby Ring. when replaced circuit of avenues follow the glacis, has a rail cargo operation. A 30.4km by WLBZentrum sloping elds of view for defenders on (19-mile) interurban line south-west Inzersdorf. the city walls, forti cations removed to the spa town of Baden, the Badner in the mid-19th Century. When new, Bahn completed in 1899 (electri ed by 1865 the Ring became a setting for 1907) has dedicated stock that works horse-drawn trams. Electri cation over railway-type infrastructure from 1897 included tramlines that with tramway at each end, in Vienna were within the Ring, but these went including sharing some WL tracks. in favour of buses and, from 1978, Vienna’s metro has grown steadily the metro. Siemens-Rampini electric since 1978 and there are currently buses recharged from short overhead ve lines totalling 78.5km (49 miles). sections also operate inside the Ring. Yet the project has its critics, with The Ring circuit is fully completed concerns focusing on value for money only by WL’s specially-priced tourist and in some cases the loss of local Vienna Ring Tram, although it forms tram coverage. A sixth line projected part of several routes radiating to to open in 2023, U5 – numbering outer districts. Schwedenplatz by the reects original allocation, not Donaukanal is one of several stops with building sequence – will introduce particular importance for the wider automatic operation. The main network. The Ring Tram’s start/end format is third-rail supply for Siemens point, Schwedenplatz offers good access metro stock, mainly over newly-built to the centre. A drop-off for Danube infrastructure. In contrast, the present cruise buses, Schwedenplatz is served longest line, U6, partly redeployed by several tramlines, has a metro station an old city railway, including some and also the landing stage for fast craft elevated stations classi ed as historic to the Slovakian capital, Bratislava. structures. It also has overhead supply To the west, trams at Schottentor not for tram-like Bombardier vehicles. only pass on the Ring, they also have The 4.6km (2.9-mile) southern U1 a two-level turning circuit acting as extension (to become Vienna's longest termini for lines to the suburbs. metro line) illustrates the policy of

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“The city identi es an approximate 18km (11-mile) extension of the tramway “in the next few years”, designating lines 0, D, 67 and 25.” trams not replicating later metro coverage. Surface works curtailed tram line 67 at Alaudagasse, well ahead of a scheduled 2017 opening. The national railway’s main operator, ÖBB provides a major part of Vienna’s internal transport capacity, mainly by the ten-line S-Bahn and regional services. Heavy rail has key interchanges with the metro and tramway such as Wien Mitte, Praterstern and Wien Westbahnhof. Although the transition was phased, December 2015 marked the main takeover of long distance rail services by Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). This new through-station has expanded the role of the former double termini at Wien Südbahnhof. Broadly on the same site, the Hbf project brought changes to metro, bus and tram interchanges. Not only due to travellers changing modes, Wien Hbf also generates traf c due to being a shopping and of ce complex. Siemens Ultra Low Floor (ULF) trams represent about 60% of the eet. This project was initiated by SGP (later Siemens) with WL and, but for ten on Romania’s Oradea system (see page 212 for more on tramway developments in Oradea), all work in Vienna. In eet service by 1998, there are 332 ULF delivered/on order. The type is noted for having only 197mm (7.8 inches) between road level and although the historic and relatively TOP: Both WLB the entry step; with a continuous central Favoriten depot remains types at Baden oor little over 20mm higher, these active. East of Vienna and away from Josefsplatz attributes are important where street service lines, WL’s maintenance terminus on 9 August 2015. boarding is widespread. centre on Simmeringer Hauptstrasse With ULF still being delivered, has tram access from a junction near ABOVE: Modern a break with Siemens came in June Zentralfriedhof 4 Tor stop. The city Type V metro stock 2015 when WL con rmed an order for authority identi es an approximate at Donaumarina 119 plus options of 34m Bombardier 18km (11-mile) extension of the station on a U2 open days. It maintains a heritage Flexity trams. Like Siemens with the tramway “in the next few years” section opened in eet and the Remise museum – near ULF, Bombardier is building the trams designating lines 0, D, 67 and 25. 2010. Schlachthausgasse tram 18 terminus in Vienna; deliveries that will see Not merely slang, the bell- or U3 station (details are available on ABOVE RIGHT: withdrawal of more E1 and E2 high- soundalike ‘Bim’ nickname for the Wiener Linien website, also host of Through the oor trams should begin in 2018. trams also appears in the media keyhole: an eect of the transport souvenir Fan Shop). Like many large systems, WL had and some of cial communications. vertical drive units a profusion of depots with satellite Another indicator of the tramway’s in portals between Comprehensive maps and service storage areas. It has gradually reduced integral place in Viennese life, WL ULF tram sections. information are available at these and has modernised facilities, has a programme of popular depot www.wienerlinien.at

ESSENTIAL FACTS Local travel: Central Wiener Linien information points include Stephansplatz, 90-minute, single direction with transfers ticket is available from onboard Schottentor and Karlsplatz metro stations; VOR Kernzone 100 tickets cover machines. Wiener Linien and other operators’ modes but not CAT and WESTbahn What is there to see? District 1 (Innere Stadt) has Vienna’s greatest trains, nor airport express buses. WLB is outside zone 100 south of concentration of tourist attractions, much based on culture and history. Vösendorf-Siebenhirten. A contrasting national institution, Prater gardens and fun fair near Praterstern Internet information is excellent, although convenient printed tramway station includes the Liliputbahn steam railway and an excellent beer garden. maps seem unavailable; the ubiquitous free City Map shows tramlines and Take tram 6 or 71 to the enormous Zentralfriedhof cemetery: Tor 2 is the tramstops, albeit without names. 24/48/72 Stunden (Hour) Wien Karte tickets nearest stop for the nal resting place of Beethoven and assorted artistic EUR7.60/13.30/16.50. Note that the EUR16.20 Wochenkarte (week) ticket luminaries. Much livelier are new wines at heuriger (wine taverns) in tram- is specically Monday-Monday. A limited range including the EUR2.20 served Grinzing and Nussdorf. Use WLB for the relaxed and elegant Baden.

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ALGERIA SIDI BEL ABBÈS. The first of 34 seven-section 43.7m Alstom Citadis for the new 17.8km (11-mile) tramway was delivered on 8 April. The 34 cars are being built in Algeria at Annaba. IRJ

AUSTRALIA BRISBANE. A new authority, Cross River Rail, is being setup to deliver the project for a new 10.2km (6.3-mile) commuter rail link from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills, including 5.9km (3.7 miles) in tunnel under the Brisbane River and city centre. Completion is planned for 2021. IRJ CANBERRA. The National Capital Authority has approved the planned Gungahlin tramline (5.4km/3.4 miles), including landscaping and infrastructure. Work will start in October, for completion in early 2019. Canberra Times MELBOURNE. The last Z1 and Z2 class trams, dating from 1975-78, were withdrawn on 22 April. Final cars were 35 at Glenhuntly depot and 71 at Malvern depot. The Victorian Government has The rst koda 14T tram in the Praha (Prague) eet to be rebuilt for further service aer plans to sell them fell through. MHD86cz increased its planned order for seven-car metro trains from 37 to BELGIUM including the rebuilt metro (41.6-mile) automated light metro 65. Three companies have been ANTWERPEN. Delivery of interchange at Schuman. T 2000 connecting Brossard with Deux shortlisted to build the trains in Albatros trams reached 7332 by CHARLEROI. The City Council Montagnes and Sainte-Anne-de- Victoria, with delivery starting in mid-March. has come out in favour of opening Bellevue, with a branch to the 2018. GRN PCC 7131 has re-entered service the long-dormant Châtelet airport. It says the system could be NEWCASTLE. Five trams will be after a year of remedial works tramline, with a 600m extension built using Skytrain technology by purchased for the new Wickham following an accident, including to the new hospital. T 2000 2020. Caisse has a 30% interest in light rail line. Five companies a full repaint; 7014/21/7/50 have GENT. The 1.7km (1.05-mile) Bombardier Transportation. have been shortlisted to build the been withdrawn for scrap. A farewell extension of line 21 from E. B. Havens projects: CPD Contractors, Downer trip on the last non-renovated PCC Zwijnaardebrug to Zwijnaarde was TORONTO. Tram route 512 will EDI, John Holland, Laing O’Rourke was scheduled for 16 May, with due to open in May. be bus-operated from June to and McConnell Dowell. TNSW nal withdrawal predicted for the PCC 6226 has been transferred December due to infrastructure PERTH. The AUD1.2bn end of June. to the TTO museum group at replacement at St Clair (EUR782m) contract to build The Tram de Lux library/café Knokke. T 2000 West Station. the 8km ( ve-mile) Forrest eld – tram is operating on 1/5/29 May, Bombardier tram 4419 arrived Airport rail link has been awarded to 12/26 June, 4/18 September, BULGARIA in late April, nearly a month after a joint venture of Salini Impreglio/ 2/16/30 October, 13/27 November SOFIA. The EU has approved 4418. The manufacturer had NRW and should open in 2020. RGI and 11/25 December, with EUR368m in grant funding for con rmed it would delivery four SYDNEY. Production of the 60 departures from Groenplaats at the 8km (five-mile) first section trams/month from April, but Alstom Citadis XO5 trams for the 16.00, 18.00 and 20.00 on each of metro line 3 from Botevgradsko now says just 16 more will arrive new tramway began in March, and day. Bookings need to be made at Shosse to Ovcha Kuptel. IRJ in 2016. The company is moving the nal design and colourscheme www.infocultuur.be. T 2000 manufacture of parts from Mexico have been revealed. G. Sutherland BRUXELLES/BRUSSEL. 39 of CANADA to La Pocatiere in Québec in an 69 metro stations re-opened from CALGARY. Consultants have attempt to improve matters. AUSTRIA 30 March, with services running recommended that the Green The delays also threaten the GRAZ. The last of the 45 Stadler 07.00-19.00, though Maelbeek light rail line from North Pointe Metrolinx order for similar cars Variobahn low-oor trams entered metro station remained closed to Seton be routed through the for its Eglinton and Finch LRT service on 1 April. DS while explosion damage was city centre in subway under 7th projects; a prototype LRV is due INNSBRUCK. The Saturday repaired. Pre-metro stations offered Avenue. E. B. Havens this year. museum tram trips provided by a normal service. Normal operation HAMILTON/MISSISSAUGA. A preserved PCC will be used TMB started on 30 April, was in place from 12 April and AECOM has been awarded on the 509 Harbourfront line with departures from the Maelbeek re-opened on 25 April. a seven-year CAD100m this summer. Until 24 July it will Stubaitalbahnhof at 10.20, 12.20 The 2.2km (1.4-mile) extension (EUR68.5m) contract by Metrolinx use Fleet Loop. Exhibition Loop re- and 14.28. TMB of tramline 94 to Roodebeek is to provide technical advisory opens the following week. D. Drum going ahead for completion in the services for the two new light rail WATERLOO-KITCHENER. AZERBAIJAN first quarter of 2018 at a cost of projects. Delivery of the 14 LRVs ordered BAKU. The first two stations on EUR21.5m. Further extension to MONTRÉAL. Pension fund from Bombardier for CAD92.4m metro line 3, Memar Acami and Marcel Thiry is proposed. manager Caisse de dépôt et (EUR63.3m), is likely to face Avtovagzal, opened on 19 April, Monday 4 April saw the delayed placement du Québec has proposed delays due to the problems providing interchange with line 2. opening of the 1.25km (0.78-mile) investing CAD3bn (EUR2.05bn) in affecting the Toronto order. The urbanrail.net Schuman – Josaphat RER subway, a CAD5.5bn (EUR3.77bn) 67km rst car is due in October. The Record

