THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

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JANUARY 2016 No. 937 PARIS: KEY TO MULTI-MODAL SUCCESS

Innsbruck tramway enjoys upgrades and expansion Bombardier sells rail division stake Brussels: EUR5.2bn investment plan First UK Citylink -train arrives ISSN 1460-8324 £4.25 Swift Rail 01 ‘goes large’ A new approach for with light rail plans UK suburban lines 9 771460 832043 For booking and sponsorship opportunities please call +44 (0) 1733 367600 or visit www.mainspring.co.uk

27-28 July 2016 Conference Aston, Birmingham, UK The 11th Annual UK Light Rail Conference and exhibition brings together over 250 decision-makers for two days of open debate covering all aspects of light rail operations and development. Delegates can explore the latest industry innovation within the event’s exhibition area and examine LRT’s role in alleviating congestion in our towns and cities and its potential for driving economic growth.

VVoices from the industry… “On behalf of UKTram specifically “We are really pleased to have and the industry as a whole I send “Thank you for a brilliant welcomed the conference to the my sincere thanks for such a great conference. The dinner was really city and to help to grow it over the event. Everything about it oozed enjoyable and I just wanted to thank last two years. It’s been a pleasure quality. I think that such an event you and your team for all your hard to partner with you and the team, shows any doubters that light rail work in making the event a success. and thank you for always being in the UK is here to stay and I really appreciated the extra respective to our suggestions.” can present itself in a way that is attention to detail on our behalf.” Sarah Alton – Communications & second to none.” Marsid Greenidge – Head of Marketing Business Partner, Colin Robey – Managing Director, Communications, Keolis UK Nottingham City Council UKTram

SUPPORTED BY ORGANISED BY 9 CONTENTS The official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association JANUARY 2016 Vol. 79 No. 937 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL 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 24 Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. E-mail: [email protected] NEWS EDITOR John Symons 17 Whitmore Avenue, Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail: [email protected] SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS Tony Bailey, James Chuang, Paul Nicholson, Richard 4 Felski, Ed Havens, Bill Vigrass, Andrew Moglestue, M. Ballinger Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Vic Simons, Herbert Pence, Alain Senut, Thomas Wagner. NEWS 4 SYSTEMS FACTFILE: PARIS T1 & T8 24 PRODUCTION First phase of Midland Metro’s Birmingham T1 and T8, the oldest and youngest lines in Lanna Blyth city centre extension opens; Bombardier Paris’ extensive network, are explored by Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 E-mail: [email protected] sells Transportation division stake; the UK’s Neil Pulling – battening together what is DESIGN first tram-train arrives; Rio starts tramway becoming an ever more cohesive network. Debbie Nolan trials; Metro moves closer. ADVERTISING COMMERCIAL MANAGER WORLDWIDE REVIEW 29 Geoff Butler SEATTLE: CUTTING-EDGE LIGHT RAIL 9 New Gent extensions to open in February Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 E-mail: [email protected] 2016 will be a key year for light rail progress and April; Tallinn awards tram airport line PUBLISHER on Puget Sound, as Vic Simons reports. contracts; Uithoflijn CAF mock-up revealed; Howard Johnston Kansas City streetcar testing underway. Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the SWIFT RAIL 15 LRTA and LRTA Publishing on the third Friday of each Nicholas Falk and Reg Harman explore a MAILBOX 34 month preceding the cover date. new approach to suburban rail transport. Further considerations on Upper Silesia; LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY Are vinyl wraps not vandalism too? Brian Lomas E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] : UPGRADES AND GROWTH 20 LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) CLASSIC TRAMS: VIENNA AT 150 36 From bleak prospects in the 1970s, this Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up Austrian city is now forming the stage for Mike Russell visits Vienna for one of the members of the Light Rail Transit Association. an LRT revival. Ray Deacon pays a visit. biggest sesquicentennial parades ever seen. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Why light rail sits above the ‘poverty’ line Tel: +44 (0)117 9517785 BACK ISSUES As any reader of this publication will now know, the advocation of light Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 rail systems is not just for the enthusiast. In the modern age – and on an PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION economic, social and environmental level – rail-based urban transport Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. makes sense in a way that private travel just doesn’t. Anyone who has sat LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE for any extended period in a traffic jam in a major city will testify to that. c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY, UK. Yet even within there are a variety of viewpoints on Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 the mode. For example, why is it that are seen as inferior to the steel in and Wales. wheel on steel rail option? I am sure I’m not alone in knowing people who will happily LRTA CHAIRMAN use a tram or metro yet who wouldn’t ordinarily dream of using a . Andrew Braddock In my humble opinion this is for a number of reasons. For the inexperienced public E-mail: [email protected] transport user, rail-based services give more certainty that you will get to your intended LRTA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN destination. Trams can’t be diverted, are less likely to get caught up in traffic and feel Paul Rowen quieter, more comfortable and more secure. They also allow us all to do our little bit to LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE c/o 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU, help Mother Nature. Taxis offer the familiarity of the private car, so people are more UK. Private Limited Company, No. 06169422 likely to use them – yet they only compound the traffic and pollution problems. in England and Wales. Unfairly so, buses have more of a ‘poverty’ mode image. Even the best and most © LRTA Publishing 2015 modern services suffer this stigma, and after a while it becomes a vicious circle. Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also The more that ridership becomes dominated by the less-affluent, the more it becomes later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the associated with poverty and the less appealing it becomes to the full spectrum of opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of society. Trams and metros feel modern and progressive (even though the technology LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. is far older than that of the motorbus and hasn’t changed hugely in over a century), No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in while buses now have the impression of being old and coming from a bygone age. any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and Yet ride on the Paris Metro, ’s U-Bahn, trams in Amsterdam, Zaragoza or Milan retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from or the Underground and you will see these systems are the great social leveller. the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the People use them because they are the ‘only’ way to travel and are now the obvious choice. magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. The issues of congestion and pollution are too big for us to be partisan. We all want COVER: T8 is the latest addition to the increasingly people out of their cars, but how do we best acheive this? Simon Johnston, Editor comprehensive tram coverage in Paris. N. Pulling

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 3 News Massive investment plans in Brussels Metro, tram and bus plans feature in EUR5.2bn programme to delivered over the next decade

UR5.2bn will be spent on A further 235 new buses will be the Belgian capital’s rail required, possibly electric, with Terrorist menace disrupts Brussels networks over the period double-articulated buses for line 2017-24, including 71 (which until recently was to Ereplacement of metro signalling be converted to a tramway). Fares by automatic train operation, the will not be increased in 2016 and conversion of the north-south the price of a student’s season tram subway to metro operation ticket will be reduced from with extension to Bordet, and 43 EUR120 to EUR50 to make public new metro trains plus a new depot transport the mode of choice for at Erasme. Metro line 6 will be travel to school and college. extended from Roi Baudoin to the On the SNCB new Eurostadium as part of the suburban network, 13 December city’s bid for the 2020 European saw the opening of the new Football Championships, while tunnel link between Schuman Trams on lines 39 and 44 using the surface tracks rather than the subway metro interchange; articulated PCC 7816 awaits departure. Libra tramline 9 will be built linking and Meiser plus new stations at Simonis and Heysel, reaching an Tour et Taxis and Germoir. The Although the terrorist attack 97 unaffected; 39/44 operated interchange with lines 3 and 7, network was rebranded S with the in Paris on 13 November using the surface tracks at close to a new depot, the city’s following services: S1, Mechelen caused little disruption to the Montgomery. Other lines were eighth. Tram route 94 will be – Midi – Nivelles; S2, Leuven public transport network (one split each side of their subway extended to Roodebeek. – Midi – Braine-le-Comte; S3, metro station temporarily closed sections. Some affected sections Designs are being prepared Dendermonde – Midi – Zottegem; and various bus routes diverted), were served by bus shuttles, for STIB’s next generation of S4, Aalst – Luxembourg the aftermath saw much wider although several regular bus trams, likely to be double-ended (extended Vilvoorde at peaks); disruption in the Belgian capital. lines were also withdrawn. low-floor cars with a length of S5, Mechelen – Meiser – Enghien Metro service was suspended SNCB closed Delta, Mérode, 32m and 43m. Expressions of (Geraardsbergen at peaks); S6, on Saturday-Tuesday 21-24 Ouest and Schuman stations. interest have been invited for the Schaerbeek – Midi – Aalst; S7, November due to the terrorist Normal service resumed on construction of up to 175 trams, Mechelen – Meiser – Halle; threat category in the city Wednesday 25 November except to replace existing series 7700 (50 S8, Midi – Louvain-la-Neuve; being raised to level four. that Bourse, Anneessens and six-axle PCCs), 7900 (61 eight- S81, Schaerbeek – Schuman Tram services were curtailed Lemonnier stations remained axle PCCs) and 2000 (51 partly – Ottignies (peaks only); S9, so none ran through subway closed and metro M1 ran low-floor articulated trams). Leuven – Meiser – Braine l’Alleud; sections with stations, which between Gare de l’Ouest and Delivery could start in 2020. S10, Dendermonde – Midi – Aalst. left just lines 62, 92, 93, 94 and Montgomery only. First production Midland Metro expansion supported Artic launched The UK Government has The devolution deal includes The naming took place on 19 The first production Artic indicated that it broadly support for the ‘Sprint’ Bus November, when the Queen LRV for Helsinki City Transport supports proposals to extend line on the Hagley and Prince Philip visited the (HKL) rolled off the Transtech Midland Metro towards Road corridor to Quinton and city to officially open the production line in Otanmäki Birmingham Airport and beyond. The Government rebuilt New Street Station. on 19 November. The deeper into the Black Country. is expected to fund GBP8bn Birmingham’s city centre innovative 100% low-floor These show that the Digbeth (EUR11bn) of the proposed extension opened the short tram is the first to be marketed line will be extended via GBP20bn (EUR28bn) of distance from St Paul’s to under the Škoda name following Bordesley Green to Birmingham transport upgrades in the deal. Bull Street on 6 December. the takeover of the Finnish Airport and the proposed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Work to complete the firm by Škoda Transportation Interchange, and has named CAF Urbos tram 35 remainder of the line to three months ago. that plans for a Wednesbury in memory of Angus Adams, Stephenson Street was to be A EUR113m contract for 40 of – Brierley Hill branch off the the former chairman of the scaled back over the Christmas the 27.6m three-section trams, Wolverhampton line would be West Midlands Integrated shopping period, with public which accommodate up to 199 revived. These routes would not Passenger Transport Authority services not expected to passengers, 88 of them seated, be completed before the 2020s. and Centro who died in 2012. operate until February. was signed in December 2010. Extensive trials have been undertaken with two pre-series vehicles over the past two years and only minor changes have been made to the specification for the production vehicles, which will be delivered between early 2016 and May 2018. Innovations include an intelligent energy management system, which allows braking energy to be stored for use in the underfloor heating system Her Majesty The Queen reveals the name for tram 35, watched Midland Metro Urbos 35 leaves Bull Street in central if it cannot be fed back to the by West Midlands Vice Lord Lieutenant Colonel George Marsh Birmingham for Wolverhampton at 08.00 with the first grid via overhead catenary. (left) and Centro Chief Executive Geoff Inskip. Centro public working from Bull Street. Mike Ballinger

4 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Bombardier sells one-third rail stake Canadian investment company invests USD1.5bn; new holding company valued at USD5bn

ombardier’s efforts to compounded annual return. There raise finance by selling a are strong performance incentives stake in its rail division within the agreement, which is will be achieved within subject to regulatory approval. weeksB following an agreement by The Transportation business Caisse de depot et placement du is fundamentally profitable, but Québec (CPDQ, a pension and the Canadian group as a whole insurance fund investor) to has been burdened by debt in its make a USD1.5bn investment aircraft manufacturing business, in a new holding company for which lost CAD4.9bn (EUR3.5bn) Bombardier Transportation. in the third quarter of the year. The deal, announced on 19 A 50% stake in this business November, values Bombardier Bombardier not only took on executives from after the takeover, was recently sold to the Québec but also continued development of a line of LRVs that can be traced back to the Transportation (Investment) UK Frankfurt-am-Main U2 prototype of 1965. Current deliveries to Frankfurt are the government in return for a Ltd – BT Holdco – at USD5bn, so U5 design, including the long version shown here. Stadtwerke Frankfurt-am-Main CAD1bn (EUR700mbn) bail-out. CDPQ will acquire shares worth Bombardier originally 30% of the new company, which will remain in . with no increase in debt’ planned to float shares in its will own all the assets of the The deal will ‘crystallise according to a statement. Transportation division, and current Transportation business. the value of Bombardier Bombardier can buy back was also said to have received an BT Holdco is listed in London Transportation and strengthen CDPQ’s equity interest at any time offer from Chinese conglomerate but the operational headquarters Bombardier’s financial position on a minimum three-year 15% CRRC, which it turned down. UK’s first tram-train arrives The Transport & Works Act Seven Citylink tram-trains Order for the UK’s tram-train are expected over the next few pilot between Sheffield and months with four having wheel Parkgate was granted on profiles adapted for tram-train 19 November, just as the first use and three for the existing Vossloh Citylink Class 399 network; all seven will have vehicle (numbered 201, 399 a 25kV capability for when is the designation for the the proposed electrification new vehicles under the UK’s of the is national rail classification) completed in the area. left Valencia for the overland The 37m vehicles are journey to Santander and then equipped to meet main line by freight ferry on 23 November lighting requirements for Citylink tram-train 399 201 at Nunnery Depot on 1 December. to Southampton. Delivery to visibility, but also have UK Following unloading, it was towed by a mini-tug as it currently has no . Supertram’s Nunnery depot Road Traffic Act-compliant The depot’s centre track has been adapted to take the new vehicles. Mike Haddon took place on 1 December. headlights, horns, wing The TWA Order allows the mirrors and direction plus adaptations to Rotherham and two sections of 120 are construction of the 160m indicators for on-street Central station and the in the process of being joined chord connecting the existing operation. Main line signalling construction of the terminal while the other sections have Supertram Meadowhall and communications at Parkgate, will not be ready been despatched to Derby for route and the equipment, such as TPWS and until early 2017. A 20-minute repair, Purple route service has freight line at Tinsley, plus the Global System for Mobile service is envisaged using three been reduced. On weekdays the electrification at 750V dc Communication – Railway vehicles with one spare. it will only operate between of this line and the existing (GSM-R) is also installed. Provision of additional Herdings Park and Cathedral passenger line through It is expected the first Citylink vehicles has become critical with the section between Rotherham Central station will enter service on the existing following the recent accident Cathedral and Meadowhall to Parkgate where a siding network in May since the line between trams 118 and 120. being withdrawn. The full terminal will be constructed. connections and electrification, Although one section of 118 service operates on Sundays.

NEWS IN PICTURES EUR1.4bn Quito metro contract awarded Tram-train for Glasgow? The second phase of of the 22.1km (13.7-mile) Glasgow Airport (UK) could have a metro planned for the capital of Ecuador will be built tram-train service by 2025, under by a consortium of Spanish firm Acciona and Brazilian proposals being considered by Construtora Norberto Odebrecht under a contract awarded local politicians. The GBP144m by the city council in late November. Rolling stock will be (EUR205m) scheme is one of two the subject of a separate contract. Phase 1 of the project, options for a physical link to the two stations in the northern suburbs, has already been airport, replacing the previously completed by Acciona. proposed rail scheme that was The metro will link Quitumbe bus station in the south of dropped on cost grounds. the city with El Labrador in the north, and construction will Tram-trains would use the heavy take 36 months. The line will be in tunnel with 15 stations rail network to Paisley, then a and a depot/workshop. Acciona branch from there to the airport.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 5 News Rio tram tests and metro expansion wire-free trams make first passenger runs while the city plans to free up metro capacity

he first trial passenger Rodoviária Novo Rio is scheduled 27 units are being assembled Red Cross Square, Carioca on runs on the 28km (17.4- to open in early 2016 in time for on Alstom’s new 16 000m2 line 1, and terminating at XV mile) Porto Maravilha the summer Olympic Games; production site at Taubaté in São Square near the Niterói ferry tramway took place on when completed, the 42-stop Paulo state, capable of producing terminal. Completion will allow T21 November. The consortium network will have capacity for 7-8 trams per month. eight-car trains to operate on line delivering Rio de Janeiro’s 300 000 passengers/day with The state government has 2 and the halving of headways BRL1.2bn (EUR300m) PPP project trams operating at headways of also announced plans to start on both lines to serve an is led by Brazilian companies between five and 15 minutes. construction on an extension of estimated additional 400 000 CCR Group and Invepar, awarded Alstom is supplying 32 44m line 2 of the city’s metro in 2017 passengers per day. the design, build, operate, and catenary-free Citadis trams, along to better serve the city centre and It is anticipated that private maintain contract in April 2013. with power supply, signalling free up capacity on the section finance will be sought for RATP Dev will operate the system and telecommunications systems shared with line 1. construction of the extension for 25 years. for the project. The first five A new 3.7km (2.3-mile) to reduce further the burden on The first phase between 100% low-floor trams were built alignment is proposed to serve state and central government Santos Dumont airport and in France while the remaining Catumbi near the Samba stadium, resources. Diagonal tram Brookville steps in for Oklahoma City connection plan On 29 September Oklahoma A study by passenger watchdog City ordered five low-floor Promoció del Transport Públic trams from Inekon for (PTP) suggests Barcelona could USD23m, intended for its new double its current tram ridership, 7.2km (4.5-mile) city centre save EUR2m/year in bus tramway circulator. The operating costs and offer a vastly company had until 29 October improved service if a project to to produce documentation connect the Spanish city’s two confirming financial light rail networks with a 3.6km guarantees for a performance (2.2-mile) link along Avenida bond, but failed to meet this Diagonal becomes a reality. deadline claiming that the An artist’s impression of a Brookville Liberty streetcar operating in Milwaukee. The PTP study proposes the contract has substantially Milwaukee Streetcar construction of an 8.5m-wide changed terms and conditions corridor featuring a segregated for the company’s credit delayed awaiting regulatory More good news for double-track alignment documents. approval for their battery Brookville came on 14 along the 50m-wide Avenida On 10 November the city traction system; 401-5 were November when the city of Diagonal in central Barcelona, council voted to cancel the still undergoing testing in late Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ordered costing EUR15m/km for basic Inekon contract and negotiate November, with 406 awaiting five trams for its downtown infrastructure and single-unit a deal with Brookville acceptance. tramway loop for USD18.6m, tram operation. This double lane Equipment Corporation, In a twist to the story, Seattle with an option for 19 more. arrangement could then be used which submitted the next best may put its three 2007-bought The city’s new tramline is due by both buses and trams, PTP bid (USD24.5m) in the original Inekon trams (301-3) up for sale to open in 2018, so delivery is suggests, only removing one lane tendering exercise. This is the (it is understood that Portland required by the end of 2017. for private transport. second contract that Inekon Streetcar wants them and is Other bids were received from Currently the city operates has lost – Detroit originally willing to pay USD5m) and buy Vossloh, Inekon and Siemens. two tramlines with a combined intended to order from it, but replacement battery-electric Brookville, best known for length of 29.1km (18.1 miles), switched to six battery/electric trams. The South Lake Union its rebuilds of heritage trams with PTP suggesting that its cars from Brookville. and First Hill lines are due to such as PCCs, already has two solution would be the best option Inekon is supplying trams be connected in the future, modern battery-electric trams to improve surface mobility to Seattle’s so standardisation of rolling operating in Dallas, with two across the city, increasing service project, but these have been stock capability is sensible. more on order. speeds from 8km/h (5mph) for buses to 15km/h (9mph). The report estimates the new line would reduce bus traffic by NEWS IN PICTURES Wimbledon gains new platform London ’s additional platform at 1.9-3.1m bus-km/year, enabling Wimbledon has been completed; trams returned to 20 buses to be redeployed to the station at the start of November after having been boost capacity on other routes. previously cut back to Dundonald Road. The feasibility of a Diagonal The platform will allow a further four trams an hour line connecting the Trambaix (T1, to serve the stop from spring 2016 when new vehicles T2 and T3) and Trambesòs lines enter service. The UK tram network has experienced (T4, T5, T6, and T7) was assessed rapid ridership growth since it opened in 2000, from in the city’s 2011-20 masterplan; 18.5m passengers in its first year to over 32m in 2014-15. Demand is forecast to reach 60m by 2030. it was revived following May’s As well as the new platform at Wimbledon an local elections, and is now additional track has been provided between dependent on approval by a Mitcham Junction and Beddington Lane, and further majority vote by the city council, improvements are expected in Croydon town centre which is expected to provide with a new short turning facility. Courtesy of TfL most of the required funding.

