Re: Re: Melbourne Cable Cars
Bill Bolton
Monday, September 10, 2001 8:43 PM
On Mon, 10 Sep 2001 15:24:00 -0000, Joe wrote:
Remember this is referring to the late part of the 19th century, when
domestic electricity was something very new, even in cities.
In that statement electrification is used in the sense of "the spread
of electrical power reticulation to normal domestic and commercial
premises". It has nothing to do with the traction power on the
tramway system.
The statement is basically saying that as domestic electrical power
generating capacity became available and power distribution wires were
laid out into the suburbs, the suburban boundary was pushed further
out from the city core and there was a need for pubic transport from
the newly settled areas of the city. Hence the bit about the cable
cars following (i.e. being installed after) the installation of
domestic power reticulation.
Indeed in the photo on the web site, a domestic power reticulation
pole can be clearly seen to the side of the right of way, immediately
behind the cable car, while a telephone cable pole can be seen on the
other side of the track a bit further down the hill.
I did find the statement on the web about the Dunedin system being
"One of the World's Greatest Tram Systems" a hoot though..... they
completely missed the cities true claims to fame in tramway circles
(relating to the first and last city outside of S.F. to operate street
cable cars and being the site of the invention of the pull curve).
I never managed to get to Dunedin in tram days, but did get a chance
to experience the trolley bus system just before its final demise. I
had some memorable off peak rides on trolley busses which were by then
clearly well past their heyday, and it was often wonder that the were
able to complete the run? The more modern trolley busses only seemed
to appear in peak hours, with the oldest trolley busses holding down
the out of peak runs!
Cheers,
Bill
Bill Bolton
Sydney, Australia
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I've seen the page you mention before. I don't know why they have
cables mixed up with electrics that way. Someone did even worse for
Dunedin, NZ:
http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?page=feat_tram
Note the statement "With both increased electrification and the need
to service Dunedin's steep hill suburbs, the next development was the
arrival of cable cars, which followed a network of overhead electric
wires"!?
Remember this is referring to the late part of the 19th century, when
domestic electricity was something very new, even in cities.
In that statement electrification is used in the sense of "the spread
of electrical power reticulation to normal domestic and commercial
premises". It has nothing to do with the traction power on the
tramway system.
The statement is basically saying that as domestic electrical power
generating capacity became available and power distribution wires were
laid out into the suburbs, the suburban boundary was pushed further
out from the city core and there was a need for pubic transport from
the newly settled areas of the city. Hence the bit about the cable
cars following (i.e. being installed after) the installation of
domestic power reticulation.
Indeed in the photo on the web site, a domestic power reticulation
pole can be clearly seen to the side of the right of way, immediately
behind the cable car, while a telephone cable pole can be seen on the
other side of the track a bit further down the hill.
I did find the statement on the web about the Dunedin system being
"One of the World's Greatest Tram Systems" a hoot though..... they
completely missed the cities true claims to fame in tramway circles
(relating to the first and last city outside of S.F. to operate street
cable cars and being the site of the invention of the pull curve).
I never managed to get to Dunedin in tram days, but did get a chance
to experience the trolley bus system just before its final demise. I
had some memorable off peak rides on trolley busses which were by then
clearly well past their heyday, and it was often wonder that the were
able to complete the run? The more modern trolley busses only seemed
to appear in peak hours, with the oldest trolley busses holding down
the out of peak runs!
Cheers,
Bill
Bill Bolton
Sydney, Australia
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