Trams in France
Encyclopedia
Trams in France go back to 1837 when a 15 km steam tram line connected Montrond-les-Bains
and Montbrison
in the Loire
. With the development of electric trams at the end of the 19th century, networks proliferated in French cities over the next 15 years. Although nearly all of the country's tram systems were replaced by bus services in the 1930s or shortly after the Second World War, France is now in the forefront of the revival of tramways and light rail
systems around the globe. There are already a fair number new urban tram networks, with more planned. France is also home to Alstom
, a tram manufacturer.
. It brought the tram track down to road level, avoiding accidents to pedestrians and other vehicles caused by the standard protruding rail used until then. Inspired by John Stephenson
of New York
, it was in Paris that Loubat built the first line of this type, for horse trams
, which was inaugurated on 21 November 1853 in connection with the 1855 World Fair
. On a trial basis, it ran along the banks of the Seine from the Place de la Concorde
to the Pont de Sèvres in the village of Boulogne
.
networks towards the end of the 19th century. In Paris, Tramways Sud operated horse trams from 1875 to 1901. In Marseille
, horse trams operated by Compagnie Générale Française de Tramways entered service in 1876 on a number of routes including the Canebière
. In Strasbourg
, horse tram services began in 1877.
, and in 1895 the Tramway de Versailles
was converted from steam power to electric power. While electricity offered considerable benefits including ease of operation, many municipalities were reluctant to bring overhead cabling into their city centres. Nevertheless, over the next 15 years, well over 100 standard and small gauge
electric tram networks came into operation.
, Marseille
and Saint-Étienne
but even these were extensively reduced in size before the recent revival.
and trams on tyres in Nancy.
, a rubber-tyred vehicle guided by a fixed rail in the ground, which draws current from overhead electric wires like a conventional tram
.
Two incompatible systems exist:
In both cases the weight of the vehicle is borne by rubber tyres on bogie
s to which the guide wheels are attached. Power is supplied by overhead lines
, or by rechargeable batteries
in areas where there are no overhead wires.
The Translohr system is intended for guidance-only operation, whereas the Bombardier system can be driven as a normal bus as requirements dictate, such as journeys to the depot. Unlike rail trams, the vehicles have a steering wheel
, though it is not used when following the guidance rail. Because the Translohr tram cannot move without guidance, it is not classified as a bus
. Hence the Translohr vehicle
s in Clermont-Ferrand are not equipped with licence plate
s.
placed between the running rails, divided electrically into eight-metre segments with three-metre neutral sections in between. Each tram has two power collection skates, next to which are antennas that send radio signals to energise the power rail segments as the tram passes over them. At any one time, no more than two consecutive segments under the tram should actually be live. Alstrom developed the system primarily to avoid intrusive power supply cables in the sensitive area of the old city of Bordeaux
.
of Italy, and has become part of the Flexity Outlook
product range offered by Bombardier Transportation
. The Eurotram has a modern design that makes it look almost as much like a train as a tram, and has large windows along its entire length.
tram, flagship of the French manufacturer Alstom, enjoys an innovative design combining lighter bogies with a modular concept for carriages offering more choices in the types of windows and the number of cars and doors. The recent Citadis-Dualis, intended to run at up to 100 km/h, is suitable for stop spacings ranging from 500 m to 5 km. Dualis is a strictly modular partial low-floor car, with all doors in the low-floor sections.
, Le Havre
, Reims
, Tours
and Fort-de-France
In addition to recent developments in France's urban areas, two older tramways are still functioning in France:
Montrond-les-Bains
Montrond-les-Bains is a commune in the Loire department in central France.-See also:*Communes of the Loire department...
and Montbrison
Montbrison, Loire
Montbrison is a commune in the Loire department in central France.The commune gives its name to the popular blue cheese Fourme de Montbrison which has been made in the region for centuries.-History:...
in the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
. With the development of electric trams at the end of the 19th century, networks proliferated in French cities over the next 15 years. Although nearly all of the country's tram systems were replaced by bus services in the 1930s or shortly after the Second World War, France is now in the forefront of the revival of tramways and 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 around the globe. There are already a fair number new urban tram networks, with more planned. France is also home to Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
, a tram manufacturer.
The girder rail
One of the key inventions in the world history of trams was that of the girder rail developed in 1852 by Frenchman Alphonse LoubatAlphonse Loubat
Alphonse Loubat was a French inventor who developed improvements in tram and rail equipment, and helped develop tram lines in New York City and Paris....
