THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com JULY 2018 NO. 967 PRAGUE’S DIGITAL MAP FOR TRAMWAY SAFETY Is a new double-decker the answer for crowded cities? LRT’s role in the Welsh rail revolution Huge tramway growth plan for Berlin NY’s radical ‘subway crisis’ solution Virtual worlds M emphis 07> £4.60 The importance of Rebuilding a crucial digital simulation city streetcar service 9 771460 832067 SUPPORTED BY Manchester “I very much enjoyed theincreased informal networking opportunities 17-18 July 2018 in such a superb venue. The 12th Annual Light Rail Conference quite clearly marked a coming of age The UK Light Rail Conference and exhibition as the leader on light rail worldwide, as evidenced is the premier knowledge-exchange event in by the depth of analysis the industry. from quality speakers and the active participation of With a wide range of presentations, panel debates key industry players and suppliers in the discussions.” and unrivalled networking opportunities, it is Ian Brown cBe – well-known as the place to do business and Director, UKtram build valuable and long-lasting relationships. There is no better place to gain true insight into the workings of the sector and help shape Voices its future. V from the t o discuss how you can be part of it, industry… visit us online at www.mainspring.co.uk “I had a great time in or telephone +44 (0) 1733 367600 Manchester. Thank you for everything, the conference was a great success for us.” ana M. Moreno – ORGANISED BY ORGANISED BY General Manager, tranvía de Zaragoza CONTENTS T he official journal of the Light Rail 256 Transit Association JULY 2018 Vol. 81 No. 967 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL EDITOR – Simon Johnston [email protected] 245 ASSOCIATE EDITOr – Tony Streeter [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR – Michael Taplin [email protected] NEWS EDITOr – John Symons [email protected] SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR – Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS T ony Bailey, Richard Felski, Ed Havens, Andrew Moglestue, Paul Nicholson, Herbert Pence, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Alain Senut, Vic Simons, Witold Urbanowicz, Bill Vigrass, Thomas Wagner, Rick Wilson 252 PRODUCTION – Lanna Blyth T el: +44 (0)1733 367604 NEWS 244 LIVING IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD 261 [email protected] Wales & Borders rail franchise to include Next-generation tramway and control DESIGN – Debbie Nolan Cardiff LRT; Berlin proposes biggest-ever centre simulators under the microscope. ADVertiSING tramway expansion; NYCT President reveals COMMERCIAL ManageR – Geoff Butler radical Subway upgrade; Haifa - Nazareth SYSTEMS FACTFILE: WROCŁAW 263 Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 [email protected] tram-train scheme goes to tender. Neil Pulling tours the extensive tramway in Western Poland’s largest city and finds how PUBLISHER – Matt Johnston TRAMS’ past, present AND FUTURE 249 stability has brought enhanced renewals. Tramways & Urban Transit Debates on efficiency, digital innovation 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road, Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK and sustainability in Brussels. WORLDWIDE REVIEW 269 Melbourne decides W-Class future; Tramways & Urban Transit is published by Mainspring on behalf of the LRTA on the third Friday of each RETURN of MEMPHIS streetcars 252 Zillertalbahn orders hydrogen-powered month preceding the cover date. Vic Simons visits Tennessee to explore the trains; Federal funding confirmed for re-opening of the rebuilt streetcar service Calgary Green line; Testing begins on following its extended closure. Casablanca T2 route; Auckland light rail procurement to be launched. PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION TIME FOR A NEW DOUBLE-DECKER? 254 Warners (Midlands), Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK Howard Johnston asks whether we need to MAILBOX 274 LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) reconsider tram designs to make the most of Further thoughts on noise and vibration; Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up precious urban road space. the campaign to save Amsterdam’s heritage. members of the Light Rail Transit Association. LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY WHERE DIGITAL MEETS PHYSICAL 256 CLASSIC TRAMS: amsterdam 276 Brian Lomas Martin Brejša from Prague operator DPP Ray Deacon recounts the fascinating history [email protected] [email protected] describes the project to create a digital track of the city’s RETM/EMA museum – and its SUBSCriPTIONS, MEMBERSHIP AND BACK ISSUES map to increase safety and efficiency. troubling impending closure. LRT A Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 Where do the best ideas come from? [email protected] Website: www.lrta.info FOR CORPORATE SuBSCRIPTIONS VISIT In days gone past, delays or disruption to public transport services were www.mainspring.co.uk inconvenient and annoying, but hardly ever made national news. In the 2010s, however, they are now deemed wholly unacceptable – even for a few LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling DA16 2BY, UK. minutes delay – and incur instant wrath on social media. Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 What is heartening is the work of unsung geniuses on the front-line in in England and Wales. cities around the world who are coming up with solutions to the day-to-day issues to LRTA CHAIRMAN – Paul Rowen ensure our trams and metro services run on time, and as safely and efficiently as possible. [email protected] In Prague, a combination of decades of tramway experience has allowed operator © LRTA 2018 DPP to work with its private partners in developing a potentially game-changing new Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also track analysis tool. Unhappy with the ‘off-the-shelf’ systems, this in-house apparatus later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution is allowing DPP to better monitor its over 300km (186-plus miles) of track to better is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the gauge wear and tear, reduce reactive maintenance and improve safety. Having such opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of institutional knowledge, and a confidence within it, allied to the corporate structure to the LRTA or Mainspring. All rights reserved. encourage internal innovation is already paying dividends. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including Some 4000km (approximately 2500 miles) to the south-west, the tramway operator photocopying, recording or by any information storage and on Tenerife, frustrated by its extensive market search for a cost-effective device to retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from monitor over-speeding, developed its own technology. A great success story, this is now the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the being offered to other systems. Sadly its need couldn’t be greater as the demand for magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. ever-more frequent services puts pressure on operators to run ever stricter headways. The advantages of ‘virtual’ training are also playing a key role in this regard. COVER: A modified Škoda ForCity 15T bogie, with How many other cities have developed such ingenious solutions to technical problems its independently pivoting wheels, has been used in Prague to help create a digital map of the city’s in-house? If you know of any then we’d love to hear from you. Simon Johnston, Editor tramways. Courtesy of DPP www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JULY 2018 / 243 News Berlin tramway expansion Suggestions for German capital fuel proposals unveiled debate on tram versus U-Bahn urther details of a proposed major A map showing the various phases of planned tramway expansion of the Berlin expansion in Berlin. tramway network were Center Nahverkehr Berlin Funeiled in May. The programme, part of the BerlinStrategie Stadtentwicklungskonzept 2030 plan developed following the election of a ‘red-red-green’ alliance in 2016, includes the much wider return of trams to the western part of the city than had previously been planned. The proposals were developed by Center Nahverkehr Berlin and the Berlin Senate; however, there has been ongoing debate over whether to favour tram or U-Bahn expansion, with opposition party FDP favouring the latter. As yet there is no formal commitment to the financing implications from the parties involved – the Senate, transport authority Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg, and Berlin’s transport operator BVG (Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft). Existing network Proposed routes have been broken down on the basis of 2031-35: Rathaus Spandau – Airport opens), Blankenburg and Implementation period 2020-25 priorities, with suggested delivery Hahneberg; Falkenseer Platz – Adlershof. Implementation period 2026-30 from 2020 through to after 2035: Freudstrasse Tram supporting umbrella Second priority group Pro Strassenbahn followed Implementation period 2031-35 First priority 2026-30: Sterndamm – the unveiling of the suggested Implementation after 2035 2020-25: Hbf – Jungfernheide; Johannisthaler Chaussee; expansion with more ambitious Alexanderplatz – Kulturforum; Lützowstr – Zoo; Hbf – Perleberger proposals of its own that would Most urgent need Pankow – Pasedagplatz; Strasse; Turmstrasse – Rathaus see further network growth, Urgent need Heinersdorf – Blankenburg; Pankow partly through the replacement Warschauer Str – Hermannplatz; After 2035: Rathaus Stegliz – of bus routes by tramway. Further need Adlershof – Schöneweide; Friedenfelser Strasse Pro Strassenbahn’s programme New tramstops