THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE HEADLINES l Toronto’s streetcar advocates fight back l UK’s Midland Metro expansion approved l Democrats propose more US light rail ROLLING STOCK ORDERS: WHO... WHAT... HOW MUCH? Ukrainian tramways under the microscope US streetcar trends: Mixed fleets: How technology Lessons from is helping change over a century 75 America’s attitude of experience to urban rail in Budapest APRIL 2012 No. 892 1937–2012 WWW. LRTA . ORG l WWW. TRAMNEWS . NET £3.80 TAUT_April12_Cover.indd 1 28/2/12 09:20:59 TAUT_April12_UITPad.indd 1 28/2/12 12:38:16 Contents The official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association 128 News 132 APRIL 2012 Vol. 75 No. 892 Toronto light rail supporters fight back; Final approval for www.tramnews.net Midland Metro expansion; Obama’s budget detailed. EDITORIAL Editor: Simon Johnston 132 Rolling stock orders: Boom before bust? Tel: +44 (0)1832 281131 E-mail: [email protected] With packed order books for the big manufacturers over Eaglethorpe Barns, Warmington, Peterborough PE8 6TJ, UK. the next five years, smaller players are increasing their Associate Editor: Tony Streeter market share. Michael Taplin reports. E-mail: [email protected] 135 Ukraine’s road to Euro 2012 Worldwide Editor: Michael Taplin Flat 1, 10 Hope Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6EA, UK. Mike Russell reports on tramway developments and 135 E-mail: [email protected] operations in this former Soviet country. News Editor: John Symons 140 The new environment for streetcars 17 Whitmore Avenue, Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST9 0LW, UK. E-mail: [email protected] Kinkisharyo International Project Manager Bill Contributor: Neil Pulling Kleppinger examines the bright future for US light rail. Design: Debbie Nolan 142 Hybrid trams and future drives Production: Carla Corrado The case for hybrid trams, explained by Dr Alex Luvishis. Tel: +44 (0)1832 281134 E-mail: [email protected] 145 Systems Factfile: Dusseldorf Worldwide Contributors: Aare Olander, Nikolai Neil Pulling reports from one of Europe’s most 140 Semyonov, Sergei Tarkhov (CIS), Mike Russell, Norman Bartlett, Thomas Wagner, Pedro Costa, Richard Felski, Jordi Ibanez (Europe), comprehensive urban transport network systems. Yoshiri Nogi (Japan), Anthony Bailey, Ian Hammond, Paul Nicholson 149 Budapest: Mixed fleet operations (Australia), Vic Simons, Charles Lietwiler, Steve Morgan, Tom Swinney, Julian Wolinsky (North America). Hungary’s capital has run different tram designs together LRTA Website and Diary: Brian Lomas since the 19th Century. László Szedlmajer and Illés Fodor E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] from operator BKV examine the challenges and benefits. Commercial Manager: Vicky Binley 153 Worldwide Review Tel: +44 (0)1832 281132 E-mail: [email protected] Ceremonies mark Buenos Aires metro extension work; Advertising Manager: Andy Adams Hong Kong’s MTR puts its new C-class stock into service; 149 Tel: +44 (0)1832 281135 E-mail: [email protected] Federal approval given for Honolulu’s USD5bn light metro. Eaglethorpe Barns, Warmington, Peterborough PE8 6TJ, UK. Publisher: Howard Johnston 158 Letters Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the LRTA and LRTA More on the utilities issues, and continuing the debate on Publishing on the third Friday of each month preceding the cover date. the high-speed versus light rail investment. LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) 160 Classic Trams: Malmköping Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up members of the Light Rail Transit Association. You are welcome to join the LRTA. In the third part of his Swedish trilogy, Mike Russell looks in detail at Stockholm’s Transport Museum. SUBSCRIPTIONS: LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. BACK ISSUES: Tel: +44 (0)1406 373070 Tram orders and high technology PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION: Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. simON JOhnstON, editOR LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE: c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY. Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 in England and Wales. This month we’re looking in-depth at the Systems’ announcement this month of its Chairman: Andrew Braddock. Deputy Chairman: Vic Simons light rail vehicles that run on the world’s work on ‘structural batteries’ means that LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE: c/o 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn systems, including their operation and everything points to a bright future for Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU. Private Limited Company, No. 06169422 development – and even taking a look at rail vehicles in all their forms. in England and Wales. future motive power technologies. Integrating energy storage capabilities © LRTA Publishing 2012. From current tram orders (a staggering (currently