. It brought the tram track down to road level, avoiding accidents to pedestrians and other vehicles caused by the standard protruding rail used until then. Inspired by John Stephenson
John Stephenson
John Stephenson may refer to:*John Stephenson , American voice actor*John Stephenson , American baseball catcher*John Stephenson , 19th century Irish-American coachbuilder who created the street railway...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, it was in Paris that Loubat built the first line of this type, for horse trams
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
, which was inaugurated on 21 November 1853 in connection with the 1855 World Fair
Exposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
. On a trial basis, it ran along the banks of the Seine from the Place de la Concorde
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées.- History :...
to the Pont de Sèvres in the village of Boulogne
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
.
Horse trams
Several French cities were equipped with horse-tramHorsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
networks towards the end of the 19th century. In Paris, Tramways Sud operated horse trams from 1875 to 1901. In Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, horse trams operated by Compagnie Générale Française de Tramways entered service in 1876 on a number of routes including the Canebière
Canebière
La Canebière is the historic high street in the old quarter of Marseille, France. About a kilometre long, it runs from the Vieux-Port to the Réformés quarter.King Alexander I of Yugoslavia was assassinated here on October 9, 1934...
. In Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, horse tram services began in 1877.
Mechanical traction
As horse trams presented a number of disadvantages (need for several teams of horses per vehicle per day, relatively slow speed, droppings on the roadway), it was not long before various mechanical traction systems came into use. These included:- Compressed air systems, first introduced in NantesNantesNantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
in 1879 with MékarskiMekarski systemThe Mekarski system was a compressed-air propulsion system for trams invented by Louis Mékarski or Louis Mékarsky in the 1870s. He worked in France, was born in 1843 in Clermont-Ferrand of Polish origin...
compressed air cars operating between Doulon and the Gare Maritime. Initially there was a fleet of 22 trams, two locos and four open-topped double-deck trailers. The first line was just over 6 km long, built to standard gaugeStandard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
and was mostly level, running along the quays of the Loire. Mekarski trams were also operated in Paris (1887), VichyVichyVichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...
(1895), Aix-les-BainsAix-les-BainsAix-les-Bains is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is situated on the shore of Lac du Bourget, by rail north of Chambéry.-Geography:...
(1897), Saint-QuentinSaint-Quentin, AisneSaint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. It is named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred here in the 3rd century....
(1899), and La RochelleLa RochelleLa Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
(1901).
- Steam traction was introduced fairly widely in the 1880s and 1890s, in most cases for relatively short periods as electric trams were soon to follow. For example, the Versaille TramwayTramway de VersaillesThe Tramway de Versailles or Tramway Versaillais was a standard gauge tramway system serving the French city of Versailles.__noTOC__The first lines opened in 1896 and served:* Square Duplessis - Grandchamps* la Rive Droite - Sénat...
started using steam trams for the stretch to Saint-CyrSaint-Cyr-l'ÉcoleSaint-Cyr-l'École is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.It used to host the training school for officers of the French army, the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr , which was relocated to Coëtquidan in 1945.The old buildings of the ESM are...
in 1889 before electrification in 1895. In StrasbourgTramways in StrasbourgThe Strasbourg tram system, run by the CTS, consists of six lines, A, B, C, D, E and F. Lines A and D were opened in 1994, lines B and C were opened in 2000, line E was opened in 2007 and line F was opened in 2010.- History :...
, there were steam trams from 1879 to 1899 although electrification began in 1895. MarseilleTramway de MarseilleMarseille tram is a tramway system in the French city of Marseille. The tramway opened on 21 January 1876 and, unlike most other French cities, has never closed and continues to this day to operate.- History :...
's steam trams came in 1892, shortly before their electric counterparts in 1900.
Electrification
Although Werner von Siemens demonstrated the electric tram in 1881 at the International Electical Exhibition in Paris, it was not until 1890 that the first électric tram was opened in Clermont-FerrandClermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, and in 1895 the Tramway de Versailles
Tramway de Versailles
The Tramway de Versailles or Tramway Versaillais was a standard gauge tramway system serving the French city of Versailles.__noTOC__The first lines opened in 1896 and served:* Square Duplessis - Grandchamps* la Rive Droite - Sénat...
was converted from steam power to electric power. While electricity offered considerable benefits including ease of operation, many municipalities were reluctant to bring overhead cabling into their city centres. Nevertheless, over the next 15 years, well over 100 standard and small gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
electric tram networks came into operation.
