THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE

www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com

MAY 2016 No. 941 ROMANIA’S LONG ROAD BACK FROM AUSTERITY

Systems Factfile: Trams’ dominant role in Lyon’s growth Glasgow awards driverless contract Brussels recoils from Metro attack China secures huge Chicago order ISSN 1460-8324 £4.25 Isle of Wight Medellín 05 Is LRT conversion Innovative solutions the right solution? and social betterment 9 771460 832043 AWARD SPONSORS

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www.lightrailawards.com 169 CONTENTS The official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association MAY 2016 Vol. 79 No. 941 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL 184 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 172 Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. E-mail: [email protected] NEWS EDITOR John Symons 17 Whitmore Avenue, Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail: [email protected] SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS Tony Bailey, James Chuang, Paul Nicholson, Richard Felski, Ed Havens, Bill Vigrass, Andrew Moglestue, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Vic Simons, Herbert Pence, Alain Senut, Thomas Wagner. NEWS 164 SYSTEMS FACTFILE: LYON 184 PRODUCTION CRRC Sifang wins big Chicago order; Neil Pulling explores a French city where Rick Wilson Stadler and Ansaldo STS to re-equip the tramway has overtaken the older metro Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 E-mail: [email protected] Glasgow Subway; Maryland agrees Purple as the bigger network. DESIGN line PPP; Frankfurt-am-Main marks classic Debbie Nolan U2 retirement; Manchester's draft plan WORLDWIDE REVIEW 190 ADVERTISING considers orbital routes. Barcelona tramways to join; Phase 2 of COMMERCIAL MANAGER Geoff Butler San Francisco expansion approved; Seattle Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 E-mail: [email protected] ISLAND LINE FIT FOR CONVERSION? 169 extends in subway; Lausanne T1's first PUBLISHER Isle of Wight resident Michael Taplin offers stage given go ahead; Alstom wins again in Howard Johnston an insider's view on proposals to convert Algeria; Strasbourg extension to open. Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the the island's heavy rail route to LRT. LRTA and LRTA Publishing on the third Friday of each MAILBOX 194 month preceding the cover date. ROMANIA'S TRAMWAY REVIVAL 172 Why the world maybe isn't ready for LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY In a two-part series, Mike Russell explores wire-free; questions over plans for the UK's Brian Lomas E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] the fascinating operations in the eastern 'Northern Powerhouse'; and how about LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) half of this central European nation. trams for London's Oxford Street? Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up members of the Light Rail Transit Association. MEDELLÍN'S MIRACLE 180 CLASSIC TRAMS: ARNHEM 196 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES Columbia's second city has undergone a Mike Russell examines a heritage tram LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), transformation in the 21st Century, fuelled service in the Netherlands that transports 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. by investment in innovative urban transit. visitors around an open-air museum. Tel: +44 (0)117 9517785 BACK ISSUES Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION Bomb-struck Metro station didn't stand a chance Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. A definition of terrorism is the unlawful use of violence to disrupt and LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE shatter public confidence, and many major world cities have been badly c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY, UK. hit over the last ten years. The bombs that exploded in Brussels during Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 the early morning rush hour on 22 March struck first the Belgian national in England and Wales. airport and then Maelbeek Metro station, where 20 lives were lost and LRTA CHAIRMAN scores were injured when a train was targeted. For the Metro operator, it Andrew Braddock is a nightmare that while it can work as hard as it likes to ensure that its buildings and E-mail: [email protected] vehicles are safe from natural mishaps, it is virtually powerless when it becomes the LRTA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN innocent victim of politically-motivated mayhem. Paul Rowen Like its skyscaper buildings and its giant plates of fast food, the United States always LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE c/o 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU, thinks big, and the Chicago Transit Authority's order for 400 rapid transit cars from UK. Private Limited Company, No. 06169422 Chinese builder CRRC Sifang is of a magnitude that can barely be comprehended. in England and Wales. Competing manufacturers could do little but watch as CRRC, already the world's largest © LRTA Publishing 2016 rolling stock manufacturer with 90% of its domestic market, won fairly on price, and the Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also attractive offer of setting up a local assembly plant. Bombardier wins nothing for coming later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the second; it was significantly outbid by the Beijing price of USD632m, and is further hurt opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of knowing that the value of the order can more than double if all the options are taken up. LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. At the other far end of the spectrum, we have news of a public service that still relies on No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in a completely obsolete form of traction - horses. Although the Isle of Man's Douglas Bay any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and Tramway is running (plodding?) at a substantial annual loss, it is guaranteed another retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from year's operation for little other reason than it helps to bring the tourists in. While it will the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the be managed by the island's high-tech Department for Infrastructure, and the fares are magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. now part of the contactless Go-Card network, the fuel for the motive power will be the COVER: Bucharest's rebuilt car 4035 is on city same - lots of hay. Howard Johnston, Publisher circular line 1, 4 September 2011 . Mike Russell

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 163 News CRRC Sifang wins big in Chicago Transit Authority awards largest-ever contract for Subway cars to Chinese rolling stock giant

hicago Transit rail cars and Chicago returns to Authority has awarded our roots as the place where the its largest ever contract next generation of rail cars are for new subway rapid built, providing good jobs for transitC cars to Chinese builder our residents. That is a classic CRRC Sifang America JV. The win-win for Chicago,” said decision was approved on Mayor Rahm Emanuel. 9 March. “This historic agreement The immediate USD632m was the result of strong order is for 400 cars, but if all collaboration between the the options are taken up the City, our federal partners, the price could reach USD1.4bn Chicago Federation of Labor, for 846 cars. CRRC Sifang bid and Jobs to Move America, and USD226m less than rival bidder I cannot thank them enough Bombardier, and offered to build for their partnership in making a USD40m final assembly plant it possible. We will continue for the new AC propulsion cars Chinese-built cars for Chicago could replace half the existing fleet. CTA to bring more 21st century on the city’s Far South side, manufacturing jobs to Chicago employing 169 people. replacement of the 3200-series, what it was in 2011. Use of the to help power our 21st century A 7000-series prototype train is built by Morrison-Knudsen from new cars is projected to reduce economy.” due for delivery in October 2019, 1992. The 7000-series will have maintenance and power costs by CRRC Sifang was the and the first 400 vehicles should stainless steel bodies (like the around USD7m per year. first Chinese rolling stock be in service by 2024. predecessor 5000-series), and Funding for the CTA order will manufacturer to break into the The new trains are intended to LED lighting and signage. The come from a bond issue, with American market, with a 2014 replace the 2600-series cars, the CTA says delivery of the new some federal assistance. order for 284 rapid transit cars last rolling stock built by Budd trains will reduce the average “With this agreement, CTA from Boston’s MBTA, which are Company, in 1981-87, and start age of the fleet to 13 years, half riders will get state-of-the-art still to be delivered.

Canadian budget allocates transit funds Voters to decide on Los Angeles deal Up to CAD3.4bn could be allocated for transit over the next three Los Angeles voters are expected and speeding up the Crenshaw rail line along Van Nuys Blvd years, in Canadian budget plans to be asked to approve a light rail line to LAX airport. A could be built by 2027. The ballot unveiled in March. A new Public USD120bn sales tax to fund start would be made on a rapid measure could also help the Transit Fund is to be created transport projects through to transit line to Artesia and on Downtown Streetcar Project with as part of attempts to improve 2057. a USD8.5bn tunnel through USD200m, closing the funding public transport, with the federal Unveiled on 18 March, the the Sepulveda Pass as a subway gap to permit work to start in government committing to fund draft blueprint is set against extension. A USD1.33bn light 2018. Grade separation on the up to 50% of eligible costs. Projects listed as potential a background of an expected Orange line busway would be recipients are upgrades to the increase in the Los Angeles increased to facilitate upgrading Montreal metro, new subway cars County population of 2.4m to light rail in due course. for Toronto, and faster progress on over the period of the plan. It Final approval to the ballot new schemes such as light rail in includes new rail lines through measure should come in June. Ottawa and Greater Vancouver. Claremont, Van Nuys, Westwood The vote is to take place in The money is detailed in the and Artesia. Existing projects November, and a two-thirds 2016 budget (Growing the Middle include extending the Gold majority in favour of extending Class) from the Liberal Party, which replaced the Conservative light rail line from Azusa to the existing half-cent sales party in government at the 2015 Claremont, and from East Los tax will be needed for it to go federal election. Angeles to Whittier or El Monte; through. finishing the Wilshire Blvd The Los Angleles central area More details on the transport Gold Coast preferred tramway project is one of the projects Purple line subway extension that could be boosted by the outcome proposals are available at www. contractor announced a decade earlier than planned; metro.net/theplan CPB Contractors has been named of November’s ballot. LA Streetcar preferred bidder to design and build Australia’s Gold Coast Light Rail Stage Two. Construction of the 7.3km (4.5-mile) extension between Gold Coast University Terrorist bombs dislocate Brussels Metro, airport Hospital and Helensvale railway All Brussels public transport deaths, with scores of injuries, for repairs, and metro set 105/6 station is to take place for the 2018 services were withdrawn and it was the worst such is so severely damaged that Commonwealth Games, which are following a terrorist bomb incident in Belgium’s history. it is unlikely to be repaired. to be staged locally. that exploded in the middle An attack a few minutes before Some tram services not serving The project is expected to cost AUD420m, of which AUD270m coach of a three-car train at at the airport, 10km (six miles) subway sections were will come from the Queensland Maelbeek metro station during away claimed 12 victims. re-introduced from 16.00 on government. CPB Contractors the morning rush hour (09.11) Maelbeek, which is close to 22 March. Most services in the was formerly known as Leighton on 22 March. It was on line 5 the European Commission Belgian capital resumed from Contractors Pty Ltd. heading for Kunst-Wet station. headquarters in the city centre, 23 March, with metro lines 1 There were a reported 20 will be shut for several weeks and 5 operating 07.00-18.30.

164 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org New Carrollton line contract agreed Construction could start at the end of this year for the first services to be running in spring 2022

aryland’s, 25.9km is predicted to be USD1.36bn. (16.2-mile) Purple The leading equity investor is light rail line from Meridiam, which has a 70% Bethesda to New interest in the consortium. CarrolltonM is to be designed, Junior investor is Star America. built, operated, maintained Design and building will be and financed by Purple Line carried out by Fluor and Traylor Transit Partners under a 36-year Bros. Atkins North America is Public Private Partnership. lead designer. Operation will be Construction is expected to start delivered by Alternate Concepts Artist’s impression of the Purple line running through the University of at the end of 2016 for completion Inc. and CAF USA. Maryland campus. MTA in spring 2022. When complete, the Purple The PPP agreement will see line will connect to Metrorail to USD3.3bn over the 36-year from our federal, county and the state of Maryland contribute lines, to both MARC and Amtrak lifetime of the PPP. private partners,” said Maryland USD159.8m up-front, followed by heavy rail services, and to buses. “After eight months of hard Governor Larry Hogan. annual payments of USD149m. CAF is to supply 26 LRVs for work and tough negotiating, Herb Morgan, CEO of Purple Prince George and Montgomery USD206m for a 7.5-minute peak the Maryland Department of Line Transit Partners, said that counties will pay USD330m, service. Transportation has delivered PLTP’s team “is committed to and the federal government The total cost to Maryland a cost-effective Purple Line starting construction quickly to USD933m. Annual fare revenue state is expected to be close with a strong commitment deliver this world-class project.”

New Cardiff fund to support Metro Alstom ends ‘hackathon’ Money from a new GBP1.2bn local authorities contributing GBP94m from the Welsh (EUR1.5bn) investment fund GBP120m over 20 years and the Government and GBP106m Alstom concluded its ‘hackathon’ for the UK’s Cardiff Capital European Regional Development from the European Regional in March, which tested French Region is to be pre-allocated to Fund GBP100m-plus. Development Fund). students for ideas on the the proposed South East Wales The Welsh Government will City Deals - which involve ‘connected metro’ of 2030. Metro. It is one of a range of pre-allocate over GBP400m from the devolving of power from The winners were: passengers projects outlined in Cardiff’s the investment fund to deliver central government to individual having connected glasses for City Deal bid, to improve public the Metro, which could involve regions - are one of the major both them and the operator to transport and travel around the tram-train operation. Money policies of the UK’s Conservative receive data; and a beacon-based region. is also to be pre-allocated to Government. A new joint system to give passengers step- Both the UK and Welsh the Valley Lines Electrification committee of local authorities by-step navigation. Governments are contributing scheme, a heavy rail project that will oversee the Cardiff deal, Special prizes were given to GBP500m, spread over seven is to cost GBP325m (GBP125m which could be fully signed-off an idea for robot-based train years from 2016/17, with from the UK Government, later in the year. washing; to one allowing reduced mobility passengers to guarantee their seats; and one that would display information on windows Vossloh and walls. NEWS IN PICTURES Florida plant opens A new US plant has been opened by Hitachi to build Metrorail vehicles for Miami-Dade Horse trams Department of Transportation and Public Works. The facility is reprieved located in Medley, FL, and has been built by Hitachi Rail USA, a The Isle of Man’s Douglas Bay subsidiary of Hitachi Rail Italy. Horse Tramway will operate The 136 Metrorail cars are to enter in 2016. The Department for service between 2017 and 2019. Infrastructure’s Public Transport Hitachi Division will work the line. Operation is expected to take Karlsruhe orders more tram-trains place until the end of October, with special events during the A further 25 Citylink NET2012 to Bad Herrenalb and Heritage Transport Festival (27-31 cars are on order from Stadler Ittersbach and be certified for July) and the 140th anniversary Rail/Vossloh Kiepe for both BOStrab (tramway) and of the tramway, 7 August. Karlsruhe for delivery from EBO (railway) operation. A more permanent solution autumn 2017, bringing the NET2012 cars 326-48 replace for the tramway has still to be total to 75 (301-75). They are Stadtbahn 501-20, which take found; it is thought likely that the last option on the original over from classic trams 124, the section between Villa Marina order, and will work on the 211/3/5 on school services; 124 Arcade and the Sea Terminal may Albtalbahn from Hochstetten and 213 will be preserved. be abandoned.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 165 News Stadler, Ansaldo to rebuild Subway Glasgow city centre underground transport will be transformed over the next five years

ew automatic trains for the UK’s Glasgow Subway are to be supplied by a Nconsortium of Stadler and Ansaldo STS. Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s order for 17 driver-less sets was announced on 4 March and is worth around GBP200m (EUR255m); it is a key part of conversion to unattended train operations (UTO). Operation is to start in 2020, Stadler Stadler initially in a transitional phase along with older vehicles. Glasgow’s Subway is one of refurbishment as part of the Stadler stock will be used as part of Although the 39m-long trains the oldest metros in the world GBP288m (EUR367m) plan, a driverless underground. are the same length as the existing (opening in 1896, after only with work currently underway at SPT Chief Executive Gordon stock that dates from the 1980s London and Budapest) and runs Govan Interchange and Buchanan Maclennan said: “This contract is and 1990s, the new sets will be for 10.5km (6.5 miles) in a ring Street, and other stations a key part of our plan to modernise four rather than three cars. They around the city centre on the including Hillhead already the Subway for generations to have 116 seats (and 12 tip-up seats), unusual track gauge of complete. Smartcard ticketing was come. We are all aware of the plus room for 204 people standing, 1.219m (4ft). introduced in 2013. proud rail history of the Subway as and six doors on each side - and In addition to the new The project to supply new the third oldest in the world and the Subway’s modernisation trains, the Subway’s current trains was described as a “a our plans for modernisation will includes installation of ‘half- modernisation will see the major milestone for Stadler” by ensure that the Subway continues height’ platform screen doors at replacement of signalling, control the company’s Vice President to be an essential component stations. Maximum speed is to be systems and the control centre. Marketing & Sales Peter Jenelten, in the transport network of the 58km/h (36mph). Stations are also undergoing as it represents the first time future.”

‘Most expensive’ Metro operation to return to Nexus station opens Operation of the UK’s Tyne & when a new deal would cover the Passenger numbers have The new Oculus transit hub at Wear Metro is expected to revert period of introduction of new grown 14% over the past two New York’s World Trade Center to Nexus in 2017 as the Tyne trains. Nexus is working on a years to 40.4 million - faster than (USA) opened on 4 March. Billed & Wear Passenger Transport business case for a replacement any other UK light rail network as the world’s most expensive Executive has said that it will fleet in the 2020s. outside London. transit station, it cost double the not take up a potential two-year Nexus Managing Director Sharon Kelly, DB Regio Tyne budget and is eight years late. extension for current operator Tobyn Hughes said: “The future and Wear Managing Director, The USD3.9bn facility replaces DB Regio Tyne and Wear. of the Tyne and Wear Metro said: “As scheduled, our contract the PATH World Trade Center DB Regio has run Metro holds a major investment in a with Nexus was always due to station built after the terrorist since 2010 after Nexus put new fleet of trains, and we need end on 31 March 2017, and we attack of 11 September 2001; it operation out to tender under to prepare the business for that. will remain fully committed to offers interchange to subway the conditions for a government- “Managing Metro directly for the contract until this date. lines 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, E, J and Z, funded modernisation package a limited period will allow Nexus “It’s been a privilege to be part and the Battery Park ferry known as Metro: all change. The to prepare the business for the of the delivery of Metro services terminal. Subway lines N and R deal was for seven years, with the significant change that will come for the past six years and during will connect to the new terminal option of a two-year extension. with further investment of more this time a great deal has been when the rebuild of Cortlandt St Nexus proposes to directly than GBP400m [EUR507m] in a achieved to better the service station is completed. operate the Metro from 2017-19, new train fleet.” provided to our customers.”

