A tram system, tramway, or street railway is a railway on which trams (streetcars, trolleys) run. It is typically built at street level sharing roads with traffic but may include private right-of-way especially in newer light rail system. Many old tram systems lack platforms, which enables virtually complete integration with other forms of transport and pedestrians making simultaneous use of the streets. A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ... A city-centre street in Frankfurt, Germany A residential street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA A street is a public thoroughfare in the built environment. ... A right-of-way (plural: rights-of-way) is an easement or strip of land granted to a railroad company upon which to build a railroad. ...

Tram systems were common throughout the industrialized world in the early 20th century. Although they disappeared from many cities in mid-century, in recent years they have made a comeback. Many newer light rail systems share features with trams, although a distinction is usually drawn between them, especially if the line has significant off-street running. This article is about light rail systems in general. ...

In the United Kingdom, a tramway is a precise term in law and in regulations for a class of railway that shared a road. While a railway required an act of Parliament to resume private land for its right of way, a tramway could operate on a public road with a permit from local government. The majority of railways operating under this class were passenger tram networks, although some were industrial and at least one example at Weymouth was part of the main railway network and saw full freight and passenger trains traversing the streets of Weymouth down to the quay. One of the most unusual tramways was the Haytor Granite Tramway, built of granite. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. ... The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... A right-of-way (plural: rights-of-way) is an easement or strip of land granted to a railroad company upon which to build a railroad. ... A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ... Weymouth is a town in Dorset, England, situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast. ... A quay, pronounced key, is a wharf or bank where ships and other vessels are loaded. ... The Haytor Granite Tramway was a unique granite-railed tramway on Hay Tor, Dartmoor, Devon. ...

Comparison of transit modes

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Sheffield Supertram, Sheffield.

A Tram System implements many technologies similar to Rapid Rail Transit and Bus Rapid Transit and in some cases it is hard to differentiate the difference between a Light Metro rail system to a high standard Tram System. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1208x558, 132 KB) Personal photograph taken by Mick Knapton on June 8th 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1208x558, 132 KB) Personal photograph taken by Mick Knapton on June 8th 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version... The Sheffield Supertram is a tram network in Sheffield, England. ... For other uses, see Sheffield (disambiguation). ... For lower capacity public transit systems, see tram, light rail, bus, and bus rapid transit. ... There is a large number of public transport systems in European towns that fulfill several of the BRT criteria given above, but they are rarely designated as BRT. Bus lanes and exclusive use of key city-centre streets is commonplace, and bus priority on approach to traffic lights is quite... Judging by the capacity, Ma On Shan Rail, KCR can also be considered as a medium capacity system. ...

Rail Transit

Tram Systems

There are two distinct types of Tram Systems the first generation traditional Streetcar or trams System and then the second generation system commonly called Light Rail.

First Generation System

First Generation Tram, streetcars, or trolleys systems ran mainly or completely along streets, with low capacity and frequent stops. Passengers usually board at street- or curb-level.

Second Generation System

Light rail or light rail transit^[1] (LRT) is a form of tram system that generally uses electric rail cars^[2] on private rights-of-way or sometimes in streets. While the term is generally used for systems with modern light rail vehicles,^{[citation needed]} it can be applied to any tram system. Light rail is a step below rapid transit, which is fully grade-separated.^[3][4][5] This article is about light rail systems in general. ... A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ... Not to be confused with railroad car. ... A right-of-way (plural: rights-of-way) is an easement or strip of land granted to a railroad company upon which to build a railroad. ... A tram of the Luas system in Dublin, Ireland A train of Light Rail, KCRC, Hong Kong. ... For lower capacity public transit systems, see tram, light rail, bus, and bus rapid transit. ... An example of a four-level stack interchange in the Netherlands. ...

Difference in Tram Vehicles

KCR Light Rail in Hong Kong, China.

Conversely, LRVs generally outperform streetcars in terms of capacity and top end speed, and almost all modern LRVs are capable of multiple-unit operation. Particularly on exclusive rights-of-way, LRVs can provide much higher speeds and passenger volumes than a streetcar. Thus a streetcar capable of only 70 km/h (45 mph) operating on an exclusive right of way cannot be considered as “light rail”. The latest generation of LRVs is significantly larger and faster, typically of length of 25 m (80 ft with maximum speeds of 100 to 110 km/h (60 to 70 mph). Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 449 KB) A LRV (Hong Kong), Route 751. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 449 KB) A LRV (Hong Kong), Route 751. ... Opening Date 25 September 1988 Routes 9 Number of trains 1191 Service Area Tuen Mun, Yuen Long The KCR Light Rail is one of the four systems of the KCR network in Hong Kong. ... A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ...

Typical rolling stock

Light metro

A derivative of LRT is light rail rapid transit (LRRT), also referred to as Light Metro. Such railways are characterized by exclusive rights of way, advanced train control systems, short headway capability, and floor level boarding. These systems approach the passenger capacity of full metro systems, but can be cheaper to construct by using the ability of LRVs to turn tighter curves and climb steeper grades than standard RRT vehicles. Judging by the capacity, Ma On Shan Rail, KCR can also be considered as a medium capacity system. ...

