TAN: Dual Use Overhead WAS:Re: Flexible overhead in New Plymouth 2

Roy Winslow
Friday, March 1, 2002 3:22 AM

When the Launceston tramways were replaced by a trolleybus system, the former tramway positive wire became the hot wire for the trolleys. According to the history of the system 'Trolleybuses of Tasmania', this led to considerable wear on the trolley shoe due to the roughness of the tramway wire caused by the use of swivel head trolley wheels on the trams. At each terminii, the trolley bus driver was required to grease the shoe. I believe this was later done away with by replacement of the wire.

In Sydney to provide access to Rushcutters tram depot for the Potts Point trolleys, a negative wire was placed between the two tramway running wires along the New South Head Road (I think this was the name) linking the depot to Darlinghurst Road at Kings Cross.

-----Original Message-----
From: IS Edit [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 10:19 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Flexible overhead in New Plymouth 2

Quite right, Bruce.

But San Francisco runs their F line on Market Street with trolley bus overhead over the tram tracks and the trams running off the trolley bus hot wire. No problems as far as I know.

Once I was driving PCC cars there and mangled my back pole so I put it under the hook, put the front pole up and while I was doing that the rear pole sagged down and touched the metal roof. Goodbye overhead! Lost 50 yards of copper.

Bob Murphy

----- Original Message -----

From: brgamble

To: [email protected]

Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 11:45 AM

Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Flexible overhead in New Plymouth 2

Great photo GWB Two pole trams running on TB overhead of course has a potential for disaster - put one pole on +ve, the other on -ve and just watch the fireworks. Remember there is no overload protection of the traction cable between the two poles. So you could easily melt the overhead or cause a fire in the tram roof. This is one reason why we don't have such a system at MOTAT. But I wonder if New Plymouth had any such accidents? You know - keen kids wanting to help by putting up the poles? The photo makes me shudder actually. Bruce --- In TramsDownUnder@y..., "WALTER Bennett" <wgbtttco@b...> wrote: > This view is Morley Street on the Westown route. > New power poles and road resurfacing indicate thet the trolleybuses are not far away. > Note the trolley pole on the Birney car pushing the overhead up. > This tram was one of three built for the Westown line in 1921. > Picure by Graham Stewart Wellington NZ > > WGB

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