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CHILE the planned new tramway line SANTIAGO. CAF delivered the in the 2017-21 state budget. The rst of 37 automated ve-car metro line from Hervanta to University trains on 6 April. They will be used Hospital should open in 2021. IRJ on new lines 3 and 6. RGI FRANCE CHINA AVIGNON. Work on the CHANGSHA. The 18.5km construction of the new 6km (11.5-mile) maglev transit line (3.7-mile) tramline started in April from South Railway Station and should be completed in late (interchange with metro line 2) 2018. france BLEU to Huanghua Airport opened on 1 April. There is one intermediate GERMANY station. The three-section trains BERLIN. Political consideration supplied by CRRC Zhuzhou are is being given to the extension 48m long and carry up to 363 of U-Bahn line U8 north from passengers at up to 100km/h Wittenau to Märkisches Viertel, (62mph). RGI about 1.2km (0.75 miles). A federal HANGZHOU. Qianjiang Century grant will be applied for. IRJ April snow was rather unexpected in the German city of Gotha. The tram, 522, is one City station on metro line 2 DARMSTADT. Tenders have of the Düwag cars with a low-oor centre section acquired from Mannheim. M. Euer opened on 28 April. urbanrail.net been invited for 14 low-oor trams, SHANGHAI. Trial passenger with an option for six more. DS DDR-era livery to mark 40 years of is secured, the intention will be for operation on the one-station DRESDEN. The last operation operation of this tram type. DS the service to terminate opposite eastern extension of metro line 11 of the CarGoTram was on 31 POTSDAM. 12 Tatra KT4D trams the Villa Marina Colonnade, with to Disneyland Resort started on March. The future of the two are to be refurbished in the Hostivar the possibility of tracks being 26 April. IRJ Volkswagen-owned trams that workshops of the Praha tramway connected to the Manx Electric SUZHOU. A fleet of 18 100% have been operating for 15 years is under a contract worth EUR8.5m. Railway at Derby Castle. This low-floor five-section trams with uncertain. DS would be the subject of a further Škoda electrical equipment have FRANKFURT-AM-MAIN. The HUNGARY assessment, including a redesign been ordered from CRRC Nanjing VGF and the cities of Frankfurt BUDAPEST. The rst 55.9m-long of the scheme for improvements Puzhen for the 15km (9.3-mile) and Offenbach are said to be CAF tram, 2101, entered service on between Villa Marina and tramline 2, due to open next year. discussing to an agreement that route 1 on 31 March; 11 more will Strathallan Crescent. Line 1 is operating with a eet of will bring trams back to the streets follow. Work on the subway at 18 cars from the same manufacturer of Offenbach. Trams were cut Clark Ádám tér was completed in ITALY built under Bombardier licence. RGI back to the boundary in 1996 and March and lines 19 and 41 now run MILANO. ATM has decided to Offenbach is still not a member of through to Bécsi út. DS exercise its option with Hitachi Rail COLOMBIA the joint tariff area. DS Italy (formerly AnsaldoBreda) for a BOGOTA. Tendering will begin in HALLE. Tramline 15 in Merseburg- IRAN further 15 six-car metro trains for 2017 for the construction of metro Süd ran for the last time on 29 TEHRAN. The 5.5km (3.4 miles) line M2. IRJ line 1, a 15km (9.3-mile) elevated April; it is replaced by alternate extension of metro line 1 from line from Portal Américas to workings on line 5. The shuttle Shahed to Shahr-e Aftab opened JAPAN Calle 6 in the city centre. IRJ service was closed by car 627. On on 18 April. urbanrail.net KITAKYUSHU. A second MEDELLÍN. Full revenue service 1 May the turning circles at Frohe low-oor tram has been delivered on the 4km (2.5-mile) Translohr Zukunft and Südstadt (Böllberger INDIA to the Chikuho Railway, 5002, rubber-tyred tramway linking San Weg) were taken out of service to BANGALORE. On 30 April the built by Alna Sharyo. Y. Nogi Antonio metro station and Estación be replaced by reversing stubs. BS metro Purple line was extended KUMAMOTO. Transit service was Oriente started on 31 March. KÖLN (Cologne). The ninth by 5.1km (3.2 miles) across the city suspended after a 7.3 magnitude urbanrail.net refurbished Stadtbahn-B car has from Magadi Road to M. G. Road. earthquake hit the city on 16 April, For more on the Ayacucho line see entered service as 2427 (ex-2198). DS urbanrail.net although it is understood the TAUT 941 MÜLHEIM/Ruhr. The delivery tramway has not suffered bad of Bombardier Flexity 8001-15 has INDONESIA damage. Y. Nogi CZECH REPUBLIC been completed and they provide JAKARTA. A Bombardier-led TOKYO. A total of eight type 7700 OSTRAVA. Tatra T3 trams the service on lines 102 and 104. consortium has been awarded a trams are entering service on the 901/13/5/8/24 have been sold to Stadtbahn-B 274/6 have followed USD74m contract for ten six-car Arakawa tramline, rebuilt from the Kharkiv in Ukraine and left Ostrava others to Elblag in Poland; 297 has EMUs for the planned Soekarno- existing 7000 type with new bogies on 5 April. transphoto.ru been scrapped. DS Hatta International Airport rail and electrical equipment. Y. Nogi PRAHA (Prague). 9148, the rst MÜNCHEN (Munich). The new link. The 12km (7.5-mile) line is Škoda 14T tram to be completely Bombardier Innovia automated expected to open in 2017. IRJ LATVIA refurbished, was unveiled on 18 peoplemover to serve terminal 2 of RIGA. After evaluation of bids April. The rebuilt cars will be used Munich Airport was inaugurated ISLE OF MAN from PESA, Stadler and Škoda, on lines 3 and 17 from Kobylisy on 22 April and was in regular DOUGLAS. The future of the horse Rīgas Satiksme has awarded a depot. A. Prescott service from 26 April. The 382m tramway remains uncertain, with EUR62.6m contract to Škoda for line cost EUR89m. RGI the 2016 operation likely to be the 20 air-conditioned 15T ForCity FINLAND NAUMBURG. Two-axle Rekowagen last using the traditional route. 100% low-oor trams, to be used HELSINKI. The Finnish 51 (1973) returned from overhaul The proposal to relocate tracks on on line 4. There will be 15 three- Government has allocated in Leipzig on 27 April in red and the Promenade has been abandoned section 30m and ve four-section EUR84m towards the cost of a cream livery, and can form a train following safety concerns; the 40m cars, to be delivered by the end 25km (15.5-mile) light rail line with matching trailer 19. DS Department of Infrastructure has of 2017. A. Prescott between Keilaniemi and Itäkeskus NÜRNBERG (Nuremburg). now brought another application in Espoo and Helsinki. Total Lines 4 and 6 were cut back from to reconstruct the failing roadway MALAYSIA infrastructure cost is EUR275m, Thon to Plärrer from 4 April for on Loch Promenade that has no KUALA LUMPUR. On 31 March with the city of Espoo contributing nine months. When they resume provision for tram tracks between Ampang metro line 4 was extended EUR67m. The target is to start on 11 December their new terminus the Sea Terminal and Villa Marina south by 6.5km (four miles) from passenger service in 2022. IRJ will be Am Wegfeld. Colonnade. Kinrara BK5 to Bandar Puteri. The TAMPERE. Government funding PLAUEN. Tatra KT4D 216 has The current view is that if the remainder of the line to Putra of EUR71m has been allocated for been repainted in its original long-term future of the horse trams Heights is due to open in June. RGI