6 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Edinburgh considers Tram solution for South Newhaven extension Edinburgh City Councillors have approved in principle that any tram extension should Wales moves a step closer continue to Newhaven. Members voted in November to continue The releases report on its Metro project options consideration of an outline business case subject to a further report being presented n 30 November the The report, which comes The Welsh Government is to in December. If it is agreed to Welsh Government ahead of a formal consultation tender for the bulk of the project proceed, a nine-month period of publicly outlined early next year, talks about the – phase two - which would be project development will begin. its ambitious South potential for enhancing services delivered between 2017 and Once the first stage is complete, OWales Metro vision that could to , Coryton, 2023; this is to be integrated a report would be brought back see trams serve the region and Bay, Treherbert, Aberdare and with the letting of the next to council. If councillors agreed eventually Cardiff city centre in that are currently Wales and Borders rail franchise. to continue, a second stage scheduled to take 21 months and a consultation document called served by heavy rail services. For Beyond 2023, further extensions costing approximately GBP8.3m Rolling Out Our Metro. example, while just six or seven could see street-running trams (EUR11.8m) would include further The integrated transport plan trains per hour could be provided in Cardiff city centre, linking site investigation and working would revolutionise transport from with heavy rail, the branch line with advisors in carrying out across South Wales with new a light rail service could provide further into the Bay itself, and procurement and enabling high-frequency services, 10-12 services per hour. providing a link from Cardiff works. It is estimated the 5km stations, routes and integrated Although the report appears Central station. (three-mile) extension would cost ticketing. As well as light rail, the to favour trams over heavy rail in The UK Government has GBP144.7m (EUR205.5m) to build. scheme would incorporate bus many cases – stating advantages promised GBP125m (EUR173m) Statutory footing for and heavy rail routes to deliver, such as cheaper and quicker-to- towards the cost of electrifying regional bodies says the Welsh government build extensions – it suggests the Valley Lines, and has said The UK Government is preparing “a seamless network”. that light rail may not be suitable that the offer would stand if to place regional transport First Minister Carwyn for every part of the Valley Line a light rail option is selected. bodies on a statutory footing. Jones said: “The Metro project network, and it is most likely that The Welsh Government is The powers and duties proposed represents the future of public the Ebbw Valley, Maesteg and looking for EU match funding will allow groups to advise transport ministers on investment transport in South East Wales Vale of Glamorgan lines would that could take this to around priorities and strategic transport which will provide faster journey be served by electric or diesel GBP250m (EUR347m). With its schemes to boost growth. times and more frequent services trains. is also own funding it has in principle Transport for the North (TfN) covering a greater area. included and is already being around GBP600m (EUR834m) will be the first of the sub-national The Metro is far more than considered for Newport. committed to electrifying the transport bodies; the government just a transport project. It will However despite the positive Valley Lines. has already given TfN GBP30m be a catalyst for transforming affirmation of light rail, the > Rolling Out Our Metro can be (EUR43m) to work on the northern the economic and social document is clear to state that found at http://gov.wales/docs/ transport strategy – a strategy prospects of South East Wales its analysis “will not prejudice det/publications/151122-metro- document is expected in April. Bids are expected from and the country as a whole.” the procurement process”. information-brochure-en.pdf Greater , Sheffield City Region, Liverpool City Region, the north-east, Tees Valley and the West Midlands. Rogoff to succeed Earl at Sound Transit On 19 November the Sound Transit board selected former US Federal Transit Administrator Peter M. Rogoff as the agency’s new CEO, replacing the 15-year veteran Joni Earl, who is retiring in 2016 following a long-term illness. In July 2014 the US Senate confirmed Rogoff as Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy in the Department of Transportation, the department’s A Welsh Government visual of a potential tram livery for the project. Welsh Government third highest-ranking official. He had previously served as President Obama’s Federal Transit Administrator. NEWS IN PICTURES Budapest tests tramway Puebla’s diesel tram-trains connections Vossloh Rail Vehicles has Testing of the new tracks between Margit híd delivered two partially low-floor and Batthány tér, linking the northern and diesel vehicles as part of an southern tramway networks on the Buda side MXN800m (EUR45.7m) project to of the Hungarian capital, began on the evening introduce a tourist service over a on 22 November with new five-section CAF 17.4km (10.8-mile) route between Urbos trams. The new tracks run alongside the Mexican National Railway the Danube above the HÉV tracks; there is Museum in the city of Puebla and interlaced track under Margit híd. San Andrés Cholula, due to open in The trams also successfully travelled over May 2016. The 38m three-section new connections in Török utca and Frankel vehicles can each accommodate Leó utca, which connect the former Line 17 80 seated passengers, with a with lines 4 and 6. maximum operational speed of Passenger service should start in January; 100km/h (62mph). trams last ran here in 1970. BKK

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 7 News

Dublin tracklaying underway and new trams Tel Aviv selects LRV supplier Tracklaying to connect Dublin’s Red and Green Luas lines CRRC subsidiary selected for 90 LRV order for Tel Aviv’s Red line began at the end of October in O’Connell Street in the city centre. Preparation works started during el Aviv LRT promoter to open in 2021. The Red line is In other news, in late November August but progress halted for NTA has selected CRRC to be the first part of the Tel Aviv the Israeli Finance Ministry the Christmas shopping period. subsidiary Changchun Metropolitan Area Mass-Transit approved plans for the southern Works on the street will also Railway Vehicles above System, a network intended to section of a second line between stop by the first week in March to CAFT and Alstom as preferred include Bus Rapid Transit as well Herzliya to Holon and Rishon allow preparations for St Patrick’s Day and the Irish capital’s 1916 bidder to supply and maintain 90 as light rail. Ultimately, eight Lezion, passing it on for a 60-day centenary commemorations, low-floor LRVs for the new Red lines (including both LRT and public consultation. The plans for before resuming in April. line between Petakh Tikva north- bus routes) are planned. the southern portion of what has The EUR368m Cross City east of Tel Aviv and Bat Yam to In May NTA selected a 51:49 been designated the Green line line will connect the existing the south. Further details are to joint venture of Railway call for roughly 17km (10.6 miles) routes before continuing north be announced once the Israeli Tunnel Group and Boneh of track – 2.5km (1.6 miles) in Tel to the new Dublin Institute Government approves the contract Infrastructure for an ILS3.1bn Aviv, 4.2km (2.6 miles) in Rishon of Technology campus at and an associated industrial (EUR750m) design-build civil Lezion, and 10.3km (6.4 miles) in Grangegorman, then on to co-operation agreement. works contract covering 11km Holon. The central portion has Phibsborough and Cabra, where it will terminate at the Iarnród Around half the 23km (6.8 miles) of 5.5m-diameter already been approved, and the Éireann station at Broombridge. (14-mile) Red line route will be twin tunnels and nine northern portion is scheduled for It is currently on schedule for underground, and it is expected underground stations. discussion in mid-2016. completion in September 2017. Alstom is to supply seven new 55m Citadis for the Cross City line following a EUR36.5m+tax order from Transport Infrastructure Referendum approves Limmattalbahn Ireland. The vehicles are expected in service before the Cross City A Zürich referendum on Killwangen will be electrified line’s opening in 2017. 22 November approved the at 1200V dc, compatible with metre-gauge Limmattalbahn the BDWM line in Dietikon. Edmonton chooses project, with 64.5% approval Services will run in Zürich over consortium on a 40% turnout. The 13.4km VBZ tracks under 600V dc wires On 26 November the City of (8.3-mile) light rail line will (VBZ line 2 will be extended to Edmonton selected the TransEd link Zürich-Altstetten with Schlieren Geissweid). Partners consortium (Arup/ Bechtel/Bombardier/Transdev) Killwangen-Spreitenbach Separate tenders will be via Dietikon in 37 minutes. invited for construction, as preferred bidder for a design, An impression of a Limmattalbahn Construction will start in 2017 rolling stock and operation. build, operate and maintain LRV running through the suburban contract for the 13.1km (8.1-mile) and it will be opened in stages Political approval for the community of Urdorf. Limmattalbahn. Valley Line light rail project, in 2019-22. CHF670m (EUR619.8m) project linking the city centre with Mill Over 90% of the line will came in 2013, with planning will be met by federal funding; Woods in the south-east suburbs. be on reserved track, and the and financial approval now 14 45m double-ended LRVs The CAD1.8bn (EUR1.3bn) section from Schlieren to agreed. One third of the cost will be required. project financed through the PPP structure is expected to open in late 2020, operated by 40.6m LRVs. budget to be Lyon orders more dropped? Fleetwood’s tram link (UK) could be jeopardised if Lyon public transport authority supplied from the Le Creusot 85) on the 14.6km (nine-mile) County Council drops its SYTRAL has ordered seven plant. Motored bogies have T3 from Part-Dieu to park-and- GBP280 000 (EUR295 000) more seven-section 43m Citadis two 175kW motors assembled ride Meyzieu; the line includes annual contribution to the 402 100% low-floor trams at Ornans. The bodyshells a short branch to Grande Stade, Tramway in Wyre from Alstom for EUR20.5m, are aluminium, keeping the used for sporting events, when Borough. The move is one exercising an option on the unladen weight to 55 tonnes. 15 trams are used. suggested measure as the council contract signed in 2011. Maximum speed is 70km/h. The order will bring the seeks to make savings of GBP65m The vehicles will be delivered Each car has 71 seats and space number of Citadis trams (EUR92m) over two years. from La Rochelle in 2017. for 287 standing passengers. operating on the city’s 66.3km Blackpool is a Unitary Authority so would not be affected, although Each has four Arpege 350 Lyon already operates 12 (41-mile) second-generation it has its own budgetary pressures. bogies (three-motored) double-ended Citadis 402 (874- tramway system to 92. has indicated that it wishes to discuss the proposed cut with the county council but has said it cannot NEWS IN PICTURES PPM considers double-deck revival subsidise tramway maintenance The UK’s Parry People Movers is considering a revival in Wyre Borough. of double-deck trams to make best use of scarce street space in slow-moving traffic situations. It is suggested that G:Link’s Flexity 2 option the vehicles could form part of a tourism or sightseeing Queensland’s Gold Coast light rail experience in cities including London. They could also system has ordered four additional be used where concentrations of pedestrians force other 43.4m Flexity 2 trams under a road traffic to adopt low speeds. AUD25m (EUR17.4m) option to the A concept impression (left) shows a modification of the original contract. This will bring existing Class 139 single-deck design; the gas/flywheel the fleet to 18 and provide capacity railcar has a capacity of 60 pasengers, which could be for the 7.3km (4.5-mile) extension expanded to 100 by adding a top deck. The tram would to Helensvale railway station, due have stairs between decks plus a compact passenger lift, to open in 2018. to enable compliance with disability legislation. PPM

8 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Services crossing at Tukwila International Boulevard, the current Link terminus, on 17 September. Seattle

SEATTLE: CUTTING EDGE LRT SOLUTIONS After nearly three decades of delays and inaction, the State of ’s largest city is now embarking on a ‘big bang’ light rail expansion that will transform the region. Vic Simons reports.

Othello station, with Kinkisharyo unit 137 heading a two-car train bound for the Airport.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 9 Seattle

Link cars 117 and 119 entering Beacon Hill tunnel with an Airport service. Inside the Link maintenance depot between SODO and Beacon Hill stations.

little over 160km (100 miles) 3rd Avenue between International District entering the Beacon Hill tunnel. It emerges south of the Canadian border, and the Westlake Center. Here a connection again just north of the Seattle is the largest city in the to the Seattle Monorail, built in 1962 for onto an elevated alignment. After this stop State of Washington. Although the World’s Fair and still in operation over a the alignment descends to the median of not the state capital, that slightly shorter 1.6km (one-mile) guideway Martin Luther King Jr Way South where there Ahonour falling to Olympia some 100km today, was later established. The tunnel then are a further three stations. Leaving the most (60 miles) to the south, its location on Puget turned east to reach the surface at a large bus southerly at Rainier station the line returns Sound at the eastern end of a direct sea turning area at the Convention Center. to the elevated route for the remaining two corridor from the Pacific Ocean has enabled Rail tracks were laid in anticipation of the stations at Tukwila International Boulevard the city to develop into one of the biggest arrival of light rail service and articulated and SeaTac Airport. At Tukwila there is a ports in the US. However, this location has trolleybuses were purchased to operate large 600-space park-and-ride facility and proved both a positive and negative function through the tunnel in electric mode, drawing bus connections. Whilst the airport station is in the city’s development due to prime real current from the overhead before switching close to the terminal, it still requires a short estate prices and limited surface room for to diesel power after leaving the tunnel. walk through a car park. dedicated transit lines. Following voter approval in 1996, Construction is underway on two With a population of just over 600 000, Sound Transit was formed by the State of extensions and an eastern branch: the first Seattle’s position on an isthmus between Washington as the Central Puget Sound is a 2.6km (1.6-mile) continuation of the Puget Sound and has Regional Transit Authority (RTA), responsible elevated alignment south from the airport to constrained freeway construction with only for public transport provision in the three the at 200th Street in the I-5 running north-south through the city; counties in its service area, Pierce, King and city of SeaTac. Scheduled to open in the third the I-405 city bypass is on the eastern side of Snohomish. quarter of 2016, the project is expected to Lake Washington. The Metropolitan area cost USD383m. A further extension to has a population of around 3.5 million – Forging the Link Kent/Des Moines is planned to open in 2023. and is growing rapidly. In fact, Seattle as a After many years of debate and indecision, There is a further aspiration to continue whole is one of the fastest growing in the a USD500m Federal Transit Administration the alignment southwards to Federal whole of North America according to the grant was received in 2003 that allowed Way and on to Tacoma – although this latest census figures. construction of the first part of the link from is still at the initial planning stage so no Seattle was founded in 1851 and the Downtown Transit tunnel at Westlake to costs, funding allocation or timescales are incorporated as a city in 1869. Local SeaTac International Airport to begin. currently available. businessman Frank Osgood introduced The original tracks laid in 1990 were The second extension looks northward horse-drawn streetcars in 1884 and, after unsuitable for the LRVs planned to operate to Lynnwood. The first 5km (three-mile) a brief flirtation with cable-operation, the service, however, and needed to be segment is entirely underground, taking launched an electric operation in 1889. replaced. At the same time the decision was the route to the University of Washington That made Seattle the first city on the west taken to remove the trolleybus overhead and with one intermediate station at Capitol coast to offer a fully electric streetcar service. purchase hybrid diesel buses for operation Hill where there will be an interchange Vested interests, lack of finance and a lack through the tunnel once it reopened. with the under-construction First Hill of investment led to their complete demise by Light rail service began in mid-2009 streetcar (scheduled to open before the end 1940 when trolleybuses took over. from Westlake to Tukwila International of 2015). This is budgeted to cost USD1.9bn. Today there are 15 trolleybus routes Boulevard, extending to the airport at the The next 6.9km (4.3 miles) will take the operating across a 109km (68-mile) system; end of the year. The 27.8km (17.4-mile) route alignment to Northgate in 2021, again largely motorbuses provided the remaining has 13 stations and operates on a mix of underground before emerging on to an transport provision until the arrival of grade, elevated and tunnel alignments, with elevated trackway just south of the Northgate light rail. Hydroelectric power supplies another underground station at Beacon Hill. Transit Center. The budgeted cost for this the system, generated from dams in the The first four stations are also underground second phase is USD2.1bn. adjoining mountains. using the transit tunnel, the last being at As the majority of this line is underground, In the early 1970s it became obvious that International District/Chinatown which this is one of the most expensive light rail public transport provision was inadequate, is located less than 50m from King Street projects in the US at USD4bn for just under although it would be almost 30 years before and Sounder stations. 12km (7.45 miles) or just over USD333m/km light rail construction would begin. Some The alignment emerges just north of (almost USD537m/mile). The high cost is progress was made inbetween, however, Stadium and runs parallel with the south a consequence of geography and the need as in 1990 the first dual-mode articulated busway as far as SODO station. The line then to put more than 90% of the alignment trolleybuses started running through the turns east, passing the main storage and underground. The final 13.7km (8.5-mile) 2.1km (1.3-mile) transit tunnel under maintenance facility to the south, before extension to Lynwood has just gone into the

10 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Lake Union Central Link University Of Washington Fairview & Campus Dr. Existing South Lake Lake 520 Union Streetcar Union Park 5 University extension Broadway & Roy (opens 2016)

Broadway Capitol Hill Westlake & Mercer Terry & Mercer Westlake extension (planned to University Street SEATTLE Broadway Pioneer Square Lake open in 2017) & Harrison Westlake & Thomas Terry & Thomas International District/Chinatown Washington Stadium 90 SODO Wetslake & 9th/Denny Broadway Mount Baker & Denny- Beacon Hill DOWNTOWN Capitol Hill SEATTLE WestLake & 7th Columbia City Pike St. Broadway & Pike-Pine Westlake hub/McGraw Square First Hill 5 line (opens in 2016) Othello Pine St.

Stewart St. Pike St. Broadway & Marion Rainier Beach 1st & Pike E Madison St.