nickel-based, although BAE is Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also later be used 3000 for delivery between now and looking towards a lithium-ion version) on our websites or other media. A contribution is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the opinions expressed in it, and such opinions 2016), to examinations of the future US within the composite weave of carbon are not those of LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. climate for light rail and the hybrid trams fibre, for example, will mean lightweight No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form that could take us off the overhead wire materials that can hold their own charge, by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior – all detailed this issue – rolling stock removing the need for heavy batteries. permission in writing from the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the development is a hot topic as more cities Imagine the possibilities of a tram or contents of the magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. look at implementing modern LRT. metro car where the bodyshell itself is the The simple fact that so many orders battery that powers it! THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE HEADLINES l Toronto’s streetcar advocates fight back l UK’s Midland Metro are being placed in the current climate If that seems a little crystal ball-gazing expansion approved l Democrats propose more US light rail (our pages are full of them each and – the biggest questions relate to cost and every month), shows that wise investment reliability – the fact that a Le Mans 24- in urban rail is still seen as offering Hour racer is being built with structural value. The technologies being developed battery technology shows that high-level by both vehicle and infrastructure rolling testbeds aren’t far away. Den Haag will serve as ROLLING STOCK ORDERS: manufacturers also show that innovation Whether our future lies in hydrogen WHO... WHAT... HOW MUCH? the launch customer Ukrainian tramways under the microscope is key if we are to move forward. fuel cells, supercapacitors or lithium-ion US streetcar trends: Mixed fleets: for Siemens’ latest LRV How technology Lessons from is helping change over a century 75 America’s attitude of experience Taking the story even further, batteries, this kind of exciting development to urban rail in Budapest APRIL 2012 design – the Avenio. No. 892 1937–2012 WWW. LRTA . ORG l WWW. TRAMNEWS . NET £3.80 aerospace and defence giant BAE gives bright prospects for rail transport... TAUT_April12_Cover.indd 1 28/2/12 09:20:59 Siemens www.tramnews.net . www.Irta.org APRIL 2012 127 127_TAUT1204_Contents.indd 1 28/2/12 12:40:40 News Tucson award TORONTO LIGHT RAIL helps bridge SUPPORTERS FIGHT BACK funding gap IN a month of drama, the Chair of the Toronto Tran- THE city of Tucson, Arizona, sit Commission, Karen Stintz, came out in favour is gearing up for the next of surface light rail on outer sections of Eglinton phase in its Modern Streetcar Avenue. That reverts to the original Transit City project, selecting Old Pueblo plan, rather than putting the whole line in subway, Trackworks as preferred bidder as decided by Mayor Ford shortly after his election for construction of the 6.3km last year. This prompted the provincial government (3.9-mile) line in February. to seek clarification from the city council. Old Pueblo Trackworks is a A legal opinion suggested that Mayor Ford had joint-venture made up of civil no authority to cancel Transit City – which had pre- engineering contractor Granite viously been agreed by the city council – though the Construction Co and Minnesota- Mayor maintains that the voters who elected him based RailWorks Track Systems. mandated the subway alignment. Above: The Bombardier LRVs for Transit City were ordered The partnership recently collab- On 31 January Ford and his supporters on the by Metrolinx before the city elections. Whether they will orated on the 18.6km (11.6-mile) TTC board voted to withhold a staff report that was operate on Eglinton Avenue remains to be seen. Metrolinx Hiawatha line in Minneapolis expected to be critical of the mayor’s plans. A re- and is expected to begin works port on the Sheppard East subway, estimated to cost subways; 64% agreed that more surface light rail in Tucson in mid-March. CAD3.7-4.7bn (EUR2.7-3.4bn) which the mayor should be built if it allowed more transit to be built The submitted bid of USD56m hoped would be financed by the private sector, said more quickly. A panel of experts is due to approve a came in at 10% under the city a sales tax, road tolls and higher parking fees would plan for Sheppard East, where Mayor Ford wishes to engineers’ estimate and covers be needed to meet the cost. build another subway, but has no funding identified. construction of the rails, stops A week later Ms Stintz filed a petition signed by The city council will need to sign a master agree- and utilities diversion.