Tram and light-rail transit systems
Encyclopedia
Throughout the world there are many tram
systems; some dating from the late 19th or early 20th centuries. However a large number of the old systems were closed during the mid-20th century because of such perceived drawbacks as route inflexibility and maintenance expense. This was especially the case in North American, British, French and other West European cities. Some traditional tram systems did however survive and remain operating much as when first built over a century ago. In the past twenty years their numbers have been augmented by modern tramway or light rail
systems in cities that had discarded this form of transport.
, an aerial tramway
, or a people-mover.
Streetcar lines were largely torn up in the mid-20th century for a variety of financial, technological and social reasons. (See also the Great American Streetcar Scandal.) Exceptions include New Orleans, Newark
, Seattle, Philadelphia (with a much smaller network than once had existed), and San Francisco. Pittsburgh kept most of its streetcar system serving the city and many suburbs until January 27, 1967, making it the longest-lasting large-network U.S. streetcar system.
has the largest streetcar system
in the Americas. In Canada
most streetcar systems disappeared after World War II
, as they gave way to transit buses:
Toronto's system grew with the abandonment of streetcar operations in the United States and Canada, as the Toronto Transit Commission
purchased cars from many of the former operators.
In the late 20th century, several cities installed light rail
systems, in part along the same corridor as the old streetcars. Some have restored their old streetcars and run them as a heritage feature for tourists like the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway
.
, once known as the City of Trams, had one of the most extensive networks in the world with over 857 km (535 mi) of track, most of it dismantled during the 1960s in favor of bus transportation.
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 metro". These vintage carriages (sans end doors) are still in operation.
Using the same surface non revenue tracks of Line A in the "Caballito
" neighborhood, the "Asociación Amigos del Tranvía" (Association of Tramway Friends) operates every weekend and holidays a heritage streetcar
service, with a nice collection of fully restored tram and metro cars.
The Tren de la Costa
(the coastal train), a light rail running on an old railway right of way from 1891–1961, was inaugurated in 1995 and serves tourist and local commuters, it runs from the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires to Tigre
along the river for approximately 15 kilometres. The PreMetro E2
, operates as a feeder at the end of Metro Line E
on the western suburbs.
The 2-km experimental Tranvía del Este
line (Puerto Madero Tramway) has recently been inaugurated in the Puerto Madero District of the Argentine capital, with extensions to Retiro
Rail Terminal Station and La Boca
neighborhood being talked about. These are ultra-modern Citadis
302 cars from France. There are also talks about a “heritage tram” to be put in service in colonial San Telmo.
Mar Del Plata
returned its tram as a heritage service, by contrast Valle hermosa opened a new system in 1998.
In the city of Mendoza
a proposed Metrotranvía of Mendoza
(interurban tramway) to be inaugurated in 2011 will operate on refurbished and upgraded Ferrocarril General San Martín
mainline tracks, one of its stations will connect to the planned "Wine Train".
Tramway systems were well established in the Asian region at the start of the 20th century, but started a steady decline during the mid to late 30s. The 1960s marked the end of its dominance in public transportation with most major systems closed and the equipment and rails sold for scrap; however, some extensive original lines still remain in service in Hong Kong and Japan. In recent years there has been renewed interest in the tram with modern systems being built in South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines.
The first Japanese tram line was inaugurated in 1895 as the Kyoto Electric Railroad. The tram reached its zenith in 1932 when 82 rail companies operated 1,479 kilometers of track in 65 cities. The tram declined in popularity through the remaining years of the 30s, a trend that was accelerated by the damages of the War and continued through the Occupation and rebuilding years. During the 1960s many of the remaining operational tramways were shut down and dismantled in favor of auto, bus, and rapid rail service; however, when one compares the number of operational lines that survived this era to their American counterparts, they can be defined as quite extensive.
In India, Kolkata has the oldest operating electric tram system of Asia, running from 1902 with 36 routes.
In Australasia
, trams are used extensively only in Melbourne
, and to a lesser extent, Adelaide
, all other major cities having largely dismantled their networks by the 1970s. Sydney
reintroduced its tram in 1997 as a modern system (Metro Light Rail
), while Ballarat, Bendigo, Christchurch
and Perth
reintroduced their trams as heritage systems.
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 in the first decade of the 20th century. Cars with this design feature were frequently referred to as "drop-centres".
The trams made by Boon & Co of Christchurch, New Zealand in 1906-07 for use in Christchurch may have been the first with this feature; they were referred to as drop-centres or Boon cars. Trams for Christchurch and Wellington built in the 1920s with an enclosed section at each end and an open-sided middle section were also known as Boon cars, but did not have the drop-centre.
