Tram and light-rail transit systems

Throughout the world there are many tram systems; some dating from the late 19th or early 20th centuries. However a large number of the old systems were closed during the mid-20th century because of such perceived drawbacks as route inflexibility and maintenance expence. This was especially the case in North American, British, French and other West European cities. Some traditional tram systems did however survive and remain operating much as when first built over a century ago. In the past twenty years their numbers have been augmented by modern tramway or light rail systems in cities that had discarded this form of transport.

Europe

In many European cities much tramway infrastructure was lost in the mid-20th century, though not always on the same scale as in other parts of the world such as North America. Most of Eastern Europe retained tramway systems until recent years but some cities are now reconsidering their transport priorities. In contrast, some Western European cities are rehabilitating, upgrading, expanding and reconstructing their old tramway lines. Many Western European towns and cities are also building new tramway lines.

North America

"In North America, especially the United States, trams are generally known as streetcars or trolleys; the term tram is more likely to be understood as a tourist trolley, an aerial tramway, or a people-mover."

Streetcar lines were largely torn up in the mid-20th century for a variety of financial, technological and social reasons. See also the Great American Streetcar Scandal. Exceptions include New Orleans, Newark, Seattle, Philadelphia (with a much smaller network than once had existed), and San Francisco. Pittsburgh kept most of its streetcar system serving the city and many suburbs until January 27, 1967, making it the longest-lasting large-network U.S. streetcar system. Toronto has the largest streetcar system in the Americas. In the late 20th century, several cities installed light rail systems, in part along the same corridor as the old streetcars. Some have restored their old streetcars and run them as a heritage feature for tourists like the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway.

outh America

Argentina

The Buenos Aires street tramway network was once one of the most extensive in the world with over 857 km (535 mi) of track, most of it dismantled during the 1960s in favor of bus transportation.

The "Anglo-Argentine Tramways Company" opened Latin America's first "underground tramway" system, (Subte line A) in 1913. The original route was partially underground and on street level until 1926, for this reason these "pantograph" cars built by La Brugeoise in Belgium had both low doors at the ends for boarding from the street and high doors in the middle for loading from platforms in the tunnel, therefore, "Subte" line A might also be considered one of the continent's first light rail trams. These vintage carriages (sans end doors) are still in operation.

Using the same surface non revenue tracks of Line "A" in the "Caballito" neighborhood, the "Asociación Amigos del Tranvía" (Association of Tramway Friends) [http://www.tranvia.org.ar/] operates every weekend and holidays a Heritage Streetcar Service, with a nice collection of fully restored tram and metro cars.

The 2-km experimental Tranvía del Este line (Puerto Madero Tramway) has recently been inaugurated in the Puerto Madero District of the Argentine capital, with extensions to Retiro Rail Terminal Station and La Boca neighborhood being talked about. These are ultra-modern Citadis 302 cars from France. There are also talks about a “heritage tram” to be put in service in colonial San Telmo.

In the city of Mendoza a proposed "Ferro Tranvía Urbano" (interurban tramway) to be inaugurated in two years will operate on abandoned railroad tracks, one of its stations will connect to the planned "Wine Train".

Asia

Tramway systems were well established in the Asian region at the start of the 20th Century but started a steady decline during the mid to late 30s. The 1960s marked the end of its dominance in public transportation with most major systems closed and the equipment and rails sold for scrap; however, some extensive original lines still remain in service in Hong Kong and Japan. In recent years there has been renewed interest in the tram with modern systems being built in South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines.

The first Japanese tram line was inaugurated in 1895 as the Kyoto Electric Railroad. The tram reached its zenith in 1932 when 82 rail companies operated 1,479 kilometers of track in 65 cities. The tram declined in popularity through the remaining years of the 30s, a trend that was accelerated by the damages of the War and continued through the Occupation and rebuilding years. During the 1960s many of the remaining operational tramways were shut down and dismantled in favor of auto, bus, and rapid rail service; however, when one compares the number of operational lines that survived this era to their American counterparts, they can be defined as quite extensive.

Australasia

In Australasia, trams are used extensively only in Melbourne, and to a lesser extent, Adelaide, all other major cities having largely dismantled their networks by the 1970s. Sydney has a stand-alone light rail system of 7.2 km, the Metro Light Rail.

A distinctive feature of many Australasian trams was the early use of a lowered central section between bogies (wheel-sets). This was intended to make passenger access easier, by reducing the number of steps required to reach the inside of the vehicle. It is believed that the design first originated in Christchurch in the first decade of the 20th century. Cars with this design feature were frequently referred to as "drop-centres".

The trams made by Boon & Co of Christchurch, New Zealand in 1906-07 for use in Christchurch may have been the first with this feature; they were referred to as "drop-centres" or "Boon cars". Trams for Christchurch and Wellington built in the 1920s with an enclosed section at each end and an open-sided middle section were also known as "Boon cars", but did not have the drop-centre.

Africa

Africa has tramway systems at present in Egypt and Tunisia.

Egypt

In Egypt, both Cairo and Alexandria have historic systems that still exist.

In Greater Cairo, the once-extensive Cairo urban system is now all but defunct.
The express tramway system to and within the suburb of Masr el-Djedida, or Heliopolis, is still in operation, as one of the world's oldest examples of Light Rail.
So is the small 1970s system in the satellite town of Helwan, 25 km to the south. Some of Cario's cars are ex-Toronto Transit Commission President's Conference Car Steamliners.

In Alexandria, both the urban system and the express routes to eastern suburbs are still in operation. The urban system operates yellow cars, including some acquired second-hand from Copenhagen, on largely street track. The express tramway (Ramleh routes) operates 3-car trains of blue cars, including some double-deck cars, on largely reserved track. There are also some dual-system routes.

Tunisia

Tunis had traditional trams up to about 1960. In 1985, a new Light Rail line began operation and has since been followed by more. See Métro léger de Tunis.

outh Africa

Public transport in South Africa commenced in Cape Town in May 1801, when a weekly coach service from Cape Town to Simon's Town was announced. Around 1838, the Cape's first horse-drawn omnibus was introduced, based on George Shilbeer's model. In September 1862 the Cape Town and Green Point Tramway Company was formed, and began operations on 1 April 1863.Both single- and double-deck horse-drawn trams were used. In 1896, the power station at Toll Gate, Cape Town (with two stacks supplied by Milliken Brothers of New York), was completed, and the old horse sheds were remodelled. Cape Town's electric tram system initially had ten cars, built in Philadelphia, USA. On 6 August 1896 Lady Sivewright, wife of Sir James Sivewright, opened the new system. At Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897, Cape Town and suburbs had thirty-two electric trams running on about twenty-three miles of track. The new power station was proving inadequate and had to be enlarged.

Tram services also existed in Johannesburg (where the suburban railway to Boksburg, opened in 1890, was also called the Rand Tram), Pretoria, and Durban, but were all replaced by petrol, diesel and trolley bus systems by the early 1960s.