Frankfurt bids farewell to its U2 Withdrawal of Frankfurt-am- the concept of a tram that could Main’s last Duewag U2 Stadtbahn run both on street track and in cars from passenger use was to be subways with high platforms. marked on 3 April by Römerstadt The concept was so successful – Bahnhof Oberursel shuttles. that it attracted attention from The U2 was unveiled in light rail proponents and became 1968 and entered service when the basis of Duewag (later Stadtbahn line A operation Siemens-Duewag) exports to between Hauptwache and North American cities, including Nordweststadt was inaugurated. Edmonton (37 cars), Calgary (85 It was based on two prototype U1 cars), Sacramento (26 cars) and The three-car set in original livery was still being used in passenger service this cars built in 1965, to introduce San Diego (71 cars). year, albeit on line U7 (at Alte Oper) S. Yannick

166 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Siemens/Newag win Manchester draft plan Sofia contract A consortium of Siemens and Newag has been awarded a EUR140m contract for trains and considers orbital routes signalling on Sofia’s new line 3, due to open in 2019. Delivery of High capacity and transformed Piccadilly station in strategy for 2040 20 three-car Inspiro trains to the Bulgarian capital will take place, with an option for ten more; draft Greater Powerhouse Rail, local rail and light rail stops (located in the Newag will be responsible for Manchester Transport Metrolink light rail. undercroft) would move further final assembly, factory testing and Strategy 2040 includes It is also proposed to move north. These works would see a static commissioning. Siemens new orbital links, high the UK city’s coach station from transformation of Manchester’s will supply CBTC train control and Acapacity Metrolink services for Chorlton Street to Piccadilly, major station ready for the a Scada communications system. Manchester city centre and a while some rail services would arrival of the new HS2 rail line Qatar tunnelling transformed Piccadilly station to be relocated to Piccadilly’s from London in 2032. Tunnelling on the northern integrate High Speed 2, Northern undercroft. The Metrolink The proposals form part of section of Qatar’s Red line was a concept drawn up by Arup, completed on 21 March. a consultancy hired by the Completion of the first phase UK’s National Infrastructure of the Doha Metro (Red, Gold and Commission to help compile Green lines) is expected in 2019. recommendations on the future Phase two (extensions and the Blue line) is to follow by 2026. of transport in northern England. Separately, the Lusail tramway is Arup’s evaluation of two expected to open in 2020. slightly different versions put The Red line is to run between the cost at either around GBP1.2bn Lusail and Hamad International (EUR1.5bn) or around GBP1.6bn Airport/Al Wakra. (EUR2bn), which would include Brookville deal approved new tunnelling to run high speed Oklahoma’s city council (USA) trains into Manchester and out to approved the award of a Leeds underneath the city, paid USD24.9m contract to Brookville for by a combination of private Equipment Corporation for five Piccadilly station will be transformed if draft plans come to fruition. N. Pulling and public funding. Liberty dual-mode trams on 22 March. There is also an option for a sixth. Delivery is to take place in October 2017-May 2018. The deal with Brookville replaces a previously planned one Qingdao tramway trials under way with Inekon.

Trial operation of the new the double-ended, three-section, seats and space for 320 standing. Snaefell runaway 8.8km (5.5-mile) tramway in Skoda 15T ForCity. Built by CRRC It is believed that the fuel cell Services on the Isle of Man’s Snaefell Mountain Railway were the Chinese city of Qingdao Qingdao Sifang, the 35.2m powered prototype hydrogen suspended and investigations began on 5 March. The standard trams are 2.65m wide, with 60 tram built last year is also on the underway after tram 3 ran away gauge line has 12 stops and line for test purposes. and derailed. Nobody was aboard links Qianwangtuan (the site of A city of 6.2 million people the wooden-bodied vehicle , the depot) and the Chengyang sited on the Yellow Sea in eastern which was badly damaged when wholesale market. Most of the Shandong province, Qingdao it came off the track on 30 March. tramway is on reserved track, but opened its first metro line in The SMR connects Laxey with the 400m runs on-street. December 2015 and is building peak of Snaefell. The line is operated by two more. In addition, two Cairo extension contract Qingdao Bus Group, and services more tramlines are planned to Alstom has signed a EUR12m run 06.30-20.30 daily. Rolling serve the Chenyang district on contract to build the 1.2km (0.75- stock includes seven examples Qingdao tram 006 at the Chenyang the north side of Jiaozhou bay, mile) extension of metro line 1 of the Chinese built version of terminus on the new tramway. CRRC north-west of the city centre. from El Marg to New El Marg in the Egyptian capital El Qahira (Cairo). It should open in 2018. Line 1 is the oldest part of the standard gauge Cairo metro system, the first section of which opened in 1987. Tramlink Sutton Kaohsiung‘s NEWS IN PICTURES Crossrail honours Queen testing enters A test service arriving at C8 extension talks London’s new Crossrail route is Stop, Kaohsiung Exhibition next phase to be known as the Elizabeth line. Since late December Center, on 4 February. Negotiations have begun with Full services on Crossrail are due 2015 appointments are JR Chen’s Transportation World the UK’s Sutton and Merton to start in 2019; the route includes no longer needed to ride councils for an extension of new heavy rail tunnels running the wire-free tramway London Tramlink to Sutton. east-west under the UK capital. in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Boris Johnson, the UK capital’s Digging of the 42km (26 miles) of with all four stops of the tunnels was completed in 2015. outgoing mayor, has indicated first section now fully that a better business case had operational. Passengers Bozankaya’s first tram been presented for Sutton than can interchange with Turkish company Bozankaya’s Crystal Palace. Transport for the Kaisyaun Red line first tram has arrived at the London’s latest budget includes metro station at C3 country’s Kayseri system. The GBP100m (EUR127m) for the tram stop – Cianjhen five-section low-floor line from South Wimbledon. Star – and the 30-minute bi-directional vehicle with doors The balance for the GBP240m frequency remains with services running between 09.00 and 19.00. When on both sides is one of 30 in a 2014 trial operations began in October 2015, passengers could only board or alight contract. (EUR304m) scheme has still to at C1 and travel to the C4 stop. be found.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 167 10 great reasons to attend Intermodal: Exploring the future Hear policies on integrated transport from the UK Government, local authorities of passenger and operators from across the UK. Join over 200 senior decision-makers for two days of open debate on the issues transit and the that face UK regions in developing attractive, sustainable transport solutions. role of technology Discover the latest innovative financing and urban planning models. Learn from case studies on the creation of successful connected cities. Understand the importance of land Nottingham Conference Centre usage policies and the ‘50-year’ plan. Gain a greater understanding of the 20-21 June 2016 passenger lifecycle and the role of technology in re-enabling “lost time”. Explore passenger transport’s role as I NTERMODAL a retail service and the opportunities Moving people, for additional revenue growth. driving growth Unravel the complex relationships of travel in deregulated markets.

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

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

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

Event supporters News focus ISLAND LINE: A SUITABLE CANDIDATE FOR LRT CONVERSION? Isle of Wight resident Michael Taplin offers an insider’s view of current proposals to convert the loss-making heavy rail line to tramway operation.

sland Line is a unique part of the British rail network, 13.7km (8.5 miles) on the Isle of Wight linking the ferry berth at Ryde Pier Head with the seaside resort of Shanklin (connecting along the wayI with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway at a station with no road or footpath access). It is the survivor of a network of steam railway lines serving the island that were closed in the 1960s (the Beeching era), and used to run on from Shanklin to Ventnor, but that section closed in April 1966. The remainder underwent a transformation, emerging in March 1967 as an electrified line, using third-rail electrification and worked by ABOVE: A coupled set of Class 483 cars is used on busy holidays; 009+006 are seen on Ryde Pier. In the foreground is the alignment of the former diesel pier tram closed in 1969. M. R. Taplin former London Underground trains. Why was this section retained? Traffic from franchise, with the franchisee also responsible Initiative, it no longer subsidises rural bus the Portsmouth ferry to the resorts of Sandown for maintenance. Stagecoach Group took over services, and its school bus operation is and Shanklin was still heavy (seven-coach operations from October 1996. Come renewal essentially managed by Southern Vectis, the trains were operated in the summer) and time in 2007, it was accepted that this tiny only local bus operator. The Council is also buses could not reach the pier head along the franchise made little sense, and the line struggling with budgetary constraints that 700m (2250ft) Victorian pier, so a low-cost became part of the South West Trains (SWT) mean in 2017-18 it is unlikely to be able to electrification was chosen. Why Tube trains? franchise, and Stagecoach won again. afford to meet its statutory duties, even after Well they were available and cost next to The Department for Transport designated ditching all budgets for non-statutory duties. nothing as London Transport was replacing the line as a community railway in 2006, and It was no doubt pleased that Christopher this 1923-34 stock. It was also thought that stations were repainted in Southern Railway Garnett OBE, a railwayman with family ties as the electrical equipment was located in heritage-style cream and green, while the to and a holiday home on the island, offered compartments above floor level, problems trains were given London Transport red to produce a report on the future of Island with salt water at high tide could be avoided. livery, but with yellow end panels. Line on a pro bono basis. Garnett was one-time One significant aspect of the electrification Now it is time for another franchise renewal, Managing Director of GNER (operator of project that still resonates in today’s debate the UK Department for Transport having the UK’s East Coast main line route before was Ryde tunnel (357m/1173ft), technically declined to award Stagecoach the possible handing back that responsibility). a covered way, which enables trains to two-year extension on what is understood to reach Ryde Esplanade from Ryde St Johns. be Britain’s most profitable franchise. The MP ‘The Garnett Report’ It was built to take steam trains and railway for the Isle of Wight, Andrew Turner, kicked off It is Mr Garnett’s report that brings the debate carriages, but was prone to flooding from an unfortunate train of thought by suggesting within the scope of TAUT, for amongst his Monktonmead Brook, whose path was to the Government’s rail minister, Clare main suggestions is that the line should be diverted when the railway connection was Perry MP, that the line should be transferred turned into a tramway, operating single track built. On electrification track through the to a Community Interest Company and run with passing loops, on line-of-sight principles. tunnel was raised, as Tube trains with limited by local people. As a result the franchise One of his arguments is that there are clearance were the future. This meant that consultation includes the requirement ‘the currently no surplus London Underground when the original electric trains had to next franchisee should develop ideas to turn Limited (LUL) Tube trains that could be used be replaced in 1989, British Rail was stuck Island Line into a separate self-sustaining to replace the 78-year-old Class 483 rolling with buying second-hand Tube stock again, business’, though there is no other branch line, stock that still provides daily service (the the 1938 stock that still runs on the line. here or elsewhere, that has this requirement opportunity to acquire withdrawn Victoria Underfloor electrical equipment has not imposed upon it. The prospect of Island Line Line trains a few years ago was missed). proven too difficult to maintain and operate, being taken out of the SWT deal has alarmed Garnett does not believe that LUL would though occasionally easterly gales and high local people and led to the establishment of a willingly sell ten cars of 1972 stock from tide mean the trains cannot use the pier for a lobbying group (KILF, Keep Island Line in the the Bakerloo Line, which might be the couple of hours. Franchise) to campaign for its retention. stop-gap solution. Rather he has his eyes The Isle of Wight Council (IWC), the on ten withdrawn Midland Metro T69 cars Transition from BR to privatisation unitary authority of local government for currently stored at Long Marston in the West In latter BR days the line was part of the island, is the transport authority, but Midlands. He suggests the track in Ryde Network South East, with the stock painted has no real transport expertise. Its highway tunnel could be lowered again to permit accordingly. Under rail privatisation in 1996, responsibilities have been devolved to them to fit through (they are 3.7m high Island Line was advertised as a standalone the private sector under a Private Finance compared with 2.9m for a Class 483), adding

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 169 News focus

LEFT: Brading station where the second track was lifted in 1988. A dynamic passing loop would be needed here for a tram service, and as at all stations the platforms would have to be lowered or the track raised for the T69 trams to carry passengers. M. R. Taplin ABOVE: Could this be the future for Island Line? An ex-Midland Metro T69 car, now withdrawn to storage at Long Marston. M. R. Taplin that one Island Line track be given up so Questioning a tramway conversion evaluation, written by Mark Brinton, the one- that IWSR can be extended from Smallbrook An important question concerning a time Island Line electrical engineer. He takes Junction to Ryde St Johns, in return for which transition to a tramway is whether Island issue with a number of Garnett’s assertions, the IWSR permanent way gang could carry Line remains part of the National Rail including that line-of-sight tramway out work on Island Line track. network for the purposes of ticketing. At operation would be permitted. Clearly some Garnett admits that he had no source present a passenger can board in Shanklin form of automated signalling and trip stops of figures, for either revenue or capital and legitimately request a ticket to (say) would be required to preclude ‘cornfield expenditure, when compiling his report; Upper Tyndrum in the Scottish Highlands. meets’, particularly with 45mph (72km/h) indeed figures relating to Island Line are The PORTIS machine will issue it in the same operation. GSM-R radio fixed equipment difficult to segregate from the franchise, 60 seconds it takes to issue a ticket to Ryde would need to be provided to permit drivers representing just 1-2% of SWT revenue and (paying by credit card is another matter) to communicate with Control. expenditure, and therefore prone to margins – and it will include the ferry service to He adds that there is a continent-wide of error. Passenger numbers are said to have shortage of overhead line engineers, but the fallen from a peak of 1.67m in 2011-12 to less trams could be fitted with third-rail collector than 1.4m, but these numbers are based on “Garnett argues that there shoes; this eliminates issues with overhead tickets sold and do not reflect a significant are currently no surplus line equipment in Ryde tunnel. He does not level of missed fares arising from the mention the latest battery or supercapacitor slow-operating PORTIS ticket machines and Tube trains that could be technology, but as much of this can be the inability of conductors to pass between retrofitted (with relative ease claim the makers the cars while the train is moving due to used to replace the of such equipment) this could be another Health & Safety assessments (the doors can solution. His view is that the Class 483 trains be opened and shut from only one car). 78-year-old Class 483 could be kept running indefinitely, with According to the DfT, Island Line annual appropriate maintenance and refurbishment. revenue is GBP1m (EUR1.27m), whereas rolling stock; he suggests Incidentally the Class 483 is not compliant operating costs are GBP4m (EUR5.07m), but with the UK’s Rail Vehicle Accessibility these conveniently round figures conceal ten withdrawn Midland Regulations (RVAR 2010), but any stock used the fact that GBP2.2m (EUR2.79) of costs is will have to be by 1 January 2020. accounted for by Network Rail lease charges. Metro T69 cars instead.” His view that the SWT franchisee would Island Line operates under a separate not want to run a tramway is not borne out lease agreement with Network Rail rather Portsmouth (with Wightlink getting its share by Stagecoach operation of the Supertram than an access agreement as in other eventually through the digital equivalent of in South Yorkshire. However an upgrade franchises. Responsibility for infrastructure the Railway Clearing House). Older readers to island management would be necessary, maintenance and renewals are shared will remember this was one of the downsides increasing costs. On the basis of experience between the franchisee and Network Rail when the Tyne & Wear Metro was set up to in 1996-2007, the standalone organisational under this lease, which is due to expire in provide service on former BR track. model is unlikely to be sustainable. There 2019 (and was thus clearly made on the Garnett postulates a mini-franchise are just two bidders for the SWT franchise, assumption that the franchise would get operating a 20-minute service with trams. Stagecoach and First Group, and the latter a two-year extension). Network Rail is This would require the second platform at has let it be known that it is not interested in responsible for work 450mm below rail height Shanklin to be re-activated, retention of Island Line! What it will do if DfT includes it and below (the formation), Island Line for the passing loop at Sandown, a dynamic in the franchise specification is unclear. maintaining everything above (the ballast); passing loop at Brading and north thereof, KILF, supported by local people, user groups it subcontracts this work to Colas Rail. and retention of two tracks between Ryde and the Isle of Wight Council, is clear that the The figure of GBP1m in revenue is also rather St Johns and Ryde Esplanade. Much station priority is to get Island Line included in the strange given that there are 1.4m tickets sold infrastructure work would be needed to 2017 franchise, hopefully with a requirement – is the average ticket value really 71p? permit the T69 cars to pick up and set on the franchisee to improve the rolling stock Another reason for the drop in passengers down passengers, including a difficult and infrastructure. The question of a tramway is that in both 2014 and 2015 the line reconstruction at Ryde Pier Head. The 1967 conversion could come later. A significant sum was closed for a number of weeks due to substation equipment will need replacing as will then be required for capital expenditure, infrastructure failures, and the replacement at present only one two-car and one four-car and of course we would like a small fleet of buses ran only to Ryde Esplanade, carrying train can draw power, a far cry from its heyday tram-trains, perhaps of the type currently only a fraction of the normal rail passengers. with a 15-minute service of seven-car trains. being delivered for the Sheffield – Rotherham It is not known how SWT allocates back office Publication of the Garnett report has ‘pilot’ scheme, to carry us in comfort, rather costs to Island Line. prompted KILF to issue its own extensive than today’s rattling and jolting ride.

170 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org “On behalf of UKTram specifically Voices from the industry… and the industry as a whole I send V my sincere thanks for such a great event. Everything about it oozed quality. I think that such an event shows any doubters that light rail in the UK can present itself in a way that is second to none.” Colin Robey – Managing Director, UKTram

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 Innovation Zone and examine LRT’s role in alleviating congestion in our towns and cities and its potential for driving economic growth.

Topics and themes for 2016 include: > Safety and security in street-running environments > Refurbishment vs renewal? Book now! > Low Impact Light Rail > Delivering added value from construction and modernisation To secure your place > Managing timetable change and passenger disruption please call > Environmental considerations for LRT construction > Selling light rail: Who? When? How? +44 (0) 1733 367600 > What the Luxembourg Rail Protocol means for light rail or visit > Tram-Train: Alternative perspectives > Where next for UK LRT? www.mainspring.co.uk > Major project updates

SUPPORTED BY ORGANISED BY Romania ROMANIA’S TRAMWAY REVIVAL In a two-part series, Mike Russell explores the fascinating development, recent reconstruction and current tramway operations in the eastern half of this central European nation.

s a nation Romania is a relatively Providing a layover point for recovery time on big circular routes is always problematical and Bucureşti’s recent formation, created in solution for its new trunk route 1 is this rather constricted two-track station at Şura Mare; 4035 and 4019, both the mid-19th Century from the former V2A cars rebuilt locally with low-floor central sections, are shown there on 18 April 2015. former provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia that were under The tramways of Romania can be clearly policy of fuel self-sufficiency to reduce TurkishA suzerainty. It declared independence divided into two categories – or, more strictly, reliance upon imports of foreign oil, but from the Ottoman Empire in 1877 and one plus another with two sub-divisions. were constructed quickly and cheaply to expanded with the acquisition of territory This second group comprises those long- inadequate standards; three of them have following the second Balkan War of 1878, established systems in historic Romania already closed, whilst three of the surviving but its territorial area before the First World (Bucureşti, Brăila, Galaţi and Iaşi, together four are either in the process of complete War was by today’s standards quite small. with the recently-closed line at Sibiu) and reconstruction or have emerged recently Its contribution towards the war effort on those established formerly in Hungary (Arad, from such a process. behalf of the victorious allies gave Romania’s Oradea, Timişoara). The other category It may be significant that Botoşani, the rulers, in their view, an entitlement to a major comprises those systems inaugurated only one so far not to be subject to such share of the spoils of war and at the 1919 during the later years of the Communist reconstruction despite the poor state of its Paris Peace Conference Queen Marie secured administration of Nicolae Ceauşescu, namely track and infrastructure, was the last to major territorial acquisitions at the expense of Braşov, Constanţa, Cluj-Napoca, Ploieşti, open (1991), well after the fall of the Hungary. Discord arising from this settlement Craiova, Reşiţa and Botoşani. Ceauşescu regime, and thus may not yet manifested itself immediately and remains These seven latter-day systems were built have reached the deteriorated state of others evident in places even today. in pursuance of the Ceauşescu government’s opened earlier.