230 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org took place on 18 April, marking TURKEY the restoration of works car 3075 ISTANBUL. A new fleet of 75 (built 1948 using parts of a 1908 four-car automated metro trains has two-axle tram), and rail transporter been ordered from Hyundai Rotem 3490 (built in 1971 using a for USD316m. The trains will be withdrawn MTV-82 car). assembled by Eurotem at Adapazari IRJ, N. Semyonov and delivered by April 2021 for SAMARA. The prototype Stadler line 7. IRJ 85300M Metelitsa articulated tram has been returned to the factory. UKRAINE New in service are Ust-Katav DONETSK. Passenger traf c to the 71-623 939+940 and 71-633 (100% railway station on tramline 1 was low-oor) 960. transphoto.ru restored on 25 April. transphoto.ru TVER. Ten KTM-8 trams have been KYIV. PESA is to supply a further purchased from Moskva. The rst nine 26m Fokstrot low-oor trams ve arrived on 22 April. transphoto.ru to join the demonstrator already in service. The total value of the SLOVAKIA contract is EUR11.5m. RGI KOSICE. DPMK has exercised Car 2499 in the Polish city of Łódź is actually a heavy rebuild of metre-gauge UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Bielefeld Stadtbahn-M car 521. D. Tringham an option for 13 more Pragoimex Vario LF2 Plus trams, at a cost of DUBAI. Design of Phase II of the NETHERLANDS PHILIPPINES EUR18.8m. This will bring the total Dubai Tram, taking it 5km (three AMSTERDAM. Door problems MANILA. President Aquino to 46. RGI miles) further east to Mall of the with the sneltram on line 51 have performed the ground-breaking Emirates will start design later this led to gaps in the service; technical ceremony for metro line MRT7 on SOUTH KOREA year. Phase I is now carrying 5.2m personnel have been stationed 20 April. The 22.8km (14.2-mile) BUSAN. Existing rolling stock on passengers/year. emirates 24/7 at station Zuid to try to correct line is being built on underground/ metro line 1 is to be replaced by 40 faults without taking the car out elevated alignment under a 35-year new trains ordered from Hyundai UNITED KINGDOM of service. PPP concession, with Hyundai Rotem. GRN BLACKPOOL. Acquisition of A test programme to clear the Rotem supplying 36 three-car INCHEON. A new metro station, retail premises on Talbot Road extension to Amsterdam-Noord trains. The line will run from an AREX Yeongjong, opened on will provide an off-street tramway for service started on 21 March interchange with MRT3 and LRT1 26 March. urbanrail.net terminal for the extended line using metro set 161+162. OR at North Avenue to San Jose del to Blackpool North station, as a DEN HAAG. The last four Siemens Monte in Bulacan. Passenger service SWITZERLAND central component in the second Avenio trams were delivered in April, should start in April 2020. RGI AIGLE – CHAMPÉRY (TPC). phase of the Talbot Gateway completing the series 5001-60. Stadler is delivering Beh2/6 541-7 Central Business District. PCC tram 1210, dating from POLAND with Abt rack equipment and the Construction of the GBP22m 1963, from the Haags Trammuseum POZNÁN. Ten more three-section ability to operate under 750-1500V (EUR28m) 600m tramway will be operating a hop-on hop-off 25% low-floor Moderus Beta dc overhead. From 25 April the extension is expected to start tourist circuit every 30 minutes MF22AC trams have been ordered Strub rack between Monthey and at the end of 2017, opening in 09.30-17.30 daily this summer, from Modertrans. Unlike the 44 Champéry was being converted 2019; a business case for funding thanks to a EUR100 000 subsidy previous cars (24 delivered, 20 on to the Abt system, and the power is to be presented to Transport from the city council. order), they will be double-ended. supply upgraded for 1500V dc. for Lancashire and Lancashire IRJ Buses operate until September. Enterprise Partnership. The NEW ZEALAND Aigle–Monthey is to be closed estimated cost of the project has CHRISTCHURCH. Heritage tram PORTUGAL 11 July to 21 August for the power risen from GBP18.2m (EUR23.4m) service resumed operation along LISBOA. The Blue line metro was upgrade. Beh4/8 591-2 will be to GBP24m (EUR31m), mainly due New Regent Street on 2 May after extended by 937m from Amadora upgraded to operate on 1500V dc to the inclusion of two additional completion of safety checks on Este to Reboleira on 13 April, from 9 October. Bogie cars 501- trams to allow peak frequencies buildings. stu.co.nz creating an interchange with the CP 3/12-4 are being withdrawn. EA on the existing north-south line to Sintra rail line. The EUR60m project BASEL. The last operation of a be maintained. NORWAY was co- nanced by the European Duewag articulated tram plus bogie The new Norbreck North tram OSLO. The opening of the 1.6km Cohesion Fund. urbanrail.net trailer in passenger service was stop was of cially unveiled on 23 (one-mile) Lørenbanan connection PORTO. The annual parade of on line 6 on 24 April; 627/8 have March. Its reinstatement followed linking Sinsen and Økern on 3 April museum trams is scheduled to take joined the museum eet. a campaign by local residents and saw a re-organisation of metro place on 21 May. M. J. Russell BERN. A referendum in politicians. The original stop was services. Line 1 is Frognerseteren– Ostermundigen on 3 April removed in 2012 as part of the Helsyr (Bergkrystallen at peaks), RUSSIA approved plans for rebuilding conversion of the tramway to light line 2 unchanged Østerås KRASNODAR. The first 71-931 Bernstrasse including tram tracks rail operation. – Ellingsrudåsen, line 3 is Vityaz 100% low-floor tram for a service to replace trolleybus BOURNEMOUTH. A section of Mortensrud – Kolsås, line 4 Vestli from Tver is 201, delivered on line 10, reversing a vote taken in the 30m-high East Cliff fell away – Bergkrystallen via the new link, 9 April; the contract value was 2014. Berner Zeitung in April, damaging the historic and line 5 Sognsvann – Vestli via RUB67.5m (EUR880 000). An GOSSAU–WASSERAUEN (AB). East Cliff Lift funicular that the full ring. urbanrail.net agreement has been signed with Four three-car metre-gauge 58.8m opened in 1908. It is unlikely that PS Transport Systemy, to set up a trains have been ordered from the funicular will be operational PANAMA local production line for this Stadler Bussnang for the 32.1km during the summer season, whilst PANAMA CITY. The governments type of tram in the undertaking’s (19.9-mile) S23 line, with delivery removal of debris and stabilisation of Panama and Japan signed workshops, with up to 24 cars/year from early 2018. There is an option takes place. a financial and technical expected to be assembled from for a fth. IRJ CAMBRIDGE. The organisation co-operation agreement for 2017, for Krasnodar and other KLEINE SCHEIDEGG– Cambridge Connect has proposed rapid transit line 3 on 20 April. Russian cities. transphoto.ru JUNGRAU (JB). Stadler has a city light rail network, involving The 26.7km (16.6-mile) straddle MOSKVA. An order for 50 new delivered Bhe4/8 221-224, the rst tunnelling under the city centre. monorail will cost USD2.6bn trams is planned, but they will be low-oor motor cars. Bhe2/4 201-10 It follows a City Deal proposal and link Albrook and Ciudad del Russian-built due to the weakness and Bt 25-34 are being withdrawn; for a largely bus-based plan to Futuro. Construction will start in of the Ruble. A parade to mark the 203/4/6 will be retained for works tackle urban congestion in the 2017 for completion in 2021. RGI 117th anniversary of electric trams duties. EA historic city.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 231 Worldwide Review