Rapid rail transit

EMU rapid transit commuter train in Perth, Western Australia

LRVs are distinguished from rapid rail transit (RRT) vehicles by their capability for operation in mixed traffic, generally resulting in a narrower car body and articulation in order to operate in a traffic street environment. Due to their large size, large turning radius, and often an electrified third rail, RRT vehicles cannot operate in the street. Since LRT systems can operate using existing streets, they often can avoid the cost of expensive subway and elevated segments that would be required with RRT. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x681, 752 KB) Summary Photo taken (15th July 2005) and supplied by Nachoman-au. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x681, 752 KB) Summary Photo taken (15th July 2005) and supplied by Nachoman-au. ... A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ... The Perth skyline veiwed from the Swan River This article is about the urban area of Perth, Western Australia. ... For lower capacity public transit systems, see tram, light rail, bus, and bus rapid transit. ...

Buses

Bus lane

A bus (only) lane is a lane on a road restricted to buses, and possibly high occupancy vehicles, bicycles, emergency vehicles or taxicabs. Bus Only Road Sign in Taiwan (This sign was also for bus lanes, now with a separate sign) Bus Lane Sign in Taiwan A bus (only) lane is a lane on a road restricted to buses, and possibly high occupancy vehicles, bicycles, emergency vehicles or taxicabs. ... An articulated bus operated by the CTA in Chicago, Illinois, USA. A Go North East Bus parked in a lay-by in Tyne and Wear, England A bus is a large road vehicle intended to carry numerous persons in addition to the driver and sometimes a conductor. ... A permanent, separated high-occupancy vehicle lane on I-91 in Connecticut A high occupancy vehicle (or HOV) is any vehicle with a driver and one or more (or sometimes two or more, or three or more) passengers. ... Velo redirects here. ... An emergency vehicle is any vehicle that responds to an emergency. ... Taxicab, short forms taxi or cab, is a type of public transport for a single passenger, or small group of passengers, typically for a non-shared ride. ...

The aim of a bus only lane is to give priority to buses and save journey time in places where roads are congested with other traffic. A bus lane is not necessarily very long, as it may only be used to 'detour' a single congestion point. However, some cities have built large stretches of bus lanes which in some places, e.g. Almere, Barcelona and Singapore, amount to a separate local road system. Almere can mean: A large lake that in early times was in the area of the southern part of the Zuiderzee, - see for more information. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (Catalan) Ciudad Condal (Spanish) Postal code 08001-08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ...

Bus Rapid Transit

Main article: Bus Rapid Transit

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a broad term given to a variety of transportation systems that, through improvements to infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling, attempt to use buses to provide a service that is of a higher quality than an ordinary bus line. Each BRT system uses different improvements, although many improvements are shared by many BRT systems. The goal of such systems is to at least approach the service quality of rail transit while still enjoying the cost savings of bus transit. The expression "BRT" is mainly used in North America; elsewhere, one may speak of Quality Bus or simply bus service while raising the quality. There is a large number of public transport systems in European towns that fulfill several of the BRT criteria given above, but they are rarely designated as BRT. Bus lanes and exclusive use of key city-centre streets is commonplace, and bus priority on approach to traffic lights is quite... An articulated bus operated by the CTA in Chicago, Illinois, USA. A Go North East Bus parked in a lay-by in Tyne and Wear, England A bus is a large road vehicle intended to carry numerous persons in addition to the driver and sometimes a conductor. ...

Comparison of Capacity between transit modes

Cars

Roads have capacity limits which can be determined by traffic engineers. Due to traffic congestion they experience a chaotic breakdown in flow and a dramatic drop in speed if they exceed about 2,000 vehicles per hour per lane. ^[6] Since automobiles in many places average only 1.2 passengers during rush hour, this limits roads to about 2,400 passengers per hour per lane. This can be mitigated by using high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, but many people prefer to drive alone. For another meaning of the term traffic engineering, please see telecommunications traffic engineering. ... Traffic jam redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A permanent, separated high-occupancy vehicle lane on I-91 in Connecticut A high occupancy vehicle (or HOV) is any vehicle with a driver and one or more (or sometimes two or more, or three or more) passengers. ...

Light Rail Capacity

Light rail vehicles can travel in trains carrying much higher passenger volumes then compared to the Traditional Streetcars or road based transit.^[7] If run in streets, light rail systems are limited by city block lengths to about four 180-passenger vehicles (720 passengers). Operating on 2 minute headways using traffic signal progression, a well-designed system can handle more than 30 trains per hour, achieving peak rates of over 20,000 passengers per hour per track. More advanced systems with separate rights-of-way using moving block signalling can exceed 25,000 passengers per hour per track. ^[8] It has been suggested that safeworking be merged into this article or section. ...

Most North American systems are limited by demand rather than capacity and seldom reach 10,000 passengers per hour per track, but European light rail systems often approach their limits. When they do, they can carry as many passengers as a 16-lane freeway in the space of a two lane roadway. If passenger volumes exceed light rail limits, heavy rail systems can be built to carry many more people.

