Re: Trackless trams for Melbourne
  Mal Rowe

On 02/05/2021 10:19, TP wrote:
> That's a terribly confused article and seems to be a grab bag of all the issues that have been discussed over recent years. Is it about new trams or new electric buses? It leaps from one to the other.

>

Agreed it's a shambolic report - perhaps the reporter was under pressure to fill space in the Sunday Age!

However, there is some apparently 'real' information:

* Planned quantity is 100 trams with delivery starting in 2025
(already known).
* Shortlisted tenderers will be Alstom and a consortium of CAF and UGL.
* Length will be 25m - just 1.4m longer than a B class.
* They will have onboard energy storage using batteries (already known)

As Tony says, the trams are a bit shorter than new tram norms - however, new tramways don't have parallel tram lines running only 500m to 1km apart as Melbourne does in the south east sector.  I'm assuming that the aim is to get new trams without significant depot expansion.

The comments in the piece about weight and curves make no sense - the Es can run anywhere in Melbourne and while I am aware of curves being eased, I can't bring to mind any bridge strengthening.

I assume that CAF will offer their Urbos AXL - their rotating bogie option, but it's not clear to me how they would produce a shorter version.

See: https://gryphon4.environdec.com/system/data/files/6/9691/epd297.pdf for the Stockholm version.

Mal Rowe - noting that the latest E (6095) still sports a BOMBARDIER badge.