172 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Iaşi

ROMANIA

Galaţi Ploieşti Brăila

Bucureşti

RIGHT: 40-year-old Tatra T4 cars are still operating in Bucureşti both singly and in coupled-car formation. Street-running track in the older part of the city is the location for this view of car 3415 turning out of Str. Constantin on the Calea Plevnei terminal loop on 18 April 2015.

A long road to recovery This process was facilitated by a German tramway works from 1972 onwards and Although economic conditions in Romania tramway sympathiser, Günter H. Köhler, and services are now largely provided by these have improved considerably and the country culminated in cars from Germany (West and vehicles, all of which have been refurbished was admitted to the European Union in 2007, East) and Switzerland – and more recently in recent years. The majority of this work was years of hardship and austerity dating back to Austria and the Netherlands – finding their done in-house, with some work contracted the era of Communist rule have taken their way to most Romanian tramways. to the local Faur engineering company, toll. This has had a distinctive effect upon Even today, a great deal of former western but a few cars were rebuilt to a striking new tramway operation in terms of rolling stock. European trams remain in operation and design by the Electroputere works in Craiova. Before the Second World War, much places such as Iaşi exhibit the impression The use of second-hand rolling stock from rolling stock was imported, initially from the of post-war Germany before the influx of Frankfurt and München has now ceased former Habsburg Empire, though tramcar low-floor cars. Romanian engineers generally though some of the latter remain as a reserve. construction did take place in Arad, Iaşi seem to have adapted well to the relative These former three-axle cars were retrucked and possibly Timişoara. Later equipment complexities of western European rolling stock with locally-built bogies during their time was sourced from French manufacturers. and there is no doubt that these cars have been in the capital and the greater wheel diameter It was not until the early 1950s that a truly – and remain – the saviour of many systems. gave them a totally changed appearance, with indigenous tramcar industry was born, the bodies sitting higher above the track. initially at Bucureşti in 1951 and from 1954 “There is no doubt that the A fleet of TatraT4R bogie cars was at the works of Electroputere in Craiova. This supplied in 1973-75 and many are still in firm built around 200 impressive bogie cars for trams that have cascaded operation, mainly from Militari, one of the operation in Bucureşti, Oradea and Timişoara, city’s ten tram depots. The oldest of these, some of which were still in service – albeit across from Western Victoria, close to Gara de Nord, dates from heavily rebuilt – until the early years of this electrification in 1894. century. At around the same time, the works European operators have The tramway works has constructed further in Bucureşti began building simple metal- batches of new or modernised cars in recent bodied two-axle cars which were distributed been – and remain – the years. First came a series of 11 two-section across the country. Later, the works diversified six-axle articulated cars, types V2S-T and and built a large series of three-section saviour of many systems.” V2A-T, known as Bucur, of which the first two high-floor articulated cars for Bucureşti and, were double-ended; these use components even more recently, articulated cars with The tramways, as might be expected, are from withdrawn Tatra cars. In 2007-10 the low-floor sections for operation in the capital. predominantly urban in nature, but routes works rebuilt a total of 40 V2A cars as three- The next generation of bogie cars was serving areas of lower housing density survive section vehicles with modernised bodywork produced at Timişoara, in the Dâmboviţa in several places and some installations – as type V3A-2010-CH-PPC – these are largely works adjacent to one of that tramway’s most notably Craiova – retain lengthy rural to be found on route 1. Fifteen three-section two operating depots, and took the form sections serving major industrial plants. articulated cars with low-floor centre of a series of motor and trailers of identical How long these will survive in the changed sections, type Bucur LF, 401-15, were built angular design named “Timis” cars. Whilst economic climate where state subsidies for new between 2011 and 2013. cars of this type, first built in 1973, provided such industries are much reduced, leading to One of the tramway’s limitations was a useful stop-gap, performance and reliability plant closures, is uncertain. traditionally the lack of any track connection were poor and none survive in the passenger crossing the mainline railways north of Gara fleet of any Romanian tramway. During Bucureşti de Nord and Gara Basarab. This has been the last years of the Ceauşescu regime, Our survey begins in the capital, Bucureşti addressed in recent years with a massive new when everything was in short supply and (Bucharest), with a current population of viaduct spanning these multiple tracks, with electricity was rationed, it was not unusual over two million inhabitants. This city has by an elevated station for tramway passengers to witness even modern Timis tramcars any measure one of Europe’s most extensive reached by stairways and lifts (not always in operating with a slip-board in the front networks, currently with around 150km (93 working order). The opening of this new link, windscreen announcing that the car was miles) of double-track and a service network which features a new track layout at ground suffering from a technical defect and was of 24 routes, operated by Regia Autonomă de level to serve Gara Basarab, has permitted the returning (usually empty) to the depot. Transport Bucureşti.An extensive programme introduction of a new city circular route (1), The need to replace life-expired rolling of track reconstruction in recent years has replacing various separate routes and most of stock gave rise to a move to import redundant seen large sections of the network closed former trunk route 41. The enormous sweep cars from German tramways, a process for months or even years at a time, but the of this circular route provides interchange begun in early 1993 with the delivery majority is now once again fully functioning. with virtually all other radial lines – and also of cars from Frankfurt and München to A total of 362 three-section and 49 two- most trolleybus routes – and the nominal Bucureşti and from Bremen to Timişoara. section articulated cars were built in the terminal point is at Şura Mare, south of the

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Nine two-section articulated cars of this design (type V2A-T) were built in A small number of V2A and V3A cars (still the most dominant class) were rebuilt Bucureşti’s workshops between 2003 and 2008; all carry this blue livery and are to double-ended form to cope with route truncation during construction of the based at Militari depot in the west of the city; 3008 is pictured on 4 September 2011 Parliament Palace building. These conversions have proved their worth even at the newly-installed junction east of Gara de Nord, where the low-level lines to after the immediate need for them was removed; 245 is shown at the temporary and from Gara Basarab meet the elevated section that now carries trams across the terminus of line 5 at Băneasa, with a superimposed crossover (Kletterweiche) main railway lines and has permitted introduction of city circular route 1. installed during track reconstruction works.

city centre. Various tram types operate upon it but it is also here that the largest number of most recently at Băneasa on route 5. Cars new low-floor cars will be found. 4037-44 are of type V3A-93-2S and are Many will be familiar with the modernisations of V2A-2S stock. megalomaniac policies of the former dictator The present fleet totals around 515 cars Ceauşescu and his wife, Elena, whose flights with intensive services 05.00-01.00 on of fancy gave rise to some astonishing weekdays; weekends see significantly reduced policy gyrations, from which the tramways frequencies. All cars are one-person-operated were sadly not spared. For example, tracks with tickets that must be purchased in advance. in Bucureşti north of Piaţa Victoriei were Two-trip tickets must be validated in the relocated from the main Bulevardul Ion onboard machines whilst for the visitor the Mihalache to an adjacent minor thoroughfare most useful facility is the day ticket (RON8/ at the behest of Elena, whose journeys to EUR1.8) sold from kiosks such as at Gara de and from the hairdresser were apparently Acquisitions from Frankfurt-am-Main and Nord. Some kiosks also sell the official transport impeded by the trams’ presence, only for the München joined the Bucureşti fleet in 1993-98. All plan, a comprehensive guide to transport in new tracks to be torn up and reinstated in the the Frankfurt cars have been sold but several from the city that also acts as a street map. main street on the orders of her husband. München have been retained for works duties, such as 2663, seen at Dudeşti depot in May 2011. The original One of these policies involved the building three-axle trucks were replaced with conventional Ploieşti of the enormous Parliament Palace, designed bogies, completely altering the cars’ appearance. Around 60km (37 miles) to the north lies the to exceed Versailles in size and scope but city of Ploieşti, capital of the Prahova district which succeeded only in razing to the ground turning circle and as Bucureşti’s trams were and in the heart of the Romanian oil field. huge tracts of historic Bucureşti with its traditionally of single-ended design a batch Its current population is a little over 200 000 elegant French-style buildings that once of cars had hurriedly to be put through the and the standard gauge tramway here opened caused the city to be dubbed ‘The Paris of works and converted to double-ended layout in December 1987, the last of several in that the East’. An effect of this construction was for use on route 32, truncated to a new year and the penultimate new system of the the severing, at short notice, of the through stub terminus on the south-west corner of Communist era. Like all the others built in that tram service across Piaţa Unirii; the current Piaţa Unirii. Double-ended cars remained period, it was cheaply and quickly constructed terminal loop at Piaţa Sf. Gheorghe is a legacy a minority in the fleet after room was later and by April 2014 track deterioration had of this development. found for a turning circle, yet have proved reached the point where the entire system had On the western side of the new main their worth more recently on temporary to be closed. At the time of writing, one route boulevard, no room could be found for a shuttle services during track reconstruction, (101) had reopened on 31 December 2015 but “In Bucharest an extensive programme of track reconstruction has seen large sections of the network closed for long periods, but the majority is now fully functioning again.”

Whilst still in Potsdam livery, Ploieşti 079 (ex- The Ploieşti tramway has a close relationship with Potsdam 044) has lost its original operator’s insignia During the recent lengthy suspension of service in the museum collection at Mariazell, Austria, and a but makes no secret of its provenance with the banner Ploieşti, the opportunity was taken to refresh the ex- number of historic cars have been transferred. This is greeting at the top of the windscreen. Seen on Gara de Potsdam trams with a new livery, illustrated by Tatra Lohner type M car (formerly 4085 in the Wien fleet), on Vest terminal loop of route 102 on 25 August 2011. KT4DM car 075, formerly Potsdam 027. Cristina Albu display at Parcul Nichita Stanescu in August 2011.

174 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org The junction at Piaţa Dorobanţi in the south of Brăila sees cars from two former Imperial capitals passing a newly-constructed Orthodox church on 21 April 2015. Facing is former Berlin KT4D 9060 of 1977 which, like all other acquired trams in this city, retains its original fleet number; heading north is ex-WienE1 car 4689, built by SGP in 1968. the other (102) remains closed but is expected spontaneous combustion were supposedly the roads excavated well below base course to re-open during spring 2016. quite good enough for the citizens of Ploieşti. to provide solid foundations for the future. The network initially featured three routes, This rumpus seems to have subsided and they The result is track of exemplary quality, of which only the two above survive. These now represent the normal trolleybus output fully up to best western European standards, start from a common terminus at the hospital on the system. with consequently impressive riding (Spitalul Judetean) and branch after about The current Ploieşti tariff includes single characteristics. The most recent section to be 2km (1.2 miles) to the railway stations at Sud journey tickets at RON2 (EUR0.45) and day rebuilt, the western branch to Chercea used by and Vest respectively. At Armoniei on the ‘rover’ tickets for RON7 (EUR1.55) that route 23, reopened at the beginning of 2015. Gara de Sud line can be found the fossilised allow unlimited travel on tram, trolleybus Today’s Brăila tramway is served entirely remains of a triangular junction that once and local motor bus routes. by second-hand rolling stock; despite the took trams due east to Uztel, serving the oil small working fleet (28 motor cars and one refinery district. This route had been closed Brăila trailer) these come from no fewer than three by 1995 and has not reopened. A river port in Muntenia on the Danube delta different nations. The first series was a batch The first rolling stock comprised a mixture with a population of around 180 000, Brăila of ten Grossraumwagen motors and trailers of motor and trailer bogie Timis sets together is one of two tramways in the eastern part from Nürnberg (West Germany) but these with some three-section V3A articulated of the country close to the Black Sea coast. are all now withdrawn save for one pair cars of the Bucureşti type; one modernised Its standard gauge tramway is one of the (237+1610) retained primarily for private hire example of the latter remains in the passenger country’s oldest, having opened in June 1900 but which also see occasional service use. fleet. TheTimis cars had the usual short and with continuous operation ever since. Others remain in outdoor storage at Vidin service life and replacements came in the form The unusual town layout features a depot as a source of spare parts. of Tatra KT4D articulated cars from Potsdam. central area of concentric crescent-shaped Later acquisitions from Germany came These were initially operated in the green/ arteries, two of which are served by trams. in the form of two-section Tatra KT4D grey Potsdam livery but four later acquired In all, five routes are operated, broadly on a articulated cars released by Berlin. These a locally-developed yellow/grey or yellow/ north-south axis, with one of the two depots retain the latter-day Berlin orange/ivory white/grey colourscheme; 32 ex-Potsdam cars situated beyond the northern terminal livery and are predominantly used on routes are included in the current fleet and a new loop at Vidin. The second depot, which 23 and 24 but may also be found on the trunk predominantly yellow colourscheme is being contains the maintenance facilities, is at routes 21/22. The latter are mainly served by applied to the serviceable cars. Radu Negru, effectively at the limit of the two further batches of articulated cars: ten There is also a two-route trolleybus system, urban development on the south side of the E1 cars built by SGP that originated in Wien dating from 1997. The first five Romanian- town; beyond this the relatively infrequent (Vienna) and retain that city’s red/white built ROCAR two-axle vehicles, and route 24 continues to the industrial complex livery together with the characteristic subsequent five BerlietE100 vehicles acquired at Celhart Donaris, though in the summer circular route-number at the front nearside, from St-Étienne (France), have all now been season extra services operate as route 25 to and ten Werkspoor cars of 1968 from withdrawn. They have been replaced by a turning circle at Lacul Sărat for bathers Rotterdam. Unlike their compatriots in Galaţi a fleet of FBW articulated vehicles from visiting the nearby inland lake. (q.v.), the Brăila examples are all finished in Genève and, more recently, the 25 surviving From 2010, the majority of the tramway Rotterdam’s white/green livery. Neoplan low-floor articulated trolleybuses was closed for complete reconstruction and The Rotterdam and Wien cars provide the delivered to Lausanne in 2002 for which in 2011, for example, only a small section basic services on the two north-south trunk the Swiss authorities subsequently revoked between Parc Monument and Lacul Sărat routes 21 and 22, linking Vidin and Radu the operating certificate. Their arrival in remained in operation. At the time of writing, Negru with alternative city centre routeings Ploieşti at the behest of the Mayor provoked line 22 was temporarily closed for partial via Bulevardul Independenţei and Bulevardul a storm of local protest, with allegations that reconstruction. The rebuilding works have Dorobanţilor respectively. These routes vehicles deemed unsuitable for operation been nothing if not thorough and tracks operate 05.00-23.00 daily; lines 23, 24 and 25 in Switzerland owing to their propensity to have been completely reconstructed, with feature slightly earlier finishing times.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 175 Romania

In 2005, Brăila acquired ten three-section GT8 cars Robust but basic Timis bogie cars kept Romanian An international line-up in the yard of Radu Negru from Rotterdam, originally built by Werkspoor as tramways operating in the hard years but none now depot on 27 August 2011. Left to right: ex-Rotterdam GT6 cars in 1968-69. On 21 April 2015 car 1613 is about survive in regular service. A few examples can be found Werkspoor GT8 1613, former Wien SGP-built E1 car to cross Pod Brailita, the overbridge spanning the retained for works duties, such as Brăila 69 of 1980, kept 4633, Berlin Tatra KT4D 9069 and another Wien railway south of the elongated Vidin terminal loop. for snow clearance and overhead line inspection duties. E1 car, 4672.

The fourth route, 24, is normally served only around 250 000, opened just one day after An impression has been created over recent by one car on an hourly frequency between those of their neighbour in June 1900, but in years – perhaps unfairly – that the tramways Parc Monument and Celhart Donaris; often contradistinction were laid to metre-gauge. of Galaţi do not really know their own mind. this is an ex-Berlin KT4 car, and this route A network of routes was built up serving For example, a completely new street-running was historically the last haunt of a small the surroundings of the central area but route opened in 1993 from the established number of Timis bogie cars. the last closed at the end of 1975. In the terminal loop at Gara CFR (the railway Land south of Radu Negru is largely meantime, a completely new standard- station) to the Danube river station (Gara undeveloped, though people living rough in gauge system was created, with the first line fluvială) but this was already out of service by the area adjacent to the industrial complex may opening in 1969. The purpose of the new 1995. Tramway operation is retained to the often be found travelling onboard the cars. system was to link the huge new steelworks eastern docks terminus at Bazinul Nou (from Brăila trams are one-person-operated with complex to the west of the city to the new which views of neighbouring Ukraine can single tickets at RON1.5 (EUR0.33) available housing estates built on the outskirts of be enjoyed across Lacul Brateş) despite the in advance from kiosks. A separate RON1.5 the old town to house workers and those fact that the last 3km (1.9 miles) or so of the ticket is required for route 24. There are no displaced from rural villages under central route are effectively undeveloped. Long-term day tickets available. government policies. A large network re-routeing during track reconstruction in developed, with convoluted routeings, many the steeply-graded Str. Basarabiei during the Galaţi special services operated only at shift-change 1990s and early 2000s resulted in a lengthy The electric tramways of Galaţi, a major city times, and the creation of outer-suburban diversion via Str. Bucoviniei; some of the on the Danube delta around 35km (22 miles) links avoiding the city’s commercial centre. latter track has since been lifted following north of Brăila and with a population of It is currently operated by Transurb S.A. completion of the reconstruction works.

ABOVE: Being a port city, Galaţi endures high volumes of commercial vehicle traffic and at Piaţa Aurel Vlaicu on 26 August 2011, Tatra KT4D car 1347 (formerly Berlin 9065) threads its way through an array of parked vehicles on special route 46 for the shift-change at the Mittal steelworks.

BELOW: After a long period of suspension, tramway operation to the port terminus at Bazinul Nou has recently resumed. Car 1324, a Tatra KT4D that originated in Berlin as 9101, stands on the terminal loop in August 2011 in the company of some of the feral dogs that unfortunately plague the country, whilst awaiting departure on route 8 to Piaţa Centrala. ABOVE: The Mittal steelworks in Galaţi is visible in the far distance of this view at Piaţa Energiei on 26 August 2011, with two consecutively-numbered former Rotterdam cars engaged on works special duties. In the foreground is 1251 (Rotterdam 803) in the yellow livery, whilst 1252 (804) carries the later green/white Rotterdam colours.