Disappearance from many cities

The advent of personal motor vehicles and the improvements in motorized buses caused the rapid disappearance of the tram from most western and Asian countries by the end of the 1950s. Continuing technical improvements in buses made them more reliable, and a serious competitor to trams because they did not require the construction of costly infrastructure. [1]

In many cases postwar buses were cited as providing a smoother ride and a faster journey than the older, prewar trams. For example, the tram network survived in Budapest but for a considerable period of time bus fares were higher to recognize the superior quality of the buses. However, many riders protested against the replacement of streetcars arguing that buses weren't as smooth, efficient and polluted the air. In the United States, there have been allegations that the General Motors streetcar conspiracy was responsible for the replacement of trains with buses, but critics of this theory point to evidence that larger economic forces were driving conversion before General Motors' actions and outside of its reach. The General Motors streetcar conspiracy refers to a contention that General Motors (GM), acting in conjunction with several other companies and through the National City Lines (NCL) holding company, illegally acquired many streetcar systems in various cities around the United States, dismantled and replaced them with buses for the express...

Governments thus put investment principally into bus networks. Indeed, infrastructure for roads and highways meant for the automobile were perceived as a mark of progress. The priority given to roads is illustrated in the proposal of French president Georges Pompidou who declared in 1971 that "the city must adapt to the car". Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou (5 July 1911 – 2 April 1974) was President of France from 1969 until his death in 1974. ...

Tram networks were no longer maintained or modernized, a state of affairs that served to discredit them in the eyes of the public. Old lines, considered archaic, were then bit by bit replaced by buses.

Tram networks disappeared almost completely from North America, Brazil, Argentina, France, the UK, India, and altogether from Ireland, Turkey, Spain and South Africa. On the other hand, they were generally retained or modernized in most communist countries, as well as Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and Japan. In France and the UK, only the networks in Lille, Saint-Etienne, Marseille, and Blackpool survive from this period, but they are each reduced to a single line. Most Australian tram networks disappeared by 1973, with the exception of the extensive system in Melbourne and the Glenelg line in Adelaide. There are also many tourist Tram lines in operations across the Australasia region including Bendigo and Ballarat. World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization, based upon common ownershipmovement]]. Early forms of human social organization have been described as primitive communism by Marxists. ... Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. ... For other uses, see Lille (disambiguation). ... Saint Etienne may mean: Saint-Étienne, a city in south-eastern France, 80 km from Lyon. ... City flag Coat of arms Motto: By her great deeds, the city of Massilia shines Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur Department Bouches-du-Rhône (13) Subdivisions 16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs) Intercommunality Urban Community of Marseille Provence... It has been suggested that South Shore, Blackpool be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A depiction of one of the H-class Glenelg trams by Simon Lieschke. ... Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Bendigo is a regional city in central Victoria, Australia, located in the City of Greater Bendigo. ... Location of Ballarat in Victoria (red) Ballarat Base Hospital For the electoral division in the Australian House of Representatives, see Division of Ballarat. ...

Return to grace

A Siemens "Combino" tram in Amsterdam

A new Italian produced Sirio tram in Gothenburg

tram in Strasbourg, 2004.

The priority given to personal vehicles and notably to the automobile led to a loss in quality of life, particularly in large cities where smog, traffic congestion, sound pollution and parking became problematic. Acknowledging this, some authorities saw fit to redefine their transport policies. Rapid transit required a heavy investment and presented problems in terms of subterranean spaces that required constant security. For rapid transit, the investment was mainly in underground construction, which made it impossible in some cities (with underground water reserves, archaeological remains, etc.). Metro construction thus was not a universal panacea. Image File history File links Tram_Amsterdam. ... Image File history File links Tram_Amsterdam. ... Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 741,329 (1 August 2006) Agglomeration - up to 2. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1129x899, 331 KB) Summary New M32 trams Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1129x899, 331 KB) Summary New M32 trams Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Sirio in Athens Sirio in Gothenburg Sirio (Italian for Sirius) is a low-floor tram built by Ansaldobreda, an Italian manufacturer of trains, trams and LRVs. ... Location of Gothenburg in northern Europe Coordinates: Country Sweden County Västra Götaland County Province Västergötland Charter 1621  - Mayor Göran Johansson Area    - City 450 km²  (174 sq mi)  - Water 14. ... Image File history File links Strasbourg_Tram. ... Image File history File links Strasbourg_Tram. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ... Victorian London was notorious for its thick smogs, or pea-soupers, a fact that is often recreated to add an air of mystery to a period costume drama. ... Traffic jam redirects here. ... Sound pollution is an overabundance of sound waves usually created by human overpopulation or technology, more commonly referred to as noise pollution. ... Underground parking garage at the University of Minnesota. ... For lower capacity public transit systems, see tram, light rail, bus, and bus rapid transit. ...