First City Connector Broadway (planned to open 2018) Puget Light rail Broadway & Terrace Sound 1st & Madison 5 509 Tukwila Yesler & Broadway Pioneer Square International Blvd 14th & Washington Burien ➤ 5th & Jackson ➤ 405 Japantown Central District Park & N N Ride 0 1/2 0 2 Occidental 12th & Jackson 7th & Jackson Sea Tac / Airport km Mall Chinatown Little Saigon km SeaTac final design stage, with no finalised costs for single or multiple tickets or for monthly but with an aspiration to open in 2023. “As the majority of the Link passes on a calendar basis. Day passes can be The planned eastern branch is a 22.4km purchased using an ORCA card, but are only (14-mile) ten-station route from downtown extensions are valid on the card issuers’ own services. The Seattle through Bellevue to the Overlake card is valid on all public transport services Transit Center in Redmond. The alignment underground, they are across the three counties , including ferries, will leave the current route just north of some of the most expensive providing seamless transfer between modes. the Stadium station to join the I-90 median Sound Transit operates a distance-based across Lake Washington. Now at the stage LRT projects in the US at fare system with the minimum base fare of final design, a budget of USD2.8bn has (in October 2015) of USD2.25, rising in 25 been set, alongside a planned opening of just over USD333m/km.” cent increments to a USD3 maximum; there 2023. With the other new routes, this will be are the usual concessions for the young, old another transformational year for the region. and those with restricted mobility. Light rail the norm with plans to use four-car trains tickets are available from ticket machines at Fleet and services by 2021. The current fleet is sufficient for all stations or online. It should be noted that The Link is currently operated by 62 six-axle, the new lines opening in 2016, but will , the main bus operator double-ended articulated LRVs built under a need to be expanded for the 2021 and 2023 in the area, uses a differential system for peak contract with the Kinkisharyo/Mitsui joint extensions. All vehicles are maintained and off-peak services. venture and delivered between 2006 and at a large facility just off the current route Link begins operations at around 05.00 2014. Each 70% low-floor vehicle is 29m long, between the SODO station and the Beacon on weekdays and generally provides ten- 2.65m wide and 3.75m tall with four doors Hill station and the yard has capacity for minute headways with the last service on each side drawing overhead power at 104 LRVs. When the fleet expands from its completing its journey at 01.00; frequency 1500V dc – the higher voltage allows fewer current level to an expected 184 by 2030 is enhanced to every six minutes in the peak substations, reduces wire heating and line a new facility will be needed and Sound and is reduced to every 15 minutes in the loss leading to life extension of the overhead. Transit has recently selected a site on the evenings and at weekends. There is a maximum operational running planned eastern branch between Bellevue Some 65km (approx. 40 miles) south of speed of 88km/h (55mph). and Redmond. This is expected to cost Seattle at the foot of Puget Sound is the city of Whilst the car frames and bodyshells USD380m and is scheduled to open in 2020. Tacoma. Here Sound Transit operates a 2.6km were built in Japan, final assembly took place Until recently there was little fare (1.6-mile) single-track LRT line from Tacoma inside a aircraft hangar in Seattle integration as each operator has a different Dome, location of the main transit centre, and thus the vehicles complied with Buy fare structure. The rechargeable ORCA (One and the Amtrak station to the city’s Theatre America provisions. Regional Card for All) smartcard immediately District. Opened in 2003, the line is fare-free The LRVs can operate in up to four-car changed that upon its launch in 2009. until 2016 when fares of USD1.50 will be trains although two-car trains are currently Initially costing USD5, it can be charged introduced, USD0.75 for youths, seniors and

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 11 Seattle

LEFT: Battery packs on the roof of a new Inekon streetcar inside the main depot on 18 September.

RIGHT: First Hill streetcar 401 parked outside the depot.

BELOW: South Lake Union car 303 leaving Fairview / Campus Drive on its journey to the Westlake Center where it will connect with and the monorail. riders with disabilities. Service is provided every 12 minutes by a pair of Škoda 10T three-section double-ended streetcars similar to those in use in Portland, and operating at 750V dc. Plans are in place for a 3.9km (2.4-mile) six-station extension from the Theatre District to the Stadium and Hilltop district. Although still at only 30% design stage, the USD175m project has already received a funding contribution of USD75m from the Federal Government and the city of Tacoma has already received USD33m of its USD40m local requirement. The remaining USD50m is planned to come from Sound Transit local tax income. It is hoped the line can open in 2018.

South Lake and First Hill Seattle has one operating streetcar line with another under construction. The South Lake Union Streetcar opened in 2007 and is a short 2.1km (1.3-mile) seven-stop line starting outside the Westlake Center and continuing north to its terminus on Fairview Avenue It was originally set to open in 2014, and involvement in a supervisory capacity, at Campus Drive where there is a stub end Ethan Melone, Rail Transit Manager, from service and operations are undertaken by buffer stop in the centre of the street. It is Seattle Department of Transportation the county transport administrations in the operated by three Inekon 12 Trio double- (SDOT) clarified toTAUT that the delays were area they serve under an operating contract. ended three-section streetcars (two required due to late delivery of the cars as everything Link is operated by King County Metro, while for service), based at a small depot on Husky else is ready. Although all of the streetcars King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties operate Street on a short spur to the east of the route. are in Seattle, the City has yet to accept local buses and long-distance services to The First Hill line is a 4km (2.5-mile) them – five of the six cars will be required Seattle and other destinations. Sound Transit route starting at the Occidental Mall on for day-to-day operations – and contractual sets the long-distance service levels and those South Jackson Street near its junction with liquidated damages have reached USD750 for light rail, but not for most intercounty 1st Avenue. Expected to open in 2016, the 000 (as of mid-September). Melone added local bus routes. USD135m ten-stop alignment runs north on that once the acceptance process is complete, ‘’ is a package of South Jackson to 14th Street where it loops there will be two weeks of trial running improvement schemes being put to the voters on 14th and Yesler Way to Broadway before before revenue service can start. A total of ten in the November 2016 ballot from a long list turning north to the Broadway Denny Capitol cars are in the current order; six for First Hill of candidate schemes. Whilst more than 60 Hill intersection where there will be a new with one for South Lake Union and three for schemes are listed, many are alternatives for a station on the Link University extension. system expansion. Melone explained that single scheme. As well as the already described New streetcars have been ordered from another seven would be needed to complete light rail extensions to Federal Way and Inekon and will be operated from a new the current planned system. Tacoma there is also a proposal for a light rail depot and control centre, already open, on The service is to be operated by King service to Ballard in the north-west of Seattle. Dearborn Street and 7th Avenue. The new County Metro under a separate contract The ballot will contain taxation proposals to 20m long and 2.4m-wide vehicles, whilst with the SDOT, owners of the new line. cover expansion costs and the Sound Transit similar in appearance to the existing Two extensions are already on the drawing board will make its final recommendations South Lake cars, have a 50% low-floor centre board: a further two stops from Capitol Hill as to which projects to include in the ballot section and will have off-wire operating to the junction of Broadway and Roy Street measure in the summer of 2016. capability. The eastbound/northbound track by 2017, and a final link section with a The other form of rail-based transit is the has an whilst streetcars in Central City Connector from Westlake service; this runs the reverse direction, mostly on downhill to South Jackson by 2020, completing in two portions northbound from Seattle sections, will run on power from two large a currently planned 8.8km (5.5-mile) King Street to Everett and southbound to battery packs (supplied by ABB and Saft) horseshoe-shaped system. Tacoma and on to Lakewood. The service is installed on the roof of each car. As the limited to inbound to Seattle in the morning cars also feature regenerative braking, the Looking to the future and outbound in evening peak, although batteries will be recharged from both this Sound Transit provides regional service in there are a couple of journeys in both peaks source and the overhead. a three-county area. Apart from a minor which operate against the peak flow on the

12 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Recently-delivered First Hill car 404 undergoes acceptance work in the depot.

Tacoma service. Service is operated by BNSF (Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway) on behalf of Sound Transit using standard US commuter rail push-pull loco-hauled stock. There are aspirations to enhance the service, but expanding freight services will limit this without the provision of extra tracks, which Mike Harbour, acting CEO for Sound encouraging greater bus interchange to may prove cost-prohibitive. Transit (former FTA Administrator Peter light rail rather than providing car parks. Kevin Desmond, General Manager of King M. Rogoff was appointed as CEO on 19 Due to land constraints this is deemed more County Metro, explained the complicated November, replacing the long-standing and suitable for housing developments. As such, funding arrangements for service operation. well respected Joni Earl who is retiring on two high-frequency trolleybus routes have Sound Transit pays all Link operating costs medical grounds), emphasised to TAUT just been extended to connect with the LRT at incurred, while the Seattle Department of how important the next 12 months are for Mount Baker and Othello stations. The lack Transportation, as owners of the South Lake the agency, with the University and 200th of parking has put pressure on the existing Union streetcar service, only pays half of the Street projects coming to fruition. facility at Tukwila, but in 2016 Sound Transit operating cost with the remainder coming Northgate in 2021 and Bellevue in 2023 is to introduce a permit system to give regular from internal sources. The city will support mark key milestones, and he explained that travellers more chance of finding a space. the First Hill Streetcar operation using funds he expected the one-station extension to On farebox recovery, Harbour said provided by Sound Transit. Kent/Des Moines will naturally follow as the agency estimated fare evasion to be a Following 2014 voter approval, Desmond felt there had been voter approval for the funding maximum of 4%, with lower levels on bullish about the future with a 10% increase but he could not yet put a completion date the bus network as all tickets are checked in bus service now implemented, also hailing on it. Harbour went on to describe the upon boarding. the introduction of the ORCA smartcard as significance of the Federal Way and Tacoma It is clear the region’s public transportation a great success with around 65% customer extensions, stating that this would not is nearing capacity. The express bus services take-up. This is just the beginning, he added, conflict with Sounder which operates on a are running full at most times of day, but as the Puget Sound Regional Council forecasts completely different alignment on the other the agency’s oversight role is helping to that public transport demand in the area will side of the valley to that of the proposed change the travelling habits of the region double by 2040. When asked about the future Link alignment. by making transit more reliable and less of the trolleybus network, he responded that a After raising a question around the region’s expensive. There is no doubt that the various new electric fleet is being brought into service limited park-and-ride facilities, Harbour agencies are doing a good job, as both with an expected life of 16-20 years. clarified the position of Sound Transit in geographical and financial constraints are limiting the scope of expansion; hence the BELOW: Units 147 and 139 approaching Mount hugely expensive underground extensions Baker station with a northbound Link service on 17 September. due to lack of suitable surface alignments. Yet with the immediate Seattle area proving such an attractive place to live and do business, will the agencies be able to keep up with soaring demand and will local politicians be far-sighted enough to learn from the inaction of the 1990s and early 2000s? Only time will tell.

Grateful thanks are due to Mike Harbour, Kevin Desmond and Ethan Melone, together with their respective press officers, for their ABOVE: A Sounder commuter rail service support and assistance in the preparation of departing for Seattle from Kent. this article.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 13 FREE TO ATTEND for railways, metros, trams and Government companies

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LEAD SPONSOR: EXHIBITOR: ORGANISED BY: REGISTER NOW: www.smartraileurasia.com Swift Rail SWIFT RAIL AND GROWING CITIES

A computer-generated image of a Vivarail D-Train at Stroud in a notional Swift Rail livery. Kel Portman

The UK could learn from Germany and its own experience in London’s Docklands when it comes to rail transport links, argue Nicholas Falk and Reg Harman.

new approach to UK weaker economic performance, according to or closed. What if increased Business Rates suburban transport modelled a recent OECD report.2 However, the country (as the UK Treasury has now agreed for cities on Germany’s extensive does have lots of medium-sized county towns such as Manchester and Cambridge), along Stadtschnellbahnen and London’s and cities (Oxford, Norwich, Worcester with parking charges, were allocated to system and York) with untapped economic growth supporting transport systems that reduced Ashould improve access and connectivity potential, as well as historic centres that are pressures on over-loaded roads? This across medium-sized towns and cities and growing fast (Colchester and Exeter). could provide an equivalent to the praised reduce car use. The Swift Rail concept draws Medium-sized cities have lagged behind, Versement Transports that underpins so many on plans to double the rate of house building, as new housing has been concentrated new French tramlines and metros. It would improve connectivity, tackle congestion, in smaller towns and villages, adding to enable an astute Chancellor to offer cities a and promote healthier living – and could pressures on roads and local services.3 real incentive for sustainable and healthier be largely funded without adding to the UK Other nations have taken a more proactive growth, and mark a revival of civic enterprise. Government’s financial commitments. approach to developing local and sub-regional The key is making it the smarter decision railway lines to support city growth. In the by making it quicker and more convenient The infrastructure challenge USA there has been a whole movement for to use rail-based transport rather than the Most of the debate surrounding the proposed Transit Oriented Development (TOD) to focus private car. This requires a new and better new High Speed 2 and 2 lines has new housing around rail corridors under form of local/suburban service designed for been about making it easier to get in and the theme of Smart Growth.4 New tramways comfort, rapid acceleration and deceleration, out of London, with little examination of (or ‘streetcar’ systems) have opened to wean high frequencies, and serving stations at how to reduce congestion in other cities – people off cars in fast growing cities such the heart of new developments and existing particularly medium-sized towns and cities as Dallas and Portland (Oregon). In France, suburban centres. with growth potential. Conventional local continuing development of railways and light Services would be frequent and fast enough rail services are limited and often under- rail in suburban areas as part of ‘Territorial to compete with the private car, and should utilised, while proponents of tramways are Coherence Plans’ is the norm, as exemplified also enable those residents on lower incomes open to the attack that these are expensive to in ambitious plans for ‘Grand Paris’. to reach jobs and services, without adding to build and operate. Cheaper alternatives such With limited public resources for new congestion, using some form of smartcard or as guided busways in Cambridge and Luton construction, much greater use should be smartphone payment. It would thus serve both have not lived up to expectations.1 made of the railway lines that run around suburban areas and outlying towns and large Improving local transport is not just the cities with greatest growth potential, villages within the catchment sub-region. about congestion and safety, but also about especially county towns and those with We term this Swift Rail Transit (SRT or S-Rail overcoming barriers to sustainable or smarter populations of over 150 000. These are for short), and there are nine key features: growth. The UK has few large cities compared generally located on railway junctions, often l Routes linking city stations to suburbs and with, say, Germany, and size helps explain with lines around them that are under-used satellite towns within the catchment areas.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 15 Swift Rail

A low-floor DMU as delivered to Estonian railway operator Elron. A Stadler Tango low-floor LRV on the Rhônexpress service from Lyon to Lyon Courtesy of Stadler Satolas Airport passing Decines Grand Large. R. Harman

as Gloucester and Cheltenham, the Oxford “The key to Swift Rail’s success lies in an integrated city region, or possibly some of the towns system that is easy to use without a timetable…” around Cambridge such as Ely. Making Swift Rail work l A main city station to form a hub for often rented, while wealthier people have The key to successful innovation is riding co-ordinated local transport. moved to detached houses in neighbouring on a tide of development, as the DLR did l All stations located and designed as focal towns and villages. So reviving inner-city following the creation of the London points for their area. neighbourhoods is a general priority. Docklands Development Corporation, l High standard but simplified signalling on Traffic-calmed streets are pedestrian which took over the UK capital’s old port exclusively Swift Rail lines. and cycle friendly and provide a healthier and gasworks land. By starting with a short l Multiple unit trains with high acceleration environment, even while close to the dense line that used the old viaduct between Tower and deceleration rates, high-density centre. As Germans generally defer buying Bridge and the Isle of Dogs and opened in interiors but with high standards. their own homes, those for sale are large and 1987, the DLR quickly won enough riders l High-frequency services throughout the well specified. The resulting savings help to to overcome sceptics in the Department of week, normally 15-minute intervals. finance first class infrastructure, helped by Transport, and was progressively extended to l Integration with local bus and other a system of local savings banks and the open up other areas for development.7 transport services through links at stations, state investment development bank KfW.6 A similar approach could be taken in many common ticketing and common promotion. High-rise towers are rare, with four-storey fast-growing but smaller city regions that l Planned and funded by locally-based walk-up flats the norm. currently lack good public transport but corporations, linked to development, with Germany has avoided the waste of have railway lines running through them. participation of bus or rail company and/or resources that the UK’s outdated housing At the same time, there are sites that could local authority. and planning system has produced. well be developed for the kinds of garden l Managed by a locally-based company or Instead of fruitless competition between city or sustainable urban extension set out in development corporation. different transport operators, city councils URBED’s winning submission for the 2014 control local public transport (tramway, Wolfson Economics Essay Prize.8 Continental models and buses) while state governments In a 21st Century version of Ebenezer To test the concept we followed up our ensure there is a good regional service, the Howard’s plans for the Social City, where new proposals for an Oxford Metro, based on S-Bahn. This system provides an effective settlements are linked to a central city by lessons from the French city of Grenoble 5, and dense network throughout the core city municipal tramways, the submission shows by assessing what German and other and catchment region, focused on a central there is enough value in what Howard called Continental experience can offer a new rail station at the heart of the city and its the ‘unearned increment’ by capturing the generation of extended or ‘garden cities’. local public transport. S-Bahn lines around uplift in land values to fund quality public This would give the UK the equivalent of German cities offer fast, frequent and direct transport systems. Today significant funds systems such as the ubiquitous German links with the towns in their catchment area could be generated from housing and other S-Bahn (Stadtschnellbahn, ‘town fast rail’) without the highly congested roads found developments through mechanisms such networks which serve major cities but also round the UK’s cities. as the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). provide high-density services across smaller The key to Swift Rail’s success lies in an The benefits of such investment would city regions. These have often benefited from integrated system that is easy to use without be properly understood through close inspirational municipal leaders who have a timetable across the whole city region. co-operation between the bodies involved, promoted concepts such as the tram-trains This applies to most German examples, to joint planning for transport and development that transformed Karlsruhe and Kassel by Swiss cities such as Basel and Zürich, and to projects and assessment of transport schemes making use of former rural railways of the some Austrian cities. S-Bahn timetables are against a wide range of objectives rather than type that have closed in the UK. co-ordinated with trams and buses and on narrow cost-benefit terms.9 German cities have more control over their operated by easily-accessible low-floor train While the operating economics may limit growth, with regional planning and local units, with very fast starting and stopping. what can be done, combining upgraded finance to ensure that infrastructure and The tickets are generally cheaper than in the suburban lines with new routes under a Swift development are co-ordinated, as indeed UK and allow transfers across the local system. Rail system complemented by high-quality do most other Continental city regions. Yet Stations are designed to enable easy bus services and increased use of cycling they too have had to fight to restore damaged transfers between modes, including plenty could achieve radical modal shift. In this city centres and cope with increasing of cycle parking, often with underpasses way, suburban areas and satellite towns form car ownership. As a result Germany has that enable entry from either side. A good a vital part of the city conurbation while combined increasing levels of car ownership example is the German North Rhineland trio maintaining their own character. with falling levels of usage in many places, of Worms, Mainz and Speyer, historic towns Also, by operating a high-frequency service such as Freiburg. Most people live in flats, that have similarities with conurbations such along key corridors over short distances,

16 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org a location that would increase congestion on the overloaded roads west of Colchester.