Cambridge Connect’s proposals conjunction with TfGM, review the comprise 35km (22 miles) of track assessment of risk from operations and would cost around GBP1bn- throughout the pedestrian area in GBP2bn (EUR1.28bn-EUR2.6bn), the vicinity of Piccadilly Gardens. although a more modest version The early morning Firswood could be implemented for – Manchester Airport service GBP400m-GBP700m (EUR514m- designed for workers carried 1474 EUR899m). passengers in its first four weeks EDINBURGH. Work is ongoing from 21 March. The service will to assess options for extra and extend to Deansgate-Castlefield faster services, with the aim of later in the year, once improvement introducing a new timetable before works there and at St Peter’s Square the end of 2016. Priorities include have been completed. more peak services, and speeding A technical issue at the Trafford up airport journey times. Work control centre on 25 April led to is also continuing on options services on the entire Metrolink for extending operating hours, network being suspended for more following a trial last year. than four hours. Although the The Public Inquiry into the system was restored for the evening construction and cost/time over- rush hour, residual delays affected One Russian tram factory that seems to be selling its products is the new runs has yet to call key witnesses lines for the remainder of the day. enterprise set up in Tver. This is the rst for Rostov-na-Donu. S. Maksimov or to set a date for public hearings LONDON (TRAMLINK). Line following a preliminary hearing 4 was extended from Therapia Operation is suggested as USA last October that only concerned Lane to Wimbledon on 4 April, involving the City Class tram ATLANTA, GA. An application procedural matters. The next following upgrading of the owned by the Trampower parent has been submitted to the Federal public hearing will only occur Wimbledon line and its terminal at company, run through Pre Metro Transit Administration for a when the majority of witness Wimbledon station. The changes Operations, which runs services on USD500m federal grant to help statements have been taken. increase the number of services the Stourbridge branch line. extend the Atlanta Streetcar by GLASGOW. Subway between Wimbledon and Croydon SOUTH HAMPSHIRE. A new 11.5km (7.1 miles). E. B. Havens modernisation will see train services from eight to 12 per hour. Combined Authority has been BOSTON, MA. The MBTA draft suspended from 2-31 July, with The tram fleet is now fully proposed to cover South Hampshire capital investment plan includes replacement bus services provided. operational at 34 vehicles with the and the Isle of Wight, linking USD9m for refurbishment of the Work will involve replacement return of 2556 from Stadler, after Southampton with Portsmouth ten-car PCC fleet used on the of ‘ramps and turnouts’, which repair to its damaged roo ng and and other surrounding authorities. Mattapan – Ashmont light rail line. connect the surface depot at pantograph. The UK Government is likely to E. B. Havens Broomloan with the tunnels. Live service information for announce whether the authority CHICAGO, IL. The FTA has GREATER MANCHESTER. New the network is now available on will be formed later in the summer. confirmed a USD255m low- platforms were craned in to the electronic devices as well as on The local Light Rail Transit interest loan to the Chicago revamped St Peter’s Square stop in information displays at tramstops. Association group has been in Transit Authority to help the early April. The stop will have two LONDON (UNDERGROUND). discussion with the leader of purchase of 490 new L cars from island platforms of factory pre- The former leader of the public Southampton City Council over China. Bombardier has submitted built reinforced concrete sections; transport network in the Australian the resurrection of light rail a 51-page memorandum to double tracks in both directions are state of Victoria has been named proposals as part of a package that the Mayor alleging the bidding already in place. Tram services are as the new Managing Director of would be granted to a Combined process was rigged in CRRC due to cease running through the London Underground; Mark Wild Authority. Plans could include the Sifang’s favour. E. B. Havens square for eight weeks over summer will join Transport for London in Fareham – Netley – Southampton CINCINNATI, OH. The fifth while the second platform is June. rail line being converted into CAF tram was delivered in May; constructed and the current single LUTON. London Luton Airport a tramway, which would run 1 September has been set as the track through the site is relocated has announced plans for a new on-street in Southampton city opening day for the new tramway. to its final position. All major 24-hour light rail link between centre. It could be extended towards The operating budget for the rst utilities works on the remainder Luton Airport Parkway station Portsmouth, potentially using the year is set as USD4.2m, of which of the Second City Crossing have and the airport terminal, based alignment of the proposed South USD667 000 will come from fares now been completed and track is on the systems in use at Gatwick Hampshire Rapid Transit scheme with parking revenue providing laid, with a few gaps, on most of Airport and Birmingham Airport. that was abandoned in 2001. another USD2.2m. E. B. Havens the line between St Peter’s Square The link would replace the current TYNE & WEAR. A total of DENVER, CO. Friday 22 April saw and Exchange Square. bus service and is likely to be 3.8km (2.4 miles) of track was the inauguration of the 36.8km Transport for Manchester has operational by 2020. replaced between Monkseaton (22.9-mile) commuter rail service spent GBP20 000 (EUR26 000) PRESTON. Preston Trampower and Cullercoats during the March from Union Station to Denver on additional safety measures at has resubmitted plans for a trial major line closure that ended on International Airport, the first the Holt Town stop where more light rail line following the refusal 3 April. A second 15-day major electric commuter rail service in than a dozen motorists have been of an earlier scheme to reinstate a line closure is planned for 23 July- the US west of Chicago. stranded after driving onto tram section of the former Longridge 6 August between Benton and Work will start in May on the reservations. Measures include to Preston railway. The previous Whitley Bay to complete track and USD233m light rail extension installing road studs and additional scheme was turned down over infrastructure renewal. There will south from Lincoln to Ridgegate ‘no entry’ signs, plus extra bollards noise and highway concerns as also be further weekend closures. Parkway (3.7km/2.3 miles). before the stop and a lay-by for well as the grounds that insuf cient WEST YORKSHIRE. The West E. B. Havens motorists to pull clear of the tracks. information had been submitted. Yorkshire Combined Authority DETROIT, MI. The official Concern remains that pedestrians This time the proposals have and Leeds City Council are still opening of the depot and workshop in the Piccadilly Gardens area are been prepared by a planning waiting for a decision on whether for the QLine tramway was on failing to notice trams and taking consultancy. the legal powers required under 3 May. This is now the headquarters risks by walking into their path. The project would see a new the Transport and Works Act to of M-1 Rail. E. B. Havens A Rail Accident Investigation tram station, platform and tram construct and operate the proposed EL PASO, TX. The rst Austrian Branch report into a serious shed built on a former coal yard in NGT (New Generation Transit) girder rail for the new city centre injury accident in May 2015 has Deepdale, and a section of disused trolleybus system will be granted. tramway arrived on 22 April, recommended that operator line between Skeffington Road A decision had been expected by though tracklaying will not start Metrolink RATP Dev, in and Deepdale Street reinstated. the end of 2015. until June. E. B. Havens