The advantages of the tram thus became once again visible. At the end of the 1970s, some governments studied, and then built new tram lines. In France, Nantes and Grenoble lead the way in terms of the modern tram, and new systems were inaugurated in 1985 and 1988. The first UK modern light rail system opened in Manchester in 1992 with Italian built vehicles. In 1994 Strasbourg opened a system with novel British-built trams, specified by the city, with the goal of breaking with the archaic conceptual image that was held by the public. Traditional city flag City coat of arms Motto: (Latin: Shall Neptune favour the traveller) Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Département Loire-Atlantique (44) Région Pays-de-la-Loire Mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault (PS) (since 1989) Intercommunality Urban Community of Nantes City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 65. ... Grenoble (Arpitan: Grasanòbol) is a city and commune in south-east France, situated at the foot of the Alps, at the confluence of the Drac into the Isère River. ... Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough, in the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester, North West England. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ...

A great example of this shift in ideology is the city of Munich, which began replacing its tram network with a metro a few years before the 1972 Summer Olympics. When the metro network was finished in the 1990s the city began to tear out the tram network (which had become rather old and decrepit), but now faced opposition from many citizens who enjoyed the enhanced mobility of the mixed network -- the metro lines deviate from the tram lines to a significant degree. New rolling stock was purchased and the system was modernized, and a new line was proposed in 2003. Coordinates: Time zone: CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country: Germany State: Bavaria Administrative region: Upper Bavaria District: Urban district City subdivisions: 25 borroughs Lord Mayor: Christian Ude (SPD) Governing parties: SPD / Greens / Rosa Liste Basic Statistics Area: 310. ... A rapid transit, underground, subway, tube, elevated, or metro(politan) system is a railway — usually in an urban area — with a high capacity and frequency of service, and grade separation from other traffic. ... The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ... Rolling Stock banner Rolling Stock was a newspaper of ideas and a chronicle of the 1980s published in Boulder, Colorado by Ed Dorn and Jennifer Dunbar Dorn. ...

In Melbourne, Australia, the already extensive tramway system continues to be extended. In 2004 the Mont Albert line was extended several kilometres to Box Hill, whilst in 2005 the Burwood East line was extended several kilometres to South Vermont. Melbournes Yarra River is a popular area for walking, jogging, cycling, rowing and for relaxing on the banks with a picnic Melbourne (pronounced ) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ...

Pros and cons of tram systems

Tram tracks can be hazardous to cyclists

All transit service involves a tradeoff between speed and frequency of stops. Services that stop frequently have lower overall speed, and are therefore less attractive for longer trips. Metros, light rail, monorail, and Bus Rapid Transit are all forms of rapid transit — which generally signifies high speed and widely-spaced stops. Trams are a form of local transit, making frequent stops. Thus, the most meaningful comparison of advantages and disadvantages is with other forms of local transit, primarily the local bus. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 859 KB) A road sign warning cyclists that the tram tracks in the road ahead might be slippy. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 859 KB) A road sign warning cyclists that the tram tracks in the road ahead might be slippy. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... The KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur, a colourful straddle-beam monorail Gyroscopically Balanced Monorail (1907) by Brennan and Scherl The term monorail is used to describe a number of systems in which a chair or carrier is suspended from, or rides on, an overhead rail structure for the transportation of... There is a large number of public transport systems in European towns that fulfill several of the BRT criteria given above, but they are rarely designated as BRT. Bus lanes and exclusive use of key city-centre streets is commonplace, and bus priority on approach to traffic lights is quite... For lower capacity public transit systems, see tram, light rail, bus, and bus rapid transit. ...

Advantages

• The greatest advantage of modern trams is social rather than technical. In most countries, trams don't suffer from the image problem that plagues buses. On the contrary — most people associate trams with a positive image. Unlike buses, trams tend to be popular with a wider spectrum of the public, including better-off people who often shun buses. This high level of customer acceptance means higher ridership and public support for investment in new tram infrastructure.
• Multiple entrances allow trams to load faster than suburban coaches, which tend to have a single entrance. This, combined with swifter acceleration and braking, lets trams maintain higher overall speeds than buses, if congestion allows.
• Trams can adapt to the number of passengers by adding additional cars during rush hour (as well as removing excess cars during off-peak hours). No additional driver is then required for the trip in comparison to buses.
• In general, trams provide a higher capacity service than buses.
• Unlike buses, but like trolleybuses, (electric) trams give off no exhaust emissions at point of use. Compared to motorbuses the noise of trams is generally perceived to be less disturbing.
• Rights-of-way for trams are narrower than for buses. This saves valuable space in cities with high population densities and/or narrow streets.
• Because they are rail-bound, trams command more respect from other road users than buses do, when operating on-road. In heavy traffic conditions, rogue drivers are less likely to hold up trams, for example by blocking intersections or parking on the road. This often leads to fewer delays. As a rule, especially in European cities and Melbourne, trams always have priority.
• Passenger comfort is normally superior to buses because of controlled acceleration and braking and curve easement. Rail transport such as used by trams provides a smoother ride than road use by buses.
• Light rail systems are generally cheaper to build than heavy rail, since the infrastructure is relatively insubstantial, and tunnels used in most metro systems are generally not required. Moreover, the ability to handle sharp curves and steep gradients can reduce the construction work.
• In an emergency, light rail trains are easier to evacuate than monorail or elevated rapid rail trains which may require ladders or cranes to evacuate passengers from a disabled train.