, both Cairo and Alexandria have historic systems that still exist.
In Greater Cairo
, the once-extensive Cairo urban system is now all but defunct.
The express tramway system to and within the suburb of Masr el-Djedida, or Heliopolis
, is still in operation, as one of the world's oldest examples of Light Rail
.
So is the small 1970s system in the satellite town of Helwan, 25 km to the south. Some of Cario's cars are ex-Toronto Transit Commission
President's Conference Car Steamliners.
In Alexandria
, both the urban system and the express routes to 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 (Ramleh routes) operates 3-car trains of blue cars, including some double-deck cars, on largely reserved track
. There are also some dual-system routes.
had traditional trams up to about 1960. In 1985, a new Light Rail
line began operation and has since been followed by more. See Métro léger de Tunis
.
to Simon's Town
was announced. the Cape's first horse-drawn omnibus
was introduced, based on George Shilbeer's model. In September 1862 the Cape Town and Green Point Tramway Company was formed, and began operations on 1 April 1863.
Both single- and double-deck horse-drawn trams were used. Cape Town's electric tram system initially had ten cars, built 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, Cape Town and suburbs had thirty-two electric trams running on about twenty-three miles of track. The new power station was proving inadequate and had to be enlarged.
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 all replaced by petrol, diesel and trolley bus systems by the early 1960s.
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
systems; some dating from the late 19th or early 20th centuries. However a large number of the old systems were closed during the mid-20th century because of such perceived drawbacks as route inflexibility and maintenance expense. This was especially the case in North American, British, French and other West European cities. Some traditional tram systems did however survive and remain operating much as when first built over a century ago. In the past twenty years their numbers have been augmented by modern tramway or light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
systems in cities that had discarded this form of transport.
Europe
In many European cities much tramway infrastructure was lost in the mid-20th century, though not always on the same scale as in other parts of the world such as North America. Most of Eastern Europe retained tramway systems until recent years but some cities are now reconsidering their transport priorities. In contrast, some Western European cities are rehabilitating, upgrading, expanding and reconstructing their old tramway lines. Many Western European towns and cities are also building new tramway lines.North America
In North America, especially the United States, trams are generally known as streetcars or trolleys; the term tram is more likely to be understood as a tourist trolleyTourist trolley
A tourist trolley, also called a road trolley, is a rubber-tired bus , which is made to resemble an old-style streetcar or tram....
, an aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
, or a people-mover.
Streetcar lines were largely torn up in the mid-20th century for a variety of financial, technological and social reasons. (See also the Great American Streetcar Scandal.) Exceptions include New Orleans, Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, Seattle, Philadelphia (with a much smaller network than once had existed), and San Francisco. Pittsburgh kept most of its streetcar system serving the city and many suburbs until January 27, 1967, making it the longest-lasting large-network U.S. streetcar system.
Canada
TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
has the largest streetcar system
Toronto streetcar system
The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in...
in the Americas. In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
most streetcar systems disappeared after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as they gave way to transit buses:
- Edmonton Radial RailwayEdmonton Radial RailwayThe Edmonton Radial Railway was a streetcar service that operated in Edmonton, Alberta from 1908 to 1951.In 1893 an ordinance was passed permitting Edmonton to construct and operate a tramway...
1951 - Saskatoon Municipal RailwaySaskatoon TransitSaskatoon Transit is the public transport arm of the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It operates a fleet of diesel buses. A total of 23 bus routes serve every area of the city, carrying approximately 11 million passengers in 2008...
1951 - Ottawa Transportation CommissionOttawa Transportation CommissionOttawa Transportation Commission was the public transit operator for the city of Ottawa from 1948 until the creation of OC Transpo in 1973.OTC took over streetcar operations from the Ottawa Electric Railway Company, but they were gradually abandoned for trolley bus and bus operations...
1959 - Hamilton Street RailwayHamilton Street RailwayThe Hamilton Street Railway Company is the Transit Division of the City of Hamilton, Public Works Department in Ontario, Canada. The name is a legacy of the days when the majority of public transit vehicles were streetcars; the present-day Hamilton Street Railway is in fact a bus operator...
1951 - Kitchener Public Utilities CommissionKitchener Public Utilities CommissionKitchener Public Utilities Commission was a public utility and transit operator in the Kitchener-Waterloo area from 1927 to 1973.Transit service began with horse cars in 1887 as a private company whose owner was from New York City....
