If SF Muni can why not Melbourne?

If SF Muni can get world reknown out of their international fleet and
the cable cars, why can't Melbourne? And go one step further: the
tourist and nostalgia potential for a collection of trams from all
over Australia (even NZ or further afield) running on selected
routes, plus the city circle, restaurant service, a "historic places"
circuit, reactivation of the Sunday special service - all this could
be marketed internationally to good effect. Admittedly it would take
a different mindset to the "we just provide public transport - and by
the way we are buying more buses next week" bunch.

Curious how contributors to this discussion are so polarised: either
coming up with ideas "outside the box"; or looking oh so hard for
reasons why an idea won't work. Poles vs pantographs; 750 vs 500V;
some little git in an office worrying about safety. Oh spare me!

-- In TramsDownUnder@y..., "Cawood, David" <David.Cawood@a...> wrote:

What constitutes uniqueness and a cities identity? Melbourne has

been

instantly identifiable by it's street furniture (trams) for well

over 100

years. The most prominent tourism icon Melbourne has is trams! The
restaurant cars, green and City Circle W's still appear on Tourism

Victoria

advertisements and Victorian made "The Secret Lives of Us"

regularly has

street scenes with W's! With modern trams you may as well be any

city

operating LRV's. Is this false advertising? Is Melbourne becoming an
anonymous city with no unique character? Melburnians are nostalgic

about W's

because they are proud to have an identity and something "special"

and

"different"! I for one like visiting Melbourne and it's unique

charm. Don't

kill the charm, celebrate and enrich it!

Hopefully I'm reading this incorrectly and the new mooted Tramway

Museum

isn't static!
David Cawood


http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,3345185%

255E2862,0

0.html

TRAMWAY MUSEUM GAINS SUPPORT
By JOHN MASANAUSKAS, transport reporter
30nov01

THE State Government and Yarra Trams yesterday gave qualified

support for a

museum to showcase some of Melbourne's neglected treasured trams.
Yarra chief executive officer Hubert Guyot said his company would

consider

helping fund the project following yesterday's Herald Sun report on

our

rotting heritage.
"I think it's very important to maintain the heritage and to have

some of

these trams kept in good condition," he said.
But Mr Guyot cast doubt on public support for the city's

operational W-class

trams, which are slowly returning to service following major brake

repairs.

Mr Guyot confirmed all the trams would be back, saying "we are

committed to

operate them, we have not a choice".
But when asked if he thought the historic W-class fleet was holding

back

modernisation of the tram network, he said: "It's not my request,

it's what

is the demand of my customers".
"And I think the commuters prefer to have modern trams for their

trip than

old trams without air conditioning, without the comfort they can

expect with

new trams".
Yarra Trams has introduced new $3 million French trams to

Melbourne, which

look very different to traditional stock and have low-floor access

for the

disabled.
Yarra has also built new tram superstops with detailed traveller
information.
RMIT University transport researcher Graeme Turnbull said

Melburnians were

too nostalgic about W-class trams.
"While historically they may represent much value, their place in

our

transport system is no longer viable," he said.
"Melbourne should follow the example set by cities overseas that

run a

modern service and bring out historic trams for special occasions".
State Transport Minister Peter Batchelor said he expected to have a

report

on Melbourne's forgotten tram heritage by early next year.
"I'm attracted to the idea of a tram museum. It would be very

expensive, it

needs to be properly thought through," he said.
Mr Batchelor said some historic trams should be stored in better

conditions

and others could be displayed by tourist and heritage groups.

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