232 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org season due to a landslip on the Bromma depot, and was to be line at the Selah Pass. However the unveiled at the Tramway Day on cost of upgrading the operation the Djurgårdslinjen on 29 May. to permit service to continue has been put at USD8.8m and the city CONTRIBUTORS council does not appear willing to Worldwide items should be nd this sum. E. B. Havens sent to Michael Taplin at Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, MUSEUM NEWS Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. HAARLEM (NL). The NZH Fax: +44 (0)1983 862810 or Vervoermuseum at Waarderpolder e-mail: [email protected] was opened on 11 April. Among the UK and Ireland items are displays are NZH trams A37, B412, welcomed by the Home News A14 and BY2. digitaletram.nl Editor, John Symons, 17 Whitmore HAMBURG (DE). 39 years after it Avenue, Werrington, Stoke- left the city for Wehmingen, HHA on-Trent, ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail V7E bogie tram 3363 returned to [email protected] Winterhude in April for display Acknowledgements are due to outside the REWE Center, site of Richard Buckley, Martin Petch, the former Krohnskamp depot. DS Eric Pounder and Martin Thorne, 20 May sees the opening of the Los Angeles Expo light extension to the suburb of Santa Monica, where this two-car set of Nippon Sharyo LRVs is seen. I. Lynas ISSAQUAH, WA (US). The plus Berner Zeitung, BS Blickpunkt Issaquah Valley Trolley started Strassenbahn, digitaletram. HONOLULU, HI. The rst Hitachi/ opponents have gathered enough its summer season on 7 May, and nl, Cambridge Evening News, AnsaldoBreda light metro cars were valid signatures to force a November runs on Saturdays and Sundays Canberra Times, DS Drehscheibe, delivered by ship and moved to ballot on light rail. 11.00–15.00 from the depot EA Eisenbahn Amateur, Edinburgh Waipahu operations centre on 24 E. B. Havens museum at 78 First Ave NE. Former Evening News, emirates 24/7, GRN March. More arrived on 29 March. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. The Lisboa tram 519 is powered by Global Rail News, Irish Independent, Passenger service should start on city is considering ordering a sixth a generator trailer. E. B. Havens IRJ International Rail Journal, the rst section from East Kapolei Brookville tram for USD3.95m for STOCKHOLM (SE). Centre- Lancashire Evening Post, Manchester to Aloha Stadium in late 2018. its planned city centre tramline. entrance A29 suburban bogie Evening News, OR Op De Rails, RGI E. B. Havens Delivery of the rst ve will start tram 170, built by Hägglund in Railway Gazette International, stuff. HOUSTON, TX. Following the in May 2017. E. B. Havens 1954 using bogies and electrical co.nz, The Record, Transport New opening of two new lines in May PITTSBURGH, PA. The USD8.4m equipment from pre-war A11 South Wales, T-2000 Tram 2000, 2015, light rail patronage increased project to relay street track in cars, has been restored by Swedish transphoto.ru, urbanrail.net and by 24.1% on the last year to Beechview started as planned on Tramway Society members at Wolverhampton Express & Star. 16.5m. APTA 28 March, with shuttle buses KANSAS CITY, MO. The fourth replacing Red line light rail service CAF tram, 804, completing the for about six months. E. B. Havens order, was delivered on 6 April, PORTLAND, OR. TriMet planners ready for the grand opening for the have recommended light rail for PMP Transport Films River Market – Union Station line the proposed transit line linking on 6-7 May. Trams will operate the city and Bridgport Village (an Check out our website for recent releases and new locations. 06.00-24.00 Monday-Thursday, extension of the existing Green Still serving electric traction enthusiasts worldwide – 06.00-02.00 Friday, 07.00-02.00 line), after rejecting the option of and yes we are happy to supply those with no internet access. Saturday and 07.00-22.00 Sunday. bus rapid transit. A selection from our extensive list of Romanian systems, for these and our latest Chinese coverage see our website: Original PCC 551 (St Louis, From 8-21 May track replacement 1315. Constanta, Braila, Galati, Suceava. Trams, Trolly- 2207. Romania. Trams, Trolleybuses. 1994. By Richard 1947), preserved at Union Station, on First Avenue saw Red and Blue buses. Romania September 2005. Bright sunny weather , Lomas, Ploiesti,Brasov,Iasi,Suceava,Oradea,Timisoara,Re- has been moved to secure storage line service switched to the transit many secondhand trams and trolleys. sita and Craiova fantastic amateur scenes. while the station expansion project mall on 5th/6th Avenues, while 1316. Iasi, Piatre Neamt, Baia Mare. Trams. Trolleybuses. 2209. Romania. Trams.Trolleybuses. Buses. 1996. Braila takes place. E. B. Havens only Blue line service ran between Romania. September 2005. Another sunny look at some and Galati, two close but dierent types of town, trams MILWAUKEE, WI. The city is Hillsboro and Library/Galleria. amazing transport , Iasi is a real gem. and few trolleys at Braila , busier in Galati. seeking USD20m in federal TIGER Green line service ran between 1318. Medias, Cluj, Oradea, Targu Jiu, Slatina. Trams. 2212. Romania. Trams.Trolleybuses. Buses. 1996.The vol- funds for a northern extension of Rose Quarter and Clackamas only. Trolleybuses. Romania.September 2005. Exciting mix of ume starts with Brasov in Transylvania then covers Ploiesti its planned tramway. E. B. Havens The Broadway Bridge reopened locations, secondhand imports to new Iris trolleys. followed by Resita and charming Sibiu trams. NEW YORK, NY. The MTA has on 11 April after completion of 1319. Arad, Timisoara. Trams. Trolleybuses. Romania. 2213. Romania. Trams.Trolleybuses. Buses. 1996 The last agreed to fund a USD5m study into painting work that started on September 2005. The sun still shines, Arad what a delight volume in our coverage Timisoara ,a busy city to go out on the feasibility of a West Shore light 21 March, restoring Portland andTimisoara tramway investment, great mix. and of course cradle of revolution. rail line on Staten Island. Streetcar service. E. B. Havens 1320. Resita, Craiova, Ploesti, Targoviste. Trams. Trolley- 2867. Romania.Trams,Trolleybuses.May 2014. We cover The 2016-17 state budget SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Muni). buses. Romania. September 2005. What a great selection four systems, Arad, Timisoara, Galati and Braila as the includes USD27bn for MTA, The E Embarcadero heritage to nish our 2005 tour with, and still sunny. Romanian electric traction list ever shortens. aligning with the ve-year capital tramline became a seven day a week 2206. Romania.Trams,Trolleybuses,Buses. 1966-1994. 2868. Romania. Trams,Trolleys. Bucharest May 2014. We programme, and covering the operation from 23 April, using ve HEC Piercey collection, John Taylor and Richard Lomas. explore all sectors of the extensive Bucharest tram and Second Avenue subway, LIRR, of the seven double-ended PCCs. Constanta,Braila,Galati and Bucharest the capital. trolleybus lines in very hot thundery weather. Metro-North and MTA Bus. The last two Boeing-built LRVs Numerous overseas and UK tram or trolleybus systems being covered in 2016, Subway patronage is now at its stored at Cameron Beach Yard, see them rst on our web site and follow our blog. highest since 1948 with 1.763bn 1264 and 1320, have been scrapped; trips in 2015. E. B. Havens They have been out of service for 15 A SELECTION OF FILMS FROM OUR EXTENSIVE RANGE, SENT POST FREE WORLDWIDE. NORFOLK, VA. On 5 April the City years. E. B. Havens DVDs £15 EACH, TWO OR MORE £12 EACH. CREDIT CARDS WELCOME. Council of Virginia Beach voted WASHINGTON, DC. Rhode 9-2 in favour of extending the Island Avenue was closed for a PMP, 17 BIRCHWOOD DRIVE, LOWER PEOVER, light rail line into the city and time on 1 May after a CSX freight CHESHIRE, WA16 9QJ signed a Memorandum of train derailed on adjacent railroad Tel: 01565 722045 Fax: 01565 722038 Understanding to commit tracks, causing Sodium Hydroxide E-mail: [email protected] USD19.77m to the purchase of to leak. E. B. Havens three LRVs. The nal order will be YAKIMA, WA. Heritage tram www.pmpfilms.com delayed until it is known whether service has been curtailed this

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 233 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.

A Swiss perspective on overruns and delays

In the latest TAUT, the issue has again been raised of light main point is that once the ink has dried on the contract, most rail projects that are plagued with cost overruns and delays, of the power is shifted from the employer to the contractor. and why this happens so often. Based on two decades of In large and long-lasting projects such as light rail schemes, experience in public transport engineering, I would like to unexpected things will appear and changes will unavoidably contribute to answering that question. Even though the local occur. Each time, the contractor can take the employer speci cs of a project always play an important role, some hostage and tell them that if they do not accept this claim, major tendencies can be distilled: they will face severe delays. The business model of many Firstly, cost overruns and delays are not speci c to railway general contractors is to win contracts at low prices that just projects. However, the publicity around them and the cover the basic costs, and then make pro t out of claims. consequences are different according to the type of project. The contractor’s project management is often incentivised Light rail schemes are typically the ones where nancing to generate as much money as possible from claims. The proves dif cult to assemble and they are watched closely advantages of the general contractor model are often because of their singular nature. overestimated; they reside mainly in that risks can be shifted One of the crucial and oft-ignored elements leading to to the contractor, but this is not for free. Yet building a light cost overruns and delays is what happens during preliminary rail line is not a risky business. design and early decision-making. One must be aware that the This leads to another long-standing myth: the employer’s most costly decisions are the ones made in the earliest phases organisation represents a waste of money in itself and should (i.e. the decision to build to a certain standard), and these are be kept very lean. This leads to hiring an expensive general too often taken on a weak basis. The reason for this is that at contractor. A light rail project is not rocket science and it the time those decisions are prepared, there is no mandate to appears more economical to perform co-ordination work by build something, and therefore not enough money is made the employer and maximise competition by tendering different available for the investigations leading to such decisions. I have lots, allowing small and medium-sized companies to bid. personally experienced decisions involving millions of Euros Late changes are also a serious threat to any project, and these being taken on the basis of a few pencil sketches on transparent are likely if an election sees a change in political majority during paper! Generally speaking, too little effort is performed in the the scheme’s execution. If a general contractor is at work, late preliminary design phase, due to nancial restrictions and the changes are almost lethal from a nancial point of view. fear of wasting money in case of negative decisions. British observers may be frustrated by so many cost Another tendency that can be observed more than often could overruns and delays, but I can give a positive impetus by be called ‘optimistic decision-making’. One principle behind describing Swiss experience of the last two decades, which this is to present only the most optimistic assumptions to demonstrates that light rail projects can be delivered on time decision-makers, knowing very well that if realistic assumptions and on budget. It has happened several times that projects were used, the project would never be given a go-ahead because failed at an early stage, but all light rail projects that went into it would be seen as taking too long or being too expensive. This construction have been delivered on time and on budget. The also happens because the ones preparing the decision-making main reason for this is that common sense has been applied by do not fully understand the intricacies of realising the project, using a classical design, purchase and build model. and then they are too optimistic in good faith. Design has been performed in stages by consulting Next come authority approvals. Light rail projects take engineers independent of construction companies, while typically ten or more years from inception to realisation, and these have been purchased in several lots suited for medium- the statutory requirements usually change during that time. sized construction companies with co-ordination performed This means that the framework conditions assumed when by a consultant on behalf of the employer. This model requires making the decision to go ahead are no longer valid when more money for consultancy, but maximises competition for seeking authority approval, and the authorities will impose the construction work which represents the bulk of the cost. costly changes or additions as a condition of their approval. The employer bears the risk of the unexpected, so that no Then comes one of the biggest issues which is particularly premium for risk is included in the construction prices. valid for the UK: The myth that a project will be realised most If preliminary design is conducted properly, the risk for the economically by hiring a general contractor for its delivery. employer is not that large, as building a light rail line is no This model has severe drawbacks which are often ignored until more risky than building a road. it is too late and often largely outweigh the advantages. The Dieter Schopfer, Berne, Switzerland