1946 - Vancouver, BC 1955
- North Vancouver 1947
- Nova Scotia Light and Power Company, Halifax 1949
- Montreal Tramways Company 1959
- WindsorWindsor, Ontario Streetcar SystemWindsor, Ontario was the first Canadian city with an electric street car system, which was introduced in 1886. Other Canadian cities soon followed suit, with St. Catharines in 1887 and Toronto in 1889. By World War I, nearly 50 Canadian cities had streetcar systems in place...
1937
Toronto's system grew with the abandonment of streetcar operations in the United States and Canada, as the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
purchased cars from many of the former operators.
In the late 20th century, several cities installed light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
systems, in part along the same corridor as the old streetcars. Some have restored their old streetcars and run them as a heritage feature for tourists like the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway
Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway
The Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway is a heritage streetcar line that operates between Granville Island and the Cambie Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It operates only on weekends and holidays, usually from May to mid-October, and is aimed primarily at tourists...
.
Argentina
Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, once known as the City of Trams, had one of the most extensive networks in the world with over 857 km (535 mi) of track, most of it dismantled during the 1960s in favor of bus transportation.
The Anglo-Argentine Tramways Company opened Latin America's first "underground tramway" system, (Subte Line A
Line A (Buenos Aires)
Line A is the oldest line of the Buenos Aires Metro. This historic line runs from Plaza de Mayo to Carabobo, and is scheduled to be extended towards San Pedrito station....
) in 1913. The original route was partially underground and on street level until 1926, for this reason these "pantograph
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
" cars built by La Brugeoise
La Brugeoise cars (Buenos Aires Metro)
The La Brugeoise cars are the Buenos Aires Metro Line A rolling stock since its inauguration in 1913. They were built by Belgian railway rolling stock manufacturer La Brugeoise, et Nicaise, et Delcuve between 1911 and 1919 for the Anglo-Argentine Tramways Company's first metro line...
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 metro". These vintage carriages (sans end doors) are still in operation.
Using the same surface non revenue tracks of Line A in the "Caballito
Caballito, Buenos Aires
Caballito is a barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It is the only barrio in the administrative division Comuna 6....
" neighborhood, the "Asociación Amigos del Tranvía" (Association of Tramway Friends) operates every weekend and holidays a heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
service, with a nice collection of fully restored tram and metro cars.
The Tren de la Costa
Tren de la Costa
Tren de la Costa is a suburban , 11-station light rail line in Greater Buenos Aires, between Maipú Avenue station in the northern suburb of Olivos and Delta station in Tigre, on the Río de la Plata...
(the coastal train), a light rail running on an old railway right of way from 1891–1961, was inaugurated in 1995 and serves tourist and local commuters, it runs from the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires to Tigre
Tigre, Buenos Aires
Tigre is a town in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated in the north of Greater Buenos Aires, north of Buenos Aires city. Tigre lies on the Paraná Delta and is an important tourist and weekend attraction, easily reached by bus and train services, including the scenic Tren de la Costa...
along the river for approximately 15 kilometres. The PreMetro E2
PreMetro E2 (Buenos Aires)
PreMetroThe PreMetro or Line E2 is a tram line that connects with the Buenos Aires Metro line E, at Plaza de los Virreyes station and runs to General Savio and Centro Cívico. It is operated by Metrovías....
, operates as a feeder at the end of Metro Line E
Line E (Buenos Aires)
Line E of the Buenos Aires Metro, which runs from Plaza de los Virreyes to Bolivar , opened on 20 June 1944, currently extends a total distance of 9.2 km.- External links :* * * *...
on the western suburbs.
The 2-km experimental Tranvía del Este
Tranvía del Este
Tranvía del Este or “Puerto Madero Tramway ” is a 12-block "demonstration" tramway line in the Puerto Madero neighborhood of Buenos Aires operated by the rail company Ferrovías....
line (Puerto Madero Tramway) has recently been inaugurated in the Puerto Madero District of the Argentine capital, with extensions to Retiro
Estación Retiro
Retiro Station is a large railway terminus in the Buenos Aires central business district in Argentina, located in the district of Retiro, opposite Plaza San Martín, a large public square....
Rail Terminal Station and La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
neighborhood being talked about. These are ultra-modern Citadis
Citadis
The Citadis is a low-floor tram built by Alstom in La Rochelle, France, and Barcelona, Spain. 1,140 Citadis are currently in use in 28 cities, among others: Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Orléans, the Paris area, and Barcelona, Dublin, Gdańsk, Katowice, Adelaide, Melbourne, Jerusalem and...
