Trams stop at every stop regardless of passengers or not. The difference
that this flash charge system makes is that whereas the dwell for a stop
with no passengers may be as little as 5 to 10 seconds, the tram is forced
to wait for another 30-40 seconds above this while it recharges. On a line
with say, for example, ten stops, this system will add about 5 minutes to
the overall journey time. One of the side-effects of longer journey times,
in addition to alienating the passengers, is that more trams may be
required to operate a service to the same timetable. On a long line like
Parramatta or the Canberra extension, this will have a really negative
effect.

Yes, the CAF system does require a top-up at each stop. Only in a country
with a lackadaisical attitude towards operating public transport could such
a system be invented. You can be sure this system wouldn't have been
invented in Czech Republic, Germany or Poland for example (nor Melbourne I
imagine). It would have been laughed off the drawing board. It epitomises
the deep differences between new tram systems created independently of
prior experience in Western European countries and the tram systems of
countries that have been operating them for generations with corresponding
accumulated experience. It's not a coincidence that in-motion charging is
an invention from the old tram countries that won't hesitate to explore new
technology but will adopt it only when it's practicable and proven, both
operationally and financially.

Tony P

On Sunday, 10 February 2019 11:04:57 UTC+11, Hunslet wrote:
>

> Must the tram stop to recharge at each tram stop when there are no

> passengers alighting or joining? Matthew’s posted video show what in

> excessive standing time after a couple of passenger de-tram and/or join.

>

> Hunslet.

>