Cambridge Cambridge is an attractive city in its own right but its essential role now is as a major employment centre in a range of research and other advanced functions. It is also a centre for retail, leisure and other services. Consequently the nominally country areas around it act as a scattered suburban region, mostly focused around small towns, but with substantial new settlements already in existence or being built. The West Anglia rail routes plus the railway to Newmarket provide for some travel along their corridors but large parts of the catchment only have bus links. Four park-and-ride sites, served by A Stadler Tango low-floor LRV on the Rhônexpress service from Lyon to Lyon high-frequency buses to the centre, provide Satolas Airport passing Decines Grand Large. R. Harman city access and reduce pressure on central roads but do little to reduce the dense traffic levels across the catchment region. People living in the catchment region generally lack easy access across it, especially in the town of Haverhill, the largest in the UK to no longer have a railway station. Proposals from local groups already include the possibility of reopening the Haverhill line and even conversion of the controversial Cambridgeshire Guided Busway back to rail. There is now agreement to reinstate the old railway line to Wisbech, which could be Possible new Swift Rail station another growth point. Existing stations with Swift Rail services Proposed rail link Oxford Possible Garden City Upgrading of local services through Oxford, including the reopened branch to Cowley, forms part of the Oxford Metro network with stops every few miles, relatively few proposals to build new housing near proposed by the authors. This competes units and drivers could provide a first-class motorway junctions. A few large extensions with Oxfordshire County Council’s ideas service opening up new markets for railways. should also please those living in the many for building new tunnels under the city The following concepts set out what this small villages in the surrounding countryside centre to take new bus rapid transit routes, could mean for different conurbations. who fear that green views will be nibbled but could well secure support from main away, such as in the hills around Stroud line operator Chiltern Railways once the Gloucester and the Golden Valley. problem of how to upgrade Oxford station to Upgrading railway services in Gloucester A Swift Rail service to growing handle increased services and provide better has been the subject of a recently-published employment centres such as Swindon facilities has been resolved.13 report for Gloucestershire County Council could complement the planned fast trains, by Amey.10 Half-hourly services are being especially now the railway from Kemble has Other potential areas considered but the focus is on getting people been returned to double-track. Surely it must Development of the equipment and to London faster, not meeting local needs. be common sense to look at transport and techniques might also be applied to various A series of proposals for upgraded or new development plans together, and locate other existing or closed railway alignments stations have been evaluated and the results new housing where the infrastructure is around the UK. Examples include rural show that a new station could be viable as best able to cope? services across Norfolk, focused on Norwich; part of a major extension to the South of the Cardiff Valleys network, due for Gloucester at Hunts Grove near the new Colchester electrification anyway; the creation of a Swift suburbs of Quedgeley. This would enable The old Roman and now university town Rail network around Nottingham, Derby and passengers to switch from the Gloucester of Colchester has experienced much faster Leicester from surviving local lines and some – Swindon railway line to the Birmingham – growth than other cities in Essex (24% in of the network of closed alignments; and Bristol line as well as attract commuters 1991-2008, or twice the average for the East possible new services closer to London, off the M5 motorway in a similar way to of England). It has also been assessed as such as between Staines and Uxbridge. the new GBP22m (EUR31m) station one of the UK’s most car-dependent cities No doubt full assessments would throw up planned for Worcester Parkway.11 by the Campaign for Better Transport.12 other opportunities, including some that are Proposals for new development both Consideration is being given to whether already subject to proposals by local interests. on the rapidly growing southern edge of the town should be the location for a new Gloucester and also on council-owned garden city, and proposals have been put Issues and opportunities Staverton Airport, which lies between forward for a major development at Marks Swift Rail has a great deal to offer a 21st Cheltenham and Gloucester, could transform Tey. But there is an under-used railway Century nation seeking to combine the situation. Bristol Metronet, which branch line to Clacton, which is already mobility and strong economic activity has examined the potential in the former double-track and electrified, as well as a short with sustainability and good quality living. Avon County area, would like to extend to spur into the town itself. A local group has The high quality of places and movement Gloucester, and a switch to greater rail use developed proposals to show how developing across central Europe and Scandinavia could greatly ease the bottleneck around along the railway – which could serve not secured by this approach demonstrate this. the M4/M5/M32 intersection near Bristol just the depressed coastal area but also the Nonetheless the UK regimes for regional Parkway station. Such a growth plan would fast-growing University of Essex – could planning and railway development are very be far more sustainable than some current produce more sustainable development than different. In particular, the administrative

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 17 Swift Rail

higher density commercial development around an upgraded station (as, for example, at London Paddington or Reading). l Operation of a Swift Rail line or network as part of a city region system to meet local access and travel needs can best be done by a local company. Leaving it to a distantly- based Train Operating Company would remove the focus on local aims and markets. There are three possible models: one is to pass franchising responsibility to the city region, on the same basis as in . The second would be to include it as a micro-franchise (such as the Island Line on the Isle of Wight) within the main franchise. The third would be for the development corporation to franchise the service, or to run it before handing it over to an operating company.

Conclusions Most thinking people would agree that development and infrastructure need to be considered together, and that we must find ways of reducing car usage. Our proposals for Swift Rail are radically different to the usual UK ‘top down’ and adversarial models, but could appeal to a government looking for ways to provide better services without increasing public expenditure, and for using new housing to create healthier lifestyles. They might also Existing stations with Swift Rail services win support from a transport industry that Possible new Swift Rail station is increasingly linked to European operators, Proposed new stations served by Swift Rail and from cities that want to improve quality Other existing stations of life without it ‘costing the earth’. Proposed neighbourhoods With all the concerns about managing Existing neighbourhoods costs, it would surely pay to examine the role Swift Rail could play in urban expansion regime is strongly centralised, with national Docklands Development Corporation). plans and the economic benefits that government directly controlling almost all Four aspects may need to be addressed: could result from joining up infrastructure railway development through economic l Existing Network Rail lines are operated investment and strategic development. regulation, direction of Network Rail and almost entirely with conventional ‘heavy the passenger franchising system, as well as rail’ trains, which offer neither the The authors wish to offer their thanks to technical regulation and guidance on aspects performance nor the image for Swift Rail. contributors to their initial work, particularly such as train design and signalling systems. However initiatives are underway, such as Mike Draffin, Graham Garbutt and Peter There is effectively no regional planning, the promising Vivarail D-Train concept, Headicar. All maps courtesy of Vicky Payne. and spatial planning for local areas is firmly which uses converted former London guided by government rules and direction. Underground stock, and Swiss rolling stock As a consequence it is difficult to innovate, provider Stadler is considering the British especially where this involves a new approach market. Tram-type low-floor rail vehicles, REFERENCES across several disciplines. The Swift Rail such as the Alstom Dualis or Stadler Tango, 1. Reg Harman, Busways: Do they work in practice?, concept would require close and continuing are also possible. Tramways & Urban Transit, September 2014 co-operation between two or more local l Although they may run on their own 2. Joaquim Martins et al, The Metropolitan authorities, developers and funding lines for part of their journey, Swift Rail Century: Understanding urbanisation and its organisations, land owners and business trains will almost certainly operate on the consequences, OECD 2015 interests, and especially various levels of existing Network Rail system, especially 3. Nicholas Falk, Growth Cities: Local Investment for National Prosperity, Regional Cities East railway providers. These would be Network through junctions and main stations in the 2010, www. urbed.coop Rail in regard to infrastructure provision city regions. While this affects the design 4. www.cnu.org and management, an operating company, of trains, it also requires the track layout, 5. Nicholas Falk & Reg Harman, Developing rolling stock manufacturers and perhaps design and signalling to meet the needs of historic cities: The case for an Oxford Metro, signalling and civil engineering companies. Swift Rail. Network Rail and government Tramways & Urban Transit, May 2015 It would also need strong management and regulators will have to agree and implement 6. Nicholas Falk, Funding Housing and Local co-ordination over the development period appropriate standards (perhaps as part of a Growth: How a British investment bank can help, from within the city region. wider upgrade). The Smith Institute, 2014 7. See for example House of Commons Library In principle the Local Economic l Investment projects affecting Network Rail note on the Docklands Light Railway Partnerships (LEPs) might be the best focus lines and stations would also need to be 8. David Rudlin and Nicholas Falk, Uxcester for this, but in practice the ability of LEPs to subject to development and appraisal under Garden City, www.urbed.coop act in this way is questionable. This suggests the Governance for Railway Investment 9. Royal Town Planning Institute, Capturing that a specific company might need to be Projects (GRIP) procedure. If a Swift Rail the Wider benefits of Investment in Transport incorporated to develop, build and possibly line were usable for freight and other rail Infrastructure, 2014 franchise or run the service. Such a company operations (as many German tram-train and 10. Gloucestershire Rail Study, Amey, 2015 might be established as part of a development Swiss multi-purpose lines are), there may be 11. Modern Railways, October 2015 corporation that could link the provision gains in terms of greater support for industry 12. Car Dependency Score Card 2014, Campaign for Better Transport of better transport services to the supply without extra pressure on roads. A major 13. Modern Railways, August 2015 and servicing of land (as with the London financial contribution could come from

18 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE Swift Rail SWIFT RAIL

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JANUARY 2016 N O. 937 PARIS: TRAMS KEY TO MULTI MODAL SUCCESS Now in its 79th year, Tramways & Urban Transit is the A computer-generated image of a Vivarail D Train at Stroud in a notional Swi Rail livery. Kel Portman The UK could learn from Germany and its own experience in London’s Docklands when it comes to rail transport links, argue Nicholas Falk and Reg Harman.

new approach to UK weaker economic performance, according to suburban transport modelled or closed. What if increased Business Rates a recent OECD report. 2 on Germany’s extensive However, the country does have lots of medium-sized county towns (as the UK Treasury has now agreed for cities Stadtschnellbahnen world’s leading monthly publication dedicated solely and London’s and cities (Oxford, Norwich, Worcester such as Manchester and Cambridge), along Docklands Light Railway system with parking charges, were allocated to shouldA improve access and connectivity and York) with untapped economic growth supporting transport systems that reduced across medium-sized towns and cities and potential, as well as historic centres that are growing fast (Colchester and Exeter). pressures on over-loaded roads? This reduce car use. The Swift Rail concept draws could provide an equivalent to the praised on plans to double the rate of house building, Medium-sized cities have lagged behind, as new housing has been concentrated Versement Transports that underpins so many improve connectivity, tackle congestion, new French tramlines and metros. It would and promote healthier living – and could in smaller towns and villages, adding to pressures on roads and local services. enable an astute Chancellor to offer cities a be largely funded without adding to the UK 3 real incentive for sustainable and healthier Government’s nancial commitments. Other nations have taken a more proactive approach to developing local and sub-regional growth, and mark a revival of civic enterprise. The key is making it the smarter decision The infrastructure challenge railway lines to support city growth. In the USA there has been a whole movement for by making it quicker and more convenient Most of the debate surrounding the proposed to use rail-based transport rather than the new High Speed 2 and lines has Transit Oriented Development (TOD) to focus to light and urban rail developments. new housing around rail corridors under private car. This requires a new and better been about making it easier to get in and form of local/suburban service designed for the theme of Smart Growth. 4 out of London, with little examination of New tramways comfort, rapid acceleration and deceleration, how to reduce congestion in other cities – (or ‘streetcar’ systems) have opened to wean people off cars in fast growing cities such high frequencies, and serving stations at particularly medium-sized towns and cities the heart of new developments and existing with growth potential. Conventional local as Dallas and Portland (Oregon). In France, continuing development of railways and light suburban centres. Innsbruck tramway enjoys upgrades and expansion rail services are limited and often under- Services would be frequent and fast enough utilised, while proponents of tramways are rail in suburban areas as part of ‘Territorial Coherence Plans’ is the norm, as exempli ed to compete with the private car, and should Bombardier sells rail division stake open to the attack that these are expensive to also enable those residents on lower incomes build and operate. Cheaper alternatives such in ambitious plans for ‘Grand Paris’. With limited public resources for new to reach jobs and services, without adding to as guided busways in Cambridge and Luton congestion, using some form of smartcard or Brussels: EUR5.2bn investment plan have not lived up to expectations. construction, much greater use should be 1 made of the railway lines that run around smartphone payment. It would thus serve both Improving local transport is not just suburban areas and outlying towns and large tram-train arrives about congestion and safety, but also about the cities with greatest growth potential, First UK Citylink especially county towns and those with villages within the catchment sub-region. ISSN 1460-8324 overcoming barriers to sustainable or smarter We term this Swift Rail Transit (SRT or S-Rail £4.25 growth. The UK has few large cities compared populations of over 150 000. These are 01 generally located on railway junctions, often for short), and there are nine key features: with, say, Germany, and size helps explain ● Swift Rail with lines around them that are under-used Routes linking city stations to suburbs and Sound Transit satellite towns within the catchment areas. Seattle ‘goes large’ A new approach for 9 771460 832043 UK suburban lines with light rail plans www.tautonline.com. www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 15 We deliver comprehensive news and analysis,

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INNSBRUCK ABOVE: A view of Leipziger Platz EXPANSION: with an approaching car 308. All images by Ray Deacon unless otherwise stated. THE NEXT LEVEL Having had a bleak outlook in the 1970s, the tramway in the Austrian city of Innsbruck is now enjoying modernisation and growth. Ray Deacon explains.

n the early 1970s, motorway the city’s public transport network. last of the classic cars being withdrawn construction through the Inn Valley The trolleybus system would close in July 2009. threatened the closure of the entire and the tramway system be upgraded The trolleybus system closed in 2007 Innsbruck tramway system, including and expanded over a 15-year period. and apart from a few minor alterations, the interurban lines to , Igls A committee was formed comprising city work on upgrading the tramway Iand Hall. Most trams in the fleet dated from officials and IVB management along with infrastructure was complete by the end the beginning of the 20th Century and were representatives from district councils, its of 2010, allowing the IVB to focus its at the end of their working lives. mission being to determine optimal routings attention on the next phase. Despite public opposition, route 4 was and destinations for an expanded tramway. withdrawn in 1974 to make way for the The outcome was an ambitious Phase 2: Expanding the tramway 1976 winter Olympic village; the future programme broken down into two main Currently, many ÖBB (Österreichische of the remaining four routes looked bleak segments; modernisation of the existing Bundesbahnen – Austrian Federal Railway) but, fortunately, a number of German infrastructure and procurement of new commuters travel from outlying areas to cities were replacing their 1960s-vintage trams (Phase 1), followed by an expansion of the city’s main station and transfer to a tram Düwag articulated cars. These were offered the existing network and the construction of or bus to complete their journey to work; for sale at affordable prices and sufficient two new tram routes (Phase 2). this can often involve heading part way examples were obtained by Innsbrucker back in the direction from which they came. Verkehrsbetriebe (IVB) to replace its ageing Phase 1: System upgrade To alleviate this inconvenience and to trams. They went on to serve the city for An order was placed with Bombardier for shorten journey times, the following more than 30 years until they too reached 32 low-floor, high capacityFlexity Outlook route changes are in the process of being the point of retirement. articulated cars, 24 for operation on urban implemented: Routes 1, 3 and interurban 6, and eight • Extension of route 3 further into the Concept plan for interurban Route STB (Stubaitalbahn). eastern and western suburbs. In 2004, the IVB published a concept The Düwag cars were sold on for further • A new route, numbered 2, running plan that outlined proposals for the operation in Poland and Romania as and via the city centre on an east-west axis, rationalisation and modernisation of when the new cars entered service, the will replace buses on the busy trunk

20 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org route O, formerly served by trolleybuses. This will allow 17 buses to be withdrawn. “Urban residents too should enjoy the benefits offered • A second new route, numbered 5, also known as the Regionalbahn, will connect by a faster and less stressful means of accessing the the outlying villages of Völs in the west of central area when using the new routes and extensions.” the city to Rum in the east. It will run through the central area and be built to Stadtbahn standards. bi-directional operation as stipulated for for the inauguration of the new routes. When the modernisation and expansion proposed route changes. The erection of overhead wiring was programme is completed in 2020, train Construction of the westward extension of completed in autumn 2015 allowing the passengers from outside the urban area route 3 as far as Höttinger Au began in 2010 first test runs to be carried out in the early will have the option to transfer to route 5 and was followed shortly after by that of an hours of 6 November. This 330m link will INNSBRUCK trams at Völs, Hötting, Hauptbahnhof easterly extension in Amras. The latter was not see regular service until 2018 but will, and Rum railway stations. Much of the completed first and the route extended 300m in the meantime, provide an alternative right-of-way will be segregated (but shared along Philippine-Welser-Strasse to a stub-end routing for route 3 cars in the event of a with surviving bus routes), to keep journey terminus on 26 October 2012. Two months blockage or defect occurring in Anichstrasse. EXPANSION: times to a minimum. By the end of 2020, later, on 15 December, route 3 was extended The following additional works had been route 5 is expected to be running on to the west from the Bürgerstrasse junction, completed or were scheduled for completion 15-minute headways. Urban residents too along Anichstrasse and across the river by the end of 2015. In the west: Construction should enjoy the benefits offered by a faster Inn via Universitätsbrücke into Höttinger of the first section of tram/busbaan along and less stressful means of accessing the Au and a provisional three-track terminus Kranebitter Allee between Fischerhäuslweg THE NEXT LEVEL central area when using the new routes at Fischerhäuslweg. Here, terminating and Am Giesen; laying of a length of roadway and extensions to route 3. trams cross the inbound track to reach a parallel to Kranebitter Allee on the section layover-track just beyond the Karwendelbahn between Am Giesen and Technikerstrasse Progress to date railway bridge. for use by private motor vehicles, releasing In 2005, the tracks in Andreas-Hofer-Strasse In the central area, the Leipziger Platz stop the space occupied by the old road for the and Bürgerstrasse were relaid with greater on route 3 was completely reconstructed in installation of a tram/busbaan; installation separation between them to enable the 2013 to incorporate a three-track layout, and of kerbside tracks on the section of wider Flexity Outlook trams to operate along extra-long platforms installed both here and Technikerstrasse between Kranebitter these thoroughfares. A similar separation at Sillpark to accommodate coupled tramsets. Allee and Viktor-Franz-Hess Strasse. specification was subsequently employed In 2014-15, single tracks were installed In the east: Installation of double- with the doubling of the single tracks in along the separate carriageways in Innrain track alignment along the section of Maria-Theresien-Strasse, Salurner Strasse between Marktplatz and Blasius-Hueber- Defreggerstrasse between Pradlerstrasse and Brunecker Strasse in readiness for Strasse (Universitätsbrücke) in readiness and Langstrasse.

ABOVE: The provisional terminus of route 3 at Höttinger Au with car 305 crossing onto the layover track.

LEFT: Flexity Outlook 305 pulls away from the Philippine-Welser-Strasse stop to begin the short run to the new Amras terminus this side of the church.

www.tautonline.com JANUARY 2016 / 21 Innsbruck

ABOVE: The reconstructed three-track stop at Leipziger Platz with Amras-bound car 322 heading into Defreggerstrasse. The redesigned layout includes pointwork for the Amraser Strasse diversion.

RIGHT: In the early hours of 6 November car 303 turns from Bürgerstrasse into Innrain to begin the first inspection and test run along this newly-laid section of track. Manni Schneiderbauer

The next steps track will be installed in Amraser Strasse current terminus at Höttinger Au from the Over the course of winter 2015 and on between the Pradler Strasse/Roseggerstrasse same date. through 2016, work will be concentrated junction and Leipziger Platz to provide a To provide sufficient capacity in the busy in a number of areas: In the west, the more direct route for trams operating on east-west route 5 corridor, the Regionalbahn installation of a tram/busbaan on the route 3. The short length of track in Pradler will operate as a traditional tram service section of reclaimed roadway between Strasse will then be removed. between Olympisches Dorf and Technik Fischerhäuslweg and Technikerstrasse; West. Sharing the tracks with cars on track and overhead construction on the New routes route 2 between Olympisches Dorf and section of Technikerstrasse between New routes are to be delivered to the Museumstrasse, Route 5 cars will turn into Viktor-Franz-Hess Strasse and a provisional following timetable. Brunecker Strasse and run on those of route 3 terminus by an old peoples’ home in Technik December 2017: Route 3 to be via Hauptbahnhof, Maria-Theresien-Strasse West; track installation and overhead provisionally extended from Höttinger and Anichstrasse to Höttinger Au before erection on the branch to Peerhofsiedlung. Au to the branches serving Peerhofsiedlung continuing on to Technik West. The links In the east: Street tramway in and Technik West. to Rum und Völs railway stations will be Langstrasse and Pembaurstrasse, and along December 2018: Route 2 will begin provided by shuttle buses. Reichenauerstrasse on the section between operation between Olympisches Dorf and December 2020: Opening of the route 5 Pembaurstrasse and Radetzkystrasse; a the Peerhofsiedlung and Technik West Regionalbahn extensions to Rum and Völs tram-only bridge over the river Inn to be branches, displacing buses operating on running over private-right- of-way. constructed alongside Grenobler-Brücke route O. From Olympisches Dorf, trams (track and overhead construction will will run via Pradl (Pembaurstrasse Route STB (Stubaitalbahn) extend into Schützenstrasse, Josef- – Langstrasse – Defreggerstrasse), The Stubaitalbahn interurban – Route STB – Kerschbaumer-Strasse and Kajetan-Sweth- Museumstrasse, Burggraben, Innrain and connects Innsbruck Hbf with Fulpmes. Strasse in Olympisches Dorf over the Höttinger Au to the two-branch termini in It shares tracks with the tramway in the following year); a short section of double- Hötting West. Route 3 will be cut back to the city, moving onto its own dedicated

RIGHT: Two route O buses cross in Kranebitter Allee. When the new section of roadway is complete, traffic will be diverted onto it and the old section rebuilt as a tram/busbaan. Much of the remaining trolleybus overhead equipment will be utilised where possible.