RIGHT: During the lengthy closure of the viaduct linking Piaţa Energiei with the Mittal steelworks, tramway service was truncated to the turning loop at Liceul-9 at the eastern end of the structure. Car 1529, a Düwag ZGT6 formerly in the Rotterdam fleet, executes the manoeuvre on 20 April 2015.

176 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org The track along Str. Anastasie Panu was closed for reconstruction for some years but had reopened when this view was taken on 23 April 2015 at Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare. The Iaşi tramway’s love affair with theGT4 has moved it to acquire former Stuttgart cars that have also passed through the hands of other operators; 125 began life as Stuttgart 703 and passed through the fleets of Freiburg-im-Breisgau and Halle before reaching Romania in 2003.

Traffic to and from the steelworks, now Following re-opening of the viaduct the operated by Arcelor Mittal, has traditionally following regular routes were in operation: been of great importance but a significant 6 (Arcelor Mittal – Bazinul Nou); 7 (Micro change in fortunes took place in September 19 – Piaţa Centrală) and 39 (Cimitir Israelit – 2014 when all operation to the steelworks Micro 19) (Micro is the Romanian term for a abruptly ceased. This was mainly the result housing estate composed of high-rise flats). of major faults detected in the long viaduct Line 39 is the only route to carry a frequent spanning the valley and main railway line service. The section beyond Bariera Traian A group of ten cars dating from 1976 and 1982 was that linked Str Basarabiei with the works, to Cimitir Israelit had been out of use for acquired from Darmstadt in 2007-08. Iaşi 280 is one as a result of which there was a fear that the many years and was only recently reinstated. of the older series, formerly Darmstadt ST10 7605, structure was in danger of collapse. The In addition, at steelworks shift changes cars built by Waggon-Union. On 22 April 2015 it was seen at Piaţa Unirii heading east with the impressive entire viaduct closed to all traffic except operate on lines 1 (Arcelor Mittal – Comat), edifice of the Hotel Traian, designed by no less a cyclists and pedestrians and tram service was 3 (Arcelor Mittal – Micro 19), 5 (Micro 19 – figure than Gustave Eiffel, in the background. curtailed to a turning circle at Liceul-9 at the Bazinul Nou) and 42 (Comat – Bazinul Nou). eastern end, a short distance from the main Galaţi also has a two-route trolleybus operating depot near Piaţa Energiei. system, recently re-equipped with three Astra The steelworks itself is under threat of 415T vehicles assembled in Romania and ten closure and has been subject to reduced MAZ 203T trolleybuses built in Belarus. It is employment for some time. Following intended to buy 14 new vehicles. emergency repairs to the viaduct, however, It may seem surprising that a visitor to limited tram operation resumed on 29 June Galaţi could spend time in the city and 2015; a local shuttle route within the area of the remain blissfully unaware of the existence of steelworks, requiring double-ended or coupled the tramway, even at its full extent. None of cars, was discontinued at an earlier date. the routes penetrate the city centre proper, Initial rolling stock for the standard-gauge the terminus at Piaţa Centrală (currently out system came with Tatra T4R cars delivered of use due to reconstruction works) being The latest acquisitions from Augsburg are ten GT8 new. A small number survived on the roster some way north of the parts frequented by three-section articulated cars built by MAN; 805, seen until recently, while other Tatra T4D bogie visitors. The network, developed primarily at Dacia depot, preceded the rest of the batch by more cars were later acquired from Dresden and as an adjunct to the steelworks, would not be than two years, arriving in Iaşi in November 2009; like Magdeburg but all are now withdrawn. visible to any but the most intrepid visitor. its compatriots, it retains its Augsburg fleet number. Other early acquisitions were five motor and Tickets can be pre-purchased from kiosks or trailer Grossraum sets of class L bogie cars drivers and are priced at RON1.5 (EUR0.3) for a from Frankfurt-am-Main and it is perhaps single journey and RON5 for a day ticket giving surprising that three of these motor cars unlimited journeys on all public transport. remain; one has been adapted for works duties but at least one other was receiving workshop Iaşi attention in April 2015 for continued service. Nestling amongst the foothills of the scenic The majority of today’s fleet consists of north-eastern region of Romania, only a Düwag ZGT6 models from Rotterdam, most in short distance from the borders with the the older livery of yellow with orange and grey former Soviet republics of Moldova and relief; around 30 remain in stock but only a Ukraine, is the historic and attractive city few are needed for daily service. Around seven of Iaşi, today with a population of around The workshop facilities in Iaşi’s Gara depot on 29 serviceable former Berlin KT4D articulated 290 000. It also features one of the country’s August 2011, showing spare bogies in the foreground cars also remain available for traffic. finest tramways, laid to metre-gauge, and and car 328, formerly Stuttgart 408, behind.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 177 Romania

which, with its large fleet of former German articulated tramcars, now recreates the atmosphere of a German city in the 1970s and ’80s before it was swamped with the products of the low-floor revolution. Electric tramways came to Iaşi in March 1900. They were the first public transport in the city – many of the streets were too steep for horse-drawn operation. A compact five-route network developed, with latterly intensive operations by two-axle cars serving traditional areas of this old city; some wooden-bodied four-wheel cars built in the local tramway company’s workshops in the inter-war years survived until the mid-1970s. Under the Communist era, Iaşi expanded with large high-rise housing developments to the west of the old city for workers in the newly-developed industrial zone to the south and east. The old tram system was greatly enlarged to cope with these increased transport needs and eventually a network of 12 routes was in operation. The old depot close to the railway station One of the Stuttgart GT4 cars was extensively reconstructed in 2013 by Electroputere VFU Pascani but is no was complemented by a new facility a few longer in service owing to a contractural dispute; 302, ex-Stuttgart 469, parked up at Gara depot on 23 April 2015. hundred metres beyond the new terminus at Dacia, one of the new multi-storey housing developments, and both remain in use today. Parts of Iaşi are hilly and the trams provide useful connections. Between the city centre at Târgu Cucu and the intermediate turning loop at Tatăraşi Nord, a steep declivity takes the cars first down to a crossing with Bulevardul Tudor Vladimirescu and then up again on reserved track towards Tatăraşi. On the northern line to Copou, which climbs continuously after taking the junction west of Piaţa Unirii, high volumes of traffic are generated from the Both operational museum cars on the Iaşi tramway Another flashback in time in Iaşi: previous university quarter through which this route at Copou terminus on an enthusiasts’ tour on 23 April acquisitions from Darmstadt, now withdrawn, were passes on its way to the terminus. 2015. Leading is a replica of one of the original fleet of these class ST7 articulated cars built by DWM in 1962; As elsewhere in Romania, extensive track electric cars; behind is 100, one of the few surviving 103 is en route to Dacia on 13 June 2007 climbing the upgrading has taken place in recent years. standard Bucureşti-built two-axle cars supplied to viaduct to Bulevardul Alexandru cel Bun, with a The link along Str. Anastasie Panu, passing Romanian tramways in the 1950s and ’60s. panorama of the city visible behind. the impressive Palace, reopened in 2014 after a lengthy closure, whilst planned track the HEAG at Darmstadt, but examples of In Dacia there is also an ST7 from Darmstadt reconstruction through the industrial zone the unusual MAN five-axle configuration (103) and a Tatra T4R (262) saved for a future of Calea Chişinăului has also been finished. operated in Augsburg have now been museum project, while the other depot near The future of the segment from Tepro to withdrawn and all but one scrapped. the station has a Timis motor car and trailer. Ţuţora, currently closed, is uncertain. From Bern (Switzerland) have come a small In addition, the workshops at Depoul Gara Often the route layout and provision of number of Swiss Standard motor cars and developed a thriving restoration business alternative tracks on this system allows for trailers that retain their original livery and are for western European museums (especially maintenance of operation on unaffected usually to be found on route 3 (Gara to Dancu). Mariazell in Austria) and the creation of sections by judicious temporary service Some of Bern’s later articulated cars of 1973 replicas for operators’ own cars. Unfortunately, reorganisation. Features of the system include have also found their way here, whilst the this enterprising sideline has now ceased. the bridge of Bulevardul Alexandru cel Bun most recent fleet additions have beenGT8 cars In addition to the single RON2 (EUR0.45) spanning the railway line south of the main from Augsburg with their deeper, Mannheim- tickets, which must be bought in advance station, offering panoramic views of the city. style windscreens. Until arrival of the first cars and validated on the cars, Iaşi offers a day The most recent development has been the from Germany, Tatra T4 bogie cars dominated ticket which at RON8 represents a bargain reopening of the southern line to C.U.G. 2 the local tramway scene but just one has been for those wishing to explore one of the most (a terminus now known as Tehnopolis), retained for museum purposes. interesting of Romania’s 11 tramway systems. closed in 1997 following an accident. The line Iaşi has a well-developed enthusiast Iaşi also developed a six-route trolleybus has been totally rebuilt and was ceremonially movement in the local Tramclub. Pride of system from 1985 but this was progressively reopened in December 2015. the historic fleet is car 1, a replica built for closed, the last route operating in 2006. Iaşi was quick to acquire GT4 articulated the tramway’s centenary in 1998, with AEG tramcars from Stuttgart, released in the course controllers and unvestibuled bodywork. Continued next month of that city’s regauging programme, and seems The undertaking has also restored one of to have embarked on something of a love affair the once-ubiquitous Romanian standard with the type: over 100 have been acquired, two-axle cars built by ITB in Bucureşti in the NOTES including examples released by Halle, 1950s and 1960s. Set aside at Dacia depot for Nordhausen and Augsburg, such that the future display are several cars of types no This series of articles is intended as a general centre of Iaşi at times resembles the Stuttgart longer operated: an ex-Augsburg five-axle overview of the present situation in Romania. of old. One GT4 (302, ex-Stuttgart 469) has articulated car (354), and 365, a V2A Whilst outline historical information is given by way of background, it is not a full history either been extensively rebuilt by Electroputere articulated car built in Bucureşti, originally of the country’s tramways or of any individual VFU Pascani but is no longer in use owing to numbered 352, which enjoyed a relatively system. The information given is the best a dispute between that firm and the operator. short service life. Iaşi had the only available at the time of going to press. Additional German cars have come from metre- gauge examples of this design.

178 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Advertorials CONNECTING RIO WITH CLEAN TRANSPORTATION The first phase of the new Rio de Janeiro Plate connector, made by ITT Interconnect tramway will open this April, paving the way Solutions, ensures this energy transfer. for the opening of the entire 28km (17.4-mile) Power Plate is a multi-pole power line in time for the 2016 Olympic Games. interconnection engineered for high power The new line is a key part of the city’s plan applications in high-stress environments, to provide safe, comfortable transportation customised for Alstom’s specific Ecopack for hundreds of thousands of visitors and requirements. The connector links the spectators during the two weeks of sporting regenerative power equipment with events – and beyond – in a clean and supercapacitors on the roof of the vehicle environmentally-responsible way. that store the energy for later use. The new network is a catenary-free urban “We needed a prototype designed to system and has been designed to consume complement our system, and we needed it less energy than traditional networks, which fast,” explained Massimo Rigoselli, Alstom’s carry a heavier carbon cost. The Alstom Technical Manager of Trams, based in Sesto Citadis trams for the network will also allow San Giovanni, Italy, where the vehicles passengers to take in the sights of the city were designed. “ITT Veam lived up to our without the clutter of overhead wires. expectation – they provided a model beyond The technology behind the innovative our specifications on a very tight deadline.” traction supply is Ecopack – a regenerative Power Plate features a specialised double system that stores energy collected during latching mechanism that provides a rapid braking in supercapacitors and taps back into and safe connect and disconnect, meets it during the ride. railway standards on smoke and fire Ecopack, with its strict size, weight and protection and saves space due to its unique The Power Plate's power specifications, functions in large part receptacle and plug dimensions. unique latching due to a specialised interconnect that enables Alstom plans to make Ecopack, along with mechanism allows rapid and safe the collection and transfer of energy to the Power Plate, standard equipment on all of its connection and tram’s onboard batteries. The Veam Power catenary-free trams in the future. disconnection. A NEW TRAM FOR IZMIR Stephane Pottier, Design Director of MBD Design, shares his experience in creating a new vehicle for the Turkish coastal city.

When thinking about the design of a new tramway has to offer a stylish and timeless tramway for the Turkish city of Izmir, we vehicle that will visually blend with traffic had to consider what makes Izmir such conditions for years to come. a remarkable place. With a rich cultural Our design is inspired by current heritage, the city is also world famous for its automotive trends of dynamism, with seaside scenery and atmosphere – an exciting sophisticated shapes and details. The and unique context to be translated into a headlights demonstrate a feel of refined and highly individual tramway. almost feminine ‘eyes’, while the livery is During our initial study we were given the an evocative mix representing the seaside freedom to explore any interesting ideas, atmosphere, with different shades of blue aside from incorporating a few key corporate along the vehicle’s lines and a wavy pattern identity items in our proposals. Having to give the impression of animation. already produced the design of the latest- If exterior design is more about style generation Izmir metro helped as we were and dynamism, we believe that interiors well aware of the customer’s expectations. should be more about warmth and a feeling For this project we worked closely with the of ‘home’. Here we emphasised colourful manufacturer, Hyundai Rotem, as trams are and sophisticated decoration, expressive of very specific vehicles; unlike metros or EMUs, welcoming Turkish interiors, with added they are almost always built on generic clues of beach and seaside character. technical platforms to keep development We were given some influence over costs reasonable. As such we had to be very materials and textures, but we are well cautious regarding the initial technical aware of the ratio between the visibility and specifications as any interference with items influence of a design feature versus its cost. ‘heavy’ items such as main fitting panels, the such as the front coupler or internal structure For example, modifying a sidewall panel can ceiling and main lighting. can lead to significant additional cost. cost a lot with little effect on the final result, Our first tramway project in Turkey was For the two new tramlines along the coast, but more detailed handrails and grabpoles a really interesting experience with a unique we have reflected an atmosphere of leisure cost very little (provided that you don’t move mix of European and Middle Eastern culture. in an overall appearance of lightness and the fixing points) yet can totally change We hope the people of Izmir are proud of vacation, without forgetting that a modern the feeling. As such we avoided modifying their new tramway.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 179 Medellín

RIGHT AND BELOW RIGHT: A Metro de Medellín NTL STE5 undergoing testing on the Ayacucho tramway on 10 February 2016.

MEDELLÍN’S MIRACLE Colombia’s second city has undergone a transformation in the 21st Century, fuelled by investment in innovative urban transit systems.

or many years Medellín, Colombia’s November 1995. The latest addition, a short facilities and libraries built around the stations. second city, enjoyed a reputation south-western line A extension from Itagüí These are now vibrant and thriving centres of as the world’s most violent city to La Estrella opened in September 2012 and the communities that the gondola serves. as conflicts between rival drug the system now carries over a half a million Reportedly saving its users up to COP50 000 barons ruled the streets in many passengers per day. To bolster the existing (EUR14) per month in commuting costs – the neighbourhoods.F Just 25 years ago the annual 42-train fleet, an order for a further 20 average monthly wage is 589 500 (approx. homicide rate neared 400 per 100 000 residents. three-car sets was placed with CAF in July EUR165) – the benefits have been tremendous The killing of infamous drug baron Pablo 2015; the Spanish manufacturer delivered 13 for this new mode, the first time a gondola has Escobar in 1993 marked a turning point in three-car sets under a contract signed in 2009, been integrated into a mass transit system in the city’s recovery, spurring a wave of social with an option for a further three more trains any city. Two further Metrocable lines opened investment that included development of agreed in 2014). in 2008 (Line J: San Javier Metro Station – La sustainable transportation systems and But while the metro serves the city’s core Aurora ) and 2010 (Line L – a tourist-oriented improvements of the urban environment and there was still a need to address mobility line from the line K station at Santo Domingo reclamation of communal spaces. for the hundreds of thousands living in the to Arví Park, designed to develop tourism). Although the city had a short-lived horse barrios that crowd the steep mountain slopes tramway in the late 19th Century and an of the Aburrá Valley in which Medellín is The Ayacucho tram electrified line that ran for three decades from located. Traditionally some of the most Developing a reputation for innovative 1921, modern Medellín suffers many of the dangerous areas of the metropolitan area, transport, the latest addition to the Metro de issues common to cities in Latin and South travel into downtown areas from these simple Medellín network launched in October 2015. America: clogged central corridors, potholed cinderblock shanty towns used to take three A rubber-tyred tramway was identified roads and smog from increasing road traffic. to four hours for informal workers. as the solution for the ‘Ayacucho’ corridor Much of this is driven by the hordes of private This all changed with the opening of the connecting Metro line B along the steep minibuses that serve the city’s transport needs. first Metrocable gondola lift system to the corridor heading east to connect to two north-eastern barrio of Santo Domingo Savio future Metrocable lines in 2008 and Metro and Metrocable in August 2004. Serving an area inaccessible by construction of a 4.3km (2.7-mile) line began From initial plans that date back to the bus routes, line K significantly improved travel in 2013. A USD320m budget was allocated 1980s, the first section of what is now a times into the city, also helping to reshape for the project, largely funded by French 35.5km (19.4-mile) two-line metro opened in the social fabric with sports and educational Government credit.