Compared with buses, light rail systems have higher capacity, are cleaner, quieter, more comfortable, and in many cases faster. Light rail does not have the negative connotations of being a system used by the "transit dependent" that can plague BRT. Recent data indicates that BRT is more cost effective below 1600 passengers per hour, but above 2000 passengers per hour bus headways become so short that average speed falls and per-passenger costs increase. ^[9] Škoda 14 Tr trolleybus in Vilnius, Lithuania. ... In common use the word noise means unwanted sound or noise pollution. ... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ... A rapid transit, underground, subway, tube, elevated, or metro(politan) system is a railway — usually in an urban area — with a high capacity and frequency of service, and grade separation from other traffic. ... There is a large number of public transport systems in European towns that fulfill several of the BRT criteria given above, but they are rarely designated as BRT. Bus lanes and exclusive use of key city-centre streets is commonplace, and bus priority on approach to traffic lights is quite...

Many modern light rail projects gain rights-of-way by re-using parts of old rail networks (such as abandoned industrial rail lines), sharing freight railways, or using the medians of freeways. For example, the Docklands Light Railway uses a sharp, steep curve to enable it to run alongside an existing railway line and then transfer to a previously disused railway line which crosses underneath. A direct connection between these lines would not be practical for conventional rail. Tube Portal The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a light rail public transport metro serving the redeveloped Docklands area of east London, England. ...

Disadvantages

Tram accident in Amsterdam

• The initial cost is higher than for buses, hence the usual preference for the latter in smaller cities
• When operated in mixed traffic, trams are more likely to be delayed by disruptions in their lane. Buses, by contrast, can easily maneuver around obstacles. Opinions differ about whether deference that drivers show to trams — a cultural issue that varies by country — is sufficient to counteract this disadvantage.
• Tram tracks can be dangerous for cyclists. This and problems with parked cars are avoided by building tracks and platforms in the middle of the road. Cyclists can avoid this by always riding across and never along tramways, as bikes, particularly those with narrow tyres, may get their wheels caught in the track grooves. It is also possible to close the grooves of the tracks on critical sections by rubber profiles. Those profiles are pressed down by the wheelflanges of the passing tram but cannot be lowered by the weight of a cyclist.
• Tram infrastructure occupies urban space above ground and requires modifications to traffic flow.
• Steel wheel trams can be noisier than rubber-wheeled trolleybuses, especially when cornering.
• Tram drivers can control the switches ahead of them. This caused a major derailment in Geneva, Switzerland. A Wikinews article on the derailment

Light rail vehicles are often heavier per passenger carried than heavy rail and monorail cars. On the other hand, light rail vehicles tend to be more reliable and have longer service lives than the typical monorail vehicle, and the generally lower capital cost of construction usually offsets any weight disadvantage. Image File history File linksMetadata Tram_accident. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Tram_accident. ... Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 741,329 (1 August 2006) Agglomeration - up to 2. ... Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German:   //, Italian: Ginevra, Romansh: Genevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich), and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). ... The KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur, a colourful straddle-beam monorail Gyroscopically Balanced Monorail (1907) by Brennan and Scherl The term monorail is used to describe a number of systems in which a chair or carrier is suspended from, or rides on, an overhead rail structure for the transportation of...

The opening of new light rail systems has sometimes been accompanied by a marked increase in car accidents, as a result of drivers' unfamiliarity with the physics and geometry of trolleys.^[10] Though such increases may be temporary, long-term conflicts between motorists and light rail operations can be alleviated by segregating their respective rights-of-way and installing appropriate signage and warning systems. ^[11] In an accident resulting from excessive speed, this concrete truck rolled over into the front garden of a house. ...

Light rail can expose neighboring populations to moderate levels of low-frequency noise. However light rail vehicles use quiet electric motors and techniques such as rubber inserts in the wheels to reduce running noise, and transportation planners use noise mitigation strategies to minimize these effects. ^[12] Roadway noise is the most pervasive form of environmental noise Noise mitigation is a set of strategies to reduce unwanted environmental sound. ...

Regional variations

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Light Rail#Light Rail around the World. (Discuss)

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ...

Europe

Main article: Trams in Europe

A Peter Witt tram in Milan

In many European cities, as in other parts of the world, tramway infrastructure was lost in the mid-20th century, though not always on the same scale as in other cities (in America, for example). Much of Eastern Europe lost less tramway infrastructure but some cities are now reconsidering their transport priorities, while some Western European cities are rehabilitating, upgrading and even reconstructing their old tramway lines. The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article Trams#Europe. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1184x1792, 274 KB) Milano: tram number 23 waiting at the end of line in the square in front of Lambrate train station. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1184x1792, 274 KB) Milano: tram number 23 waiting at the end of line in the square in front of Lambrate train station. ... A Peter Witt streetcar in Milan. ...

Western Europe

Europe, particularly Germany, Italy, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium, has an extensive number of tramway networks. Some of these networks have been upgraded to light rail standards, called Stadtbahn in Germany and Pre-metros in Belgium. World map showing the location of Europe. ... A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... Stadtbahn signet as used in North Rhine-Westphalia Stadtbahn (literally in German: city railway) is a term for light rail systems in operation in Germany. ...