More to BART than meets the eye was rounded to the nearest quarter-foot and Further bene ts of metre-gauge BART’s choice of gauge was part of a wider came out as Indian/Iberian gauge; standard Can I say how much I’m enjoying consideration than implied in the Gauging gauge would also have been well within Tramways & Urban Transit and, in Opinion article (TAUT 940). It was decided at tolerance and much more sensible. particular, the recent ‘techie’ bits from the outset that established railway engineers Traction voltage was calculated as the Messrs Gibson, Hall, McIntosh and should not be involved unnecessarily and lowest which would not need substations in Snowdon. These articles add greatly to my that optimum characteristics should be the long tunnel; this was rounded to 1000V over 50 years’ interest in tram and light found by clever computer programmes. instead of 1200V which would have enabled rail design, operation and maintenance. The programmes were surprisingly good, but the use of off-the-peg equipment. The My reason for putting (electronic) pen to not as good as experience would have been. non-fail safe signalling soon needed safety paper is to add my six-penneth to The unimaginative following of the results overlays and wheels worked loose on axles. Mr McIntosh’s excellent article in April’s compounded the mistake. Optimum gauge John R. Batts, by e-mail edition.

234 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org I was brought up not with British trams If one assumed that each parking space was ‘ t’ at 1009mm. So it remains to this day – (I just missed most of them) but with Swiss used by one car per day 365 days a year, So a’s unique 1009mm gauge! ones so I’ve been lucky enough to follow then allowing for an inwards and an So a never had a horse or steam tramway, their development right up to the current outwards journey, that would provide a total but used to operate on four gauges: 1000mm, day. With no exception, to my knowledge, of 143 080 journeys per year. So are we to 1013mm, 1009mm and recently added – only all Swiss tramways – de ned by me as an assume that, at one end of the scale every like a long sword strike on the map on the operation including a high proportion of car is carrying at least 21 people or, at the wall – the 1435mm still-born regauging. ‘on highway/in carriageway’ running – run other end of the scale, every space is occupied Assen Stoyanov, by e-mail on metre-gauge track with vehicles no more at least 21 separate times every day of the than 2.4m wide (I am, for this argument, year? I think not. Island Line LRT would be no cheaper excluding ‘light rail’, including the operation It’s all very well to publicise the bene ts of While Michael Taplin reviewed the case for in Lausanne, which mainly runs on totally getting people off the roads and onto trams LRT conversion of the Island Line in the May segregated rights of way and can, therefore or LRVs, but at least let’s try to make the issue of TAUT, it is not the rst time that such be built up to their ‘norm’ of 2.65m wide claims realistic and justi able. ideas have been considered. irrespective of gauge). Maybe such arithmetic creativity is one A decade ago I was part of a First Group team I would invite readers to cast their eyes at of the causes of the email concerns on page that assessed this option as a preliminary to the picture on page 147 of the same edition 155 of the same issue asking who is doing a franchise bid and it’s generally true to say showing a Schwerin tram queuing in a line of the maths! that conversion to LRT from heavy rail does cars. Funny isn’t it that the track of most cars Basil Hancock, Faulconbridge (Australia) not reduce cost unless one needs to operate and many 4x4s and vans means that they can a much more frequent service or extend the t neatly on to BOTH rails of a standard-gauge So a’s ‘unique’ gauge explained existing railway, in which case tramway track. If the rails are even slightly proud of the It was a pleasure to read the articles from extensions will usually be cheaper. However road surface, often the case due to highway Scott McIntosh and Richard Buckley on the more frequent services and extensions of any or rail encapsulation degradation, this invites different tramway gauges around the world sort are unlikely in the present climate. loss of grip when braking or accelerating if in TAUT 940. What I want to specify though One of the ideas examined in that earlier they happen to be astride the track. is that So a’s odd 1009mm gauge was not study was operating a frequent, isolated pier The Roe vs Shef eld City Council case shows ‘simply an error’, but instead a result of years shuttle on the second track using vehicles that this is a problem that must be addressed. of long neglect. similar to the class 139 Parry now operating A narrower gauge should ensure that at least Opened in 1901, So a’s tramway was at Stourbridge. The tunnel was recognised two wheels of a motor vehicle will be off the constructed by a Belgian company to as a literal ‘bottleneck’ to any light rail rails and on the road surface at all times. metre-gauge, but due to poor maintenance conversion, but of course if one was doing it Though this in itself can cause problems, over the years the tracks ‘spread’ slowly to to build tramway extensions then the tunnel I would reckon the chances of motor vehicle 1013mm. This is what was received by could be bypassed by an on-street section! slip/slide would be considerably lessened. So a’s Municipality when it took over the Michael may have missed what could As an aside, I would guess that building a tramways in 1916, in connection not only be the fatal coup-de-grace of the Garnett metre-gauge tramway operating 2.4m-wide with the poor condition of the system’s proposal, however. The T69 trams were trams should be easier/less costly to build tracks and cars but also because Belgium withdrawn early for a reason. They were, due to the reduced kinetic envelope required, belonged to the ‘enemy’ side and the Belgian I believe, very costly to maintain and certainly on straight track and in/or adjacent staff were arrested. required loving care and many modi cations to the highway. For me, a tram operates on After the end of the First World War, in to keep them running as long as they did. metre-gauge track and doesn’t exceed 2.4m 1924 So a began intensive deliveries of new I do not however understand why he in width; anything wider is a ‘light rail’ cars and trailers – continuing in 1928, 1929, believes that LRT conversion would mean the vehicle, irrespective of track gauge, but then I 1931, 1935 and 1938 – but never touched the line would be excluded from National Rail am slightly biased! wider gauge track, so all new cars and trailers ticketing. A number of heritage railways are Thanks again for an excellent publication, were ordered from various Austrian, Belgian, part of through ticketing arrangements with keep up the good work. German and Italian factories were speci ed the national network. A converted system Tony Carter, by email for 1013mm gauge. This is easy to see in the could use the platform ticket machines that I works lists of the producers and on the original now use at my former ‘Paytrain’ only station. Who is doing the maths? drawings (some of which are in my collection). This allows me to book anywhere in Britain I note on page 124 of the April 2016 edition, After the Communists took power in and does everything that a manned ticket the comment that the new 196 car parking 1944, together with repairs to the network of ce might have provided in the past. spaces at Bradley Lane on the UK’s Midland which had been seriously damaged by Allied Light Rail systems use platform ticket Metro “are calculated to have the capability bombings of the city, the undertaking also machines these days, and all UK transport of taking more than three million journeys tried slowly to ‘ x’ the gauge and return it to systems, bus included, are moving towards off the region’s roads each year”. How do they the original metre speci cation. These efforts smartcards, so there should be no problem. come up with these numbers? only succeeded however in making it more Trevor Gri n, Belper (UK)

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

MAY 2016 Saturday 28. Beeston 14.00. Anne Watkins: The tramways of Tuesday 21. Leeds 19.00. Malcolm John Lessells: Leicester trams. (TLRS) South Wales and models evening Hindes: Trams on Cinelm Saturday 21. Beeston 14.00. Outing Saturday 28. Garstang 14.00. with the ‘Len Hodges Trophy’. (TLRS) Tuesday 21. London 19.00. to TLRS National AGM Bristol. (TLRS) Birmingham tramways. (TLRS) Saturday 18. North Bristol 14.00. Members’ presentations: Saturday 21. Bristol. TLRS National Mark Blackstone: Modelling Tools Capital Cities AGM, details to follow. (TLRS) JUNE 2016 and trams running on a 1/6th scale Saturday 25. Beeston 14.00. Thursday 26. Manchester 19.00. garden layout. Phone Mark on 0117 Joint meeting with Model Bus Visit to Old Sirs Garden Tramway, Tuesday 7. Southampton 19.30. 962 3288 for details of venue. (TLRS) Federation: Modelling – What’s on Westhoughton. Meet outside Victoria Members’ (digital) slides. (LRTA/SEG) 20 or 22. Liverpool 19.30. A visit your workbench? (TLRS) Station ticket o ce at 18.00 for the Wednesday 8. Brighton 19.40. to the Museum of Liverpool’s Thursday 30. Manchester 19.00. 18.14 train to Daisy Hill. If it is raining Simon Jes: 3R 101! – A history of the transport store. (TLRS) Nick Kelly: The British steam tram heavily we will have a tram riding Southern Electric. (TLRS) Monday 20. Wickham 19.30. Martin (including former networks in the evening on Metrolink. Monday 13. Thames Valley 19.30. Petch: Brussels’ tram museum. (TLRS) Greater Manchester area).