180 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Using a single guide rail, the fleet of 12 NTL An aerial view of the barrios from the Metrocable (formerly Translohr) STE5 cars can negotiate gondola system. steep gradients (up to 12%) on the line, which serves nine stations. The 39m STE5 vehicles have a turning radius of just 10.5m. It is reported that approximately 7000t of

CO2 annually will be reduced in Medellín by the new line, expected to carry up to 85 000 passengers/day once fully open. Alstom, leader of the UT Alstom-Sytecsa consortium, has provided the line’s electrical systems, engineering, traction equipment and substations along the nine-station line. Project management was managed by its Spanish subsidiary, while consortium partner Sytecsa completed the installation. Despite the announcements, much of the line was still to open in early 2016 (see TAUT contributor Dave Spencer’s impressions, below). Yet the story doesn’t stop there. Authorities have mooted a monorail to link low-income neighbourhoods in the north-east of the city and further rubber-tyred tramlines are planned to link the nine satellite cities that make up the Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Area, with the aim of achieving one million public transport passenger journeys per day by 2020. All images courtesy of Dave Spencer/PMP Films – February 2016

OPINION: DAVE SPENCER Latin America causes goosepimples in even the most ardent transport enthusiast, but reading up I soon found that far from a 'new' destination Colombia was already convention central for many Canadian and American companies. Bus Rapid Transit is very much the baby of the Colombian transport planner, with large cities without much cash in the till adopting what seems like a cheap option by allocating bus lanes and arranging for the latest large-capacity vehicles from Brazil. I witnessed them from the capital Bogotá up through Medellín to the Caribbean coast at Cartegena. Bogotá, under the TransMilenio brand, is trying to rationalise the many private operators duplicating routes which add to pollution levels. Another initiative is the Sunday closure of city roads for cyclists and runners – an idea now exported to other countries. BRT systems are the first steps towards government control of transport provision in a country which is still dominated by fierce private competition with cash-in-hand fare payments the norm. The Ayacucho interchange at San Antonia is reached fairly swiftly on a very crowded Metro train, yet my heart sank as I negotiated the maze of exits to reach the 'tram' line. It was a sea of orange plastic fencing and building work – one NTL car stood fenced in, while a mock San Francisco tram stood on sleepers like a sick joke. A French engineer confirmed my fears; the reports of a launch in 2015 had been vastly overstated. Something took place, but it certainly hadn't been fare-paying passenger service and those taken on free rides must have travelled on sections short of the terminus. Basic infrastructure was in working order, but from access points, fare collection, electronics and final civils along the carriageway there was obviously much work still to do. After 17.00 on weekdays trial running was undertaken and as the bright sun ducked down and cast shadows the vehicles emerged, with police, security and Metro staff clearing the path. Worried engineers clutched clipboards with pages of items ticked or crossed – surely real completion can’t be that far off?

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 181 Advertorial LYON TRAM: AN AESTHETICALLY BEAUTIFUL NETWORK

Artist's impression of T6 in Lyon’s États Unis (United States) district, where the new line will cross T4, by SYSTRA’s local partner architect . SYSTRA'S TRACK RECORD Ilex Urbanisme et Paysage SYSTRA has a strong track-record in light rail. Of the 28 tramway systems in France, SYSTRA has designed and delivered 21. These include Over the last ten years, SYSTRA engineers have been designing and developing new techniques, the designs for the overseeing the construction of many parts of Lyon's tram network. world’s first catenary-free tramway in Bordeaux using a ground power system, on-board energy yon's first lines, T1 and T2, were passengers, visitors and residents alike. storage in Paris and low floor trams in Nantes. SYSTRA has managed over 30 tramway simultaneously opened in 2001, Of course, another advantage of this grass projects worldwide including Copenhagen, with lines T3, T4 and T5 opening in trackbed technology lies in its efficient rain Casablanca and Dubai, as well as energy 2006, 2009 and 2012 respectively. water drainage. Lyon’s tramway is already efficient tramways in Qatar. At the end of 2015, an extension of well-known for its landscape throughout the Lline T3 to Lyon's new “Stadium of Light” was network. These soft features provide each of also delivered by SYSTRA. the city’s boulevards with its own identity. Alstom Citadis Today SYSTRA is project managing the In Lyon, SYSTRA has worked in tandem tram on the detailed design phase of Lyon’s new 7km with local urban landscape architects, Ilex 14.6km line T3. (four miles) line T6, an extension of T1 from Urbanisme et Paysage, since 2006 to create the Debourg to Hôpitaux Est, which will add look and feel of the tram’s interface with the another 13 stops to the network. It is hoped urban environment. that Lyon’s Transport Authority - SYTRAL - will approve the final design by the end of Up for the challenge summer 2016, with construction to begin SYSTRA’s Lyon Managing Director, Olivier soon after and expected completion within Colombat, states that "Designing and three years. Commissioning is due in 2019. delivering urban tramway schemes is in our DNA" and, for him, the most challenging Lyon's green lines aspect of this new line will involve Parts of Lyon’s existing tramways are intersections with the existing tramlines affectionately known as ‘green lines’, like T2 and T4. Where the new line crosses many other recent tram success stories across the existing tramway, this will also have France - in Bordeaux, Paris and Le Havre - part implications during construction, where of the trackbed on T6 will be laid out on a the build will have to be completed without ‘grass carpet’ which provides a much softer closing the existing services. aesthetic for urban ‘concrete’ environments SYSTRA will also be leading the testing and and has proved incredibly popular with commissioning phase of the T6 project. “Designing and delivering urban tramway schemes is in our DNA.”

An example of the 'green lines' on T4. SYTRAL Map showing the planned route of line T6, which will run from Avenue Debourg to Boulevard Pinel Hôpitaux Est .

182 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Lyon Croydon

Aarhus

Nottingham

Angers

Bordeaux

Dublin Luas www.systra.co.uk Lyon

With metro lines opened in the 1970s, the 21st Century has seen Lyon SYSTEMS FRANCE developing a tramway that has become the FACTFILE Lyon much larger of the two systems, also adding No. Lyon, tram-train rolling stock. 104 France Neil Pulling explores.

ying with Marseille as of its considerable tourism appeal. Citadis 302 programme was initiated, with the France's second city, Lyon Towards the southern end is Gare 838 heads south first openings in 1978. Incorporated is the core of its second- Lyon-Perrache, the principal station from Gare de Lyon- in the system, rack-fitted line C is the largest metropolitan up to the high-speed era and still a Perrache on a short oldest and shortest line at just 2.5km section of T1 added area with a population transport concentration. (1.55 miles), also the only one not in 2005. Vapproaching 2.2 million. The city lies An attractive city backdrop, terrain using rubber-tyred stock. Metro lines about 395km (247 miles) south-east of west of Presqu’île across the Saône A and B are respectively east-west and the capital, Paris. Métropole de Lyon deterred growth, hence Lyon’s mainly north-south, with both now due for has represented the 59 communes and eastwards expansion and, in turn, conversion to automatic operation. 1.3 million residents which constitute the reason for today's tramway mainly Automatic from the outset in 1991, the urban transport network’s main being east of the Rhône. The original and becoming driverless when coverage since January 2015. National system once used a mix of metre extended to 12.6km (7.8 miles) in reorganisation effective from January and standard gauge tracks served the December 1992, line D is the longest. 2016 created Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes city and outer communities between Metro extension and upgrading region, of which Lyon is the capital, as 1880 and 1957. It had significant has continued, but it is increasing it is for Rhône département. coverage in the tightly-packed old tramway coverage that has most Founded by the Romans, Lyon’s centre and to the west, unlike today’s characterised Lyon’s network in the early history and rise to prominence system which has more spacious 21st Century; the suburban reach was concentrated on land north of settings and generally freedom from of trams now far exceeds that of the the confluence of the Rhône and traffic conflicts. metro. With the metro, C-designated Saône rivers. Often picturesque, The implications of ever more All photographs by bus/trolleybus routes and funiculars, Presqu’île (‘the peninsular’) remains bus services and cars to serve the Neil Pulling unless the tramway constitutes the ‘lignes the heart of Lyon and the main source growing city were such that a metro otherwise stated. fortes’ – services with a high frequency.

184 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org www.systra.co.uk

THE FLEET

The two liveries on the 2.4m-wide, 100% low-floor, bi-directional Alstom Citadis fleet are predominately white. Earlier stock has graphics representing the city skyline, with later models featuring a dotted pattern. Trams carry an 08xx number series, normally identified as 8xx, and show the last two digits on cab windows. Deliveries of the 32m, five-section type 302 with a 272-capacity began with 801 in April 2000, with several batches up to 873 by 2009. It was a Lyon Citadis identified as the 1000th of the type, with 844 featuring a gold livery. Mirror silver was used on 856 to mark the T3 inauguration and on 875 (used on T3) for T5’s launch. Carrying up to 400 passengers, seven-section, 43m type 402 numbered 874-886 were introduced to improve capacity on T3’s shared tracks. With options for seven more exercised in November 2015, this made 92 Citadis delivered/ordered for Lyon. Rhônexpress services are provided by six three-section, 27m Stadler Tango vehicles. The 100km/h-capable (62mph) Tango has 71 seats and dedicated luggage space; they are maintained at the consortium’s own depot near Meyzieu ZI stop.

ABOVE: Handling T1 and T2, Perrache tramstop is below the elevated main line station.

LEFT: Meyzieu Z.I. one of the three stops handling both Rhônexpress and T3.

BELOW LEFT: Contrasting Alstom rail vehicles near the Tobacco Factory university site, with 865 on T4.

BELOW: Citadis 402 880 on the T3/T4 junction, with the Part- Dieu-Villette-Sud platforms added for the stadium service to the right.

“Métropole de Lyon has represented the 59 communes and 1.3 million residents which constitute the urban transport network’s main coverage since January 2015.”

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NETWORK FACTS

Opened: January 2001 (Rhônexpress, August 2010) Lines (depots): 5 tram (2); 1 Rhônexpress (1) Distance: 65km (41 miles), Rhônexpress (dedicated route of 7km/4.3 miles) Stops: 93 Approx. weekday hours: 05.00-00.30 Main frequencies: 3-7 minutes Gauge: 1435mm Power: 750V dc overhead supply Fleet: 93 in service/on order, six Rhônexpress City network/operator: TCL/Keolis Lyon Rhônexpress operator: Transdev

INFORMATION City network: www.tcl.fr Transport authority: www.sytral.fr Rhônexpress: www.rhonexpress.fr Civic information: www.lyon.fr Metropolitan Lyon: www.grandlyon.com Tourist information: www.en.lyon-france.com

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Gare Part-Dieu Villette tramstop, part of the transport hub at Lyon's main station. “Coming in the earlier years of

T1: Debourg — ENS Lyon — Halle Tony Garnier Citadis evolution, the cab-end — Museé des Confluences — Hôtel de Région - Montrochet — Sainte-Blandine — Suchet — Perrache design and white liveries relate to — Quai Claude Bernard — Rue de l’Université — Saint-André — Guillotière — Liberté — Saxe - Préfecture — Palais de Justice - Mairie du 3ème — the silkworms that underpinned Part-Dieu - Servient — Part-Dieu — Thiers - Lafayette — Collège Bellecombe — Charpennes - Charles Lyon’s historic textile industry.” Hernu — Le Tonkin — Condorcet — Université Lyon I — La Doua - Gaston Berger — INSA - Einstein — Croix-Luizet — IUT - Feyssine T2: Perrache — Centre Berthelot — Jean Macé — Garibaldi - Berthelot — Route de Vienne — Jet d'Eau - Mendès France — Villon — Bachut - Mairie du 8ème — Jean XXIII - Maryse Bastié — Grange-Blanche — Ambroise Paré — Vinatier — Essarts - Iris — Boutasse - Camille Rousset — Hôtel de Ville - Bron — Les Alizés — Rebufer — Parilly - Université — Europe - Université — Porte des Alpes — Parc Technologique — Hauts de Feuilly — Salvador Allende — Alfred de Vigny — Saint-Priest - Hôtel de Ville — Esplanade des arts — Jules Ferry — Cordière — Saint-Priest Bel Air T3: Gare Part-Dieu Villette — Dauphiné - Lacassagne — Reconnaissance - Balzac — Gare de Villeurbanne — Bel Air - Les Brosses —Vaulx-en-Velin – La Soie — Décines - Centre — Décines-Charpieu - Grand Large — Meyzieu - Gare — Meyzieu - ZI — Meyzieu Les Panettes T4: La Doua - Gaston Berger — Université Lyon — Condorcet — Le Tonkin — Charpennes - Charles Hernu — Collège Bellecombe — Thiers - Lafayette — Gare Part-Dieu Villette — Félix Faure — Manufacture - Montluc — Lycée Colbert — Jet d'Eau - Mendès France — Lycée Lumière — États-Unis - Musée Tony Garnier ABOVE: The — Professeur Beauvisage - CISL — États-Unis - Viviani The Rhône département policy a metropolitan area gateway, Gare de interior of a Lyon — Joliot Curie - Marcel Sembat — La Borelle — Gare and financing body for transport la Part-Dieu’s current 130 000 daily de Vénissieux — Croizat - Paul Bert — Marcel Houël - Alstom Citadis 402. Hôtel de Ville — Lycée Jacques Brel — Herriot - Cagne since 1985 is Sytral (Syndicat Mixte des passengers are three times the original — Vénissy — Division Leclerc — Maurice Thorez — transports pour le Rhône et l’agglomération projection. Appreciably north-east of FAR LEFT: Lénine - Corsière — Darnaise — Clinique Feyzin lyonnaise). It owns and administers the historic centre and also separated Pont Raymond T5: Grange-Blanche — Ambroise Paré — Vinatier — the physical resources of the public by the wide Rhône, the new station Barre, shortly after Essarts - Iris — Boutasse - Camille Rousset — Hôtel transport network and its TCL formed the centrepiece of a still-active the T1 southern de Ville - Bron — Les Alizés — De Tassigny - Curial — (Transports en commun lyonnais) brand. plan to give Lyon an additional extension opened Lycée Jean-Paul Sartre — Parc du Chêne — Eurexpo TCL now features the metro totalling commercial and residential focal point. in 2014. Vieux Lyon and the Basilica Metro A: Perrache — Ampère - Victor Hugo — 32km (20 miles), around 110 bus and It was as a surface link between Bellecour — Cordeliers — Hôtel de Ville - Louis of Notre-Dame de Pradel — Foch — Masséna — Charpennes - Charles trolleybus lines, two funiculars and ‘old’ Lyon and its eastern spread Fourvière is in Hernu — République - Villeurbanne — Gratte-Ciel five tramlines in regular operation. that the first two modern tramlines the background to — Flachet — Cusset — Laurent Bonnevay — Keolis’ longstanding involvement opened to the public on 2 January the right. Vaulx-en-Velin – La Sie with the city included launching 2001. Each around nine kilometres Metro B: Charpennes - Charles Hernu — Brotteaux both the metro and tramway. TCL is (5.5 miles) long at opening, T1 — Part-Dieu Vivier Merle — Place Guichard - Bourse now operated by a local subsidiary, (bringing Part-Dieu a tram service) du Travail — Saxe-Gambetta — Jean Macé — Place Jean Jaurès — Debourg — Stade-de-Gerland — Keolis Lyon, currently holding a and T2 shared about a half-kilometre Gare d'Oullins six-year contract with Sytral begun in at their western ends between Pont Metro C: Hôtel de Ville - Louis Pradel — January 2011. Gallieni and Perrache station. Still the Croix-Paquet — Croix-Rousse — Hénon — Cuire Completed between Paris and Lyon T2 terminus with T1 now a through- Metro D: Gare de Vaise — Valmy — Gorge de Loup during 1983, LGV Sud-Est was the service, Perrache tramstop is covered — Vieux Lyon – Cathédrale Saint-Jean — Bellecour — first route of France’s high-speed by the elevated station. The initial Guillotière — Saxe-Gambetta — Garibaldi — Sans-Souci rail network and a project that T2 included the system’s depot in — Monplaisir-Lumière — Grange-Blanche — Laënnec — Mermoz-Pinel — Parilly — Gare de Vénisseux influenced and shaped Lyon’s urban Saint Priest commune, just beyond transport arrangements. Envisaged as then-terminus Porte des Alpes.

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Developed as the LEA (line for the Although Presqu’île’s physical east of the agglomeration) project, limits stimulated the modern Part- T3 introduced a more metro-like Dieu developments, the peninsular operation in November 2006. was however losing long-standing Much of the near-15km (9.3-mile) industrial and railway activities line used a railway alignment east towards the southern end. Supporting from near Part-Dieu, here using the ‘Lyon Confluence’ redevelopment new platforms east of the station scheme, a 2km (1.2-mile) southern T1 designated as Part Dieu-Villette. extension opened to Debourg metro The project added a new depot, sited line B station in February 2014, using near Meyzieu ZI (industrial zone) stop. the new 150m Raymond Barre bridge This end of T3 extended 400m in over the Rhône. June 2014 to a weekday park-and-ride Sytral identifies the next likely terminus, Meyzieu-Les Panettes. tramway expansion as the T6 project, Line T4 was formed of a section costed at EUR160m. Expected to open south from a junction with T2 at Jet by the end of 2019, T6 is a 6.7km d’Eau-Mendès France that opened (4.2-mile), 13-stop extension from T1 in 2009, and one to the north in north-east from Debourg to Hôpitaux 2013. Providing another Part-Dieu Est. Shortening journeys for many connection, it also overlapped with T1 commuters and creating interchanges to a university district. with existing lines, T6 will also relieve One of the system’s most distinctive demand on tram services via Perrache. parts lies south of Part-Dieu on T4, Lyon maintains a common styling with track on former railway land for the tram fleet that was established in parallel with a busy SNCF main at the outset. Coming in the earlier line near the ornate Tobacco Factory years of Citadis evolution, the cab-end university building. Feeding metro, design and white liveries relate to T2 and lignes fortes buses at Grange silkworms that underpinned Lyon’s Blanche, the 7km (4.3-mile) T5 that historic textile industry. opened in November 2012 originated Created by a private consortium as project T2+. Including a new 3.8km including the operator Transdev, (2.4-mile) branch east of T2 Les Rhônexpress is a premium-priced Alizes stop, it extends to the Eurexpo airport link that opened in August convention centre at the outer end. 2010. It has a 30-year contract with Services on T5 are modified according Rhône département, with neither to events, with Parc du Chene the Rhônexpress brand or equipment otherwise being the terminus. owned by Sytral. The service uses a

TOP: Croix-Paquet station on rack-fitted metro line C, which includes a 17% gradient.

ABOVE: Gare de Vénissieux is the southern terminus for automatic metro line D and a T4 interchange.

RIGHT: SNCF Alstom Dualis tram-train stock at Lyon Saint-Paul.