BELOW: Höttinger Au terminus with car 305 laying over, as a bus on route O exits the newly-laid section of tram/busbaan leading to Am Giesen.

BELOW: Kerbside tracks are in place either side of Technikerstrasse. In the background, a route O bus turns into Kranebitter Allee for a run alongside the airport boundary.

22 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org EXPANSION STATISTICS • Total length of new extensions: 11.9km (7.4 miles) of which 3.7km (2.3 miles) is complete • From Fischerhäuslweg to Technik West: 2.2km (1.4 miles) • From Victor Franz Hess Strasse to Peerhofsiedlung: 785m • Section along Karl Innerebner Strasse: 850m • Extension Technik West to Völs: 1.8km (1.1 miles) • Extension Olympisches Dorf to Rum: 1.3km (0.8 miles) • Around 80% of the newly-built tramway will be separated from vehicular traffic, either on trambaan or dedicated road delineation. • The Regionalbahn extensions to Völs and Rum will comprise 100% private-right-of-way. • The projected total cost of the Concept programme is EUR92m for new trams and EUR303m for the infrastructure. ABOVE: Having exited Mutterer Tunnel, Stubaitalbahn car 354 crosses the Mühlbachbrücke on a service to Fulpmes. The new bridge will be sited to the right of the current structure depicted in this view. formation for the 18km (11 miles) from Construction of the supporting pillars expanding tram fleet, a site for a new Stubaitalbahnhof. Opened in 1904 and for the new structure should begin in depot has been acquired in Duilestrasse, modernised over the years since, it is 2016, with completion pencilled in for some 200m west of the current depot. now undergoing further work. the following year. The tunnel will then Contracts for construction of the complex, An increase in occurrences of inbound be closed but it is hoped to adapt the old large enough to hold up to 30 trams on cars being held at Feldeler to await the arrival bridge for use as a footpath. eight tracks, have been signed with work of late-running outbound cars was resolved scheduled to start in spring 2016. A short following installation of a and Additional trams section of double-track will be laid in second platform at the Nockhofweg stop. Tenders were issued in July 2015 for 20 Pastorstrasse to provide a connection Work began in September 2015 and was new trams, with an order to be placed with to the system and maintenance facility completed in October. the selected manufacturer in November. at Wilten Betriebshof. A much larger project has stemmed Delivery of the first car is scheduled for Forty years ago this small tramway from recent inspections of the the beginning of 2017, with eight for eluded calls for its abandonment and Mühlbachbrücke supporting pillars and service on Route 2 and 11 on Route 5. surprised many observers by surviving Mutterer Tunnel linings, which revealed The specification defines a 28m long, beyond the millennium. With a dedicated deterioration in the condition of the three-section articulated car with 100% team and public opinion supporting it, former and increasing water seepage in low-floor to be of similar design to the the developments in hand and others the latter. As both structures date back current Flexity Outlook cars. In an innovation further down the line, the trams of to the opening of the line and given for Innsbruck, they will be able to operate as Innsbruck are playing a crucial role at the the high cost of restoration and coupled sets during busy periods. heart of city’s public transport and their long-term disruption that would future is now secure. ensue during rebuilding, the decision A second depot was taken to build a new bridge to As the current depot in Pastorstrasse does Further information can be acquired from the bypass both the tunnel and bridge. not have sufficient capacity to house an periodic IVB publication Tram/Regionalbahn, which can be viewed on its website – www.ivb.at “Forty years ago this small tramway eluded calls Further information on the Flexity Outlook cars can be found in Innsbruck’s Alpine for its abandonment and surprised many observers Tramways (ISBN 978-0-948106-39-2) by Ray Deacon and published by the Light Rail by surviving beyond the millennium.” Transit Association in 2011.

ABOVE: Tracklaying in progress on the eastward extension in Defreggerstrasse. Inbound car 323 turns from Pradlerstrasse, the only thoroughfare scheduled to lose its trams in the expansion programme.

LEFT: Work on the installation of a passing loop at Nockhofweg was well advanced when outbound route STB car 326 was captured entering it in late September.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 23 Paris T1 & T8

Strengthening the overall transport network, Paris tram SYSTEMS Paris services are becoming more cohesive as earlier FACTFILE FRANCE lines are extended and new ones are added. No. Paris T1 and Words and pictures by 100 T8, France Neil Pulling.

ith openings 22 years high proportion with reserved rights TFS-2 208 people, lines T1 and T8 are in the apart, T1 and T8 are of way, bi-directional and with level westbound on T1 suburbs. Contrasting with the spread respectively the oldest entry to low-floor trams. at Saint-Denis, of, for example, many North American and newest of the There are, however, distinct with a T8 Citadis in and Australian cities, Paris suburbs are second-generation differences amongst the Paris lines – the background. clearly defined and often intensively ParisW tramways. Those travelling north not least with the SNCF-operated T4. settled, rather than sprawling into of Paris by train may glimpse these Unlike the railway-based original T2 decreasing population densities. lines where they cross on a canal bank and T4, T1 and T8 mainly used street Parisian suburban growth has been just east of SNCF’s Saint Denis station. alignments. Overall they form part driven by the demand for commercial The word ‘cross’ is used advisedly, of a multi-mode network rather than development and homes for relatively for although points were installed, a being an integrated tramway system. low income arrivals to the region; STIF connection was not made when T8 Newer trams bear the identity of STIF, classifies three-quarters of all regional opened in December 2014. the transport arm of the Île-de-France journeys as being suburb-to-suburb, as Line T1 was the first tramway in the regional government. opposed to involving central Paris. Paris network since the final closure The lines are officially designated For 2014, STIF identified eight on the old system, the 112 between in respect of the Île-de-France rather tramlines – including T4 and the Le Raincy and Montfermeil in than Paris and irrespective of location Translohr (now NTL) system T5 and T6 1938; that event concluded a rapid and except for T4, all are run by – as totalling around 105km (66 miles), contraction from a peak during the state-owned RATP (Régie Autonome 187 stops and 237 vehicles carrying 1920s. In spite of some modernisation des Transports Parisiens) which also over 800 000 passengers per day. and plans for expansion, the first operates the metro, some RER rail Mainly in communes of the Seine- withdrawal came in 1925 with a line and city buses. Saint-Denis département, T1 and T8 that included Saint-Denis. mostly cover areas that would not Upon opening in 1992, T1 set Surburban routes appear in conventional ‘must see’ lists new standards that the later Paris Like most tramway coverage in the for visitors. Much of T1 is intensely lines followed: 1435mm gauge, a conurbation of around 12 million urban in nature, hemmed in by

24 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org

THE FLEET

TFS-2 fleet numbers indicate original allocation, with 101-119 going directly to T1 and 201-216 first used on T2. Originally in a banded silver livery, trams 101-117 were built in 1991-92. The finalTFS trams, the 1996-97 batch (including 118-119) have a different specification with two long sections and a short central section; TFS-2 are 29.4m long, 2.3m wide with approximately 70% low-floor. Capacity is 126 standing, 52 seated. The high demand on T1 and future extensions require greater capacity. The Val de Fontenay project includes a new depot for 40 32m trams at Montreuil-sous-Bois, close to the extension’s outer end. The T8 Citadis 302 (801-820) are air conditioned, 100% low- floor, 32m long and 2.4m wide; capacity 203, 56 seated. Ease of loading and internal circulation makes this vehicle better suited to the prevailing conditions than the TFS-2. With expansion space available, the T8 depot is reached by non-revenue single track beyond the Villetaneuse-Université terminus.

ABOVE: The junction “Upon opening in 1992, T1 set new standards of the two T8 branches near that the later Paris lines followed.” César stop. LEFT: Education- related demand is significant on both T1 and T8: Hôtel de Ville de Bobigny stop on the first section of T1 to open.

BELOW LEFT: A great contrast with T1’s latest extension, Basilique de Saint-Denis stop is en route, and opened in December 1992.

BELOW: Pont de Bondy over the Canal de l’Ourcq on T1’s 2003 extension.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 25 Paris T1 & T8

buildings, lined by busy pavements or main roads. Better connections for residents, support for businesses and environmental improvement were clearly objectives for the T1 and T8 projects. Educational establishments en route mean that students are prominent tramway users, as are those engaged in everyday shopping trips. With the multiple transfers available along these lines, the trams are used for relatively short parts of overall journeys. The T1 of 1992 was amongst the early modern tramways, whereas T8 Citadis trams at Épinay-sur-Seine near the Tram T1 should open to Val de Fontenay during 2019: T8 opened when the mode was Express Nord embankment. the current Noisy-le-Sec terminus. established internationally and a proven success around Paris. What became T1 had been an archetypal political football, including arguments over mode costs and fitness for task. The line evolved from 1970s studies to improve orbital travel, particularly along an overwhelmed orbital Route Nationale 186, and services began in July 1992, four years later than envisaged at the original approval. T1’s present 17km (11 miles) is the outcome of several extensions. At approximately half that length, today’s T8 opened all at once. Villetaneuse-Université terminus in April, with the Tram Citadis 811 runs south by the convergence of road, rail, Express Nord station under construction in the background. tramway and canal near Paul Éluard stop. T1 and T8 in detail The first T1 section was between La “Better connections for residents, support for businesses Courneuve-8 Mai 1945 and Bobigny- Pablo Picasso. Both of these temporary and environmental improvement were clearly the tram termini connected with metro extensions that had been completed objectives for the T1 and T8 projects.” in the mid-1980s. The only T1 depot is well away from revenue track on a site shared with metro line 5 in Bobigny. By December 1992, T1 opened westwards to a terminus on the canal bridge near Gare de Saint- Denis. Preceded by modernisations, including increased tram priority for the many road crossings and noise reduction measures, in December 2003 T1 added a 2.9km (1.8-mile) extension south-east to Gare de Noisy-le-Sec on the Paris Gare de l’Est main line. The newest section opened in November 2012, running 4.9km (three miles) west with ten stops to the Asnières-Gennevilliers Les Courtilles line 13 (western branch) metro terminus. There is road sharing around the Seine bridges at Saint Denis and the tracks diverge briefly between Le Village and Timbaud. In other respects this T1 extension resembles new installations in Saint-Denis – Porte de Paris, T8’s southern terminus is at the metro line 13 station. French provincial cities, with

Asnières 8 Mai 1945 ZONE TARIFAIRE 3 Gennevilliers ratp.fr Noisy-le-Sec applis RATP

RATP Service clientèle Les Courtilles Maison de la Culture Gare @ClientsRATP 34 24 TSA 81250 32 46 service gratuit + prix appel 75564 Paris Cedex 12 0,80 €/min + prix appel Le Luth Le Village TimbaudGennevilliersParc -des GareChemin ChanterainesLa des Noue ReniersMairie de L’Île Saint-DenisSaint-Denis - GareThéâtre GérardMarché Philipe deBasilique Saint-DenisCimetière de Saint-DenisHôpital de Saint-DenisCosmonautes DelafontaineLa Courneuveƒ6Hôtel de Routes VilleStade GéoDanton AndréLa CourneuveƒMauriceDrancyƒAvenir LachâtreHôpitalGaston Avicenne RoulaudEscadrille La FermeLibérationHôtel de VilleBobignyƒPablo de BobignyJean Picasso RostandAuguste DelaunePont de BondyPetit Noisy Hôtel de Ville Sous-Préfecture PréfectureHôtel du Département Av. L Lanternier R. P. Timbaud Av. du Gén. de Gaulle Av. de Villeneuve-la-Garenne Verdun R. Méchin Rue A. Delaune Bd Carnot Rue de la Convention de La CourneuveAv. J. Jaurès Rue Lénine Rue de Stalingrad Av. Normandie-Niémen Jean Jaurès Bd Lénine Bd M. Thorez Rue Carnot Av. P. Vaillant Couturier Av. Gallieni 138 166 #@O 235 N51 235 N51 166 #c 178 N51 177 137 237 255 #@E #@O 153 356 143 150 249 @#@H 248 609 248 146 146 148 151 134 234 134 234 251 @#@F 8 93 105 134 105 #e B B B 178 B N51 B B 261 B N51 B N51 B N44 B 253 B B 250 302 B B B B 248 B N13 N41 N140 B 251 301 B 301 322 B 143 146 147 B 235 238 276 N51 340 166 178 577 170 254 11 255 N43 152 173 607 8 93 134 146 148 234 251 301 93 134 146 234 234 303 334 105 143 b 304 378 N51 B #@H B #@E B B B 347 615 N41 N45 B ASNIÈRES Le Bus du Port GENNEVILLIERS N51 N51 Le Bus du Port VILLENEUVE-LA-GARENNE 274 SAINT-DENIS N44 LA COURNEUVE 609 610 N42 DRANCY • BOBIGNY BOBIGNY 303 322 615 620 N13 N41 N45 303 615 N41 N45 NOISY-LE-SEC 545 / CML RATP Cartographique Agence 1.2016 - BO PLT

26 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org

NETWORK FACTS Épinay-Orgemont, the T8 western terminus, is likely to see a western extension. Opened: T1 – 1992; T8 – 2014 Distance – T1: 17km (10.6 miles), Opened in 1821, the canal is now part of a great transport concentration at Saint-Denis. 36 stops Distance – T8: 8.46km (5.25 miles) 17 stops Depots: One for each line Approx. weekday hours: 05.30-00.00 Line frequency: 5-7 minutes Gauge: 1435mm Power: 750V dc overhead supply Fleet – T1: 35 GEC-Alsthom TFS-2 Fleet – T8: 20 Alstom Citadis 302 Transport authority: Syndicat des Transports d’Île-de-France (STIF) Operator: Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP)

INFORMATION City network: www.ratp.fr L’Île-de-France transport: www.stif.info Paris civic information: www.paris.fr Tourist information: www.parisinfo.com

Asnières ƒ6 Routes 8 Mai 1945 ZONE TARIFAIRE 3 Gennevilliers ratp.fr Noisy-le-Sec applis RATP

RATP Service clientèle Les Courtilles Maison de la Culture Gare @ClientsRATP 34 24 TSA 81250 32 46 service gratuit + prix appel 75564 Paris Cedex 12 0,80 €/min + prix appel Le Luth Le Village TimbaudGennevilliersParc -des GareChemin ChanterainesLa des Noue ReniersMairie de L’Île Saint-DenisSaint-Denis - GareThéâtre GérardMarché Philipe deBasilique Saint-DenisCimetière de Saint-DenisHôpital de Saint-DenisCosmonautes DelafontaineLa CourneuveHôtel de VilleStade GéoDanton AndréLa CourneuveƒMauriceDrancyƒAvenir LachâtreHôpitalGaston Avicenne RoulaudEscadrille La FermeLibérationHôtel de VilleBobignyƒPablo de BobignyJean Picasso RostandAuguste DelaunePont de BondyPetit Noisy Hôtel de Ville Sous-Préfecture PréfectureHôtel du Département Av. L Lanternier R. P. Timbaud Av. du Gén. de Gaulle Av. de Villeneuve-la-Garenne Verdun R. Méchin Rue A. Delaune Bd Carnot Rue de la Convention de La CourneuveAv. J. Jaurès Rue Lénine Rue de Stalingrad Av. Normandie-Niémen Jean Jaurès Bd Lénine Bd M. Thorez Rue Carnot Av. P. Vaillant Couturier Av. Gallieni 138 166 #@O 235 N51 235 N51 166 #c 178 N51 177 137 237 255 #@E #@O 153 356 143 150 249 @#@H 248 609 248 146 146 148 151 134 234 134 234 251 @#@F 8 93 105 134 105 #e B B B 178 B N51 B B 261 B N51 B N51 B N44 B 253 B B 250 302 B B B B 248 B N13 N41 N140 B 251 301 B 301 322 B 143 146 147 B 235 238 276 N51 340 166 178 577 170 254 11 255 N43 152 173 607 8 93 134 146 148 234 251 301 93 134 146 234 234 303 334 105 143 b 304 378 N51 B #@H B #@E B B B 347 615 N41 N45 B ASNIÈRES Le Bus du Port GENNEVILLIERS N51 N51 Le Bus du Port VILLENEUVE-LA-GARENNE 274 SAINT-DENIS N44 LA COURNEUVE 609 610 N42 DRANCY • BOBIGNY BOBIGNY 303 322 615 620 N13 N41 N45 303 615 N41 N45 NOISY-LE-SEC 545 / CML RATP Cartographique Agence 1.2016 - BO PLT

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 27 Paris T1 & T8

Villetaneuse ratp.fr Université applis RATP Épinay Saint-Denis RATP Service clientèle @ClientsRATP 34 24 TSA 81250 32 46 service gratuit + prix appel 75564 Paris Cedex 12 0,80 €/min + prix appel Pablo NerudaJean Vilar César Orgemont Avenue de la Division Leclerc Porte de Paris Épinay-sur-Seine GareGilbert BonnemaisonLacépède RoseCentre Bertin CommercialLes l’Ilo Béatus Les MobilesBlumenthal Delaunay-BellevillePaul ÉluardSaint-Denis GarePierre De Geyter Rue Félix Merlin Pont de la Résistance Av. du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny Avenue de la République Avenue de la République Avenue de la République Avenue de la République Rue de la Poterie Rue M. Thorez Rue A. Croizat Boulevard Marcel Sembat

7 11 37 238 361 N51 11 138 237 37 254 N51 37 254 361 N51 254 361 N51 254 361 356 N51 356 #@A 255 N44 @#@O B B 238 261 361 N51 B B B B B B B B 11 37 237 361 N51 170 153 170 239 253 B ÉPINAY-SUR-SEINE ÉPINAY-SUR-SEINE VILLETANEUSE SAINT-DENIS B B 255 356 N44 N143