Post-war closures
Most of France's tram systems closed during the 1930s or in the post-war years. The only systems which have remained in continuous use are those in LilleLille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
and Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
but even these were extensively reduced in size before the recent revival.
Today's tram networks
Over the past 25 years, a rapidly growing number of France's cities have developed modern tramways or light rail networks. At present, there are 16 modern tram systems spread right across the country (excluding the three trams-on-tyres services). Many of these are being extended while at least seven other municipalities are in the process of planning or acquiring new tram networks.Rolling stock
- The most popular rolling stock is the CitadisCitadisThe 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...
tram from AlstomAlstomAlstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
which serves 10 of the current networks. In many cases, the vehicles have been restyled or customised, for example the transport authority for the NiceTramway de NiceThis article is about the new tramway of Nice, for the old network, see Tramway de Nice et du LittoralThe Nice tramway is a tram system of 8.7-km rail, currently composed of one line, and operated by the Société nouvelle des transports de l'agglomération niçoise, under the trade name of Lignes...
area required special external styling, greater passenger accessibility and battery support for travelling though the city centre without the need for overhead cables.
- Alstom also produced the earlier Tramway Français StandardTramway Français StandardThe Tramway Français Standard, or TFS, is a type of tramcar used on tramway systems in France. It was manufactured by Alstom, the France-based multinational company whose businesses are power generation and transport...
or TFS which continues to run in five networks including GrenobleTramway de GrenobleThe Grenoble tramway network is 35 km long, and comprises four lines: lines A, B, C and D. Line A was opened in 1987, line B in 1990, line C on 20 May 2006 and line D on October 2007. There previously existed a network of tramways in Grenoble, between 1894 and 1952...
and NantesTramway de NantesThe Nantes tramway is a tramway system located around the city of Nantes, France. The first tramway in Nantes opened in 1879 and closed in 1958 due to bombing damage during World War II, while the present tramway was re-introduced to the city in 1985....
where it has been specially adaptated to provide accessibility.
- The Canadian manufacturer BombardierBombardier TransportationBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
has delivered a variant of its Flexity OutlookFlexity OutlookThe Flexity Outlook is a family of 100% low-floor articulated light-rail trams manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. Part of the larger Flexity product line , Flexity Outlook cars fall into two distinct sub-categories with dramatically different appearances...
series to Marseille with special styling from MBD Design giving the front of the tram the appearance of the bow of a ship. The Eurotram, initially developed by SocimiSocimiSocietà Costruzioni Industriali Milano, better known as Socimi, was an Italian manufacturing company based in Milan. It was a manufacturer of trams, metro trains; traction motors for these and for trolleybuses; and bodies for motorbuses and trolleybuses...
of Italy. It is used in the extensive Strasbourg tram networkTramways in StrasbourgThe Strasbourg tram system, run by the CTS, consists of six lines, A, B, C, D, E and F. Lines A and D were opened in 1994, lines B and C were opened in 2000, line E was opened in 2007 and line F was opened in 2010.- History :...
with innovations including a powered wheelchair ramp, wide internal gangways and provision for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
- The trams for the revamped Lille networkTramway de LilleLille tramway is a tramway system located around the city of Lille, France. It is often called the Mongy, after Alfred Mongy, the engineer who created the interurban lines that make up the current system....
were supplied in the early 1990s by the Italian company BredaAnsaldobreda, S.P.A.AnsaldoBreda S.p.A. is a rail transport engineering company based in Italy. The company designs and manufactures railway and mass transit vehicles.-Company details:...
with styling by PininfarinaPininfarinaPininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
. The Paris regionTramways in ParisThe French region of Île-de-France, encompassing the capital city of Paris, currently has four tram lines, and is planning an additional line. Of the existing lines, three are operated by its public transport authority, RATP, which also operates the Paris Métro and most bus services. The fourth...
recently opted for AvantoAvanto (tram)The Siemens S70 or Avanto is a low-floor light rail vehicle or tram manufactured by Siemens AG. In the United States, Siemens refers to this model only as the S70, while the Avanto name is used in Europe....
rolling stock on its tram-trainParis Tramway Line 4Tramway line T4 is a tram-train line just outside the limits of Paris proper, operating in part on SNCF lines, connecting Bondy RER station with Aulnay-sous-Bois station. It opened on 18 November 2006. Unlike the other tramways in Île-de-France, T4 is operated by SNCF. The line is used by...
line from Aulnay-sous-BoisAulnay-sous-BoisAulnay-sous-Bois is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.In October and November 2005, it gained national and international attention as one of the focuses of the French suburb riots.-Name:...
to BondyBondyBondy is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as Bonitiacum, meaning "estate of Bonitius", a Gallo-Roman landowner.-History:...