302 cars from France. There are also talks about a “heritage tram” to be put in service in colonial San Telmo.
Mar Del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
returned its tram as a heritage service, by contrast Valle hermosa opened a new system in 1998.
In the city of Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
a proposed Metrotranvía of Mendoza
Metrotranvía of Mendoza
The Metrotranvía of Mendoza will be a public light rail transport system for the city of Mendoza, Argentina, served by articulated light rail cars operating on newly relaid tracks in former-Ferrocarril General San Martín mainline right-of-way...
(interurban tramway) to be inaugurated in 2011 will operate on refurbished and upgraded Ferrocarril General San Martín
Ferrocarril General San Martín
Ferrocarril General San Martín , named after the former Argentine general José de San Martín, was one of the six state-owned Argentine railway companies formed after President Juan Perón's nationalisation of the railway network in 1948...
mainline tracks, one of its stations will connect to the planned "Wine Train".
Asia
Tramway systems were well established in the Asian region at the start of the 20th century, but started a steady decline during the mid to late 30s. The 1960s marked the end of its dominance in public transportation with most major systems closed and the equipment and rails sold for scrap; however, some extensive original lines still remain in service in Hong Kong and Japan. In recent years there has been renewed interest in the tram with modern systems being built in South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines.
The first Japanese tram line was inaugurated in 1895 as the Kyoto Electric Railroad. The tram reached its zenith in 1932 when 82 rail companies operated 1,479 kilometers of track in 65 cities. The tram declined in popularity through the remaining years of the 30s, a trend that was accelerated by the damages of the War and continued through the Occupation and rebuilding years. During the 1960s many of the remaining operational tramways were shut down and dismantled in favor of auto, bus, and rapid rail service; however, when one compares the number of operational lines that survived this era to their American counterparts, they can be defined as quite extensive.
In India, Kolkata has the oldest operating electric tram system of Asia, running from 1902 with 36 routes.
Australasia
In Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
, trams are used extensively only in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and to a lesser extent, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, all other major cities having largely dismantled their networks by the 1970s. Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
reintroduced its tram in 1997 as a modern system (Metro Light Rail
Metro Light Rail
The Metro Light Rail is the only currently operating light rail line in Sydney. The line opened on 31 August 1997, mostly along the route of an unused goods railway line, to serve the redeveloped inner-city areas of Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Pyrmont, and was extended in 2000 to serve some of...
), while Ballarat, Bendigo, Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
reintroduced their trams as heritage systems.
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 in the first decade of the 20th century. Cars with this design feature were frequently referred to as "drop-centres".
The trams made by Boon & Co of Christchurch, New Zealand in 1906-07 for use in Christchurch may have been the first with this feature; they were referred to as drop-centres or Boon cars. Trams for Christchurch and Wellington built in the 1920s with an enclosed section at each end and an open-sided middle section were also known as Boon cars, but did not have the drop-centre.
Africa
Egypt
In EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, both Cairo and Alexandria have historic systems that still exist.
In Greater Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, the once-extensive Cairo urban system is now all but defunct.
The express tramway system to and within the suburb of Masr el-Djedida, or Heliopolis
Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb)
Modern Heliopolis is a district in Cairo, Egypt. The city was established in 1905 by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, headed by the Belgian industrialist Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain, as well as Boghos Nubar, son of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha.-History:The Baron Empain, a well known...
, is still in operation, as one of the world's oldest examples of Light Rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
.
So is the small 1970s system in the satellite town of Helwan, 25 km to the south. Some of Cario's cars are ex-Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
President's Conference Car Steamliners.
In Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, both the urban system and the express routes to eastern suburbs are still in operation. The urban system operates yellow cars, including some acquired second-hand from Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, on largely street track. The express tramway (Ramleh routes) operates 3-car trains of blue cars, including some double-deck cars, on largely reserved track
Reserved track
In tram transport terminology reserved track is track on ground exclusively for trams. Unlike track on streets and roads, reserved track does not need to take into account the transit of other wheeled vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists or horses...
. There are also some dual-system routes.
Tunisia
TunisTunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
had traditional trams up to about 1960. In 1985, a new Light Rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line began operation and has since been followed by more. See Métro léger de Tunis
Métro léger de Tunis
The Métro léger de Tunis is an expanding public transportation network for the Tunis area that was started in 1985...
.
South Africa
Public transport in South Africa commenced in Cape Town in May 1801, when a weekly coach service from Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
to Simon's Town
Simon's Town
Simon's Town , sometimes spelled Simonstown; is a town in South Africa, near Cape Town which is home to the South African Navy. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been an important naval base and harbour...
was announced. the Cape's first horse-drawn omnibus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
was introduced, based on George Shilbeer's model. In September 1862 the Cape Town and Green Point Tramway Company was formed, and began operations on 1 April 1863.