ZONE TARIFAIRE 3 / CML RATP Cartographique Agence 1.2016 - BO PLT8 spaciously remodelled surroundings and grassed track. In July 2013 the opening of T5 using the rubber-tyred Translohr system added a new mode transfer with T1 at Marché de Saint-Denis. Long in planning, a 7.7km (4.8-mile) extension of T1 with 15 new stops south from Noisy-le-Sec to Val de Fontenay is expected to open by 2019. In the west, a 6.4km (four-mile) extension from Les Courtilles with 12 new stops would take T1 to T2 at Parc Pierre Lagravère. The present T1 end-to-end travel time is scheduled at 65 minutes; it is possible that the service over the future longer line may see a split operation in the manner of T3a and T3b, the eastern and southern orbital lines. Line T8’s Tram’Y project name derived from its configuration. After a month of trial running, it opened on 16 December 2014. The stem runs north from Saint- Denis – Porte de Paris terminus, next to the metro line 13 (eastern branch) station and near the national stadium, Stade de France. Without rolling stock (estimated EUR43m, STIF-funded), the project cost EUR244m, over 90% funded by the Île-de-France region. Most of T8 follows existing roads, mainly within dedicated space. After running near the bulky embankments for road and railway at Saint Denis, the T8 tracks branch between Delaunay-Belleville, César and Blumenthal stops. Services alternate between the northern T8 termini, each with a main weekday frequency of 6-7 minutes, doubled south of Delaunay-Belleville. End-to- de Paris terminus, allowing for a TOP: Track beyond run singly in service. The original T1 end on T8 takes about 30 minutes on southern T8 extension to be installed Saint-Denis – Porte equipment, they were joined by later the Epinay – Orgemont branch; 22 without disrupting current services. de Paris allows examples displaced by 2004 on T2 in minutes for Villetaneuse – Université. Likely to have already existed if Paris for T8’s southern south-west Paris by Alstom’s Citadis. extension. Both termini are future interchanges had won the 2012 Olympics bid, this Different inside and out to the 60 on the 11km (6.9-mile) first section of approximately 6km (3.7-mile) addition ABOVE LEFT: usually working as pairs on T2, 20 the Tram Express Nord line between would take T8 past the Stade de France A gloomy day in Citadis 302 trams running singly Épinay-sur-Seine and Le Bourget. to the new Rosa Parks transport hub December 2012 at handle all T8 services. Styled like Also known as Tangentielle Nord, this on RER line E, also on line T3b. Gennevilliers, an those operating T7, these latest Paris is expected to open in 2017 and will T1 is now the sole Paris application area with a T1/RER trams were part of an order for 70 use Alstom Citadis Dualis tram-trains. of the second version of GEC-Alsthom’s interchange. vehicles placed in January 2011, Western and eastern extensions taking Tramway Français Standard. Mainly ABOVE RIGHT: financed by STIF. Tram Express Nord to a total of 28km low-floor, their stepped ends and door The Marché de Saint- (17.5 miles) will add a T1 interchange configuration can lengthen dwell Denis bus, T1 and T5 Line diagrams courtesy of RATP at Noisy-le-Sec, due in 2023. Track times, not helped by T1’s prevalent Translohr ‘trams on (Paris Transport Authority). For more runs beyond Saint-Denis – Porte overcrowding. The 35 TFS-2 can only tyres’ interchange. detailed maps see www.ratp.fr

ESSENTIAL FACTS Local travel: Single journey t+ tickets (2015 – EUR1.80/ten for EUR14.10), What is there to see? Paris is amongst the world’s greatest tourist but using T1 and T8 which are designated as zone 3 is likely to involve the centres, with most venues and sights concentrated in the central area of wider network. Not shown in the English RATP website section, cross-mode the French capital. The medieval Basilica of Saint Denis, main burial site Mobilis zones 1-3 at EUR9.30 per day; if needing to include airport travel on of the French kings, is perhaps the only conventional attraction in the area the same day, zones 1-5 at EUR16.60. The widely promoted Paris Visite passes with T1/T8 coverage. Both lines give insights to varied aspects of the are more expensive but offer several durations and include tourist site metropolitan area, although this does include parts with some of reductions: see the extremely comprehensive website www.ratp.fr. France’s highest crime rates.

28 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Worldwide Review

AUSTRALIA meeting on 23 November, when CANBERRA. Four expressions the delivery delay affecting the of interest were received for new fleet of low-floor trams was the light rail project construction on the agenda. D. Drum contract, and two consortia have been shortlisted. CHILE MELBOURNE. Yarra Trams has SANTIAGO. A delegation from indicated that a 45m version of Chile visited CAF in Besain, Spain, the Bombardier E class (33m) is at the end of October to inspect needed to handle future traffic on the first train made up of some the network; 70 E Class vehicles of the 185 metro cars ordered in are either in service or on order. November 2013. IRJ Three consortia have been shortlisted for the contract CHINA to build 37 commuter rail CHONGQING. Gaoyikou and EMUs: Bombardier/Macquarie, Caojiawan stations on metro line Alstom/Tokyo-Mitsubishi and 6 were opened on 26 October. Downer EDI/Changchun Railway urbanrail.net Vehicles. The Age DALIAN. The 16.5km (10.3-mile) northern section of metro line 1 Melbourne may lengthen its Bombardier E class trams to boost capacity; E class AUSTRIA from Yaojia to Fuguojie opened on 6014 passes one of the Alstom Citadis purchased from Mulhouse, now repainted in LINZ. The extension of tramline 3 30 October. urbanrail.net Yarra Trams’ livery. M. Rowe to Trauner Kreuzung is due to HANGZHOU. A 5.7km (3.5-mile) open on 26 February. The line three-station extension of metro from Berlin, and nine KT4D from Solaris Tramino delivered by then outside the city boundary is the line 1 opened on 24 November. Potsdam to start the replacement were available. The undertaking subject of a concession running The line now has a total length of the 1960s ex-København Düwag has officially abandoned any until 2023. EB of 54 route-km and 34 stations, articulated trams. OR aspiration to see standard-gauge WIEN (Vienna). Withdrawn with the new section running tram-trains operating on dual- are E1 articulated trams 4555/60, from the former eastern terminus ESTONIA gauge tracks, and these sections 4811/40/6/54/64 and trailer 1350. BS of Wenze Road to Xiasha District TALLINN. A contract has been will be relaid as narrow gauge only with two intermediate stations. awarded for the construction of a when they are renewed. BS BELGIUM It is operated by the Hangzhou tramway extension from Ülemiste . Tenders have been ANTWERPEN. The first two 32m MTR joint venture of Hangzhou to the airport, with construction to invited for 67 new trams, expected Bombardier Flexity trams (7312/3) Metro (51%) and MTR Corp (49%) be completed by the end of 2017. to cost around EUR210m, for were delivered to Punt aan de Lijn under a 25-year PPP contract. RGI Sixteen CAF Urbos AXL low- delivery from 2019 (a prototype in early October. The series will HONG KONG. Hong Kong floor trams have been delivered for is required in 2018). Ten existing eventually reach 7362, with lines Tramways has scrapped original lines 3 and 4, and four more 1990s GT8N ADtranz low-floor 4 and 10 the first to be converted, double-decker 30, and tram 88 are expected this spring. A new cars will be given overhauls for replacing PCCs. T-2000 has now been renumbered 30. underfloor wheel lathe has been further service and the remainder BRUSSEL/BRUXELLES. Trams Brand new, but in traditional installed at the depot. SV withdrawn. Depots will be on line 92 were due to returne style apart from the roof unit, is tram modernised to accommodate to Fort Jaco terminus from 88, fitted with air-conditioning, ETHIOPIA and maintain the new fleet. The 19 December. T-2000 which is termed ‘Pilot Cooler Tram’ ADDIS ABABA. The second light whole package is expected to cost GENT. Tram extensions to UZ and is being operated to obtain rail line, the 17.4km (10.8-mile) EUR401.5m. Bremer Senat Gent and Zwijnaarde will open in public feedback. T. V. Runnacles Green line, opened for passenger COTTBUS. Tatra KTNF6 129 has February and April respectively. INDUSTRY. Canadian company service on 10 November after had its damaged low-floor centre PCC 6224 has been given a Ballard Power Systems has signed a ceremony the previous day. section replaced with that from special livery and converted into a CAD3m (EUR2.1m) agreement There are 21 cars on the Green line Braunschweig tram 0051. BS a cinema as the Brabantdamtram with Tangshan Railway Vehicle and 20 on the Blue line. DRESDEN. From 15 November to promote businesses in Company for the development of 2merkato.com tramlines 4 and 6 returned to Brabantdam. The tram was a 200kW fuel cell module to their normal routing to Laubegast positioned on track in Kouter provide off-wire capability for FRANCE and Niedersedlitz, and the from 17 September to the end of trams. A prototype will be tested INDUSTRY. Siemens has network was finally free of the year. T-2000 over 20 000 hours. RGI established a new headquarters diversions and cutbacks. for its VAL driverless metro team This winter again sees Tatra BRAZIL COLOMBIA at Basso Cambo in Toulouse, trams in peak service. DS SALVADOR. An additional MEDELLÍN. After six weeks of bringing together staff from three DÜSSELDORF. The new metro station, Bonocô, opened on trial service, full operation of other sites in France to undertake network with the opening of 13 November. The new section the Ayacucho Translohr research and development, the 3.4km (2.1-mile) Wehrhahn from Bom Juá to Pirajá followed rubber-tyred tramway began on engineering, project management U-Bahn line with six new subway on 21 December. urbanrail.net 30 November. urbanrail.net and maintenance. RGI stations from 21 February sees the SANTOS. It is hoped to start following changes: U71, Benrath passenger service on the light rail GERMANY Betriebshof – Heinrichstrasse (Rath line in January. RGI EL QAHIRA (Cairo). A n BIELEFELD. The extension of at peaks); U72, Volmerswerth Alstom-led consortium has been line 2 to Altenhagen was opened Hellriegelstrasse – Ratingen Mitte; CANADA awarded contracts worth EUR187m on 6 December. BS U73, Universitäts-Ost – Gerresheim TORONTO. The first ten for signalling, telecomms and BRAUNSCHWEIG. A farewell S-Bhf; U83, Benrath Betriebshof – Bombardier Flexity Outlook electromechanical equipment for day for high-floor Duewag trams Gerresheim Krankenhaus; 701, Am low-floor trams were based at the phase 3 of the 17.7km (11-mile) was held on 31 October, involving Steinberg – Rath/ISS Dome; 704, new depot Leslie Barns from 22 metro line 3, due for completion 7751-6/61 with their trailers. Universitäts-Ost – Hbf – Merziger November. Eventually 150 trams in 2022. IRJ In practice some of these trams Strasse; 705, Eller Vennhauser will be based there. ISKANDARIYA (Alexandria). still made the occasional Allee – Unterrath S-Bhf; 706, Bilk Bombardier declined to send The tramway is acquiring 16 Tatra appearance in passenger service Am Steinberg – Brehmplatz – an executive to the TTC board KT4D and 14 T6+B6 tramsets after this date, since not all 11 Hamm S-Bhf; 707, Medienhafen

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 29 Worldwide Review

The first Elektron tram for the Ukrainian capital Kyiv arrives from the factory in The new air-conditioned Hong Kong tram 88 on a night trial run. J. Tse Lviv. Santehnik Kesselstr – Hbf – Unterrath S-Bhf; Fifteen ex-Rostock low-floor Allee – Südblick; 6, Neuer Friedhof ten-minute daytime frequencies 708, Polizeipräsidium – Hbf – trailers are now in Kassel; four are – Mensa. Routes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 instead of 15-minute headways, Heinrichstrasse; 709, Gerresheim stored off the network. BS serve Hbf. The last four low-floor with earlier trains and more Krankenhaus – Neuss Theodor- KÖLN (Cologne). Line 17 was trailers left for Kassel in October- peak trains from Dundalk and Heuss-Platz. Routes 711-13, 715, to open from Severinstrasse November. RSAG Drogheda. Weekends would see 716 and 719 are discontinued. to Bonner Wall (Schönhauser WUPPERTAL. The first of a new a standard 15-minute headway The new subway runs from Strasse) on 13 December, running generation of 31 Schwebebahn on Saturdays and a 20-minute a southern ramp north of Bilk along the southern section of the (suspended monorail) cars was headway on Sundays. The proposals S-Bhf to a northern ramp west north-south subway. urbanrail.net delivered from Vossloh Rail are subject to consultation, for of Wehrhahn S-Bhf. It crosses LEIPZIG. A last-minute political Vehicles on 14 November and implementation early in 2016. the existing U-Bahn lines at attempt to retain tramway displayed on two trucks under They follow passenger growth Heinrich-Heine-Allee. Hbf U-Bahn operation to Markkleeberg- the tracks in Vohwinkel; 5000 over the past two years, with DART station will be closed for seven West failed and line 9 was cut citizens turned up to watch. recording an 8% increase in 2015. months from January to permit back to S-Bhf Connewitz from The car was later lifted onto the updating of technical equipment. 28 November. BS line at Vohwinkel depot in order ISLE OF MAN F. Terry, DS MAINZ. No. 227, the first of the to start test runs. The existing cars GENERAL. Despite fares being ESSEN. B o m b a r d i e r h a s follow-on order for ten Stadler from 1971 will be withdrawn in held for the third season running, completed delivery of low-floor Variobahn low-floor cars arrived June 2016. DS income grew by 14% through trams 1601-27. Withdrawn from Berlin on 30 October. increased use of buses, trains are Stadtbahn-M trams 1102/3/5- The new batch will be used on the HUNGARY and trams with 43% of railway 12/4/6, 1101/4, 1156/61/2/77/8, new 9.2km (5.7-mile) tramline BUDAPEST. H É V s e t operating costs being covered 1404/8/9 and 1503/13/24. BS Mainzelbahn, which could open 1131+766+1132 has been from the farebox. This contrasts FREIBURG/Breisgau. 15.00 at the end of 2016 if construction refurbished and modernised with 18% in 2007. on 11 December sees the opening work is not delayed. MVG at Szentendre depot as a trial This winter more than GBP1.3m of the first section of Stadtbahn MÜLHEIM/Ruhr. Stadtbahn-M for a wider rebuilding of the (EUR1.8m) is being invested Messe between Robert-Koch-Str trams 275 and 298 have been ageing fleet. TR in track renewal on all three and Technische Fakultät, served scrapped. The closure of line INDUSTRY. On 4 November railways plus structures such by line 4 from Zähringen. BS 110 on 3 October saw museum representatives of CAF and as bridges and retaining walls. GERA. Expressions of interest Grossraumwagen 227 joined by Dunakeszi Railway Works signed Subject to Tynwald approval, have been sought for operation Essen 888 and Vestische 144 to an agreement that will see ten refurbishment of Douglas of the insolvent public transport Friesenstrasse. BS vehicles ordered as an option to and Ramsey stations is to be undertaking from October 2016. MÜNCHEN (Munich). Work the original contract from BKV undertaken during 2016, plus The city is seeking private sector on the Ostfriedhof junction was for CAF trams assembled at repairs at Port Erin. involvement supported by a completed on 29 November, with the Dunakeszi plant north of Event highlights for 2016 include subsidy, rather than operating the grand union reinstated. From Budapest. Delivery will take place ‘Rush Hour on the Railways’ the undertaking itself. 30 November routes 15, 17 and 25 in May-October 2016. IRJ (25-28 March); the ‘Heritage Ostthüringer Zeiting resumed their normal routes. DS Transport Festival’ (27-31 July); HALLE. With the completion of NORDHAUSEN. Halberstadt INDIA and ‘Island at War’ (19-21 August). the rebuilding of Rannischer Platz, two-axle track-scrubbing tram 169 BENGALURU (Bangalore). The There will be sunset dinners on route 1 returned to its regular route was on loan during September. BS metro Purple line was extended Snaefell on Wednesdays, Fridays from 26 October. BS NÜRNBERG (Nuremburg). A west from Magadi Road to Mysore and Saturdays from 15 June to HAMBURG. The last DT2 EUR164m order has been placed Road on 16 November. urbanrail.net 16 September with other themed U-Bahn sets were withdrawn with Siemens for 21 four-car DELHI. The metro Yellow events in the season. There will after operation on 27 November. U-Bahn trains to replace the line was extended north from also be an extensive programme A farewell tour in one took place original DT-1, now 40 years old. Jahangirpuri to Samaypur Badli of Dining Car services from the following day. DS Delivery will start in 2018. DS on 10 November. urbanrail.net Sunday 6 March (Mother’s Day) on KARLSRUHE. A new network POTSDAM. KT4D 142/4/7 and the steam railway. map using ‘Curvy Map Formats’ 246 were shipped to Egypt in IRAN developed by psychologist Dr September. BS TEHRAN. Monday 9 November Maxwell J. Roberts was published ROSTOCK. The tramway network saw the opening of Ne’mat Abad MILANO. The first of ten new for 15 December. The map has no is revised from 4 January as station on metro line M3. urbanrail.net AnsaldoBreda metro trains entered straight lines. DS follows: 1, Mecklenburger Allee service on line M2 on 4 November; KASSEL. The Regiotram service – Hafenallee; 2, Reutershagen – IRELAND 14 are already in service on line M1. RT9 to Schwalmstadt-Treysa was Kurt-Schumacher-Ring; 3, Neuer DUBLIN. On the suburban rail Tre Torri station on the western replaced by conventional trains Friedhof – HP Dierkow; 4, Mensa DART network, the government section of metro line M5 opened from 12 December. – HP Dierkow; 5, Mecklenburger is proposing the introduction of on 14 November. urbanrail.net