.
Interesting details
- The most extensive tram systems in France today are those in Strasbourg (6 lines, 55 km) Lyon (4 lines, 50 km), BordeauxTramway de BordeauxThe Bordeaux tramway network consists of three lines serving the city of Bordeaux in southwestern France. The first line was opened on 21 December 2003; further extensions have increased the route length to . The system is notable for using a ground-level power supply of the Alimentation par Sol...
(3 lines 43 km), Nantes (3 lines, 41 km) and the Paris area (4 lines, 38 km).
- Most modern trams are designed to travel at up to 80 km per hour while tram-trains may have a top speed of 100 km per hour.
- While most cities discontinued the use of trams in favour of buses in the middle of the last century, a few of the original lines have survived without interruption. These include the 3 km line through the tunnel at the centre of MarseilleTramway de MarseilleMarseille tram is a tramway system in the French city of Marseille. The tramway opened on 21 January 1876 and, unlike most other French cities, has never closed and continues to this day to operate.- History :...
, the two lines in LilleTramway de LilleLille tramway is a tramway system located around the city of Lille, France. It is often called the Mongy, after Alfred Mongy, the engineer who created the interurban lines that make up the current system....
which go back to 1909 and the line in Saint-ÉtienneTramway de Saint-ÉtienneThe Saint-Étienne tramway is a tram system in the French city of Saint-Étienne, Rhône-Alpes , its particularity is that is has functionned non stop since its opening in 1881...
which has been operating ever since 1881.
Key developments
There has also been a strong emphasis on tramway innovations such as ground level power supply in BordeauxBordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
and trams on tyres in Nancy.
Current tramway systems
The following French towns and cities now have light rail or tram systems:- AngersAngersAngers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
- since 2011 - BordeauxBordeauxBordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
- since 2003; - CaenCaenCaen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
- since 2002, 'trams on tyres' system featuring a single guide rail; - Clermont-FerrandClermont-FerrandClermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
- since 2006, 'trams on tyres'; - GrenobleGrenobleGrenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
- since 1987; - LilleLilleLille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
- non-stop since 1909; - LyonLyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
- since 2001; - Le MansLe MansLe Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
- since 2007; - MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
- since 2007; - MontpellierMontpellier-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
- since 2000; - MulhouseMulhouseMulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
- since 2006 - Nancy - since 2000, 'trams on tyres' system featuring a single guide rail;
- NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
- since 2007; - NantesNantesNantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
- since 1985; - OrléansOrléans-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
- since 2000; - ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France (région)Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
(Paris metropolitan area) - since 1992; - ReimsReimsReims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
- since 2011; - RouenRouenRouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
- since 1994; - Saint-ÉtienneSaint-ÉtienneSaint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
- non-stop since 1881; - StrasbourgStrasbourgStrasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
- since 1994; - ToulouseToulouseToulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
- since 2010 and - ValenciennesValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
- since 2006
Recent technical developments
The revival of tram networks in France has brought about a number of technical developments both in the traction systems and in the styling of the vehicles.Trams on tyres
A recent development of tramway technology has been the guided bus (or tram on tyres)Guided bus
Guided buses are buses steered for part or all of their route by external means, usually on a dedicated track. This track, which often parallels existing roads, excludes other traffic, permitting the maintenance of reliable schedules on heavily used corridors even during rush hours.Guidance systems...
, a rubber-tyred vehicle guided by a fixed rail in the ground, which draws current from overhead electric wires like a conventional tram
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...
.
Two incompatible systems exist:
- The Guided Light TransitBombardier Guided Light TransitGuided Light Transit is a public transport system manufactured by Bombardier Transportation and used in the French cities of Nancy and Caen....
designed by Bombardier TransportationBombardier TransportationBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
which has been adopted in Nancy and CaenCaenCaen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. Here a double flangeFlangeA flange is an external or internal ridge, or rim , for strength, as the flange of an iron beam such as an I-beam or a T-beam; or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam cylinder, etc., or on the lens mount of a camera; or for a flange of a rail car or tram wheel...
d wheel between the rubber tyres follows the guidance railRail profileThe rail profile is the cross sectional shape of a railway rail, perpendicular to the length of the rail.In all but very early cast iron rails, a rail is hot rolled steel of a specific cross sectional profile designed for use as the fundamental component of railway track.Unlike some other uses of...