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fleet of six StadlerTango tram-train opened in January 2016 and is a Euro TOP: The southern vehicles, featuring interior and 2016 football tournament venue. Three T1 limit at Debourg is due for extension ESSENTIAL FACTS exterior design from Tours-based limited-stop services run over T3, the under the T6 project. agency RCP Design Global. longest between dedicated platforms Local travel: See the TCL website for From Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport designated Part-Dieu Villette Sud, ABOVE LEFT: the full ticket range, much of which is west to Meyzieu ZI, Rhônexpress uses about 400m south of the station, and Inaugurated in available from machines at stops. 7km (4.3 miles) of dedicated track; the the stadium at the end of a new spur. November 2012, Single cross-mode at EUR1.80 allows remaining 15km (9.3 miles) are over Additional loadings on T3 tracks has T5 is a suburban one hour of travel including transfers; a two-hour version is EUR3. ‘Liberté 1 jour’ T3 tracks to Lyon Part-Dieu, fuelled local concerns over delays to service; 842 between ticket for one day's travel at EUR5.50. where it has its own platform face. normal T3 services which may also be Ambroise Paré and Grange Blanche. A main TCL information point is on the Intermediate stops are Meyzieu ZI and held to allow passage of Rhônexpress. western side of Part-Dieu, plus a kiosk Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie, both with extra Since 2012 lines from Lyon ABOVE CENTRE: by the Part-Dieu Villette tram platforms. platforms to allow services to pass. Saint-Paul station serving communities La Doua-Gaston The service runs 365 days a year on a in the west of Lyon have used Alstom Berger in a university What is there to see? A UNESCO half-hour frequency for most of the Dualis tram-train vehicles. This district hosts T1 and World Heritage site is found on both day, increasing to 15 minutes between operation is not connected to (nor is a T4 terminus. sides of the Saône including the ‘Vieux Lyon’ (old town) district. Reach 18.00-21.00. End-to-end journeys take conveniently close to) the present Howard Pulling the landmark Basilica of Notre-Dame approximately 29 minutes. tram system, and like all Lyon ABOVE RIGHT: de Fourvière by funicular. Striking The latest tramway service is an metropolitan area SNCF services, is Used on T3 but with modern architecture features around events-only operation using a new outside the urban fare structure. a special mirror La Confluence; sightseeing river tours four-platform terminus at Parc finish to mark the T5 are recommended. Lyon is also noted Olympique Lyonnais (or ‘Grand Stade The www.tcl.fr website is recommended opening, Citadis 875 for its culinary excellence. de Lyon’). The stadium complex for interactive maps and service details. at Meyzieu Z.I.

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ALGERIA relaid in 2014 up to the depot MOSTAGANEM. An order has entrance, but work stopped for been placed for 25 Alstom Citadis reasons unknown, leaving a gap 402, for delivery in time for the just inside the depot gate. The planned September 2017 opening branch is also without overhead of the new tramway. BS wire at present. S.J. Morgan SIDI BEL ABBES. The order for SANTOS. Revenue operation on Alstom Citadis 402 trams has been the new light rail line started on increased to 34. Operations should 31 January. Nagasaki bogie tram start before the end of 2016. BS 206 (Hitachi 1950) arrived here in January to join the fleet of the ARUBA heritage tramway. BS ORANJESTAD. TIG/m has delivered the third and fourth CANADA hybrid battery/hydrogen fuel cell CALGARY. The order for Siemens trams. The third was an orange S200 LRVs has been increased from single-deck crossbench bogie car. 60 to 63. BS The fourth is a red open-top double TORONTO. New tramline 514 deck tram. Service is provided Cherry should start operating on Former Hiroshima bogie tram 701 on Starnd Road in Yangon, Myanmar approximately 09.00-17.00 with 19 June along King St from the (formerly Burma), a new tramway service. I. Plekhanov two cars in service from 11.00. No new Cherry St loop in the east to fares are charged. TIG/m, BS Dufferin St in the west, using low- GERMANY tramline 1 from S-Bahn Rath to floor trams. D. Drum BERLIN. Extension of line 63 from the ISS Dome; work should start AUSTRALIA VANCOUVER. The 11km (seven- Mahlsdorf-Süd to Rahnsdorfer in August for completion before MELBOURNE. The government mile) Evergreen line, which will Strasse was due to start on 3 April, the end of 2017. Two Stadtbahn-B in Victoria has increased its add six stations in the north- along tracks already used by trams involved in a collision, planned order for seven-car east, is expected to open in early line 62. Delivery of Bombardier 4212 and 4251, have been sent to metro trains from 37 to 65. Three 2017. It will be incorporated into Flexity-Berlin trams had reached FWM in Berlin, to create one good companies have been short-listed the Millennium line, which will 8031 by the end of February. vehicle. The insurance settlement to build the trains, with delivery operate VCC-Clark – Lafarge Tatra B6 trailers 5502/5/10/24/9 has enabled Rheinbahn to increase from 2018. Global Rail News Lake-Douglas. Part of the existing have been sold to Modertrans in its order for Bombardier HF6 trams Millennium line will be taken Poland as a source of spare parts. by one. DS AUSTRIA over by the Expo line, giving two 5509/11/5/8/9/22/30/4/9/43/7/51/ HEIDELBERG. A stalemate VORCHDORF – GMUNDEN. Expo line services: Waterfront 2/5 have been scrapped. An open between the city council and the Vossloh LRVs 121-3 took over the – King George and Waterfront – day is scheduled for 24 April at Land government (which wanted service on 14 March. The two hired Production Way-University. Lichtenberg depot. the historic buildings at Bergheim low-floor cars (307/20) have been SkyTrain was to become a BREMEN. Neustadt depot is to preserved) has led to a decision returned to Innsbruck. BS fully-gated system from 8 April, be rebuilt to accommodate 55 to build a new depot on a site at WIEN (Vienna). The last of bringing to an end 30 years of 2.65m-wide trams, in order to Grossen Ochsenkopf on line 5 to the original U-Bahn sets of type proof-of-payment operation. make ready for the new tram fleet Mannheim. A cost-benefit study is U were withdrawn at the end of I. Fisher that will be ordered this summer. in progress. BS February. Line U4 will be closed BS MAINZ. When the new 9.2km between Hütteldorf and Hietzing CHINA CHEMNITZ. Work started on (5.7-mile) tramway designated 2 July-4 September to permit NINGBO. Metro line 1 was the 2.5km (1.6-mile) tramway Mainzelbahn opens on 11 infrastructure renewal. extended by 25.3km (15.7 miles) extension from Bernsdorfer December, it will be worked from Donghuan South Rd to Xiapu Str/Turnstr to Technopark by line 51, operating Finthen BELGIUM on 19 March. urbanrail.net (Fraunhofer Str) on 2 February. At Poststrasse – Hbf – Lerchenberg, BRUXELLES/BRUSSEL. By the latter terminus a connection and line 53 from Hechtsheim 2019 the northern ends of routes 3, FINLAND to the railway tracks at Chemnitz- Bürgerhaus to Lerchenberg. New 7 and (new) 9 will share a common HELSINKI. The 14km (nine- Reichenhain will be made, line 59 will operate between terminus north of the Heysel mile) metro extension west from permitting tram-train operation Zollhafen and Hochschule exhibition centre, with route 3 Ruoholati to Matinkylä is due to from 2018. The eight new Vossloh Mainz. Line 50 will continue to extended from Esplanade, route open on 14 August. Construction electro-diesel tram-trains entered operate Finthen Römerquelle – 7 from Heysel and route 9 passing work on the EUR1.1bn project service on 4 April, but only as far Hechtsheim Bürgerhaus and line Roi Baudouin metro station. All started in 2009. RGI as Hbf. BOStrab approval is still 52 Bretzenheim – Hechtsheim Am three lines will pass a new depot awaited. BS Schinnergraben. MVG at the east end of the exhibition FRANCE DARMSTADT. Planning MANNHEIM. When the new centre. Articulated PCC 7749, the LYON. The three 1970s rack cars permission has been granted for a Stadtbahn-Nord to Stiller Weg line 9 information point, has been from the Croix-Rousse line, MC1- 1.3km (0.8-mile) tramway branch opens on 12 June it will be served transferred to new tracks by the 3 withdrawn in 1986, have been to Unicampus Lichtwiese, running by line 4A, operating alternately university hospital. T-2000 disposed of. MC1 is a works car at from a new triangle to be built at with line 4 cars to Waldfriedhof. GENT. The extension of tramline Alstom’s Valenciennes site, MC2 Hochschulstadion. It will be used Evening and Sunday service will 4 to UZ Gent (university hospital) has passed to the Chemin de Fer by lines 2 and 9 on both inbound serve both branches using the was opened on 13 March. Our du Bon Repos in Brittany and MC3 and outbound journeys. BS same tram. The former OEG line to report listing in last month’s news is now in the Mulhouse railway DUISBURG. Despite protests, Heddesheim will be served by line was in error in showing a route 24. museum. T-2000 Harkort tram 177 left Duisburg in 5A. At peak periods there will be a Hermelijn car 6335 was sent to STRASBOURG. The 1.8km March, bought by a Norwegian. line 15 service every ten minutes Oostende on 16 February for driver (1.1-mile) southern extension of However both the 1926 tram and running between Käfertal and training. T-2000 line A to Illkirch – Salle des Fêtes the prototype Variobahn2000 are Wallstadt. BS was to open on 23 April. Public stored in a shed at Wesel, awaiting MÜLHEIM/Ruhr. Withdrawn BRAZIL consultation on plans for the shipping north. DS Stadtbahn-M trams 271/4/6 have RIO DE JANEIRO. Correcting EUR30m 2km (1.2-mile) extension DÜSSELDORF. EUR30m has been sold to Elblag in Poland. DS a detail in our March report, the to Koenigshoffen (Allée des been secured from the city for STUTTGART. The SSB Netz from Santa Teresa depot branch was Comtes) started on 7 March. BS the 2km (1.2-mile) extension of 17 May will see the extension of

190 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org NETHERLANDS turning circle south to Piotrowice; AMSTERDAM. Following an 600m along Grundmana in accident involving Combino trams Katowice; and 4km (2.5 miles) 2043 and 2119, undamaged parts from Politechnika Slaska to have been combined with sections Miechowice in Bytom (subject to from out of service 2052 to create approval by Bytom council). RGI rebuilt 2043 and 2052. Damaged parts have been sent back to PORTUGAL Siemens for repair. OR PORTO. The annual parade of DEN HAAG. RandstadRail line museum trams is scheduled to take E is cut back from CS to Laan van place on 21 May. M. J. Russell NOI from 13 February to 1 July to permit the new elevated terminus SINGAPORE at CS to be completed. The last day MASS RAPID TRANSIT. Sam of operation of GTL trams on line Kee station on the automated 11 was 6 March. All services are light metro Punggol line was now provided by Avenio cars; the opened on 29 February. The Land 55th Avenio delivered was 5060 on Transport Authority has awarded 18 March. digitaletram.nl GS Engineering & Construction ROTTERDAM. VolkerRail and an SGD2bn (USD1.5bn) contract Mobilis have been awarded a to build a 220-train and 550-bus Launch day for the new Vossloh tram-trains on the Vorchdorf–Gmunden line in Austria by Stern & Hafferl. RegioTram Gmunden contract worth EUR72m for the depot with three levels, to become conversion of the 24km (15-mile) the East Coast Integrated Depot. line U12 to Dürrlewang and two shuttle service is operated using 1500V dc Hoek van Holland rail urbanrail.net new Stadtbahn lines, U21 from three-car trains that now have line to become part of the 750V Charlottenplatz to Südheimer Platz extra luggage space. urbanrail.net dc Rotterdam metro. Completion SLOVAKIA and U24 from Charlottenplatz is set for February 2018. Under a KOSICE. An option for 13 more to Hölderlinplatz. Line U11 IRELAND separate contract, Bombardier Vario LF 22.6m bogie trams has operates Neckar Park (Stadion) DUBLIN. The pay dispute that had will supply signalling worth been exercised with Pragoimex. – Charlottenplatz via Hbf and seen strikes in the early part of the EUR25m. RGI The contract is worth EUR19m. Berliner Platz. The main reason year was resolved before another IRJ for these changes is the diversion potential strike on St Patrick’s Day, NEW ZEALAND of lines U1, U2 and U4 through 17 March. Operator Transdev has CHRISTCHURCH. Fears about SOUTH KOREA the city centre due to rebuilding agreed to pay increases of between integrity of buildings following an BUSAN. A K R W 5 2 . 8 b n work at Staatsgalerie. Heritage 8.2% and 18.3% over the next 33 earthquake in February prevented (USD0.05bn) order for 40 metro tram service 23 (Strassenbahnwelt months for drivers and up to 14.9% trams running down New Regent trains has been placed with – Ruhbank) will resume on 8 May, for ticket inspectors, in exchange Street. Service was restricted to the HyundaiRotem. RGI but be withdrawn for at least for greater flexibility in working Cashel St loop for some days, but six months later in 2016 due to practices. However, control room from 1 March trams began using an SPAIN infrastructure work. SSB, BS staff members remain in dispute. alternative route along Worcester BARCELONA. Barcelona Blvd to the Arts Centre. Passengers city council and the Catalan GREECE ISLE OF MAN can interchange between the two government signed a co-operation ATHINA (Athens). Tenders have MANX ELECTRIC RAILWAY. routes at Cathedral Square. agreement on 2 March to join the been invited for 25 low-floor trams, The GBP1.2m (EUR1.5m) two tram networks in Barcelona estimated to cost EUR64.3m. IRJ refurbishment of Ballure Bridge NORWAY (Trambaix and Trambesós), has been named Medium Project OSLO. Companies wishing to which will make funding the HUNGARY of the Year at the Institution prequalify for the tender for 87 project easier. The decision BUDAPEST. The remaining four of Civil Engineers (ICE) North new trams are invited to submit on the definitive route for the eight-axle trams purchased from West annual awards. It was also their request by 2 May. There will connection, however, will be left Hannover are 6105/22/4/72. BS shortlisted in the ICE North West be an option for 60 more trams. in the hands of the council and the Heritage category. Ballure Bridge The first two vehicles are required ATM (the Metropolitan Transport INDIA was already the Project of the for testing in winter 2019-2020. All Authority); this will be reached KANPUR. The state government Year under EUR50m winner at the 87 should be in service by 2024. after analysing the 12 reports of Uttar Pradesh has approved a Light Rail Awards 2015. The new section of T-Bana (metro) on route options the council two-line 32.4km (20.1-mile) metro from Sinsen to Ökern was to open commissioned in September 2015, project and is seeking federal and ITALY on 3 April. IRJ with opening scheduled for 2020. foreign funding. RGI GENOVA. On 24 March the first The 20km (12-mile) section KOCHI. The first test run on of seven 39m four-section light POLAND of metro line 9 from Zona the new metro took place on 27 metro sets being built by Hitachi INDUSTRY. Protram at Wroclaw Universitària to Airport February, between the depot and (formerly AnsaldoBreda) was has filed for bankruptcy. The Terminal 1 opened on 12 February. Kalamassery using one of the 25 unveiled. The contract placed company was created from the The new section is called Line 9 Alstom-built three-car trains. The in 2012 was worth EUR34.9m. engineering department of MPK South, while the existing line from 25.6km (15.9-mile) line should Dinegro depot is to be rebuilt to Wroclaw, and built 26 205WrAs Sagrera to Can Zam is now called carry passengers later in 2016. IRJ accommodate the new stock. IRJ bogie trams for the city. It was Line 9 North. NOIDA. An order has been placed unable to raise enough capital to Work has now resumed on for 19 four-car metro trains with MALAYSIA build a low-floor prototype, and so finishing Line 10 (Gornal – CRRC Nanjing in China at a cost KUALA LUMPUR. Ampang Line was unable to compete in today’s interchange with Line 9 South – to of INR8bn (USD0.1bn). The 29km 4 was extended from Kinrara BK5 market. Transport Publiczny Zona Franca), with opening of this (18-mile) elevated line is due to to Putra Heights on 31 March. KATOWICE. Tramwaje Slaskie stretch scheduled for 2017. A large open in December 2019. RGI urbanrail.net has published a PLN885m part of the infrastructure is already (EUR208m) plan that includes in place, as it was necessary to IRAN MEXICO 44 new trams, upgrade of 100 allow trains to access Line 9 South TEHRAN. The 2.8km (1.7-mile) MEXICO CITY. Tenders have track-km, and three extensions: from their operating depot in Zona branch of metro line 4 from Bimeh been invited for the delivery of 15 5km (three miles) for route 15 in Franca. However it is unlikely that to Mehr Abad Airport (Terminals rubber-tyred metro trains for use Sosnowiec to link with route 27; all stations will be completed by 4/6) was opened on 15 March. A on line 1. IRJ 4.5km (2.8 miles) from Brynów the time the line opens. R. Felski

