THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com OCTOBER 2015 NO. 934 ENSURING SAFETY AND ENHANCING OUR CITIES Nottingham Phase Two opens to the public US ‘desperate for transit investment’ Extensions in Mesa and Sacramento Rubber-tyred tram tests in Medellín ISSN 1460-8324 £4.25 Depot design Basel 10 Key considerations The Swiss city where for modern systems you don’t need a car 9 771460 832043 100TH TRAM FOR MANCHESTER are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries Evolution of Mobility ©TfGM, Lesley Chalmers The and BOMBARDIER The BOMBARDIER* FLEXITY* family encompasses the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of tram and light rail solutions, ranging from 100% low-floor trams to high-capacity light rail vehicles as well as dual-mode solutions. In the UK, operators in Manchester, Blackpool and London have opted for Bombardier trams and light rail vehicles. In June 2015 Bombardier Transportation handed over the 100th tram to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). Metrolink’s fleet will ultimately be boosted to 120 vehicles by 2017 to provide extra space and capacity across the network. Manchester embraces green rail technology for urban transit and Bombardier Transportation is proud to be part of this success story. 1 This is a running title www.bombardier.com CONTENTS The official journal of the Light Rail Transit Association OCTOBER 2015 Vol. 78 No. 934 www.tramnews.net EDITORIAL 402 EDITOR Simon Johnston Tel: +44 (0)1733 367601 E-mail: [email protected] 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road, Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK ASSOCIATE EDITOR 388 Tony Streeter E-mail: [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR Michael Taplin 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 395 Felski, Ed Havens, Bill Vigrass, Andrew Moglestue, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Vic Simons, NEWS 388 SYSTEMS FACTFILE: BASEL 407 Herbert Pence, Alain Senut, Thomas Wagner. Nottingham Express Transit, Portland, The Swiss city that proclaims ‘cars are really PRODUCTION Lanna Blyth Sacramento and Valley Metro all open not essential’ maintains a light rail system Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 E-mail: [email protected] light rail extensions; Midland Metro waves with two operators and that covers three DESIGN goodbye to the T69; APTA warns of dangers countries. Neil Pulling explores Basel. Debbie Nolan of US transit investment backlog. ADVERTISING WORLDWIDE REVIEW 413 COMMERCIAL MANAGER COMMENT 393 Campina Grande reviews diesel light rail Geoff Butler Transport for Greater Manchester’s conversion of disused rail lines; Edmonton Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 E-mail: [email protected] Peter Cushing on tackling vandalism and opens Northwest LRT section; Munich PUBLISHER Howard Johnston anti-social behaviour. withdraws new tram fleet over technical concerns; Deadline looms for decision on Tramways & Urban Transit is jointly published by the LRTA and LRTA Publishing on the third Friday of each COMBATTING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS 395 Dublin's DART Underground project. month preceding the cover date. Public transport operators from around LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY the world discuss the challenges of keeping MAILBOX 418 Brian Lomas open access systems safe and secure. Is austerity putting tramways at risk?; Do E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] we look at tram or track design to cut costs? LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) MODERN DEPOT CONSIDERATIONS 402 Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up A maintenance facility offers opportunities CLASSIC TRAMS: ROMAN REMAINS 420 members of the Light Rail Transit Association. for efficient, sustainable construction. Scott Mike Russell explores the ‘hidden’ museum SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), McIntosh examines the key design issues. dedicated to Rome’s STEFER tramways. 38 Wolseley Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)117 9517785 BACK ISSUES Tackling vandalism and terrorism head-on Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 Vandalism, anti-social behaviour – and terrorism – aren’t new issues. Take PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION as many precautions as you like, the determined few will always somehow Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391000. get through the net and cause havoc when you are least prepared for it. The LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE most attractive transport networks are those of the ‘hop on, hop off’ variety c/o 138 Radnor Avenue, Welling, Kent DA16 2BY, UK. that offer flexibility to travellers – sadly these are also the ones at most risk. Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 Most commonly, it’s the less severe and mindless incidents like smashing windows, in England and Wales. ripping seats, damaging ticket machines, wrecking shelters, and spraying graffiti. LRTA CHAIRMAN System operators have to effect immediate repairs, but this impacts on services. On Andrew Braddock networks where fleet availability is managed to the limit by carefully scheduled E-mail: [email protected] maintenance regimes, taking a couple of cars out of service for reactive repairs can LRTA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN often only be handled by reducing service frequencies. Paul Rowen Sadly you can’t rely on sympathy from passengers. They pay for a clean, reliable and LRTA PUBLISHING REGISTERED OFFICE c/o 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 4TU, friendly service, and on time. If this can’t be delivered, for any reason, they will tell the UK. Private Limited Company, No. 06169422 world and take their custom elsewhere. Lost confidence spreads like a disease. in England and Wales. All this pales into insignificance when you read about the potential for terrorist © LRTA Publishing 2015. attacks, something brought into focus by things like the alleged (and fortunately foiled) Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also attempt by a gunman to attack a train running between Belgium and France in August. later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the None of us have the complete answer, but these are major areas of thought for system opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of managers. We’ve spoken to operators of light rail, tramway and metro systems across LRTA Publishing or the LRTA. All rights reserved. Europe, the US and the UK, and you can read about their approaches in this issue. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in In the first instance, it has been encouraging to see so many cities being open and any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and honest in accepting the problems they have. After that, the pro- and reactive responses retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from vary widely. From a recent spate of vehicle damage on Manchester’s Metrolink, to the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the violence against staff in Warsaw, to – at surely the most extreme end of the scale – the magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. ever-present threats of more serious terror attacks in Jerusalem, the crucial perception COVER: Trams have transformed Jerusalem, but are of safety is one that will always bug open access networks. Simon Johnston, Editor also targets for criminal and terrorists threats . JLRT www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org OCTOBER 2015 / 387 News Nottingham Phase Two launches Eight-month delays forgotten as two new lines double the system’s length, with others under study ublic services on the John Clarke announced that he ‘Phase Two’ extensions wants to see a line built eastwards of the UK’s Nottingham to serve Colwick Country Park, Express Transit tramway Netherfield, Carlton, Geding Pbegan on 25 August. and Arnold. Mr Clarke believes Completion of the branches that NET ‘Phase Three’ could to Clifton and Chilwell has be funded through levies on added 17.5km (11 miles) of track property developers along the to the network, taking it to 32km route, saying: “It’s our turn next. (20 miles) with 51 stops; a seven- Everything else has gone down minute daytime headway is being south of the river and across to operated. The launch of services the west. People recognise that follows roughly a month after there’s a lot of disruption but, at the Station Street terminus was the end of the day, it’s the future.” replaced by the new Nottingham Meanwhile, a study into the Station stop, now the hub of the feasibility of a 6.4km (four-mile) newly-expanded system. line westwards to Kimberley As well as directly serving the prepared by Mott MacDonald has central areas of both Beeston A NET Citadis arriving at the new Beeston Town Centre tram/bus interchange, reported that such a line would (including a new tram/bus on its way to Hucknall via Nottingham city centre, on 25 August. Mike Haddon cost GBP168m (EUR230m). interchange) and Clifton, the The study compared a number of new lines also connect significant increased from 15 to 37 vehicles; months and the project has been potential routes, extending west regional destinations including 22 32m Alstom Citadis trams controversial with residents in from the Phoenix Park terminus the University of Nottingham have been introduced since 2013, some areas, particularly Beeston, of Line One and passing under and Nottingham Trent University initially enhancing the timetable although early measurements the M1 motorway. A further campuses, Queen’s Medical on Line One before entering showed that footfall in Beeston extension to the Derbyshire Centre and the ng2 Business Park. service on the expanded system.