The gauge will be eased over time by trams wearing out checks and rails.
(Yes, I am being sarcastic, in case anyone was wondering).
On Mon, 2 Aug 2021, 4:23 pm Greg Sutherland, gregsutherland@...>
wrote:
> It is not as though the problem of getting fixed truck trams around tight
> curves hasn't been dealt with in the past nor have solutions adopted by
> highly experienced and capable engineers not been recorded by Technical
> Journals.
>
> NSW Tramways had a long history of operating 4 wheel trams (C, D, E,J, and
> K classes) between the 1890s and the 1950s with a number of 4 wheel service
> trams enduring until the final system shutdown. For many years these trams
> operated, often as coupled sets, on the tightly curved and steep Bondi via
> Belluevue, Watsons Bay (for 30+ years an exclusively 4 wheel tram service)
> and North Sydney lines.
>
> Other Australian systems also had many examples of 4 wheel trams.
>
> The attached page 424 "Bradfield on Electric Tramways"extract from
>
> *Electric tramway : The Spit to Manly, N.S.W. / by John Job Crew Bradfield*
>
>
> http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/7778217?q=creator%3A%22Bradfield%2C+J.+J.+C.+%28John+Job+Crew%29%2C+1867-1943%22&c=book
>
> shows the 'easing of gauge' adopted for decreasing radii of curves and
> also for different rail cross sections adopted as system standards. Most
> outdated of course as it had nothing to do with real (heavy) railways!
>
> Regarding the "institutionalised extablishment" I recall attending a
> presentation by a leading practitioner of this group as he expounded on
> CSELR light rail track. When questions from the floor were invited I asked
> if any consideration had been given to easing the gauge. He first appeared
> non plused, then followed the "Pesant, I am the expert consultant, put down.
>
> Unfortunately one of attendees in the audience piped up "I work for XYZ
> concrete sleeper manufacturers and we have made easing sleepers to special
> order for Melbourne", the Chair of the meeting immediately called for the
> next presenter to present a paper on a different subject!
>
> One could also note that after their sterling work on the CSELR
> WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff were commissioned by TfNSW to undertake similar
> work on the Parramatta Light Rail.
>
> Greg
>
>
> On 2/08/2021 2:42 pm, TP wrote:
>
> (snip)
>
> As far as I know, there is no curve on CSELR less than 25 metre radius
> which is the generally accepted minimum for a tram with fixed trucks,
> though it by no means immunises the system and its trams from damage,
> especially when there are quite a few curves and many trams, as on CSELR.
> Many of these modern light rail systems are basically long runs of straight
> lines (typical grid city layout, which Sydney isn't), with the occasional
> turn to navigate. A fixed truck tram is simply unsuitable for a line
> profile that has frequent curves. New systems like Adelaide, Gold Coast and
> Canberra are examples of systems with long straight runs and only a rare
> corner or curve, so they get by with the fixed truck trams. None of
> Sydney's three systems has significant straight runs.
>
> (snip)
>
> So many mistakes and with little prospect of being rectified, as I see
> that the new light rail mob with their heavy rail background have become
> the institutionalised establishment , complete with their own
> prefessionally internalised annual conferences where they can share their
> lack of knowledge with each other, unchallenged by those "outdated" folk
> from legacy systems. Though, it is true that Melbourne professionals do get
> along to these talkfests but, if they proffer any educational role, it
> doesn't seem to have any effect. I wrote a letter to TAUT about all this
> recently. Time to lift the game and not rest on laurels.
>
> Attachment
>
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