New tramways 2010: The tide of new tramways continues Michael Taplin takes a closer look at the new tramways opening in 2010, plus the ones that could have been and the reasons for their delays. he article in the February issue of Tramways & Urban Transit showed that in addition to 136 new tramways opened since 1978, another 45 were under Tconstruction. The question is, which of these will we be able to ride on before the end of 2010? Prediction is a black art, and already a few of those have drifted into 2011, or beyond, for a variety of reasons. Building a new tramway is a complex procedure at the mercy of many factors, from politicians to finance to the weather, and even the strongest project management skills can wilt from time to time. So, with these caveats accepted, here is the prediction of & which schemes will be cutting the ribbon this year – a couple are on very safe ground as they have already happened! What might have been… Projects that could have opened in 2010, but have now slipped into 2011, include the new tramway in Anger, France (12km/7.4 miles) dummy running from December before opening in January; the first phase of the Algiers tramways in Algeria (16.3km/10 miles) and the much delayed and highly- controversial Jerusalem project in Israel (13.8km /8.5 miles first trial 24 February, passenger service now April 2011). Dubai should open its innovative 10km (6 mile) line in the first quarter of 2011, while Hampton Roads TransitNTRANSIT in Norfolk,TRAMWAYS VA, USA will open its 11.8km TideA LRT system around the same time after months of delay (11.8km). For Italy one can never be sure, but PalermoB should be running Bergen’s 9.8km Bybanen tramway opens on 22 June. Here Stadler Variobahn 201 (one of 17 trams before Uthe end ofR 2011. TAUT LRVs to operate the system) is seen on test in early January 2010. Trygve Bertelsen Wiig Vancouver, Canada: 21 January 2010 The first on the list is interesting; new Bombardier Flexity trams in use each summer by the SYSTEM FACTS not only did Vancouver have the loaned from Brussels running Downtown Historic Railway first new tramway of 2010, but it on 1.8km (1.1 miles) of track museum tramway group, which . Route: 1 has also already closed. linking Granville Island and will gain the immediate benefit . Cost: CAD8.5m (USD8.3m) The Downtown Streetcar Olympic Village from 21 from the investment. Length: 1.8km Project was a demonstration of January to 21 March as the However Vancouver’s . modern tramway technology Olympic Line. politicians have a vision of Dates: 21/1/10–21/3/10 attached to the opportunity The former railway extending the line by 3km . Gauge: 1435mm afforded by the Winter Olympics alignment, completely rebuilt (1.85 miles) to Science World, . Power: 600 V dc and Paralympics and saw two for the project, was already then later another 2km (1.25 . Rolling stock: Two Bombardier miles) to Waterfront station and Flexity LRVs Thierry Hamal perhaps eventually to Stanley . Operator: Park. Clearly this would require City of Vancouver/ Bombardier serious funding for construction costs and a fleet of modern trams. This in turn will need the ‘Vancouver’s commitment of Translink, the regional transit authority, funded politicians have by BC and subject to all sorts of political pressure. Hitherto a vision of Translink has concentrated its major transit funding on extending the Skytrain automated light rapid transit. Hopefully the success of line by 5km in the Olympic Line demonstration project will promote a change the longer term’ of heart. 174 MAY 2010 www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org New tramways Firenze, Italy: 14 February 2010 The historic city of Firenze bridge over the River Arno, and Daniele Quaglia (Florence) last saw trams rolling stock; test running did not in 1958. With the Italian start until March 2009. government making funding So it was Valentine’s Day in available for new tramways, 2010 before the first fare-paying late 1990s studies identified passengers climbed aboard. opportunities for a network, Meanwhile the programme for which won local support. routes 2 and 3 has been mired in Turning this into reality took politics for years, including the time, and in December 2004 decision on whether or not to lay work began on the EUR170m tracks past the historic Duomo line 1, 7.4km (4.6 miles) from (cathedral). the main railway station to Scandicci in the west. SYSTEM FACTS A consortium including Paris . transport operator RATP and Route: 1 the local bus operator ATAF has . Cost: EUR170m the 30-year design/build/operate . Length: 7.4km contract and AnsaldoBreda has . Date: 14/2/10 supplied 17 Sirio low-floor trams. Gauge: Building