Condensed version: "Light Rail is a fancy word for tram. Trams can operate on street, and if necessary, in tunnel or elevated.
Metro is similar but cannot operate on street - far more expensive."

Regards

Dudley Horscroft
----- Original Message -----
From: "'Brian'bblunt@... [TramsDownUnder]" TramsDownUnder@...>
To: TramsDownUnder@...>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 4:00 PM
Subject: RE: [TramsDownUnder] Fwd: Tram, Light Rail and Metro

But maybe a bit too much for Column 8's three line postings. I doubt
their columnist will have sufficient skill to condense this into
anything meaningful or accurate.

Col 8 "changed hands" recently and the current incumbent seems quite
out of his/her depth. I have almost given up reading it.

----- Original Message -----
From:TramsDownUnder@...
To:
Cc:
Sent:Mon, 20 Feb 2017 09:10:35 +0800
Subject:RE: [TramsDownUnder] Fwd: Tram, Light Rail and Metro

Very succinct and a great explanation.

Thanks Tony.

FROM:TramsDownUnder@...
[mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com]
SENT: Monday, 20 February 2017 8:05 AM
TO:TramsDownUnder@...
SUBJECT: [TramsDownUnder] Fwd: Tram, Light Rail and Metro

My respons e to the Column 8 question in today’s SMH :

Begin forwarded message:

FROM: Tony Galloway

SUBJECT: TRAM, LIGHT RAIL AND METRO

DATE: 20 February 2017 10:30:36 am AEDT

TO:Column8@... [2]

In response to Richard Cusden’s questio n, the difference between
the three modes is this :

Tramways and light rail are more or less the same thing. The term
“light rail transit” was invented in the 70s to describe rail
transit systems with more tramway characteristics than heavy rail
characteristics. The old Sydney tramway system, with extensive off
street track would these days qualify to be called “light rail”.
Before the term “light rail” was devised the names “express
tramway” and “limited tramline” were coined but never gained the
popularity of light rail as a descriptor. The oil crisis of the 70s,
traffic congestion, resistance to urban freeways and air pollution
revived interest in tramways, but the name was considered archaic so
“light rail” was invented. In Germany, they came up with
“Stadtbahn”, which means “city railway”, to describe upgraded
tramways.

Light rail/tramways use rail vehicles comp atible with operating on
street or on unfenced, segregated track along streets or through
localities on the surface, without requiring isolation of the right of
way. They generally have low floor vehicles and use low platforms for
loading. Trams and light rail can also operate on elevated track or in
tunnels, but the advantage is that’s not necessary. The difference
is the term “tram” these days usually refers to small rail
vehicles for local, on street urban service, while light rail vehicles
are larger and faster, more suitable for suburban service on longer
routes.

Light rail vehicles and trams are designed for sharp curves and steep
grades, so they can fit into existing localities without the need for
heavy civil engineering, demolitions, tunnels and elevated track
structures.

Metro refers to operations like the New York subway, Paris Metro or
London tube. The term originated in Paris, short for “metropolitan
railway”. M etro requires segregated lines, fenced off if on the
surface, or elevated, or in a tunnel. Railway style high floor
vehicles requiring high platforms are used, and as a totally
segregated track is necessary, construction costs are generally around
9-10 times the cost of light rail built on the surface. While metro
has a higher capacity than light rail in absolute terms, due to
vehicles that are 20% seating, 80% standing they are most suited for
short, high traffic routes in dense urban areas, not long suburban
routes. As metro construction is expensive it requires high population
density to make it viable, while light rail can be used to improve
transport in existing areas without inflicting intrusive and
disruptive overdevelopment. A much larger light rail system can be
built than a metro system for the same cost, reducing the need for
interchanges with feeder buses.

To sum up, trams and light rail can operate on the surface, or in
tunnels or on elevated structures m ixed with other traffic. Metro
requires complete segregation from pedestrians and other traffic.

Hope this helps.

Tony Galloway