Central and Eastern Europe

Tramway in Katowice, Poland

All countries of the former Soviet Bloc, excluding Lithuania and Moldova, have extensive tram infrastructure. Industrial freight use of city tram lines was a widespread practice until 1960s but has since mostly disappeared. Another factor is an increasing replacement of trams with trolleybuses as cities face a rapid increase in traffic and such replacement often allows to increase road size. One of the exceptions is Warsaw, Poland, where the last trolleybus line was closed in the year 1995 due to high maintenance costs, and replaced with more efficient trams. Czech ČKD Tatra and the Hungarian Ganz factories were notable manufacturers of trams. Image File history File links KatowiceSilesianInterurbans. ... Image File history File links KatowiceSilesianInterurbans. ... Panorama of Katowice at night Katowice (pronunciation: [] (Czech: Katovice, German: Kattowitz) is an important city of the historical region of Upper Silesia in southern Poland on the KÅ‚odnica and Rawa rivers. ... During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) comprised the following Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Albania (until the early 1960s, see below), the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia. ... Warsaw (Polish: , , in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: ) is the capital of Poland, its largest city, and a gamma world city. ... ÄŒKD or ÄŒeskomoravská Kolben-DanÄ›k was one of the biggest engineering companies in former Czechoslovakia and todays Czech Republic. ... The Ganz electric works in Budapest is probably best known for the manufacture of tramcars, but was also a pioneer in the application of three-phase alternating current to electric railways. ...

North America

Note that in North America, especially the United States, trams are generally known as streetcars or trolleys, while the term tram is more likely to be understood as a tourist trolley, an aerial tramway, or a people-mover. A Tourist trolley, also called a road trolley, is a bus (usually diesel fueled) made to resemble an old-style streetcar. ... The construction of the aerial tramway. ... Osaka New-Tram A people mover or people mover system is a fully-automated, grade-separated rail transit system. ...

Main article: Streetcars in North America

See also: Light rail in North America

Streetcars were largely torn down in the mid-20th century with exception including New Orleans' streetcars and Newark which still have them. Pittsburgh kept the majority of its streetcar system serving the city and many suburbs until January, 27th 1967, making it the large network US streetcar system that lasted the longest. Toronto has the largest streetcar system in the Americas. In the later 20th century, the term Light Rail is preferred, with many cities in North America opting to install them, often along the same corridor as the old streetcars. Some have even restored their old streetcars and run them as a heritage line for tourists like the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway. A METRORail train approaching Preston Station in downtown Houston, Texas, USA. A Hudson-Bergen Light Rail train in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. A Calgary Transit Siemens-Duewag U2 LRV #2043, part of Calgary, Albertas C-Train. ... Nickname: The Brick City Map of Newark in Essex County Coordinates: County Essex Founded/Incorporated 1666/1836  - Mayor Cory Booker, term of office 2006–2010 Area [1]    - City 67. ... City nickname: The Steel City Location in the state of Pennsylvania Founded 1758 Mayor Tom Murphy (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 151. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... The Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway is a historic railway that runs between Granville Island and Science World in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ...

South America

Argentina

Buenos Aires Vintage Subte line A.

The Anglo-Argentine Tramways Company opened Latin America's first "underground tramway" system, (Subte line A) in 1913. The original route was partially underground and on street level until 1926, for this reason these "pantograph" cars built by La Brugeoise in Belgium had both low doors at the ends for boarding from the street and high doors in the middle for loading from platforms in the tunnel, therefore, "Subte" line A might also be considered one of the continent's first light rail trams. These vintage beautifully maintained carriages (sans end doors) are still in operation.

Buenos Aires street tramway networks where one of the most extensive in the world with over 857 km (535 mi) of track, most of it dismantled during the 1960s in favor or bus transportation. 2006 was a very significant year for tramways in Argentina, a 2 kilometre experimental tram known as the Tranvía del Este (Eastern Tram) will be inaugurated in the middle 2007 in Puerto Madero with extensions to Retiro station and La Boca neighborhood being talked about, these are ultra-modern Citadis302 cars from France, there's also talks about a “heritage tram” to be put in service in colonial San Telmo. For other uses see Buenos Aires (disambiguation). ... A Citadis 202 tram in Melbourne, Australia The Citadis is a low-floor tram built by Alstom in La Rochelle, France, currently in use around the world, in (among others), the Paris region, Lyon, Montpellier, Bordeaux, Orléans, Rotterdam, Dublin (see Luas), Melbourne (see Trams in Melbourne), and Katowice / Metropolian...

A proposed Ferro Tranvía Urbano (Urban Tramway) in the city of Mendoza is to be inaugurated in two years. Mendoza is a city in the west of Argentina, and the capital of the Mendoza Province. ...