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SWEDEN UNITED KINGDOM NORRKÖPING. Museum trams BLACKPOOL. Councillors will be operating on the system on were in early April to consider a Tuesday and Thursday evenings in plan to establish a new tramway July and early August. Danne terminal in the Talbot Gateway GÖTEBORG (Gothenburg). redevelopment area as part of Heritage trams on Lisebergslinjen extending the route to Blackpool 12 operate Saturdays 23 April to 24 North station. September, also 22/29 October, The ‘Trawler’, tram 737, is 5/19/26 November and 3/10/17 currently being refurbished after December (daily 2-31 July). Danne being out of use for some time. The tram has been sponsored SWITZERLAND by Fleetwood-based Lofthouse, AIGLE – CHAMPÉRY (TPC). which makes Fisherman’s Friend Plans have been published for lozenges. However, sponsorship a new alignment in Monthey will not cover the total cost of with a new reversing interchange refurbishment and an appeal has at Monthey CFF. Some 3.7km been launched to raise GBP6600 (2.3 miles) of new track will be (approx. EUR8400) by August to required at a cost of CHF107m, allow the tram to re-enter service Rebuilt ex-Frankfurt P class tram in Gaziantep, Turkey. J. May with completion in 2022. EA for the Illuminations period. BASEL. With delays on route 8 to EDINBURGH. S c o t R a i l been extended from early March ATLANTA, GA. The Georgia Weil-am-Rhein due to traffic at the Managing Director Phil Verster to the end of July. House of Representatives has Swiss/German border, running has supported the suggestion LONDON (UNDERGROUND). passed enabling legislation that time was increased by 7.5 minutes that services could be restored Night Tube services are expected to would allow MARTA to hold a from 27 February, and ten-minute to the South Suburban rail line begin at the end of July following sales tax election to fund transit terminus layovers introduced. through the use of tram-trains. agreement with the ASLEF and expansion, including tramways. On very busy days the line is Mr Verster recently told Members RMT Unions. However, 1500 Tube A half-cent sales tax would raise operated in two sections: Weil – of the Scottish Parliament that Lines maintenance staff are being USD 500m/year. E. B. Havens Messeplatz and Kleinhüningen – tram-trains on existing tracks balloted for strike action. It is likely BATON ROUGE, LA. A 5.4km Neuweilerstrasse. in the city centre linked into that introduction of the Friday and (3.4-mile) city centre tram route Düwag trams sent to Beograd the South Suburban line would Saturday night services will be has been identified by consultants, in February were 624/6/9/37/9/44- ease pressure on the existing rail staggered, with services starting with the cost estimated at 7/50/2/3/5/6. They will be followed network. Infrastructure owner on the Victoria and Jubilee lines USD100m. E. B. Havens by trailers 1437/46/7/50/2/67; Network Rail is keen to proceed before extending to the Northern, BOSTON, MA. The MBTA will 1434/42/8/51 have been scrapped. with plans to electrify the line. Piccadilly and Central. spend USD3m on the Ashmont – Swiss Standard 463 has been cut GREATER MANCHESTER. Between Baker Street and Mattapan PCCs while consultants up, with the cab retained as a Cornbrook - Manchester Airport Finchley Road 6.4km (four miles) compile a report on options for the museum object. Car 465 is to be line services were improved from of Metropolitan line track and future of the line. E. B. Havens scrapped but 457 will be retained 21 March by the introduction drainage are being renewed over CHICAGO, IL (IC). The last in operating condition in the of trams from Firswood to the a two-year period starting in June. of the 1970s-vintage Highliner museum fleet. BS Airport from as early as 03.00. SOUTHEND. Options are being EMUs was withdrawn from the LAUSANNE. Construction has Trams then operate every 20 considered for a new transport Illinois Central suburban lines been approved for the 4.6km minutes until 06.00 when the system to replace the existing on 12 February, replaced by new (2.9-mile) first phase of light rail normal 12-minute headway 2.1km (1.3-mile) railway on generation Nippon-Sharyo cars. line T1 from Flon Interchange to begins. In addition the service Southend Pier; a rail-based option J. May Renens Gare via Préslaz-les-Roses will be extended from Cornbrook remains a possibility. The existing DENVER, CO. Commuter rail and Perrelet, all north of the CFF to Deansgate-Castlefield later this railway was modernised with new service between Union Station main line. Construction is likely to year, in advance of the expected rolling stock in 1986. and Denver Airport was due to take four years. A later phase would through routing across the city WEST MIDLANDS. A study be inaugurated on 22 April, with see T1 extended to Villars-Sainte- centre with the opening of the costing GBP100 000 is to update two days of free rides, and revenue Croix. A new depot would be built Second City Crossing. Manchester plans and costs for an extension of service every 15 minutes from 24 next to the one at Perrelet. IRJ Airport Groups made a GBP50m Midland Metro from Wednesbury April. E. B. Havens (EUR63m) contribution to the to Brierley Hill. The study has DETROIT, MI. The tramway THAILAND overall GBP400m cost. been agreed by the Black Country under construction by M-1 PHUKET. The Transport Ministry Work to lay Second City Executive Joint Committee of Rail is to be branded as QLINE, is seeking government approval to Crossing tram tracks along Cross the West Midlands Combined under sponsorship of Quicken go ahead with a proposed light rail Street between King Street and Authority. A recently agreed Loans. Construction is due to be line linking the resort to Phuket the junction with Princess Street GBP1bn (EUR1.3bn) package has completed in December, with International Airport. It is hoped and John Dalton Street was seen the Department for Transport passenger service in April 2017. to complete the project in 2021. completed at the end of March. provisionally allocate funding to E. B. Havens Bangkok Post From 4 April, preparation started the proposed East/West Metro DURHAM - CHAPEL HILL, NC. for laying tracks along Princess link, of which the Wednesbury to The FTA has approved the final TURKEY Street - the final construction Brierley Hill Metro forms part. environmental impact statement ISTANBUL. Heritage tramway phase as progress is made towards No date has yet been announced for the proposed 27.2km (16.9- service between Taksim and joining track already laid in St for the opening of the extension mile) light rail line; engineering Tünel was suspended after a Peter’s Square and Cross Street. from Birmingham’s Bull Street to planning will now get underway. suicide bomber detonated a blast The new layout in St Peter’s Stephenson Street. The USD1.6bn project should be on Istiklal Ceddesi on 19 March. Square is progressing with trams completed in 2026. E. B. Havens Guardian operating through on a single USA PHOENIX, AZ. The Valley track, although much work is still ANN ARBOR, MI. The feasibility Metro light rail line was extended UKRAINE required to complete paving in the study for the city centre – Plymouth 5.1km (3.2-mile) north along KHARKHIV. Tatra T6 trams area to allow normal services to be Rd corridor has recommended 19th Avenue from Montebello to 7008/194/5/268 and 8631 have restored later this year. light rail for the 7.7km (4.8- Dunlap on 19 March. Work on been acquired from Praha The Metrolink free overnight mile) line, at an estimated cost of the USD327m project started in (Prague). transphoto.ru weekend park-and-ride trial has USD560-680m. E. B. Havens January 2013. urbanrail.net

192 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org enthusiast. At present there are 18 December, and daily 18 June to no full-scale trams, but over 200 28 August, 11.00-17.00. 29 May is models. N. Semyonov ‘Tramway Day’ in the city. Danne MALMKÖPING (SE). T he Swedish National Tramway CONTRIBUTORS Museum is open at weekends from Worldwide items should be sent 14 May to 28 August (daily 25 June- to Worldwide Editor Michael 14 August). Museum Tramway Day Taplin at Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, will be on 27 August. Danne Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, MALMÖ (SE). Museum trams UK – Fax: +44 (0)1983 862810 or are operated 28 May -2 October at e-mail: [email protected]. weekends (not 25 June). Danne UK and Ireland items are OUDDORP (NL). The extended welcomed by the Home News museum building for the RTM Editor, John Symons, 17 Museum formally opened on 16 Whitmore Avenue, Werrington, March. The museum is open 13.00- Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 0LW, UK. 16.30 Wednesdays/Saturdays E-mail [email protected] until 28 September or from 10.30 Acknowledgements are due on days when tram services are to Bangkok Post, BS Blickpunkt Seattle's new University of Washington station on opening day, 19 March. KOMO running on the museum line Strassenbahn, P. Burke, Centro, (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Danne, D. Drum, digitaletram.nl, ST. LOUIS, MO. The ex- The project was USD200m under Saturdays from early July to the DS Drehscheibe, Edinburgh Evening Melbourne W2 trams acquired the USD1.95bn budget and opened second weekend of September plus News, R. Felski, Global Rail News, from Seattle are 482, 512 and 518. six months ahead of schedule. The a few other selected dates). More Guardian, E.B. Havens, I. Fisher, All are still in store in Seattle. The FTA contributed USD829.6m. The details on www.rtm-ouddorp.nl IRJ International Rail Journal, Irish Loop Trolley group has requested intermediate station Capitol Hill P. Burke Independent, Manchester Evening bids for the modification of one of offers interchange with the First PERTH (AU). Perth E-class bogie News, J. May, S.J. Morgan, MVG these cars for use in St Louis, and Hill Streetcar. The two Melbourne tram 66 (WAGR 1917) is carrying Mainzer Verkehrsgesellschaft , it is expected that a contract will W2 cars being retained by King passengers on the museum Nexus, OR Op De Rails, Eric Pounder, be awarded in the spring. Available County Metro are 272 and 605. tramway, its first operation since RGI Railway Gazette International, funding is currently insufficient For more on Seattle, see 1958. TW M.J. Russell, SYPTE, T-2000 Tram to deal with more than one car. TAUT 937. E. B. Havens, S.J. Morgan STOCKHOLM (SE). T h e 2000, TfGM, TfL, The Age, TIG/m, Modifications will need to include WASHINGTON, DC. Following Djurgårdslinjen heritage tram transphoto.ru, Transport Publiczny, restoring the doors on the side another cable fire, the metro system service 7N operates on Saturdays urbanrail.net and Wolverhampton from which they were removed in was closed for 29 hours from 24.00 and Sundays from 25 March to Express & Star. Seattle and restoring the stepwells on 15 March to permit complete in all doors, as the Loop Trolley inspection of all trackside cabling. line will use low-platform stops. Severe cable damage was found at For ADA compliance, wheelchair three locations. E. B. Havens lifts will be added, a modification PMP Transport Films that is already in the process of MUSEUM NEWS being made to the Loop Trolley’s BEAMISH (UK). Blackpool Check out our website for recent releases and new locations. two ex-Portland Gomaco replica- Standard tram 147 arrived in early Still serving electric traction enthusiasts worldwide – Brill cars. S.J. Morgan March and was available for use and yes we are happy to supply those with no internet access. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (BART). on the tramway within a few days. 2088. Makeyevka. Ukraine. March 1995. Trams, Trolleys, 2128. San Francisco. USA. April 2011. Trams, Light Rail, The FTA has approved Phase II of Sheffield 264 was in the final stages Buses. Just beyond the trolleys of Donetsk the next system Trolleybuses, Buses, Cable Cars. A chance to catch up on the Silicon Valley extension, 10km of completion of its overhaul with of trams & trolleys starts in this industrial area. the West Coast city, which has so much transport. (six miles) from Berryessa to Santa application of lettering and lining Clara University, including an out to its livery ready for its return 2089. Jenakijevo & Donetsk. March 1995. Trams, Trolleys, 2153. Reims. France. Trams. May 2011. Another new Buses, freezing cold snow driven by harsh winds but tramway for France, two lines with multi coloured tram 8km (five-mile) section in subway to service over the Easter weekend. amazing scenes including several works vehicles. cars running without overhead in the historic city centre. under San Jose. The 16km (ten- CARLTON COLVILLE (UK). The mile) Phase I from Warm Springs East Anglia Transport Museum 2092. Kiev. Ukraine. Tram, Trolleybus, Bus. March 1995. 2167. Minsk, Polotsk. Belarus. Tram, Trolleybus, Bus. June to Berryessa is 80% complete, completed its winter works At last we reach the capital amidst sleet and snow, 9Tr 2011. The first volume of our tour including all locations trolleys still in action, trams act as feeders. with trams or trolleybuses in this little visited place. with passenger service planned programme of track replacement for late 2017. The first of 775 immediately prior to its re- 2097. Calcutta Trams. 1960-1980s. An archive feature 2168. Vitebsk. Belarus. Tram, Trolleybus, Bus. June 2011. new Bombardier cars started its opening for the summer season starting with HEC Piercey shots in 1968 then film by Alan A visit which started wet but came out sunny so we could Mortimer, Martin Rickitt and video by Richard Lomas. enjoy the old RVZ trams, depot visit and trolleys. 4800km (3000-mile) delivery on 25 March. Sheffield tram 513 voyage by road from Plattsburgh, remains on loan from Beamish. 2120. Hungary. Trams, Trolleys, Buses. 1992. Taken on an 3206. Netherlands Transport Archive Volume 2. This second NY, to Hayward, CA, on 15 March. CHARLOTTE, NC (US). The Airtours one day outing and it was Sunday, a sample of the DVD contains film of trams in Amsterdam, Den Haag, many types of trams plus trolleys, metro, buses. Rotterdam and Utrecht 1960s-1980s. Production vehicles will start North Carolina Transportation arriving in 2017. RGI Museum in Salisbury has taken 2121. Hungary. Tram, Bus, Trolley. Feb 1996. A snowy 3252. Medellin. Colombia. Translohr, Bus, BRT, Train, Cable SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Muni). delivery of Charlotte 85, the 1927 scene in the Hungarian capital, mainly trams, many Lines. Feb 2016. Once a city infamous for high murder rate locations plus the rack railway with cab ride in snow. of drug cartels now opening for tourists. Muni has announced that plans Birney car that was used to launch for an on-street tramway loop heritage tramway operation in the Numerous overseas and UK tram or trolleybus systems being covered in 2016, at Mission Bay to permit short- city in 2005. E. B. Havens see them first on our web site and follow our blog. turn service on the T line will go CRICH (UK). The current major ahead after an appeal against the restoration project features A SELECTION OF FILMS FROM OUR EXTENSIVE RANGE, SENT POST FREE WORLDWIDE. DVDs £15 EACH, TWO OR MORE £12 EACH. CREDIT CARDS WELCOME. environmental review was lifted. London County Council tram 1, E. B. Havens which has been stripped to bare SEATTLE, WA. The light rail line frames with the complete roof PMP, 17 BIRCHWOOD DRIVE, LOWER PEOVER, was extended 5.1km (3.1 miles) removed from the main body. CHESHIRE, WA16 9QJ north in subway from Westlake KOLOMNA (RU). 19 February Tel: 01565 722045 Fax: 01565 722038 to the University of Washington saw the opening at Kuznechnaya E-mail: [email protected] on 19 March, in a ceremony Sloboda (Old Blacksmiths attended by Transportation Settlement) of a tramway museum www.pmpfilms.com Secretary Anthony Foxx. created by an influential local

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 193 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.

The world isn’t quite ready for wire-free… yet

It was pleasing to see the topic “Is the tramway world ready to go wire-free?” in the March issue (939). You are to be congratulated on bringing together experienced professionals rather than marketing shrills to review this important topic. Perhaps the most pertinent question is around the costs associated with wire-free construction and operation. In Sydney the new light rail extension (CBD and South East Light Rail – CSELR) has committed to 2km (1.2 miles) of APS in the city centre with the remainder of the system, some 12km (7.5 miles) being supplied by overhead. Attempting to establish the additional costs associated with the APS system is difficult as the proponents both here and elsewhere maintain a virtual iron curtain around this information. Nevertheless local sources are suggesting that The Australian city of Sydney is embarking on a major new LRT programme, the 2km APS section will add an extra AUD200m (EUR135m) a sizeable city section will use catenary-free operation. TransportNSW to the overall project cost; the proponents have neither confirmed nor denied this figure. Several of these cities, including Budapest, Prague, Vienna Observations of the Dubai and Bordeaux systems reveal and Warsaw, have among the busiest systems in the world, an ongoing need to replace mechanical components both on demanding infrastructure and trams to be as cost-effective the tram and within the contact zone area of the ground and as fail-safe as possible. Many of these cities are also not level power contacts. Here again the costs associated with this terribly wealthy, with exceptions like Vienna which even maintenance are tightly held by the APS proponents. lately has admitted it has financial difficulties that prevent it As such, how can an informed buyer for a tramway establish undertaking, for example, intensive maintenance work like that the system is getting value for money? Melbourne does. A further question is the increase in the capital cost per What seems to come out of this is that jurisdictions tram and the weight penalty added to each vehicle that results entertaining wireless power are characterised by a combination in increased power consumption over the life of the vehicle. of one or all of the following factors: pretension, a surfeit of Operational criteria cannot be overlooked; this involves money and/or a not very onerous operation. Although now frequency of service, load of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and somewhat vintage, a SYSTRA report (bit.ly/223i1MY) from 2012 Air Conditioning) systems on the power supply system of gives a good background to the wire-free debate. The report the LRV, the service = speeds and the system gradients and was commissioned by the historic city of Dublin and resulted dwell time at stops and the number of stops, all of which can in its decision to continue with overhead wiring. increase power demand. The marketers of wire-free systems A further consideration is the ability/willingness of the always showcase those that have significant recovery times at grid supply authority to provide for a highly ‘peaked’ power termini and/or very leisurely system operating speeds. demand required by fast charge onboard storage systems. It is noteworthy that there are 18 UNESCO World Ideally a supply authority seeks to achieve a constant demand Heritage-listed cities with tramways in Europe, the ultimate for its electricity as this enables the supplier to minimise its in terms of the need for historic and aesthetic sensitivity. infrastructure, cabling sizes and system fluctuation costs. These are Riga, Tallinn, Graz, Vienna, Bern, Edinburgh, To supply a fast-charge load the supply authority will usually Strasbourg, Florence, Naples, Porto, Lyon, Le Havre, Budapest, demand a capital contribution and significant ‘peak demand Krakow, St Petersburg, Yaroslavl, Prague and Warsaw. surcharge’ on the tramway’s request for power. In every one, without exception, trams are powered by I would suggest there is still some considerable way to overhead wire, even in the French cities of Nice (the site of early go before wire-free can be claimed to be a practical, trials of wireless power) and Le Havre. UNESCO has onerous cost-effective and reliable method of power supply to trams requirements about heritage management in these cities with and light rail, especially for high passenger demand systems which member states are treaty-bound to comply. In all the with challenging operational conditions. reports I’ve seen, tram wires have never been raised as an issue. Greg Sutherland, Sydney (Australia)

Birmingham makes the bold move this due to economic reasons or technical ridiculously clogged with polluting buses? In was as though it was planned: following ones? Surely a good test of the battery solution Absolutely ideal for tramcars. Scott McIntosh and his panel of experts would be the route to New Street station with Nicholas Owen, by e-mail debating the benefits and drawbacks of its stop/start nature and tight curves? wire-free operation in TAUT 939, and then B. Dippenden, by e-mail Northern Powerhouse or madhouse? my subsequent letter, I read in the very same The UK Chancellor George Osborne is pushing issue that the UK’s West Midlands Passenger Tramways for London’s Oxford Street! the idea of a Northern Powerhouse where Transport Executive Centro has unveiled TAUT 940 sparkled with good news. New unelected regional bodies would have greater plans to retrofit its new fleet for catenary-free systems, lines extending, wire-free operation resources than existing councils. But would operation to work its new extensions. for Midland Metro and, best of all in my view, a such bodies be capable of making effective My question is why Midland Metro didn’t possible return of LRT to the streets of New York. use of their new powers? If the track record do this sooner to at least trial the technology Let’s be really ambitious. Why not start of an existing regional body is a foretaste of on the extension into the city centre – was thinking about London’s Oxford Street, what’s to come, the answer has to be ‘no.’

