News & Discussion: Trams

[rubberman]

Ale, bydlíme v Brně. Tady neřikáme tramvaj. Je ta šalina

That second pic is both a tramvaj and a šalina. I have ridden that particular model in Prague, Brno and Olomouc. They're a pretty smooth ride considering the surfaces they traverse. Also can hardly hear them from the outside.

The tram to the right in that pic is a high floor. It's like climbing Mt Everest getting in those. Pretty much if you're male and between 18 and 50 it's your job to carry the prams and babičkas on and off (no exaggeration).

"Šalina" je slovo z Němčiny " Elektrische Linie", zdá se mi.

I have looked to see if I have any interior shots. The one I thought that was were very nice low floors. I can see my filing system is not perfect.

images.jpeg

Would that be the interior of the pesa swing? I think I only remember riding one when I was in Gdansk to visit friends last year. But it doesn't look like the Škoda which among a host of differences don't have material coverings on the seats (they're wooden, quite shmick). The Škodas are great but have their flaws. They're too narrow in the middle to pass between cars comfortably and I learned from experience not to try to squeeze past a grumpy Pražák on the evening commute otherwise you'll cop a mouthful.

Yes, that's the Swing. The Škoda 15T seats are customisable. I think the second series have fabric covers. The gap between cars is big enouh for a standard wheelchair, but possibly a little small for the pivní pupek of the average pražák as you say.

Interior of 15T with fabric seats

15t-005.jpg (145.62 KiB) Viewed 3249 times

[adelaide transport]

Parts of North Terrace will be closed between 1000pm Monday 26th February and 600am on Tuesday 27th February and some bus services will be diverted, whilst tram overhead wire installation occurs.

[Norman]

The tram has some new announcements, this time it's a male voice (but different from the trains). It also now tells you in which direction the doors open. The tone is good and the announcements are clear. Unlike the trains, they got this one right.

[timtam20292]

I must say, I do prefer the male voice.

[I Follow PAFC]

Wish they did wire-free light rail here like there are doing in Newcastle.

[rubberman]

Wish they did wire-free light rail here like there are doing in Newcastle.

Most wire free systems are presently hugely expensive, or have other disadvantages like loooong waits at charging points, or locking into a particular supplier.

So, for example, in Sydney, the extra cost they paid for wire free might have given them an extra 25% of tramway. Same in Newcastle.

That having been said, it may well happen in the next ten years that the price comes down, and there's a standard that doesn't lock into one supplier, and that there aren't long waits at stops while batteries charge up. When that happens, it will be a game changer. At the moment though, I would rather have a longer length of conventional tramway than a very much shorter length of overhead free tramway.

I'd also point out that we haven't seen how Sydney or Newcastle will work in practice. I'm particularly curious about how the Sydney collection system will work when the roads are wet.

[adelaide transport]

Whilst in Seville last year I observed their short 1km line that runs down their main car-free boulevard, operated by 2 Light Rail vehicles.
It is wire free and at each station, of which there are 4 the driver raises the pantograph at each station, which takes about 2 minutes. At the completion the driver lowers the pantograph and moves onto the next stop.

[shiftaling]

Just walked past Weatherill and the Labor candidate for Dunstan setting up a presser at Norwood Oval apparently to unveil a Parade tram extension election policy.

[[Shuz]]

Well unless the Liberals can match it, I think it's safe to say Marshall just lost his seat.

[Goodsy]

Labor has already delivered modern trams, upgraded stations and the tram line extension to the Entertainment Centre.

Next, under a re-elected Labor Government, trams will return to the Parade for the first time in more than 60 years.

Jobs are my #1 priority. Labor will always invest in projects that support SA jobs and businesses.

[PeFe]

From the ABC

SA election: Labor promises $279 million to take trams up The Parade to Norwood

While Adelaide's trams may not be able to turn right onto North Terrace, SA Labor is hoping they can bring about a turn to the left in the marginal seat of Liberal leader Steven Marshall.

Premier Jay Weatherill has unveiled details of his party's planned extension of the tram network through Kent Town to Norwood, with the planned route taking the trams from East Terrace in Adelaide's CBD up Rundle Road and then onto The Parade.

The $279 million EastLink project would see the installation of three kilometres of new track and five new stops, ending at Norwood Place near George Street.

The investment is part of a $2 billion infrastructure plan Labor is touting, which also includes the removal of seven level crossings and the creation of a deep-water port on Eyre Peninsula.

"Expanding our tram network will attract investment, boost economic growth, encourage urban renewal and jobs, and better connect the eastern suburbs with the CBD," Mr Weatherill said.

The Government said it would also purchase four new trams to help service the expanded network, with trams to run every 10 minutes along the new route.

But the political significance of the move should not be overlooked — Norwood is part of the seat of Dunstan, held by Mr Marshall by a margin of just 3.7 per cent.

After Jo Chapley secured a 1.7 per cent swing against the Liberal leader in 2014, Labor has nominated former federal candidate Matt Loader to challenge Mr Marshall this time round.

Full article : http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-25/l ... od/9482618

This of course is not the full Eastlink, the line will have finish near the Norwood Town Hall, halfway up the Parade.

[[Shuz]]

I know no actual detail has been released but even with a bit of bit of quick math and rough calculations, the distances between recommended stop placements are are a bit inconsistent. From the East End stop to corner of East Terrace and Rundle Street is only 300m. From East Terrace to Rundle Road could be anywhere between 450m to 800m.

Then from Rundle Road to Sydneham Road could be anywhere between 850m to 1.2km. The distance between Sydneham Road to Osmond Terrace and Osmond Terrace to George Street is both 400m.

Stop distances in the CBD tend to average about 300-400m apart, which is fine for a CBD where there are lots of landmarks and key destinations to service. Good transport planning practice tends to suggest that 400m is the upper limit to how far the average person is prepared to walk to access a public transport service.

Therefore, it would be better off not to have another 'East End' stop at the Rundle Road / East Terrace because the catchment zone within a 400m radius of that stop is nearly identical to the catchment zone within 400m of the currently under construction East End stop.

I would be hoping that the stop along Rundle Street will be located at the intersection of Rundle Street and The Parade West, to maximise the most of the urban area (not parklands) that falls within the 400m catchment zone, the reason being that nobody lives or works in the parklands (except maybe when the Fringe is on, haha), otherwise they're going to lose out on capturing the patronage potential of the urban area.

[PeFe]

I have always wondered whether the East End tram stop has been built in the wrong location....I would have preferred it built in East Terrace near the corner of Rundle Street.

[shiftaling]

I agree, there's also perhaps a good argument for two stops along the route between Dequetteville and Sydenham. One in the middle of Rundle St and then again near the Fullarton Rd intersection.

[Patrick_27]

I'm surprised by this as I would have thought the CBD loop which might have cost the same would have made more sense to Labor who are trying to snatch up the Adelaide electorate. Don't know how I feel about the incomplete extension to Norwood Place, though. Also, interesting that the artist impression shows centred stations...