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 235 Classic Trams HAGEN’S AMAZING TRAMWAY LEGACY Although tram operation in Hagen (Germany) ended 40 years ago, some of its vehicles are still o ering daily service. Mike Russell relates the saga of their peripatetic aerlife. 1

n April 2015, I emerged from the motor bus operation in November 1963. second set of control equipment and removal main station in Arad, Romania, to After Neymann’s retirement, the pendulum of doors on one side. The Hagen cars were a catch a tram to my hotel. None were gradually swung against the trams, particularly prudent purchase. They were relatively low immediately visible and I pondered after a council-commissioned consultant’s mileage (some had clocked up no more than what type of car might arrive; Arad report advised that continued tramway 300 000km/186 000 miles) and cost Iis one of the very few tramways with such operation was an obstacle to redevelopment DM100 000 (around EUR51 000) each for cars a disparate variety of rolling stock that it is and pedestrianisation of the town centre and only 12-13 years old with many years of life impossible to predict the composition of proposed highway improvements. left. Even after allowing for refurbishment, service on any route. A particular problem was the absence of the city claimed that it had upgraded its eet Would it be a former Essen Stadtbahn-M reserved track; Hagen’s tramways were laid for a quarter of the cost of new cars. car; one of the classic single-ended Düwag almost entirely in the street and with the The rst cars re-entered service in articulated cars acquired from several town plagued with many narrow roads, the Würzburg in November 1975, retaining their German tramways; a former Halle Tatra T4; usual contemporary anti-tram arguments Hagen eet numbers with the addition of or perhaps one of the new Astra low- oor of delaying other road vehicles were cited. 200. The city certainly had full value from cars? It was none of these. What appeared After a couple of isolated route closures, its purchase, with many in front-line service was a former Hagen Düwag articulated car, it was formally decided to abandon the until 1997 when, at well over 30 years of age, one of three that has served Arad for almost tramway and in a succession of three stages their withdrawal might well be thought to 20 years, and which gave a good account of evenly spaced in successive months of May, presage scrapping. But no! Although one itself, belying its fty-plus years of age. operation came to an end on 29 May 1976. (272) was scrapped and another (280) found This set me thinking: besides København Hagen had renewed its tramcar eet from use as a sports club changing room, ten (Copenhagen), what other tramway that 1958 onwards through the purchase of seven found new homes. Four (three of the rebuilt closed 40 years ago still has its rolling stock in Düwag bogie cars and subsequently some examples for service and non-rebuilt 279 for full-time operation elsewhere? 26 six-axle articulated tramcars built by the spares) were taken by Arad, Romania. Under same manufacturer over eight years. All were its then Chief Engineer, Hans Golda, Arad Sad decline double-ended – several Hagen routes had had found that secondhand German Düwag The decline of Hagen’s tramways is a sad tale. single-track ends and stub termini. trams were an ideal means of eet renewal Hagen is a former centre of heavy industry and expansion. Eventually, Arad acquired on the eastern extremity of West Germany’s Secondhand value trams from no fewer than 12 German cities. Ruhrgebiet. Horse-drawn tramcar operation Hagen rightly believed that well-maintained The other six, including two that retained began in 1882 and during the 1890s the cars would readily attract buyers on the double-ended layout (275 and 281), went in system was expanded and electried under secondhand market and advertised them for 1998 to the Polish town of Grudziądz. This municipal auspices. An efcient and fairly sale before nal closure. So condent was had been through a torrid period owing to the compact metre-gauge network developed, the organisation of resale value that car 63, destruction of its eet by re in 1993 (TAUT but the operation was much enlarged in involved in a serious accident only ten weeks 828, December 2006) but had recovered, 1926 with the takeover of the formerly before the end, was repaired and re-entered built an extension to one of its two routes independent Haspe-Voerde-Breckerfeld service for the last few days. and sought modern rolling stock to update its steam-operated railway that had connected First out of the starting blocks was the eet of Polish-built cars. Along with a couple with the Hagen tramways at Haspe. This was Bavarian tramway at Würzburg, which of single-ended Düwags from Mannheim, electried in 1927 at 1200V dc and through successfully bid for 12 cars (Hagen 70-81) in the Hagen cars became mainstays of the working introduced. 1975 before the nal closure. Würzburg had Grudziądz eet for over two decades. Five were Breckerfeld was Hagen’s showpiece route been through the same agonies in deciding still providing all-day services interspersed and one of Germany’s most scenic electric whether to abandon its tramway, but with standard Chorzów-built 105N bogie tramways, extending into the countryside eventually reached a decision for retention. cars until 2010 (73, ex-Hagen 73, had by then to the south of Hagen with an hourly service To contain costs, a number of two-axle cars been withdrawn for spares). At that point they linking villages by way of fast, reserved-track had been rebuilt in its own works to form were replaced by a series of eight-axle Düwag sections across the elds and short stretches 12 three-section ‘two-rooms-and-a-bath’ cars from Krefeld. By now approaching 50 of on-street running in the settlements. articulated cars using short centre sections years old, it was not unreasonable to assume The Light Railway Transport League’s built by Credé, suitable for one-person- that these cars would be scrapped, but they former Chairman, Jack Wyse, used to relate operation. These C-class cars exhibited the were shortly to depart for Łódź and their stories of the warm welcome accorded to usual unsatisfactory riding qualities associated fourth owner; more of that later. visiting parties by the Hagen tramways. Its with this design but had given the tramway a The last tramcars to leave Hagen for new proud Director, Dr Stefan Neymann, always reprieve pending a rm decision on its future. homes were ve of the seven 1958 bogie cars joined the group and brought along his The 12 Hagen cars directly replaced the C-class and the remaining six articulated cars (60, English-speaking daughter as translator. The and offered greatly upgraded service quality. 61 and 82-85), all of which were eventually German tramway scene of the late 1950s and Eight were subjected to an intensive bought for service in Beograd (Belgrade) a year early 1960s was awash with abandonments programme of rebuilding in Würzburg’s after the closure, in 1977. Their service lives and closures, but Jack always said Hagen was works, with new doors, improved lighting, in the Serbian capital were to be relatively quite safe whilst Dr Neymann was there. remodelled windscreens, modern light clusters short, and by 1985 all were out of service. In Even he, however, had to concede that and so on. Würzburg no longer had a need for contrast to events elsewhere, these cars were the costs of track relaying on the Breckerfeld double-ended cars and over a nine-year span not passed on to others but scrapped. line could not be justied to support merely starting in 1982, eight cars were converted to an hourly service and it was converted to single-ended conguration by removal of the Continued next month

236 / JUNE 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org 1. Some of Hagen’s tram routes extended beyond the town boundary, illustrated here with car 61 at Kuhweide on the Oberdelstern section on 24 May 1974, a few days before its closure. Car 61 was built in 1959 and was one of six articulated cars transferred to Beograd.

2. Arad 274 is one of four former Hagen cars acquired from Würzburg in 1997, of which three were used for passenger service. Smartly repainted it clearly displays the single- ended layout to which it was rebuilt in Würzburg in 1985. On 15 April 2015 the car enters the passing loop at Băile Termale on its way to Piaţa Gai on line 6.

3. 92 years of tram operation in Hagen came to an end on 29 May 1976; 82 and 85, from 1964 and 1968 respectively, leave Loxbaum for Kabel. Both were to have subsequent careers in Beograd. Peter Haseldine

4. Hagen 78 was one of the rst cars converted to single-ended 2 layout in Würzburg, in 1982. This view of Würzburg 278, as it became, leaving Zellerau on 5 June 1986 shows the o side body modications made in Bavaria. This car later went on to serve in Grudziądz and Łódź.

5. In contrast to the narrow streets of Hagen, Würzburg 275 (ex-Hagen 75) climbs Kranen Kai on its way to Zellerau, with the imposing Marienberg fortress looking down over the River Main. Car 275 retained double-ended layout and later 3 4 passed to Grudziądz and Łódź. 6. A remarkable view of a crossing movement between the two types of Hagen cars acquired by Beograd. On the right is 1958 Düwag Grossraum bogie car 26, ex-Hagen 56; to its le is one of Hagen’s last trams, no. 85, now 36 in the Beograd eet. J Woltjes, Hans Oerlemans collection

7. Hagen 78 became number 75 when it joined the eet of Grudziądz, Poland, in 1998. Early in its Polish career on 24 5 6 May 1999 and now tted with twin headlamps it is shown on the roadside reserved track section to Rządz. This car moved again, to Łódź, in 2010.

8. The two Hagen cars that retained double-ended layout in the Grudziądz eet were only ever operated as uni- directional vehicles there. Car 78 (ex-Hagen 75) heads towards Tarpno in ul. Kłastorna in its nal days in Grudziądz on 24 August 2010, already wearing the TP Łódź livery. 7 8 All images by Mike Russell unless otherwise stated.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JUNE 2016 / 237 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%.