194 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org Since the West Yorkshire Passenger 1926 in the year 2000, to 1312 in 2012, a One of the deciding factors will be whether Transport Authority came into being in drop of 32% in 12 years. In Europe, numbers or not the scheme provides value for money. 1974, it has spent the majority of its 40 years decreased from 6375 in 2000, to 4828 in Supertram was rejected in 2005 because then and tens of millions of pounds pursuing 2012, a drop of 24% in 12 years. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling claimed transport schemes which ultimately came All the artist’s impressions to promote it failed to provide value for money. At the to nothing. In the 1980s it spent 11 fruitless the trolleybus show a futuristic vehicle time, Metro said that the scheme’s value for years pursuing Electrobus, a trolleybus resembling a modern tram with its wheels money was adversely affected by the high scheme destined for Leeds and Bradford, and hidden from view. Yet an online poll of over cost of land which had been purchased along then a further 14 years on Supertram, a tram 7000 Yorkshire Evening Post readers found the proposed northern route. Knowing this, scheme for Leeds that was also never built. that 72% think the trolleybus scheme would you’d think that Metro would have excluded The authority, known as Metro, abandoned the costly northern route from the current the Electrobus scheme after a competitor trolleybus proposal. But you’d be wrong. announced plans to run a rival diesel bus Metro it seems, has a chronic inability service along the proposed route. This was to learn from its own mistakes. And no tacit recognition by Metro that trolleybuses mechanism exists to remind it. can’t compete in a deregulated environment. Bill McKinnon, Leeds (UK) Supertram was subsequently abandoned after the scheme’s estimated cost had doubled. Irish gauge additions Undaunted by past failures, the authority In Richard Buckley’s short addition to the is currently pursuing another trolleybus gauge article (And the odd men out are...) in scheme – New Generation Transport (NGT the April TAUT (940), I was very surprised by for short). If it goes ahead, it would be the the omission of the Dublin 5ft 3in (1600mm) UK’s only trolleybus system, a distinction system, referring only to the Hill of Howth which would inevitably lead to increased system ‘because it was railway-owned’. costs. The scheme was promoted as being After many years of delay, the decision on Leeds’ Some of the early Belfast horse lines congestion- and carbon-busting, until it NGT trolleybus scheme is due this year. ngtmetro were of this gauge, as was reputably the was realised that it would actually increase entire Dublin system. However, the Dublin levels of both. be bad for Leeds. The scheme is so unpopular system interchanged freight traffic from the Metro maintains that the scheme is “Bus that Labour councillors had to be whipped 1600mm Blessington line and was indeed 3 Rapid Transit,” but this is technically and to vote for it. And Metro refused to publish 5ft 2 /16in, a similar reduction to that of factually incorrect. Less than half the route the results of its own consultation exercise, Glasgow and of Cork and for the same reason. would be segregated from other traffic, so presumably because they were so bad. That was yet another gauge and it should technically it’s not bus rapid transit and since So if trolleybuses can’t compete with other be noted that the DUTC included lines the average speed would be 19km/h (12mph), buses, and are apparently so unpopular, formerly 3ft (Lucan), 3ft 6in (Lucan after the scheme can’t be described as ‘rapid.’ why is Metro so intent on reviving them? original electrification) and 4ft (Kingstown Trolleybuses, at twice the price of diesel The answer may be that the decision to & Dalkey)! Hill of Howth stock could be buses, do have some advantages, however. pursue the NGT scheme was made under the transferred by rail to their works at Dundalk They climb hills easily and are a good way to chairmanship of the late Stanley King. over a connecting line but was not connected use cheap and abundant electricity, but such In the 1960s Mr King campaigned to to the main Dublin lines which it crossed at attributes aren’t much use in Leeds, a flat city prevent Bradford scrapping its trolleybus Sutton Cross by a diamond crossing with two with expensive electricity. system. In 1970 he became a Bradford styles of rail, railway and grooved tramway. Metro’s business case assumes that the councillor and in the 1980s the then (Rev Dr) Norman E Gamble, Co Dublin existing bus operator wouldn’t compete with Councillor King sat on the Metro board the trolleybuses. This seems unlikely, since which unsuccessfully tried to bring Ed: Reader Roger Hardman has pointed out the proposed route is currently the busiest trolleybuses back first to Bradford and then that the very slight differences in gauge around and most lucrative bus route in the city. to Bradford and Leeds. In 2006, he was the the world as described in the last issue may be Has it forgotten that it abandoned its 1980s board’s chairman when it voted to return related to the difference in the imperial inch trolleybus venture because of competition? trolleybuses to Leeds, a vote which gave rise measurement until after World War Two. Metro distributed 52 000 information to the current scheme. The UK inch was measured at 25.4mm, leaflets to properties along the route and at Whether or not Stanley King’s dream while the US inch (until 1933) was recognised as consultation events. These stated “modern becomes reality will be decided shortly by 25.39mm, although standardisation took much trolleybus systems are an increasingly Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Lord longer. Indeed, the “industrial inch” as it became common sight in European and North Ahmad. In making the decision, Lord Ahmad known is widely recognised in engineering circles American cities.” This was also incorrect. will consider the findings of a six-month as the first global standard of length, allowing In North America, numbers decreased from public inquiry which took place in 2014. truly interchangeable manufacture.

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

APRIL 2016 Thursday 28. Manchester 19.00. Mile Skeggs: Vintage trams (and a few Lomas: Baden-Wurttemberg 2014. Steve Palmer: Nostalgic Blackpool. buses) from his collection (TLRS) Saturday 21. Beeston 14.00. Outing Monday 18. Liverpool 19.30. Saturday 30. Beeston 14.00. Geoff Wednesday 11. Brighton 19.40. David to TLRS National AGM Bristol (TLRS) Dr. Jim Ford: Rails of the South. (TLRS) Price: Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Mead: A Manx adventure. (TLRS) Saturday 21. Bristol TLRS National Monday 18. Sheffield 19.30. Sean Electric railway (TLRS) Monday 16. Liverpool 19.30. Models AGM, details to follow (TLRS) Croshaw: Californian tramways. Saturday 30. Garstang 14.00. night. Venue: Conference Room (TLRS) Thursday 26. Manchester 19.00. Monday 18. Wickham 19.30. Paul Details TBA. (TLRS) Monday 16. Sheffield 19.30. Visit to Old Sirs Garden Tramway, Coles: Making model trams. (TLRS) Mel Reuben: Advertising trams. Westhoughton. Meet at Victoria station Tuesday 19. Leeds 19.00. Mike MAY 2016 Monday 16. Wickham 19.30. Terry at 18.00. If it is raining heavily we will Waring: Tramways in the Ruhr Chase: Hell cars from Vicar Lane. (TLRS) have a Metrolink riding evening. Tuesday 19. London 19.00. Tuesday 3. Southampton 19.30. Tuesday 17. Leeds 19.00.Mel Reuben: Saturday 28. Beeston 14.00. John Jim Greller: Brooklyn Streetcars Videos by Bob Hodges: Blackpool, British tramways past and present. Lessells: Leicester trams. (TLRS) Friday 22. Leicester 19.45. Paris, Berlin and Lisbon. (LRTA/SEG) Tuesday 17. London 19.00. TBA. Saturday 28. Garstang 14.00. Members video evening. (TMS) Monday 9. Thames Valley 19.30. Wednesday 18. Bristol 19.30 Brian Birmingham tramways. (TLRS)

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 195 Classic Trams TRAMS’ ROLE AT A DUTCH THEME PARK Mike Russell describes a heritage tram service in the Netherlands that transports visitors around a large open air museum, utilising amongst other exhibits a fascinating replica car. 1

he Nederlands Openluchtmuseum in 1923. Having once been served by the When the tramway first opened, a pair (open air museum) in the north municipal tramways, there was thus every of Kassel (Germany) tramcars, motor car of Arnhem has a long pedigree. reason for the new internal museum line to 218 of 1936 and trailer 511 of 1941, both Initially proposed in 1912, the feature an Arnhem tramcar. built by Credé, were also here. These arrived site first opened to the public in In 1929, Arnhem took delivery of its on the museum line in June 1996 but left T1918. On a total site area of 44 hectares, the only bogie tramcars – six (70-75) double- for Amsterdam in October 2000 and since museum includes a huge variety of artefacts ended centre-entrance cars built by Beijnes, October 2002 have been at the Wehmingen representing past Dutch rural life, with new purchased as a riposte to increasing motor museum, near Hannover. exhibits added periodically to expand and bus competition on the Velp section and the A particular point of pride for the museum update the displays. apogee of tramcar development in Arnhem. is the tram depot, in which all the cars are With exhibits spread over a wide area and They were destined not to enjoy long lives. housed and maintained. This is a replica of the fact that not all visitors are fully mobile, During Operation Market Garden, the World part of the original Arnhem tram depot in the need was identified for internal transport War Two Allied military campaign to liberate Westervoortsedijk, destroyed in 1944 but on and construction of a tramway was chosen. Arnhem, the tramcar fleet was devastated the site of the present trolleybus and motor The line was built as a single-track circular during fighting on 17 September 1944. This bus depot. Reconstruction was carried out route with five stops and opened on 4 April was a Sunday, when the majority of the from photographs and by reference to the 1996. The circuit is approximately 1.75km (1.1 fleet, including all the bogie cars, was in the recollections of older employees. miles) with a passing loop at the stop near the depot, and the building – close to the bridge The tramway operates throughout museum entrance. Operation is anti-clockwise that was a main focus of military activity – museum opening hours with service levels and visitors will observe a short length where received a number of direct hits from aerial depending upon visitor numbers; two cars the track has been realigned to ease curve bombardment. Everything in the vicinity customarily provide an approximately radii; the original geometry caused problems was destroyed, and although a few trams ten-minute service (there is no published for two-axle cars. Very sensibly, a reversing operating that day survived with damage, the timetable). On very busy days, such as during triangle has been installed in one of the few town was then evacuated and the Arnhem special events, a reinforced service is operated undeveloped parts of the circuit to enable trams never ran again. The system joined and during the author’s most recent visit for cars to be turned to even out wheel wear. the sad roll-call of those on both sides of the the 2015 transport festival, four cars were in As with Beamish in the UK, the primary conflict closed through war damage. operation, giving about a five-minute service; purpose of the tramway is as a visitor The absence of any authentic Arnhem Amsterdam motor car 464 and cross-bench distributor; unlimited rides are thus included tramcar was answered through the trailer 600 were loaned to Arnhem for the within the site entrance fee. Intermediate construction of a replica of one of the duration. The June transport festival is stops are located close to the main visitor Beijnes bogie cars. ‘Arnhem 76’ is a superb intended to become an annual event. attractions but because of the contours of the replica, designed and fitted out according The line is extremely attractive, threading site and the manner of its development, these to the original specification, even down to through densely wooded sections to reach a are not evenly spaced. the Art Nouveau style of type used in the succession of farm and other rural buildings destination indicators, typical of Arnhem set in sylvan areas, with a couple of short Superb replica car at this period. The car was built in 1994-7 sections that could pass for street track. Although the site is the national museum and by a group of volunteers, using some parts Although visitors are encouraged to keep features displays relating to all parts of the from a Rotterdam pre-war car (axles, motors to separate pathways, there are several country, it does seek to feature local interest. and electrical equipment), and arrived at points where they cross the tramway whilst This presented a real problem for the tramway. the museum tramway in autumn 1998 after moving from one attraction to another. It is not that Arnhem never had any trams – being tested in Amsterdam. For purists, With farm buildings, animals, windmills, quite the opposite – but that nothing survived. though, there is a slight anomaly: it is not watercourses and other features of Dutch The original tramway was a standard-gauge running on kaapspoor, but on standard gauge rural life bordering the line, the tramway horse-drawn line between Arnhem and Velp, because of all the other trams in the museum. cuts an idyllic figure and provides varied opened on 3 May 1880 and operated by a photographic opportunities. A great feature private company. Proposals for extensions and Rotterdam survivors is that, given the terrain and extent of the a line through the town centre were repeatedly A line of this nature requires more than one development, the tramcars quickly disappear rejected by the town council, which preferred tramcar for public service and so other historic from sight wherever one may stand, the idea of a municipally-operated tramway cars were obtained. Three classic centre- increasing the effect of a real tram service. as an adjunct to its electricity company. entrance bogie cars, 520, 535 and 536, all built The main season is from April to October Eventually, the horse car line was incorporated by Werkspoor in 1931, were taken on loan (with Easter opening when this falls in into a new municipal tramway, laid to the from Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram (RET), in March), with opening 10.00-17.00 daily. Dutch narrow gauge of 1067mm (3ft 6in, or whose fleet they had latterly been retained as During the winter period there is a restricted Cape Gauge, known in the Netherlands as works cars. One trailer car was also obtained – programme of opening and activities. Kaapspoor) and opened on 21 May 1911 as Allan-built bogie car 1050 from 1949. For those wishing to examine the tramway a cross-town line between Oranjestraat and Also acquired was a more modern example as well as inspect all the other exhibits need Velperpoort. This ‘main line’ route remains of the Rotterdam fleet, six-axle Werkspoor/ to allow a full day; 2016 admission prices are the basis of trolleybus route 1 today. Düwag articulated car 631 of 1969. The other EUR16 for adults and EUR12 for children. The system later expanded, using two-axle Dutch museum car at Arnhem comes from There is a large car park adjacent to the motor cars and trailers, and after a short-lived Den Haag, HAWA-built two-axle motor car 274 entrance but for public transport users, access temporary operation in 1920, regular line 5 dating from 1921; car 265 of the same series is by trolleybus route 3 from Centraal Station was extended to serve the Openluchtmuseum remains in the museum fleet in its home city. to Burgers’ Zoo, which terminates nearby.

196 / MAY 2016 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org 1. Until 2000 a motor and trailer from Kassel were in residence at the museum. On 1 August 1998 we see Credé trailer 511 inside the depot, with Den Haag motor car 274 in the background.

2. ‘Arnhem 76’, the replica of one of the town’s centre- entrance bogie tramcars of 1929, at the foot of the street- running incline approaching Viersprong tram stop, with the Brabant café to the right.

3. Standing on the trackfan outside the depot is Rotterdam 520, one of three Werkspoor- built centre-entrance bogie cars of 1931 in operation on the tramway. Traces of dual-gauge track (750mm and 1435mm) can be seen to the right, laid to facilitate exhibition of narrow- gauge stock from the steam era of the Geldersche Tramweg Maatschappij.

4. Den Haag two-axle HAWA car 274 of 1921 is another regular performer on the museum line. It is shown here 2 taking layover at Grote weide during the 2015 transport festival on 21 June, with Amsterdam cross-bench trailer 600 attached. This replica of an 1893 tramcar was on loan to the Arnhem tramway for the event.

5. The passing loop at Grote weide stop was not part of the original layout but added later. During the June 2015 transport festival, Den Haag 274 and Amsterdam replica trailer 600 sit alongside Amsterdam 464 and 776, on loan for the event. 3 4 6. In this view from August 1998 we see locomotive 13 built by Machinefabriek Breda in 1900, on loan from the Utrecht Railway Museum. Also exhibited are Allan bogie passenger car AB48 of 1910 and goods wagon GZ41, built by Orenstein & Koppel in 1913.

7. During the 2015 transport festival, Amsterdam replica cross-bench trailer 600 hauled by Den Haag motor car 274 round the curve between the stop at Kasteelboerderij and 5 6 the Grote weide stop adjacent to the museum entrance. The disconnected track in the foreground is the original alignment, later eased and placed on grass reservation in the light of operating experience with two-axle cars.

8. Beijnes-built two-axle motor car 464 of 1929 with trailer 776 (Werkspoor, 1917) on the realigned track between Kasteelboerderij and Grote weide during the June 2015 transport festival. 7 8 All images by Mike Russell, 21 June 2015 unless otherwise stated.

www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org MAY 2016 / 197 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%.

There are no new book offers this month as we are stocktaking, in addition to rationalising our storage locations. From the next issue of Tramways & Urban Transit the despatch of all orders will have been transferred to Webscribe, who already handle distribution of our two magazines and the majority of books and DVDs from outside publishers.

Vacancy: Editor — Tramway Review The current Editor of Tramway Review - The Reverend Dr Richard Buckley - has decided, for personal reasons, to relinquish the post so we are seeking a successor. Richard has done a great job in transforming our historical journal during the past ten years, so we are keen to find someone who can maintain the high standards that he has set. TramwayTramway If you think this is a job for you, please get in touch with our TramwayReviewReview Review £4.65 No.245 £4.65March 2016 Chairman: No.244 December 2015 £4.65 Andrew Braddock No.243 September 2015 The Blackpool Dreadnoughts 4 Borderside YATELEY GU46 6LJ

Or by e-mail to Picture perfect: In sickness Aigleand in – Leysin:health [email protected] The Leeds Converts Damascus: Revolt, treaty andDamascus war part 3: Vichy to closure Damascus under the Ottomansa.c. traction in the 21st CenturySouthampton’s final movements Anyone who would like to talk through what is involved in magazine a.c. traction in the 20th CenturyYour letters: A Sheffield mysteryA Dutch Quartet Pre-war Liverpool The latest books reviewed Christmas reads: Lisbon trams editorship is welcome to contact the Publications Group Chairman, Plus: your thoughts on Lahore Carl Isgar, at [email protected]

LRTA 2016 AGM Weekend 2016 FESTIVAL OF This year’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday 17 September in the Birmingham area where, as usual, a range of events is planned from the Friday to the Monday, with a Midland Metro tram tour (including the MODEL TRAMWAYS depot), visits to the Black Country Museum in Dudley and the Electric Railway Museum in Coventry plus a steam train ride on the Severn Valley Railway (with the added attraction of the unique privately-owned funicular in Bridgnorth).

More information and a hotel booking form will be included in a flyer which will be distributed with the next issue of Tramways & Urban Transit. Meanwhile, please put Friday 16 to Monday 19 September in your diary.

Your association needs YOU! The LRTA depends heavily on the many volunteers who give of their time (and often their money!) to help us function as the world’s premier campaigning and advocacy group for trams and light rail. Both professional and enthusiast members serve on our Council and on the key functional groups which carry out the business of the Association, and we are keen to bring in new blood - not least in terms of younger members - to help keep the LRTA going and to harness new ideas. We urgently need more volunteers to come forward so Museum of Transport whatever your background or work experience we are sure Boyle Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester, M8 8UW to have a job for you - either serving on a functional group or just carrying out important tasks on a home computer, so 10am - 5pm 2/3 July Full £7.50 Concessions £6.50 that no travel is involved. Free heritage buses serving Victoria Station To find out more, or discuss how we might deploy your skills, Website: www.tramwayinfo.com facebook.com/tramwayfestival please contact the Chairman (see details in the Vacancy box). IN YOUR NEXT ISSUE OF A.W. Croughton/Rail Archive Stephenson Archive Croughton/Rail A.W. SYSTEMS FACTFILE: THE TRAMWAYS WHAT CAN WE USE VIENNA OF ROMANIA – Pt 2 OFF THE SHELF? Vienna has one of the world’s great Continuing his survey of Romanian Scott McIntosh considers how the tramways, an amazing mixture of old tramway operation today, Mike Russell rail industry has made use of COTS and new that complements the Austrian turns his attention this time to systems in (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) products capital’s other lavish public transport the west of the country, with their diverse in the past and whether reviving the provision. Neil Pulling reports in fleets of both modern and refurbished approach could reduce costs and words and images. rolling stock. enhance the delivery of new projects. PLUS... JUNE + Classic Trams: Hagen ISSUE + The latest news, rolling stock orders and movements, system developments, transport policy and leading industry comment on sale from around the world 13th May

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