30 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JAPAN Tram 1578, the first of 22 PESA UKRAINE the remainder of the network is SENDAI. The 13.9km (8.6-mile) Swing 100% low-floor trams, was KYIV. The first 1524mm-gauge also increasing with October 2015 Tozai line metro from Yagiyama- delivered on 4 November and was Elektron T5B64 30m (2.5m-wide) seeing 3.1m passengers carried, Dobutsu-Koen to Arai opened on 6 due to enter service on line 10. 100% low-floor tram was delivered beating the previous record of 2.9m December with trains using linear RGI, BS from Lviv on 11 November. It in November 2014. This increase motor technology. urbanrail.net POZNAN. Solaris Tramino is understood the car was taken was helped by a number of high TOKYO. The 12.7km (7.9-mile) prototype 451 returned from a loan from the Sankt Peterburg profile sporting events taking Saitama New Urban Transit Ina period in Kraków in September. BS production. Kyiv has seven on place in the city. More than 33m automated guideway transit WARSZAWA. The 30 single- order. transphoto.ru passenger journeys were expected suburban line has taken delivery ended 19.3m type 134N PESA NIKOLAEV. The centenary of to be made in 2015. of three six-car rubber-tyred trains Jazz trams are 3801-30, and are tramway operation was marked With the launch of a new ‘get from Mitsubishi. Two more 2020 replacing Konstal 105N trams. BS on 7 November by a tour of the me there’ ticketing app customers series trains are on order, replacing WROCŁAW. The eight PESA Twist system operated by two Tatra T3 will be able to buy a range of the original stock from 1983. IRJ low-floor trams are 3201-3. BS trams repainted in a special livery, Metrolink travelcards before 1111 (built 1983, ex-Plzen 242 boarding trams. Initially, the app MALAYSIA ROMANIA in 2015) and 1114 (1980, ex-Riga will offer travelcards for one day, a KUALA LUMPUR. The Sri ORADEA. There are 46 T4D (1-46) 51079 in 2015). Another ex-Plzen weekend or seven days’ travel. Petaling metro line 4 was extended and 45 B4D (101-43/5/6), including (225) T3 is 1112. transphoto.ru Transport for Greater 5.5km (3.4 miles) to Kinrara BK5 works cars 43 and 44. There has Manchester has decided not to on 1 November, with a month been much renumbering amongst allow non-assistance dogs to be of free rides. The first three of 20 the ex-Dresden and ex-Magdeburg BLACKPOOL. Fleetwood Festival carried on board trams; assistance six-car trains from CRRC Zhuzhou Tatras. Of 31 ex-Berlin KT4D just of Transport organisers are looking dogs will continue to be carried. entered service. urbanrail.net 11 remain (203/4/6/7/15/7/8/ for more support from individuals ISLE OF WIGHT. The Department 24/6/7). The ten Siemens ULF and businesses to enable the for Transport is proposing trams are 50-9. BS ‘Tram Sunday’ event to continue. removing the Head – AMSTERDAM. Delivery of new The existing committee is looking Shanklin ‘Island Line’ from the Alstom M5 metro trainsets was RUSSIA to expand and is seeking a range of next South West Trains franchise completed with the arrival of 161/2 SANKT PETERBURG. The 60th skills including public relations, part way through its life. The new in early November. OR anniversary of metro operation marketing, social media, web, franchise is to start in 2017 but DEN HAAG. Most non-rebuilt was marked on 15 November health and safety, merchandising its length is yet to be determined; GTL trams of series 3001-55 have by the operation of preserved and volunteer management. the current franchise is operated now been withdrawn and taken 1970 set 3935+3369+3427+3934 on The festival has been running in by Stagecoach. to off-track storage owned by line 1. transphoto.ru the town for more than 30 years Island Line currently generates transport company Van der Vlist. attracting up to 70 000 people and revenues of GBP1m (EUR1.42m) Others have been scrapped. SAUDI ARABIA adding GBP2m (EUR2.8m) to the a year against costs of GBP4m Decisions will be taken in 2016 RIYADH. Alstom has started town’s economy. (EUR5.7m), and as well as ageing on new trams to replace the GTL2 construction of the first three of DEVON. A passenger service using rolling stock (former London cars by 2024. digitaltram.nl, OR 69 Metropolis two-car metro trains Parry People Mover technology Underground trains) has ROTTERDAM. Alstom Citadis at its Katowice plant in Poland. is proposed for the 6km (four- infrastructure problems including tram 2035 has been withdrawn Delivery will start in 2017. Alstom mile) Newton Abbot – Heathfield the Ryde Pier structure and the following substantial accident branch railway line, subject to St John’s tunnel and approaches. damage. It will be scrapped after SINGAPORE GBP100 000 (EUR142 000) being The DfT will be seeking proposals the removal of spare parts. MASS RAPID TRANSIT. raised to fund a feasibility study. to determine a sustainable and Schlindler bogie tram 15 has The section of the Downtown The branch was used until April secure operation, ultimately as a rejoined the operating museum Line metro from Bugis to Bukit last year for timber trains. free-standing entity. fleet after 28 years of storage and Panjang was to be opened on Lightweight Community LONDON (UNDERGROUND). restoration. OR 27 December. urbanrail.net Transport (LCT) and EcoRail Ltd, Plans are in place to start UTRECHT. A mock-up of the both associated with the Parry construction of London new CAF Urbos tram design for SPAIN company, wish to introduce the Underground’s Metropolitan line the Uithof line was unveiled at BARCELONA. The new metro facility with operation by Pre extension to Watford Junction in Nieuwegein depot in September. OR line 9 is being equipped with Metro Operations, which runs the 2016, with the aim of completing an energy recovery system from Stourbridge Junction – Stourbridge the new link in 2020. The link NIGERIA Ingeteam/Istem, so that 10-30% Town service on behalf of London includes creating two new stations LAGOS. The federal government of braking energy is used to power Midland. It is suggested that if such at Cassiobridge and Watford has approved the start of work on station lighting and escalators. an operation can obtain a track Vicarage Road. There will be the Red line metro to Agbado after TMB expects a return on its access agreement the line would be interchange with the West Coast pushing through the acquisition investment within eight years. IRJ shared with any remaining freight Main Line at Watford Junction, of right-of-way from Nigerian operations, a facility Network Rail and the two new stations will also Railways. naija24/7.com SWITZERLAND wishes to retain. provide connections to Watford AIGLE (TPC). Works car Xe4/4 GREATER MANCHESTER. General Hospital and the new POLAND 1501 (a former Zürich tram and Public services on the Metrolink Health Campus, Croxley Business ŁØDZ. Saturday 31 October snowplough) has been scrapped. EA extension from Victoria Station to Park and Cardiff Road Industrial saw the opening of the 4.5km BASEL. Swiss Standard cars Exchange Square were expected to Estate. Trains will operate every (2.8-mile) PLN500m (EUR117m) 459/61 have been scrapped; all of start in early December, following ten minutes at peak times. eastern tramway extension from batch 457-76 are being withdrawn, the successful testing of trams. Funding has now been agreed Lermontowa to Olechów, used by with 457 earmarked as a museum Additional new vehicles up to between the Department for route 10. Other sections of line 10 tram. Düwag trams 637/9/42- 3106 are now in service, which will Transport, Hertfordshire County have been modernised under a 7/50/1/3 and trailers 1437/43/6/7 allow the extra Shaw & Crompton – Council and , PLN239m (EUR56.1m) contract are withdrawn for transfer to Exchange Square service to begin. with the work to be delivered by awarded in 2014. Beograd; trams 627/8 are likely to The Airport line, which does LU. The project’s funding amounts In the city centre Mickiewicza become party/museum cars. tram not currently serve the city centre to GBP284.4m (EUR404m). and Kosciuszki stops have been YVERDON–ST-CROIX directly, has recorded impressive Watford’s existing Metropolitan replaced by a new stop called (TR AV YS). The first Stadler passenger numbers in its first year, station will close to the public Piotrkowska Centrum as part of Abe4/12 was delivered on 30 carrying 1.88m passengers from following the opening of the new junction remodelling. The new September as 3001+3031+3002. November 2014 to November 2015. stations, but will be retained as interchange has an overall roof. First class is in the centre car. EA The number of passengers on sidings for the extended railway.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 31 Worldwide Review

ATLANTA, GA. Fare collection on Arrow’ tramlines to Media and the Atlanta Streetcar is to start in Sharon Hills, to provide centralised January; MARTA Breeze smartcards control of the 13.8km (8.6-mile) will be accepted. E. B. Havens and 8.5km (5.3-mile) lines. BETHESDA – NEW E. B. Havens CARROLLTON, MD. Fou r PHOENIX, AZ. Testing started bids have been received for on 16 November on the north- construction of the Purple light west extension of the light rail line rail line, with a decision expected on 19th Avenue to Dunlop in February. E. B. Havens Avenue. E. B. Havens CHARLOTTE, NC. The Gold line tramway carried 2000 passengers VENEZUELA per weekday in September, double CARACAS. The first 1.3km the pre-opening estimate. The line (0.8-mile) section of metro is still fare-free E. B. Havens line 5 from Zona Tental to Bello CHICAGO. A USD32.5m Monte was opened by President installation of underground 4G Nicolas Maduro on 3 November; wireless coverage on Chicago this is in effect a one-station Transit Authority’s Blue line has extension of line 4, until the line been completed; a similar project is extended 13.4km (8.3 miles) to equip the Red line is due by the further east. urbanrail.net end of the year. Undertaken by the Chicago MUSEUM NEWS Infrastructure Trust in co- CRICH (UK). A Birmingham cable operation with T-Mobile, AT&T, car that has resided, unrestored, at Verizon and Sprint, the four the Black Country Living Museum providers agreed to fund the for many years has been donated The new central tram stop in the Polish city of Łódź, with its impressive system’s design and construction. to Crich; it forms a traction type overall roof. MPK Łódź CINCINNATI, OH. The second not otherwise represented in the An official ceremony overseen Speed 2 station at Toton. A CAF tram was delivered on 24 collection.It is hoped that the car by Mayor of London Boris Johnson review in 2013 estimated the cost November. E. B. Havens will be restored as a static exhibit marked the formal start of work of a new tramline at GBP20m DETROIT, MI. Naming rights to in the Exhibition Hall. on extension of LU’s Northern per mile of track (EUR17.6m the tramline under construction SEATON (UK). The tramway line in November. Mr Johnson per km), putting the cost of a link by M-1 Rail have been sold to is to offer ‘Branch Line Tour’ visited the site of Battersea power from Toton to Derby at about Quicken Loans Inc, which will trips one Saturday a month from station, where spoil excavated GBP200m (EUR284m). contribute USD10m towards February to the end of September from underneath the city will be The second phase of a feasibility the project. E. B. Havens subject to a minimum of ten pre- transferred to boats on the River study for the Rushcliffe growth DURHAM, NC. The Metropolitan booked places. The 90-minute Thames. The 3km (two-mile) corridor will include investigation Planning Organization has tours will be conducted by Mike extension will take the Northern of the possibility of a tramline from unanimously endorsed the Clement. line from Kennington to Battersea, the southern gateway of the city. Durham – Chapel Hill light rail WALHALLA (AU). The Walhalla with an intermediate stop at Nine Nottingham’s Oyster-style project. The FTA will issue its Goldfields Railway in Victoria has Elms. Opening is expected in 2020. travelcard has been named after comments on the Environmental acquired the bodies of Melbourne The Underground had its busiest Robin Hood; the card was to be Impact Statement by X1 trams 461/3 (built in 1926). day in history on 9 October, with introduced on 14 December. 25 February. E. B. Havens It is hoped to rebuild 461 as a 4.735m people carried; this broke TYNE AND WEAR. T he EL PASO, TX. A consortium diesel railcar. P. Nicholson the previous record of 4.734m planning application for a new of Granite Construction and people on a single day in November transport interchange for South RailWorks has been awarded a CONTRIBUTORS 2014. The highest weekly total was Shields has been given the go- USD61m contract to build the Worldwide items should be sent to recorded in the last seven days of ahead as part of the South Shields downtown heritage tramway, for Worldwide Editor Michael Taplin October, when 28.614 million 365 Town Centre masterplan. completion in late 2017. E. B. Havens at Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, journeys were completed. ‘Tube’ A new building on Fowler Street and KANSAS CITY, MO. The first Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. use has risen by a third since 2001, Keppel Street will house both the powered test on the new line Fax: +44 (0)1983 862810 or e-mail: according to official figures. Metro and bus concourse. This will using CAF tram 801 was on [email protected] Talks to resolve the dispute over result in the eventual demolition 12 November. P. Ehrlich UK and Ireland items all-night services have resumed. of the existing Metro station and LOS ANGELES, CA. T he are welcomed by the Home The ‘’ was originally the bus stops on Keppel Street. USD1.4bn Regional Connector News Editor, John Symons, due to start in September. The proposed building provides light rail subway project is suffering 17 Whitmore Avenue, Werrington, NOTTINGHAM. The D2N2 access to bus stops at ground floor from increased costs, which Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 0LW, UK. Local Enterprise Partnership level with the Metro platform on may delay the planned opening in E-mail: [email protected]. representing the Derby and the first floor. May 2021. E. B. Havens Acknowledgements are due to Nottingham area has funded a Metro ticket sales rose 4.4% MEMPHIS, TN. MATA has 2merkato.com, Mike Ballinger, BS GBP200 000 (EUR284 000) study in the 2014-15 financial year to been awarded a USD2.6m federal Blickpunkt Strassenbahn, Richard into expansion of the Nottingham GBP47.9m (EUR68.1m). With grant towards the cost of three Buckley, Canberra Times, digitaltram. Express Transit tramway. This more than 39m journeys in the new heritage trams, another step nl, DS Drehscheibe Strassenbahn, EB is now regarded as a priority past year, passenger figures are towards resuming service on the Eisenbahn, EA Eisenbahn Amateur, project in negotiations with the highest since 2010. system that was suspended in June Irish Times, IRJ International the UK Government over 2014 due to concerns about the Rail Journal, Manchester Evening devolution of powers to the USA condition of the 12 ex-Melbourne News, naija24/7.com, Nottingham region. The study has suggested ALEXANDRIA – TYSONS and Porto trams following two Evening Post, OR Op De Rails, that the Chilwell line of the CORNER, VA. The Northern fires. E. B. Havens Ostthüringer Zeiting, RGI Railway existing tramway offers the best Virginia Transportation PHILADELPHIA, PA (SEPTA). Gazette International, Bremer possibilities for expansion with Commission has commissioned A USD53m contract has been Senat, T-2000 Tram 2000, The Age, a connection to both Derby a study for a tramway along the awarded to Hitachi for a TR Today’s Railways, transphoto.ru, City Centre and East Midlands Route 7 highway corridor. Communication Based Train urbanrail.net, West Australian, and Airport, and the proposed High E. B. Havens Control system covering the ‘Red Wolverhampton Express & Star.

32 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org IN THE NEXT NEW TRAMWAYS FOR 2016 Michael Taplin presents his detailed annual round-up of predictions of the proposed tramway and light rail openings around the world for the next 12 months – from new systems to the major expansion projects. RUBBER TYRES TO STEEL WHEELS With a hugely successful metro and plans for a modern LRT network, Herbert Pence examines Montreal’s public transport future. SYSTEMS FACTILE: SEVILLE Southern Spain’s main city has a short but prominent tramline and a much larger light metro system – Neil Pulling explores the city. PLUS... FEBRUARY + Rail construction and maintenance ISSUE + The latest news, rolling stock on sale orders and movements, system developments and leading 15th industry comment January

Trams of Berlin and Trams of Vienna and Budapest Sunday 6th March to Wednesday 16th March 2016 Thursday 7th April to Thursday 21st April 2016

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www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 33 Letters

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

Upper Silesian tramways and their future

As a regular and long-standing visitor to and admirer of the awkward interchange. The stop layout and traffic/pedestrian wonderful interurban tramway network in Upper Silesia, signal phasing at this important junction is poor and was Poland, I was fascinated to read Witold Urbanowicz’s article probably as great a disincentive to the use of the tramway on recent and future developments (TAUT 936), providing as the frequency of parallel motor bus routes. Similar curve a different local perspective on events from that viewed at substitution was done during recent relaying at Katowice a thousand miles’ distance. In particular the remarks by Rynek, to considerable advantage. representatives of Tramwaje Slaskie (TS) and the Ruda Slaska Mr Nowak complains at the lack of modern trams on route 9, local authority deserve comment. the busiest serving the territory of Ruda Slaska. Route 9 is The closure of route 18 last February was not entirely important but suffers two problems, one of which is unique unexpected, given that aspects of its layout (single-track in on the network. First, although in recent years there has been the carriageway with unprotected stopping points) were a modicum of reconstruction, most track served by route 9 arguably incompatible with early 21st Century conditions. is unreconstructed and in some places in poor condition; It is a major concern, however, that no real attempt was ever any tramway engineer will tell you that trying to operate made at cost containment to improve the operating ratio, modern low-floor cars on degraded track is asking for trouble. which would have increased justification for its retention. The track on route 9 can and should be rebuilt, but not to its Until 2009, there was a 20-minute present configuration. service operated by five single-ended The unique problem is not so much the cars. Substituting double-ended cars “The circuitous nature single-track and loop layout prevalent for (now available on the TS system) most of its 65-minute journey, but the fact could at a stroke have reduced direct of route 9 need not be a that the loops are now in the wrong places. operating costs by up to 40% with bar to its retention… The whole operation gives the impression almost no effect upon ridership, by of having either been laid out for a better curtailing the southern end of the it still has an important level of service than the present 20-minute route at the Ruda Poludniowa passing frequency, or designed in the days when loop (as was the case when the route part to play in tramcars were slower and more heavily was worked by double-ended two-axle patronised, leading to slower progress cars until the mid-1980s). This would inter-community links.” overall. Far too much time is spent ‘hanging have saved two of the five cars, or one around’ at passing loops for the arrival of of the three required for the more recent 40/40/20-minute opposing tramcars and this happens sequentially, not at just one service – in itself hardly a pattern likely to attract passengers point. These delays frustrate passengers and drive them away. – or permitted reinstatement of the full 20-minute service on In my view it is not necessary to engage in extensive track the shortened route. (The final version of route 18, a 30-minute doubling, but a thorough study needs to be made of the entire frequency cross-Bytom Stroszek – Chebzie operation, was layout of this route. It is not always possible to optimise the untypical and only introduced in 2014 when shuttle operation location of loops because of land use and traffic management as route 10 was discontinued on completion of trackworks at constraints, but significant improvements could be made by Bobrek and between Ruda Poludniowa and Chebzie). co-operation between the tramway and the local authority. The section of 18 between Ruda Poludniowa and Chebzie is Achieving this would speed up the service, enabling the lightly trafficked, passing through a sparsely-developed area, same frequency to be offered at lower cost by reducing the and because of track layout constraints cars traditionally had car requirements through eliminating wasted time. The to travel in tandem with those of route 1 over this section, circuitous nature of route 9 need not be a bar to its retention and with a handful of passengers between them. Such enforced reconstruction: despite the demolition of much of the industrial operational inefficiencies are a curse of the single-ended tram. infrastructure and a serious dilution of the traffic carried by the It might be argued that such a curtailment would route, it still plays an important part in inter-community links. inconvenience the small number of through passengers, but Some may ask what right I have to offer an opinion on such this has to be seen in context and is no more inconvenient operational practices. As a UK taxpayer I contribute to the than to the greater number who have to transfer at the same coffers of the European Union, which is funding the extensive point to westbound route 1 cars to Zabrze and Gliwice depot, reconstruction of this tramway, and wish to be reassured that and vice versa. If curtailment of line 18 at Ruda Poludniowa the Commission is seeking to maximise the return on and was seen as undesirable, replacing the junction with curves effectiveness of the investment. Such reassurance would giving direct access towards Zabrze instead of Chebzie, would come from the application of lateral thinking to cases such as have allowed the introduction of a much more useful service, route 9, instead of slavishly relaying to the old layout. serving an area of greater population, and eliminating the Mike Russell, by e-mail

Examples of vinyl vandalism Why then, when designers, consultants, Had the entire tram been covered in graffiti I refer to the recent articles and letters builders and operators spend millions there would be a public outcry. The fact that regarding vandalism and anti-social creating a corporate image to attract users, do the operator has obviously received money to behaviour, particularly with regard to some operators insist on ‘vandalising’ their create this travelling billboard is surely not . No-one can justify or vehicles with all-over vinyl advertising or an excuse when claiming to be conscious of tolerate vandalism such as broken windows ‘branding’? One of the worst examples I have their public image. or graffiti – it not only costs money to rectify seen recently is that worn by a Gold Coast Not only do these all-over vinyls ruin but it also gives the tram system a bad image. G:Link tram (TAUT 935, page 428). the external image, they spoil the view for

