Re: Fwd: Tram, Light Rail and Metro
  pf4366

The basic problem with bureaucrats, is that to them Public Transport is for students, thecagedvand infifrm, plus the few ramaining plebs who do not or cannot own a car,  resulting in an unfortunate impose on the tax income which the government of the day can extort to support the, councillors, fellow politicians and hangers on to the standard which they may think ther are justlybentitled to?
Amen ,
G.

Sent from Samsung tablet.
-------- Original message --------From: "Tony Gallowayarg@... [TramsDownUnder]" TramsDownUnder@...> Date: 20/02/2017 3:26 PM (GMT+10:00) To:TramsDownUnder@... Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] Fwd: Tram, Light Rail and Metro

 






Cheers Bob - it’s something I've explained a few times for politicians, councillors and local government bureaucrats, who couldn’t tell trams, metro, gadget bahns or monorails apart.
Tony G
On 20 Feb 2017, at 12:10 pm, 'Bob Pearce'frerrick@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:

Very succinct and a great explanation.Thanks Tony.  From: TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Monday, 20 February 2017 8:05 AM
To: TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com
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 arg@...>Subject: Tram, Light Rail and MetroDate: 20 February 2017 10:30:36 am AEDTTo: Column8@smh.com.au 
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