Asia

A broken-down tram may result in serious traffic congestion

Main article: Trams in Asia

Tramway Systems where well established in the Asian region at the start of the 20th century but strated to decline in use in the 1930's and began to be dismantled by the time it was the 1960's the majority of systems had been closed down. Extensive Tramways still exist in Japan and Hong Kong. Recently more modern Systems have been built in Korea and the Philippines. Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 688 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 688 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Japan

Many Japanese cities have tram systems. Among them are Sapporo and Hakodate in Hokkaidō; Tokyo, Kamakura, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima on Honshū; Matsuyama and Kochi on Shikoku; and Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima on Kyūshū. Some extend into neighboring communities. Sapporo ) is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population and the third-largest by geographic area. ... View of Hakodate from Mountain Hakodate (函館市; -shi) is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaido, Japan. ... Hokkaidō   (北海道, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo and Yesso, is the second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Crowds of visitors in Kamakura (Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine) Kamakura (Japanese: 鎌倉市; -shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 km south-south-west of Tokyo (to which it is linked by the railway line to Yokosuka). ... This page is about the city Kyoto. ... Osaka Castle (ÅŒsaka-jō) Location in Japan Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan) Osaka railway station The Osaka Tower (TsÅ«tenkaku) Osaka City   listen? (大阪市; ÅŒsaka-shi) is the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2. ... Main keep of Hiroshima Castle The city of Hiroshima (広島市; -shi) is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chugoku region of western Honshu, the largest of Japans islands. ... HonshÅ« (本州 Literally Main State) is the largest island of Japan, called the Mainland; it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait. ... Matsuyama ) is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. ... Kōchi (高知市 Kōchi-shi) is the capital city of Kochi on the Shikoku island of Japan. ... This article is about the island. ... Megane-bashi (Spectacles Bridge) Nagasaki   listen? (長崎市; -shi, literally long peninsula) is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture located at the south-western coast of Kyushu, Japan. ... Kumamoto (熊本市; -shi) is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of KyÅ«shÅ«, Japan. ... Kagoshima (鹿児島市; -shi) is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwest tip of the Kyushu island of Japan. ... KyÅ«shÅ« region of Japan and the current prefectures on KyÅ«shÅ« island KyÅ«shÅ« ), literally Nine Provinces, is the third largest island of Japan and most southerly and westerly of the four main islands. ...

Hong Kong

Hong Kong still possesses the Hong Kong Tramway, a traditional British Isles-style double-decker tramway with street running, along the north shore of Hong Kong Island. More recently the KCRC Light Rail system has opened in the north west New Territories. Despite its name, the Peak Tram is actually a funicular railway. Hong Kong Double-Decker Tram (#120), the only tram in the fleet that retained its 1950s style. ... Double-decker bus next to a Ferrari A double-decker is a bus, aeroplane, train, tram, ferry or any public transit vehicle that has two levels for passengers, one deck above the other. ... The night view of the Island side as seen from the Kowloon side - the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Hong Kong Island (Traditional Chinese: 香港島; Simplified Chinese: 香港岛; Cantonese Jyutping: hoeng1 gong2 dou2; Mandarin Pinyin: Xiānggǎngdǎo) is the island where the colonial settlement of the Hong Kong territory... Opening Date 25 September 1988 Routes 9 Number of trains 1191 Service Area Tuen Mun, Yuen Long 1 There was previously 120 trains, but a trained numbered 1013 was crashed in 1994. ... A major road, Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po, a town in the New Territories. ... The Peak Tram The Peak Tramway (Traditional Chinese: ) is a funicular railway in Hong Kong, which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. ... Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with full length parallel tracks A funicular, also called funicular railway or inclined railway, inclined plane, or in England a cliff railway, consists of a system of transportation in which cables attach to a tram-like vehicle on rails to move it up and down a...

Australasia

A heritage H-Class model (foreground) and modern Flexity tram (background) in Glenelg, Adelaide

Main article: Trams in Australasia

In Australasia, trams aare used extensively only in Melbourne, and to a lesser extent, Adelaide, all other major cities having largely dismantled their networks by the 1970s. Image File history File linksMetadata JettyRd_Glenelg. ... Image File history File linksMetadata JettyRd_Glenelg. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Australasia Australasia is a term variably used to describe a region of Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... Melbournes Yarra River is a popular area for walking, jogging, cycling, rowing and for relaxing on the banks with a picnic Melbourne (pronounced ) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ... Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1. ...

A distinctive feature of many Australasian trams was the early use of a lowered central section between bogies (wheel-sets). This was intended to make passenger access easier, by reducing the number of steps required to reach the inside of the vehicle. It is believed that the design first originated in Christchurch, as early as the first decade of the 20th century. Cars with this design feature were frequently referred to as "drop-centres". Bogies This game was started by BBCs Dick and Dom as part of their hit childrens TV show, Dick and Dom in da Bungalow. ...

List of major Australian Tram Systems

• Trams in Melbourne
• Adelaide Tram
• Trams in Brisbane (closed)
• Trams in Sydney (closed)
• Trams in Perth (closed)

List of major New Zealand Tram Systems The city of Melbourne, the second-largest city in Australia, is home to the third largest tram network in the world, consisting of 245 kilometres of track, 500 trams, and 1770 tram stops. ... A depiction of one of the H-class Glenelg trams by Simon Lieschke. ... Trams in Adelaide Street Brisbane in 1954. ... Sydney, the largest city in Australia, once had the largest tram system in Australia, the second largest in the British Empire (after London), and one of the largest in the world. ...