34 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org the passenger. In spite of the wraps being which apparently Google is keen on. perforated, they still reduce outward vision Journalist Nic Fildes might have had his considerably. Why have large-framed tongue in his cheek when conjuring up the windows to make the riding experience prospect of using redundant ‘telephone poles’ more attractive when they are covered in – by which he may have meant telegraph these light-reducing perforations? The fact poles – for supporting such installations. that such coverings are not allowed on Good luck with that, even finding any. windscreens says it all. But the serious point is that, whilst I was recently on the Kusttram travelling some transport professionals may at least along the Belgian coastal section and a espouse the LRTA’s views and aims, many number of local passengers changed seats other opinion-formers – including those to an uncovered window to allow a better influencing where investment in transport view (sadly, this fine system seems prone should be directed – may acquire a distorted to covering its fleet with wraps.) Not only or partial view of the issue. is vision impaired at right-angles to the A Helsinki Variobahn on route 2 turning into the This is not the first time thatRaconteur window, from an angle the effect is far worse. station square. P. Vanucci has produced a transport feature with Many of the world’s tramways run through virtually no mention of light rail. beautiful cities and give an excellent expensive, especially when purchased Nigel Eames, Tunbridge Wells (UK) opportunity to see the buildings from a onboard for EUR3. The day ticket at EUR8 comfortable seat. To spoil that view would be was a better option, especially as it was valid Boston corrections like being given a pair of sunglasses in an art for 24 hours. This allowed me to do a tour A few errors (some obvious, some more gallery, or earplugs in a concert hall. of the city as I had a few hours to use up the subtle) and additional information have Of course, vinyl wraps have proved a very morning following the day of purchase. been pointed out by readers of the Systems good alternative to traditional painting, Much of the system is on private right Factfile in TAUT 936. We are pleased to put allowing some very smart and artistic liveries of way, but in the centre it is of a more them right below. and branding. Thankfully, many operators traditional nature. A ride on line 2 and 9 The Green line spur to Union Square still try to maintain a fleet image (Zürich, through the western inner suburbs referred to on page 491 incorrectly states Riga and Berlin instantly come to mind). highlighted an area of soulless tenements that Union Square is in Harvard when it is in None of these operators would dream of leading down to the western harbour – an fact in Somerville. Harvard station and the covering windows with their livery. unattractive area ripe for redevelopment. college are served by the Red line. If vehicles must earn extra money by The eastern harbour, however, was more The name of the operating agency becoming advertising hoardings, remember attractive and had more tourist attractions. should of course be Massachusetts Bay the passenger and save our windows. For the tram fan, there were many long Transportation Authority, not Metropolitan Paul Haywood, by e-mail loops, some one-way, through narrow Boston Transportation Authority as stated. cobbled streets. The trackwork was well The present day Orange line replaced the Impressions of Helsinki maintained overall and the trams rode Main Line Elevated, not parts of the Green The Systems Factfile is a feature of TAUT smoothly, except over the points, which E Line. Although both services had their I look forward to every edition. Helsinki, were a bit uncomfortable. It was also good to outbound terminals adjacent to each other, featured in TAUT 925 (January 2015), is one see the trams well patronised and an absence the Green line served an entirely different I particularly enjoyed as I had booked a visit of buses in the city centre – the Finns have neighbourhood. to the Finnish capital in the autumn. got their city transport just right. Green line D to Riverside uses the The city is built on a small peninsula on Peter Vannucci, by e-mail former Highland Branch of the Boston and the edge of the Baltic and in places is not Albany, New York Central Railroads. Lines much more than a mile (1.6km) wide. The future… but no LRT B and C operate on their own right-of-way While the outskirts of the city, especially in Some readers will be familiar with the in the centre of their respective streets, the vicinity of the airport, are quite modern, Raconteur supplements included at least once Commonwealth Avenue for line B and the old city was a bit of a disappointment, a week in The Times newspaper. The issue on Beacon Street for line C. Line E operates in especially away from the centre. 17 November about the present and future the centre of Huntington Ave except for Helsinki’s centre is criss-crossed with of transport was full of smart cars, driverless approximately one mile (1.6km) of street- a dense narrow-gauge tram network, cars and intelligent highways, etc. There running at its outer end. with a system map that is easy to follow was a little on heavy rail, including vacuum- The attendant on the second car of a as all routes are colour-coded. driven ultra high-speed lines, which might Green line train does not handle any money, As for tickets, I did not see many shops appear in Japan. There was a passing mention but controls the doors. where they were available and it was of the Docklands Light Railway plus the Ed: Grateful thanks to Philip Bergen, James fortunate that they could be purchased ‘Nottingham tram’ – and that was that. Gately and Alan Pearce for their corrections from the driver. Single journeys were quite There was also a bit about monorails, and additions.

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

DECEMBER 2015 Martin Petch: Lyon, Grenoble and Nick Kelly: Remembering Alan – Prague and the Danube. St-Étienne in 2015. (LRTA/SEG) The Alan James Archive. (TLRS) Friday 23. Leicester 19.45. David Witt: Saturday 19. Beeston 14.00. Friday 8. Glasgow 19.30. Saturday 16. Sutton Coldfield 14.00. Romanian and Baltic Revue. (TMS) John Huddlestone: Notts and Derby Gavin Booth. and AGM and Modellling Meeting. (TLRS) Thursday 28. Manchester 19.00. Traction Company Limited. (TLRS) buses in black and white. (STTS) Saturday 16. Taunton 14.00. Rob Jones: The Merseyside Tramway Monday 21. Sheffield 19.30. Stuart Saturday 9. Birmingham 14.00. Members presentations. (TLRS) Preservation Society. Cooke: Films of Europe and the UK. Mike Crabtree: Tramways of Monday 18. Liverpool 19.30. Friday 29. Edinburgh 19.30. Andy Monday 21. Wickham 19.30. Doncaster. (LRTA/TLRS/ERS) David Armstrong: Slums to sidings. Steel: Alternative Power Supplies. Christmas Bash. (TLRS) Monday 11. Thames Valley 19.30. Venue: Brunswick Room. (TLRS) Saturday 30. Beeston 14.00. John Laker: High definition video Monday 18. Sheffield 19.30. Richard AGM plus photo competition. (TLRS) JANUARY 2016 – Edinburgh, Den Haag, Basel and Buckley: Tramways of Hanover. Saturday 30. Beeston after AGM. Mulhouse. (TLRS) Wednesday 20. Bristol 19.30. Bob Bracegirdle: Forty Years of Tuesday 5. Southampton 19.30. Wednesday 13. 19.40. Local AGM then Keith Walton: Belgian Tramways. (TLRS)

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 35 Classic Trams WIEN’S TRAMWAY AT 150 With almost 150 years of tramway history behind it, Wien (Vienna) has staged one of the biggest tramway parades ever seen on a European city’s streets. Mike Russell reports. 1

ien has one of the world’s on 27 September. City-wide billboards were transferred to Wien under the Marshall Aid greatest tramways and festooned with a striking poster inviting programme at the end of World War Two, cherishes its 150-year the public, and extensive publicity was and built in 1939 for the Third Avenue history of their operation. displayed on all city transport. The day’s Transit System of New York. This example, An impetus to the fine weather brought out the populace formerly Third Avenue 679, was in Wien Wtramways’ original development was and with much of the Ringstrasse closed to service from 1950 to 1969 and, like its the demolition of the old city walls in traffic for the parade, crowds six to eight sisters, was confined on account of its larger 1858 under the Habsburg emperor, Franz deep lined much of the route. Tramcars US dimensions to use on select routes where Josef; today the Ringstrasse follows their departed from Schottentor at two-minute its greater width presented no problems. course. This opening-up to development intervals, processing along the Ring It was restored to working order in 2009. beyond the city acted as inducement to the and halting alongside the Rathaus to Other cars of particular interest were introduction of tramways, then in their complement loudspeaker announcements Salonwagen or Excursionswagen 82, built infancy and found in few European cities. describing each car and its importance. in 1912 by Grazer Waggonfabrik as one of The first horse-drawn line, Schottentor Most cars came from Remise and thus had seven for Wien sightseeing tours, in which to Hernals, was opened on 4 October 1865 to travel first to Sankt Marx, where the track capacity it served (renumbered 82 in 1913) and operated by a private company; three layout dictated that the rectangular turning- until the outbreak of World War One. In the separate enterprises – Wiener Tramway- loop should be completely traversed before inter-war period it was rebuilt for normal Gesellschaft (WT), Neue Wiener Tramway cars headed to the city via Rennweg, service with glazed platforms as car 2101, Gesellschaft (NWT) and Dampftramway Schwarzenbergplatz and Schwedenplatz. and briefly served as a works car. It has been Krauss & Comp. (DTKC) – eventually All rolling-stock was displayed on the in the heritage fleet since 1970 displayed in operated routes in the city. Two of these Ring, starting from Schottentor back via 2101 condition; in September it was revealed opted for steam traction (NWT horse and Schottenring and Franz-Josefs-Kai, an aspect as rebuilt to original 82 condition. steam, DTKC steam only), a form seen carefully calculated to ensure that all cars Works car 6019, built in 1912 as 2819 from 1883 that survived in some areas fitted the available road and track space. with open platforms and later rebuilt with until 1922. The city council negotiated with glazed platforms, participated bearing WT for electrification of that company’s Multiple highlights banners exhorting the populace to horse-drawn routes. The first (Vorgarten Although most cars had appeared in earlier ‘Rechts fahren’ (drive on the right). to Mariahilfer Strasse, the essence of parades, there were several highlights of this These cars toured the city in 1938 to today’s line 5) opened on 28 January 1897. one. The cavalcade was led by WT horse- remind citizens of Eastern Austria’s change The vagaries of company operation, though, car 53, a reconstruction to 1868 condition to right-hand-side driving, following the were viewed as unsatisfactory and the of a car that has had an especially long Anschluss with Germany. city council municipalised the tramways life, being transferred after its days as a The parade was completed by examples from 1 July 1903; this form of operation passenger vehicle to special duties and then of current rolling-stock and a selection of survives to the present day, though since converted to a works trailer. Following its historic motor buses and motorised service 1992 conducted through a wholly-owned designation to the museum in 1979, vehicles, providing a panoply of Wien’s company, trading as Wiener Linien. the present replica body was constructed local transport over a century-and-a-half. Wien is a tramway city par excellence and and the vehicle returned to traffic in 1995. As ever, the post-parade journeys were presents a selection of historic rolling-stock The horse-car was followed by ex-Salzburg interesting; an added attraction at Sankt in the former Erdberg depot, marketed as two-axle steam 11 Hellbrunn. Marx was the sight of the steam tram engine Remise and one of the largest tramway Wien 11 (which has three axles) is only on replenishing water supplies courtesy of museums anywhere. Few other cities static display in Remise because it was last the works fire service from the central would devote such a vast site to a tramway used on 15 October 1978 and the boiler workshops, in order that it could return to museum, a reflection of the esteem in which has had no subsequent inspection, so 11 the workshops literally under its own steam. the Viennese hold their tramway. As a Hellbrunn, part of the Mariazell private An exposition of this magnitude cannot result, the staging of a massive rolling-stock museum collection, came to Wien instead. be undertaken regularly. The operation parade presents fewer difficulties than in Wien 11 was built in 1884 by Krauss of Linz represented a massive feat of organisation most other cities, though the logistical for the DTKC and subsumed into the city and cooperation between Wiener Linien feats of planning, administration and network in 1907; it was initially restored by and museum volunteers, not forgetting staffing should not be under-estimated. the Austrian Railway Museum’s Floridsdorf the involvement of the Mariazell collection. workshops in 1960 to its 1900 condition. That much of the Ringstrasse was closed for Topping 2003 One of the electric gems was car 7m of the several hours for exclusive use by the trams The 2003 parade commemorating a century WT company’s original electric fleet, built is something only really possible where the of municipal tramways (TAUT December by Graz in 1896 for the opening of that first owners of a municipal undertaking are also 2003) was an impressive event, but this route in January 1897. WT originally used the highway authority. Efforts were richly September’s show was even greater with the lower-case suffix ‘m’ to distinguish its rewarded though, for the crowds that turned 78 items of rolling-stock (including 32 motor cars from trailers, a practice quickly out to pay tribute to the city’s tramway electric tramway motor cars and numerous dropped. This car was brought to Wien history showed that, to the Viennese, trailers) paraded through the city. especially for the event from Mariazell. the tramway really matters. Remise was closed to the public for At the other end of the scale, it was a great several days before and after the parade, pleasure to see Z-class car 4208 in working More photographs and a rolling-stock list and only the myopic could fail to be aware order again. This is one of the batch of 45 can be found at www.vef.at – Rückblick: of the impending event on the Ringstrasse cars (42 for service and three for spares) 150 Jahre Wiener Tramway am 27.9.2015

36 / JANUARY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org 1. Built in 1896 for the opening of the WT’s first electric tram route in the following January, motor car 7m made a rare but welcome appearance from the Mariazell museum. Here it is shown on Schottenring before the parade.

2. Two pairs of cars approach Sankt Marx junction on their return to Remise. In the lead is class K car 2380 built by Simmering in 1912 with unvestibuled u2 trailer 3802 of 1910, whilst class G motor car 777 of 1900, as reconstructed in the main works in 1929, and d2 trailer 5064 can be seen behind.

3. Works car 6019 of 1916 reminds onlookers as it crosses Sankt Marx junction of the 1938 exhortation to drive on the right, a rule progressively introduced across Austria from 1930 and in Wien from 1938.

4. Class H motor car of 2215 hauled open goods and materials wagon 7059, 2 complete with brakesman at the rear, as shown here at Sankt Marx on the way back from the Ringstrasse. This wagon was built in 1916 by Simmering and later reconstructed in the Wien main workshops to original condition.

5. Representing the 39 years of steam tramway operation in Wien was ex-Salzburg two-axle engine 11 (Hellbrunn), hauling unvestibuled passenger trailer 7 and goods wagon 107, awaiting departure on Schottenring. 3 4 6. Salonwagen 82 was built in 1912 as one of a small fleet to provide tourist services in Wien, an operation suspended on the outbreak of World War One. The car has recently been restored to original condition and is shown on Schottenring before the parade departed, with class H car 2215 of 1910 behind.

7. Before the parade, a long line of historic rolling-stock was lined up on Schottenring and Franz-Josefs-Kai. Nearest the camera is class d2 trailer 5064, rebuilt in 1924 from 5 6 D class motor car 310 of 1901, and class G motor car 777, originally built in 1900 by Graz and reconstructed with lengthened platforms and lantern windscreens in 1929 in the Wien tramways’ main works.

8. The four-axle two-section articulated cars of class F are represented in the museum by 711, one of 50 built by Simmering in 1963. It is shown here as part of the pre-parade line-up on Franz-Josefs-Kai. 7 8 All photography unless otherwise stated by Mike Russell.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JANUARY 2016 / 37 The Tramway Museum Society turns 60! The LRTA celebrates the anniversary of one of the world’s finest tramway museums

n Saturday 7 November the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Tramway Museum Society (TMS) was markedO with a special event at the in Crich, Derbyshire, to which members of the TMS and LRTA had been invited, along with a number of guests. At a special meeting of the Board of the TMS and the Council of the LRTA the story of its Museum Committee being separated from the then Light Railway Transport League to become the Tramway Museum Society was told, with some amusing anecdotes to reflect the problems of different people from the same organisation castigating tramway operators for closing down their systems on the one hand, and asking to be given one of their vehicles to preserve on the other! In that context, separation not only made sense but allowed the two bodies to concentrate on the equally important aspects of preserving what was disappearing alongside campaigning for tramways in modern form. ABOVE: Andrew Braddock hands the controller key LRTA Chairman Andrew Braddock paid to TMS Chairman Colin Heaton by Southampton 45. tribute to the achievements of the TMS in developing one of the world’s finest RIGHT: Historic LRTL headboard carried by MET 331. tramway museums, and presented a trophy to Colin Heaton, TMS Chairman, to mark were rounded off with a re-enactment of the anniversary. the ceremonial handover of Southampton Guests then made a special journey along 45 from the LRTL to the TMS. the museum line in MET Feltham car 331, The day was blessed with reasonable which carried the headboard used by the weather and 70 LRTA members joined a LRTL during its pre-closure tours of British larger number from the TMS to enjoy all systems in the early 1950s. The proceedings of the museum’s excellent attractions.

BOOK REVIEW Trolleybuses in London’s Docklands

There was a time when many senior LRTA officials took the view that the trolleybus was the child of the devil – no doubt because of their wholesale replacement of the trams in east, north and west London – but nowadays it is accepted that the two modes actually complement each other rather well. Those who have sampled the excellent public transport system in Zürich, for example, cannot fail to be impressed by the way in which the tram takes care of the most heavily-used routes while the trolleybus carries the slightly lower flows of the next tier in the network, and diesel buses are very hard to find. If only London had followed that model which it might well have done had the visionary Christopher Spencer been more of an influence on the policy development of the new London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) in 1933 and the years that followed. Spencer saw the logic of building Feltham cars for the busiest London United tram routes alongside conversion to trolleybus on that company’s more lightly-loaded lines where the potential for fast running and ultimately dedicated rights of way was diminished. The LPTB developed what was, for most of its life, the largest trolleybus network in the world, exceeded in sheer size only by Moscow and St Petersburg some years after the last of the capital’s silent servants ran into Fulwell Depot in the early hours of Wednesday 9 May 1962. If there was a spiritual home for the trolleybus it would have been the East End and Docklands, where a dense network of local and longer distance routes catered for the huge passenger movement the heavily industrialised landscape generated – often with all-day frequencies of three or four minutes. The standard LT three-axle vehicles served the area well and were ideally suited to the demands placed upon them during World War Two and the idyllic virtually car-free environment of the 1950’s boom years. Decline in public transport use and in the might of the docks themselves changed matters radically, and once London Transport had announced the replacement of south London’s trams by diesel buses the writing was on the wall for the trolleybus too. This fine book, published by Adam Gordon and put together by acknowledged London trolleybus expert Hugh Taylor, continues the series of pictorial surveys the London Trolleybus Preservation Society produced between 1996 and 2010. Mainly illustrated in black and white, the lack of traffic in what is now one of the most congested parts of the city is stunning. Though much of the streetscape has changed very little, the odd glimpses of bomb sites and prefab housing gives an eerie look to the subject going about its daily business. A few interesting documents add variety to the pictures, whose captions have been well-prepared to give the reader an appreciation of various aspects of trolleybus operation. A map would have been useful to help those unfamiliar with London’s Docklands area to appreciate how complex the network was, but if bought through the LRTA (see right) that will be rectified by the inclusion of an insert detailing the trolleybus overhead wiring layout of the area. AJB 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% – minimum & maximum values no longer apply.

NEW TITLE FROM Nottingham’s growing tramway Building on NET’s success THE LRTA

Geoffrey Skelsey has put together this new book to tell the story of the two additional tramlines in Nottingham, which opened on 25 August 2015 to more than double the size of the existing NET system dating from 2004. A4 softback; 96 pages, 100+ colour pictures and several maps.

£16.50 plus postage & packing as shown above.

New LRTA books coming soon: Japan’s Colourful Tramways and Hongkong Tramways.

Trolleybuses in London’s Docklands Trams 2016 See opposite page for details. This popular annual is again available, covering a year of A4 softback; 168 pages, developments throughout 374 black & white and 14 Europe, North Africa and the colour pictures plus insert map. Middle East. Dutch text. A5 softback; 272 pages, fully- £25.00 plus postage & packing illustrated in colour throughout. as shown above. £16.50 plus postage & packing as shown above.

Trolejbusy a trolejbusové tratě Parts One and Two

A fascinating pair of books detailing the history of trolleybus routes and the vehicles that operated on them in Prague. Czech text. B5 hardback; each 184 pages, 200+ pictures in black & white.

£20.00 plus postage & packing as shown above.

Metro & Tram Atlas Spanien | Spain Tram Atlas Großbritannien & Irland | Britain & Ireland The latest in Robert Schwandl’s excellent series which make great Another of Robert Schwandl’s guidebooks to electric public colourful and comprehensive transport in different countries. handbooks. English & English & German text. German text. B5 softback; 160 pages with 300+ B5 softback; 160 pages with 300+ colour pictures and network maps. colour pictures and network maps.

£16.50 plus postage & packing £16.50 plus postage & packing as shown above. as shown above. RUBBER CROSSING SYSTEMS FOR CITY RAILWAYS

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