Mit der Straßenbahn durch das Die Eins Berlin der 60er Jahre Die Geschichte der Straßenbahn Band 3: Die Linien 6, 13 und 22. Recklinghausen - Herten - Wanne Third volume in the series Stammlinie der Vestischen. A second of pictorial reviews of the book on one of the key routes of the city’s trams during a period legendary Vestische Strassenbahn in of huge change leading to the Germany’s industrial Rhein-Ruhr area. abandonment of services in West Covers the 111-year history of Line 1 Berlin and eventual expansion in from its opening as a tramway in 1901 the East. German text. to its demise in 1975 with a “before and after” look at the bus operation from then up to 2012. German text. 215 x 240mm hardback, landscape format; 96 pages, 91 black & white and 3 colour pictures, 5 maps. B5 softback; 124 pages, 98 colour and 127 black & white and 44 colour pictures, 30 maps. £19.50 plus postage & packing as shown above. £19.50 plus postage & packing as shown above.

Mit der Straßenbahn durch das NMVB Antwerpen: Die Generatie Standaard Berlin der 60er Jahre A fascinating round-up of the Band 4: Die Linien 15 und 25. Belgian Vicinal standard motor cars The fourth part of this series covers and trailers which operated on the two lines in the former West Berlin routes around Antwerp. Dutch text. with superb pictures and extended A4 softback; 72 pages, 74 black & captions. German text. white and 2 colour pictures, 11 layout 215 x 240 mm hardback, landscape drawings plus detailed eet and format; 96 pages, 83 black & white allocation lists. and 9 colour pictures, 4 maps.

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San Francisco’s Magni cent Streetcars TEMPO! Berliner Verkehrsgeschichte Pictorial review of the city’s iconic Telling the story of the city’s public heritage streetcar and cable car lines transport over practically 200 years of and the six “Muni Metro” routes, plus its often turbulent history. the trolleybuses. German text. 215 x 275 mm softback; 128 pages, 220 x 290 mm hardback; 200 pages, 227 colour pictures, 3 maps. 150+ mainly colour pictures and 13 maps.

£16.50 plus postage & packing as shown above. £25.50 plus postage & packing as shown above. IN YOUR NEXT ISSUE OF Siemens SYSTEMS FACTFILE: RZESZÓW’S BEHIND THE SCENES MISKOLC MONORAIL PLAN IN SACRAMENTO Following the rapid decline of Dream or reality? The Polish city of Siemens’ Sacramento site has long been once-dominant heavy industries, Rzeszów wants to bring in low-emission known as a builder of light rail vehicles, modernising the tramway was part of buses – but also to build a monorail. supplying cities across North America. the readjustment made by the north Witold Urbanowicz examines the plan Vic Simons visits the newly-expanded Hungarian city of Miskolc. Neil Pulling in an interview with Rzeszów Deputy facility – the heart of Siemens' US reports in words and pictures. President Marek Ustrobiński. manufacturing operation. PLUS... JULY + Classic Trams: Hagen’s tramway legacy (Part 2) ISSUE + The latest news, rolling stock orders and movements, system developments, transport policy and leading industry comment on sale from around the world 17th June

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THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE News Warning given for Russian tramways ElectroTrans highlights the urgent need to modernise services, but encouraging plans from Samara

www.lrta.org he 6th ElectroTrans MAP GET, the International www.tautonline.com exhibition was held in Association of Urban Surface A new Ust-Katav 71 633 Moskva on 6-8 April, Electric Transit Operators 100% low- oor tram that concluding just ten days advised its members to increase entered service in the city beforeT the city marked 117 years their marketing efforts and of Samara on 18 April. O. 942 of electric tramway operation. JUNE 2016 N provide new services to attract Z. Aleksandr There were no full-size more passengers, plus modern tramway exhibits this year, but SUBSCRIBE NOW! fare collection technology to the occasion was used to sound replace conductors. a warning about the future for Some positive news from the tramways in Russia with the conference came in the form of IS VIENNA THE WORLD’S news that smaller towns such as an announcement of plans to Krasnoturinsk and Volchansk upgrade the key tramline in the are proposing to abandon their city of Ulyanovsk. tramways (plus Toshkent in The next exhibition and BEST TRAMWAY CITY? Uzbekistan). conference will be held on Under Russian law all tenders 20-22 June 2017. for transit operations have to Meanwhile, 1000km (600 be treated equally regardless new line will link Tashkent Street miles) to the east, the Transport infrastructure construction and of mode, which favours cheap to the new stadium. Ministry of Samara Region has to lease the rolling stock under a combustion-engined buses as The project’s RUB1.2bn approved funding for a new separate agreement. opposed to ageing tramways (EUR16.4m) budget was initially tramway line in Samara, one of Project documentation is requiring large investment in planned for the acquisition of the 11 Russian cities preparing being prepared by St Petersburg’s infrastructure and vehicles. rolling stock, but authorities to host the 2018 World Cup. The Transmost engineering have decided to allocate this to consultancy. Liège to re-tender tramway contracts The rst step towards driverless trams The German state of Hessen Société Régionale Wallonne du clearing the way for trials in has approved the technical in the automotive sector; the Transport (SWRT) is to re-tender Frankfurt-am-Main. Based requirements of a new Bosch- technology could ultimately the DBFM concession for the upon a system launched in developed tram collision provide the basis for full LRV planned 21-stop tramline for 2014, the latest version is the avoidance system that also automation, the rm claims. the city of Liège, following rst to offer automatic braking, offers automatic braking, With an aperture of up to Now in its 79th year, Tramways & Urban Transit is the world’s leading unsuccessful appeals against a derived from the rm’s work 70°, a radar sensor can monitor European Union block on the the track up to 160m ahead, PPP award on nancial grounds. measuring the speed and In December 2014 the distance of moving objects in MobiLiège consortium of Alstom, its path, while differentiating BAM PPP PGGM and DG Infra between static objects such as was selected to nance and build buffer stops. Data from this and the 12km (7.5-mile) line linking a complementary video sensor Sclessin and Bressoux (location of is processed by the control a new depot) via the city centre, unit, which also dynamically including 19 Citadis trams. monitors the vehicle it is tted Services would be run by regional to to proprovide a detailed image bus and tram operator TEC. vide a detailed image of the environment. Although the city has If an object is detected in reportedly spent EUR33m on the tram’s path, the driver preparatory works, construction receives visual and acoustic monthly publication dedicated solely to light and urban rail developments. was suspended in March 2015 warnings and, if no action is after the EU statistical of ce taken within two seconds, an Eurostat objected to the nancial emergency brake is applied structure of the PPP concession. The new Bosch system warns tram drivers of any impending collision: if the driver brakes too late, or not at all, the brakes are independently engaged. Bosch although this can be adjusted It has now been decided to by the driver at any time. abandon the 2014 contract and Trams’ role in cutting pollution – and saving lives invite new proposals under a restructured concession. SWRT Kansas City welcomes its streetcar is required to pay EUR1.6m to Antalya trams reach Expo 2016 and the airport MobiLiège in cancelling the Turkish President Recep Tayyip award, but it remains to be seen ve-section low-oor tram from Erdo an and Prime Minister airport; two of the new trams German vision of a driverless tram whether the consortium will seek ğ the Eurotem joint venture of Ahmet Davuto have been delivered, with the additional compensation. ğlu were aboard Hyundai Rotem and Tüvasa the rst passenger service on ş remaining 16 (203-218) to come The new tender process and being supplied from its Adapazari Toshkent mayor closes tramway Antalya’s tramway extension by the end of the year under a ISSN 1460-8324 subsequent contract award is factory in north-western Turkey. £4.25 to the site of Expo 2016 and the contract awarded in 2015. expected to delay completion of The 15.4km (9.6-mile) route 0 6 airport on 22 April. Test running The newnew vehicles will augment the line until at least 2022. from Meydan to Expo 2016 has started on 3 April, using a new the existingexisting eeteet ofof 1414 CAFCAF tramstrams Romania a 2.4km (1.5-mile) branch to the COTS supplied for the 2009 opening. The daunting task 9 771460 832043 Using ‘Components 206 / www.tautonline.com JUNE 2016 . www.lrta.org Off The Shelf’ for LRT of modernisation

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For City Railways & Depots

Solid rubber panels can be individually removed or replaced without needing to dismantle the whole crossing.

Panels can be cut-to-fit on-site to fit around existing infrastructure.

Easily adapted to fit tram stops, depots, complex crossovers, High performance tight curves and turnouts. rubber crossing systems that outperform other systems in long-term use at road and pedestrian crossings, tram stops and depots.

Visit us at Railtex Stand K31 · 12 - 14 May 2015 NEC, Birmingham - UK

For more information, or to enquire about training, please call the Rosehill Rail rosehillrail.com sales team on +44 (0)1422 317 473, or email [email protected]

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