Both single- and double-deck horse-drawn trams were used. Cape Town's electric tram system initially had ten cars, built in Philadelphia, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. On 6 August 1896 Lady Sivewright, wife of Sir James Sivewright, opened the new system. At Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897, Cape Town and suburbs had thirty-two electric trams running on about twenty-three miles of track. The new power station was proving inadequate and had to be enlarged.
Tram services also existed in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
(where the suburban railway to Boksburg, opened in 1890, was also called the Rand Tram), Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, and Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, but were all replaced by petrol, diesel and trolley bus systems by the early 1960s.
World largest tram and light-rail transit systems
City | | Double-track length [km] | Stops | Routes | Journeys | Fleet | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amsterdam Trams in Amsterdam The Amsterdam tramway network forms part of the public transport system in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.Opened in 1875, the network currently has 16 lines. It has been operated since 1943 by Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf .... |
81 | 16 | 236 | 2007 http://www.gvb.nl/english/aboutgvb/facts-and-figures/Pages/facts-and-figures.aspx | ||
Berlin Berlin Straßenbahn The Berlin tram network is the main tram system in Berlin, Germany. It is one of the oldest tram networks in the world having its origins in 1865 and is operated by , which was founded in 1929. It is notable for being one of the largest tram systems; there are 22 tram lines operate across a... |
188 | 789 | 28 | 171 mil | 2008 http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/17106/name/Tram.html | |
Bucharest | 143 | 598 | 26 | 358 mil | 506 | 2008 http://www.ratb.ro/index.php?page=stats_cat |
Budapest Trams in Budapest The Budapest tramway network is a vital part of the public transport system in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary.In operation since 1866, the network is presently one of world's largest tram networks, at about in total length... |
153 | 671 | 33 | 333 mil | 911 | 2008 http://www.bkv.hu/evesjelentes/evesjelentes2008.pdf (hungarian) |
Melbourne Trams in Melbourne The Melbourne tramway network is a major form of public transport in Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia. , the network consisted of of track, 487 trams, 28 routes, and 1,773 tram stops. It was therefore the largest urban tramway network in the world, ahead of the... |
241 | 1770 | 27 | 158 mil | 501 | 2008 http://www.yarratrams.com.au/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-47//74_read-117/ |
Milan Trams in Milan The Milan tramway network is an important part of the public transport network of the city and comune of Milan, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy.In operation since 1876, the network is presently about long... |
160 | 17 | 527 | 2009 http://www.iclei-europe.org/fileadmin/template/events/ecoprocura2009/files/PDF/C1_CrociPT.pdf | ||
Prague Prague Tram System The Prague tram system is the largest tram system in the Czech Republic, consisting of 140 kilometres of track, over 900 tram cars, and 33 lines with a total route length of 540 km. It is operated by Dopravní podnik hlavního města Prahy a.s., a company owned by the City of Prague. The system... |
141 | 33 | 358 mil | 977 | 2011 http://citybus.cz/praha/aktevid_dp-ed/index.htm | |
Saint Petersburg Tramways in Saint Petersburg The city of Saint Petersburg, Russia once had the largest tram network in the world, consisting of about 340 kilometres of unduplicated track in the late 1980s. However, since 1995 the tramway network has declined sharply in size as major portions of track were removed, particularly in the city... |
228 | 39 | 650 mil | 791 | 2008 http://saint-petersburg.ru/m/221451/ (Russian) | |
Toronto Toronto streetcar system The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in... |
156 | 11 | 248 | 2008 http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Operating_Statistics/2008.jsp | ||
Vienna Trams in Vienna The Vienna tramway network is a vital part of the public transport system in Vienna, capital city of Austria. In operation since 1865, the network reached its greatest extent during the interwar period . Today, it is still one of world's largest tram networks, at about in total length.The trams... |
215 | 1033 | 28 | 191 mil | 799 | 2008 http://www.wien.gv.at/english/politics/statistics/pdf/public-transport.pdf http://www.jahresbericht2009.wienerlinien.at/zusammengefasster-lagebericht/fuhrpark.html |
Zürich | 70 | 13 | 197 mil | 223 | 2008 http://www.vbz.ch/vbz_opencms/opencms/vbz/english/FactsFigures/ |
See also
- List of tram and light-rail transit systems (existing and planned/under construction systems)
- List of town tramway systems (all-time lists, including closed systems)