.
- The TranslohrTranslohrTranslohr is a guided bus system manufactured by Lohr Industrie of France. It is used in Clermont-Ferrand, Tianjin, Padua and in the mainland Mestre district of Venice in Italy. Translohr runs on rubber tires and is guided by a single central rail....
system, used along a 14-km line at Clermont-FerrandClermont-FerrandClermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, where a special rail is grasped by a pair of metal guide wheels set at 45° to the road and at 90° to each other.
In both cases the weight of the vehicle is borne by rubber tyres on bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s to which the guide wheels are attached. Power is supplied by overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
, or by rechargeable batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
in areas where there are no overhead wires.
The Translohr system is intended for guidance-only operation, whereas the Bombardier system can be driven as a normal bus as requirements dictate, such as journeys to the depot. Unlike rail trams, the vehicles have a steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
, though it is not used when following the guidance rail. Because the Translohr tram cannot move without guidance, it is not classified as a bus
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...
. Hence the Translohr vehicle
Vehicle
A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....
s in Clermont-Ferrand are not equipped with licence plate
Vehicle registration plate
A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
s.
APS third rail
The ground-level power supply system known as APS or Alimentation par le sol uses a third railThird rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
placed between the running rails, divided electrically into eight-metre segments with three-metre neutral sections in between. Each tram has two power collection skates, next to which are antennas that send radio signals to energise the power rail segments as the tram passes over them. At any one time, no more than two consecutive segments under the tram should actually be live. Alstrom developed the system primarily to avoid intrusive power supply cables in the sensitive area of the old city of Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
.
Modern styling
The Eurotram used in Strasbourg, Milan and Porto was developed by SocimiSocimi
Società Costruzioni Industriali Milano, better known as Socimi, was an Italian manufacturing company based in Milan. It was a manufacturer of trams, metro trains; traction motors for these and for trolleybuses; and bodies for motorbuses and trolleybuses...
of Italy, and has become part of the Flexity Outlook
Flexity Outlook
The Flexity Outlook is a family of 100% low-floor articulated light-rail trams manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. Part of the larger Flexity product line , Flexity Outlook cars fall into two distinct sub-categories with dramatically different appearances...
product range offered by Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
. The Eurotram has a modern design that makes it look almost as much like a train as a tram, and has large windows along its entire length.
Modular design
The CitadisCitadis
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...
tram, flagship of the French manufacturer Alstom, enjoys an innovative design combining lighter bogies with a modular concept for carriages offering more choices in the types of windows and the number of cars and doors. The recent Citadis-Dualis, intended to run at up to 100 km/h, is suitable for stop spacings ranging from 500 m to 5 km. Dualis is a strictly modular partial low-floor car, with all doors in the low-floor sections.
Future extensions
Systems are planned in BrestBrest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
and Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
Historic tramways still in operation
- Baselland TransportBaselland TransportBaselland Transport is a public transport company in Basel, Switzerland. It operates the more suburban routes and its vehicles wear a yellow-and-red colour scheme...
Route 1010 line (BLT)BLT's 10 line is the second longest tramline in Europe at 25.6 km in length. The line in the region of Basel, Switzerland, is operated by Baselland Transport ....
(formerly the Birsig Valley Railway) which since 1910 has connected LeymenLeymenLeymen is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. The commune is served by Leymen station, on line 10 of the Basel tramway, and is the only such station to be located on French soil.-References:*...
in the south of AlsaceAlsaceAlsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
to BaselBaselBasel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
in Switzerland (Bâle in French).
- The Deûle Valley tramway near LilleLilleLille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
which runs along a 3 km track from Marquette-lez-LilleMarquette-lez-Lille-References:*...
to WambrechiesWambrechies-References:*...
features several tram vehicles dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.
See also
- Tram networks in BordeauxTramway de BordeauxThe Bordeaux tramway network consists of three lines serving the city of Bordeaux in southwestern France. The first line was opened on 21 December 2003; further extensions have increased the route length to . The system is notable for using a ground-level power supply of the Alimentation par Sol...