new tramways in Italy 1435mm rarely seems a smooth process . Power: 750 V dc and the expectation of carrying . Rolling stock: 17 AnsaldoBreda & passengers in 2008 was soon Sirio LRVs thwarted by a series of delays, . Operator: GEST (Gestore del some related to the infrastructure, Servizio Tramviario di Firenze) that included a new tram-only ‘Not only did Vancouver have the first new tramway of 2010, but it has also already closed. Hopefully the success of the Olympic Line demonstration projectTRAMWAYS will convince Vancouver’sANTRANSIT politicians to look at LRT more closely’ Austin, USA: 22 MarchB 2010 R David Dobbs The Texan city of Austin has a reputation forU liberal thought in a state renowned for right-wing attitudes. Nevertheless agreement to spend taxpayers’ money on public transit is an uphill struggle for Capital Metro – the public transit provider set up in 1985 to take over the failing private bus company . In 2004 voters endorsed a master plan including MetroRail, diesel light rail on an existing railway north to the town of Leander. USD105m was spent making tracks suitable for commuter rail and building a link on to city centre streets in SYSTEM FACTS . Route: 1 . Cost: USD300m . Length: 51km . Date: 15/3/10 Austin, where the terminus is by public service could start in late took a year to sort out, including the Convention Centre. 2008, but this was put back to CapMetro parting company with . Gauge: 1435mm In October 2005 a USD32.3m 30 March 2009. Then CapMetro Veolia and giving the operating . Power: Diesel order for six diesel cars was and the chosen operator Veolia contract to Herzog Rail Services. Rolling stock: Six Stadler placed with Stadler; updated became embroiled in a dispute After three weeks of dummy GTW2/6 versions of those on the with the FTA over federal service, 22 March was the . Operator: Herzog Rail Services RiverLine (Trenton – Camden) oversight and standards. This, opening date, with five days of in New Jersey. The hope was that and related signalling issues, free service. www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org MAY 2010 175 New tramways Bergen, Norway: 22 June 2010 On the country’s west coast, the funding for a new tramline (1.1km and 1.2km) to overcome SYSTEM FACTS Bergen is Norway’s second- (the city had trams until 1965) Bergen’s hilly topography. Route: 1 largest city and the first to has come from the toll revenue, The infrastructure is owned establish a system of tolled with the National Transport by the County of Hordland, . Cost: NOK2.2bn (EUR274m) roads in a ring around the Plan approving expenditure of and the operator is the Fjord . Length: 9.8km central area in 1986. Part of NOK2.2bn (EUR274m) in 2005. 1 Partner (a joint venture of . Date: 22/6/10 Construction work on the Keolis and the local ferry/bus . Gauge: 1435mm 9.8km (16 mile) initial segment operator). Bergen is Norway’s . started in August 2007, running only trolleybus operator, and Power: 750 V dc south from Sentrum (the city on 22 June becomes one of . Rolling stock: 12 + five Stadler centre) to the suburb of Nestun. the few cities in the world to Variobahn LRVs Already agreed is a further operate tram, trolleybus and . Operator: Fjord 1 Partner extension to Rådal in 2012, motorbus. December 2009 saw and it is hoped to reach a final the delivery of the first of 17 Rådal extension was approved) terminus at Fliesland airport in Stadler Variobahn trams from that will provide a five-minute Thomas Potter 2015. The depot is at Kronstad Germany (the original order service on the new line at peak and there are two tunnels for 12 was increased when the periods. Lyon (RhônExpress): Toulouse, France: 9 August 2010 30 November 2010& RhônExpress Toulouse is a city in central SYSTEM FACTS France that decided in 1985 to adopt rapid transit by building . Route: 1 two automatic mini-metro lines . Cost: EUR97m using VAL technology, opened . Length: 10.9km in 1993 and 2002. Date: However it was clear that 30/11/09 some corridors did not justify . Gauge: 1435mm the cost of this expensive . Power: 750 V dc solution, and in 2001 it was . Rolling stock: 18 Alstom decided to build a new tramway Citadis 302 LRVs as a metro feeder to the . Operator: Tisséo NTRANSITnorth-west suburbs (including TRAMWAYSA Blagnac, the home of the French aircraft industry). The B last first generation tram in In May 2007 an EUR65.7m R Toulouse ran in 1957. order was placed with Alstom After the alignment was for 18 Citadis 302 trams, since U confirmed and designed, the increased to 24 to allow for Declaration of Public Utility a planned second tramline came in February 2007, with (and a short branch from the work starting soon afterwards.