• Wellington tramway system (closed)
• Dunedin cable tramway system (closed)

The Wellington tramway system, which existed between 1878 and 1964, was a network of tram services operating in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. ... The Dunedin cable tramway system was a group of cable tramway lines in the New Zealand city of Dunedin. ...

Africa

Former Copenhagen articulated car in service on Alexandria's urban tramway

A tram from Heliopolis terminates at Cairo's Ramses Station

Tramway Systems are still operational in some parts of Africa especially Egypt. Tram. ... Tram. ... This article is about the city in Egypt. ... A tram from Heliopolis terminates at Ramses Station Cairo, Egypt Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... A tram from Heliopolis terminates at Ramses Station Cairo, Egypt Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... Nickname: Al Qahirah (The Triumphant City) Cairos location in Egypt Coordinates: Governor Dr. Abdul Azim Wazir Area    - City 210 km²  - Metro 1,492 km² Population (2005)  - City 7,438,376  - Density 35,420/km²  - Urban 10,834,495  - Metro 15,200,000 Time zone EET (UTC+2)  - Summer (DST...

Egypt

In Egypt both Cairo and Alexandria have historic and still existent tram systems. Nickname: Al Qahirah (The Triumphant City) Cairos location in Egypt Coordinates: Governor Dr. Abdul Azim Wazir Area    - City 210 km²  - Metro 1,492 km² Population (2005)  - City 7,438,376  - Density 35,420/km²  - Urban 10,834,495  - Metro 15,200,000 Time zone EET (UTC+2)  - Summer (DST... This article is about the city in Egypt. ...

In Cairo, the urban tramway network is now defunct, but the express tramway linking it with Heliopolis is still in operation, as is the relatively new tram system in the satellite town of Helwan 25km to the south. Modern Heliopolis (properly known as مصر الجديدة, Miṣr al-ǧidīdah – literally New Egypt) is a district of Cairo, Egypt (not to be confused with the ancient Egyptian city of the same name. ... Hulwan, also spelled Helwan or Hilwan is a southern suburb of Cairo in Egypt on the bank of the Nile river, with a population (1989 estimate) 230,000. ...

In Alexandria, both the urban tramway network and the express tramway system serving the eastern suburbs are still in operation. The urban system operates yellow cars, including some acquired second-hand from Copenhagen, on largely street track. The express tramway operates 3-car trains of blue cars, including some double-deck cars, on largely reserved track. There are also trams that serve on the urban tram lines and the express tram lines at the same time. Copenhagen (IPA: , rhyming with pagan (the way the Danes themselves pronounce the name of the capital in English), or , with a as in spa; Danish   IPA: ) is the capital of Denmark and the countrys largest city (metropolitan population 1,211,542 (2006)). It is also the name of the...

South Africa

Public transport in South Africa commenced for the first time in Cape Town in May 1801 when a weekly wagon service from Cape Town to Simon's Town was announced. Round about 1838 the Cape's first horse-drawn omnibus, based on George Shilbeer's omnibus, was introduced. In September 1862 the Cape Town and Green Point Tramway Company was formed and on 1 April 1863 it began operating. Both single-deck and double-deck horse drawn trams were used. In 1896 the power station at Toll Gate Cape Town, with two stacks supplied by Milliken Brothers of New York, was completed and the old horse sheds were remodelled. Cape Town's electric tram system initially consisted of ten cars made in Philadelphia, USA. On 6 August 1896 Lady Sivewright, wife of Sir James Sivewright opened the new system. At Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897 there were thirty-two electric trams on Cape Town's roads serving the city and its suburbs over about twenty-three miles of track. The new power station at Toll Gate was proving inadequate to meet demands and additions were called for. The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2... Simons Town Harbour, looking roughly to the south and showing the waters of False Bay Simons Town (also widely written Simonstown and, in Afrikaans, Simonstad), is a village and a naval base in South Africa, near Cape Town. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Parisian Omnibus, late nineteenth century Omnibus is a Latin word meaning for all (people) and has several meanings in standard English: bus, a vehicle for transporting large numbers of people Omnibus, a law which covers many different subjects, or has had many unrelated additions tacked onto it. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2... Milliken is a town located in Weld County, Colorado. ... NY redirects here. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Cradle of Liberty, the City That Loves You Back, the Quaker City, The Birthplace of America Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love continue Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701  - Mayor... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Tram services also existed in Johannesburg (where the suburban railway to Boksburg, opened in 1890, was also called the Rand Tram), Pretoria and Durban but were replaced by petrol, diesel and trolley bus systems by the early 1960s. City motto: Unity in Development Province Gauteng Mayor Amos Masondo Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... City motto: Praestantia Praevaleat Pretoria (May Pretoria Be Pre-eminent In Excellence) Province Gauteng Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... Aerial view of Durban Durban (Zulu: eThekwini (IPA: ) is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. ...

Tunisia

Trams are used frequently in Tunis, Tunisia, and has a very large Tram system which has been running for many years.