, GrenobleTramway de GrenobleThe Grenoble tramway network is 35 km long, and comprises four lines: lines A, B, C and D. Line A was opened in 1987, line B in 1990, line C on 20 May 2006 and line D on October 2007. There previously existed a network of tramways in Grenoble, between 1894 and 1952...
, LilleTramway de LilleLille tramway is a tramway system located around the city of Lille, France. It is often called the Mongy, after Alfred Mongy, the engineer who created the interurban lines that make up the current system....
, LyonTramways in LyonThe current tramway network in Lyon comprises four lines. Line T1 opened in 2001; T2 opened in 2001; T3 opened at the end of 2006; and line T4 opened in 2009. The tramway system complements the Lyon metro and forms an integral part to the public transportation system in Lyon. The tramway network...
, MarseilleTramway de MarseilleMarseille tram is a tramway system in the French city of Marseille. The tramway opened on 21 January 1876 and, unlike most other French cities, has never closed and continues to this day to operate.- History :...
, MontpellierTrams in MontpellierThe city of Montpellier, France has a network of two tram lines currently in service, with a third line in construction. Responsibility for trams is held by the agglomeration community of the Montpellier agglomeration , and trams are operated by the Transports de l'agglomération de Montpellier ...
, NantesTramway de NantesThe Nantes tramway is a tramway system located around the city of Nantes, France. The first tramway in Nantes opened in 1879 and closed in 1958 due to bombing damage during World War II, while the present tramway was re-introduced to the city in 1985....
, NiceTramway de NiceThis article is about the new tramway of Nice, for the old network, see Tramway de Nice et du LittoralThe Nice tramway is a tram system of 8.7-km rail, currently composed of one line, and operated by the Société nouvelle des transports de l'agglomération niçoise, under the trade name of Lignes...
, ParisTramways in ParisThe French region of Île-de-France, encompassing the capital city of Paris, currently has four tram lines, and is planning an additional line. Of the existing lines, three are operated by its public transport authority, RATP, which also operates the Paris Métro and most bus services. The fourth...
, RouenTramway de RouenThe Rouen tramway or Rouen métro is a network of two tramway lines in the city of Rouen, Upper Normandy .The tramway operates on one line with two southern branches to Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray and Le Grand-Quevilly...
, Saint-ÉtienneTramway de Saint-ÉtienneThe Saint-Étienne tramway is a tram system in the French city of Saint-Étienne, Rhône-Alpes , its particularity is that is has functionned non stop since its opening in 1881...
, StrasbourgTramways in StrasbourgThe Strasbourg tram system, run by the CTS, consists of six lines, A, B, C, D, E and F. Lines A and D were opened in 1994, lines B and C were opened in 2000, line E was opened in 2007 and line F was opened in 2010.- History :...
, ValenciennesTramway de ValenciennesThe Valenciennes tramway is a tram system in the Valenciennes urban area in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais région of northern France. One line has been completed, and eventually the network will include three lines, be 48 km long and serve sixteen cities and villages.- Former network :The former... - Trams in EuropeTrams in EuropeEurope has an extensive number of tramway networks. Some of these networks have been upgraded to light rail standards, called Stadtbahn in Germany, premetros in Belgium, sneltram in the Netherlands, and fast trams in some other countries.- Overview :...
- List of town tramway systems in France
Further reading
- Arrivetz, Jean. 1956. "Les Tramways Français" (No ISBN). Lyon: Editions Omni-Presse.
- Clark, Daniel KinnearDaniel Kinnear ClarkDaniel Kinnear Clark was a Scottish consulting railway engineer. He served as Locomotive Superintendent to the Great North of Scotland Railway between 1853 and 1855, and also wrote comprehensive books on railway engineering matters.-Biography:Clark was born at Edinburgh on 17 July 1822...
: Tramways, construction et exploitation, ouvrage traduit de l'anglais et augmenté d'un appendice sur les tramways français par M. O. Chemin. Paris, Dunod, 1880 - Courant, René: Le Temps des Tramways, Menton : Éditions du Cabri, 1982, ISBN 2-903310-22-X
- Lamboley, Christian: Strasbourg tramway, Contades, 1989, ISBN 2-903255-16-4
- Laupiès, Jacques; Martin, Roland: Les tramways de Marseille ont cent ans, Marseille P. Tacussel, 1990, ISBN 2-903963-51-7
- Robert, J.: Les Tramways Parisiens, 1992
- Robert, J.: Histoire des Transports dans les Villes de France, 1974
- Renoy, G.: Paris Nuagère Transport Public, 1978