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Most beautiful tram trains around the world! Part-2
The tram-train is a format that has been gathering momentum since being pioneered in Karlsruhe in south-west Germany. This first and largest scheme for through-running between a heavy rail infrastructure and an urban tram system began in September 1992.
Presuming the availability of vehicles that can safely operate over different systems, the main premise of train-train operation as defined at Karlsruhe is removing the need for passengers to transfer between the two networks to complete their journey.
“By reducing peak loads at interchange stations and creating a more attractive service for the public, tram-trains can give better usage of infrastructures.”
By reducing peak loads at interchange stations and creating a more attractive service for the public, tram-trains can give better usage of the respective infrastructures.
The format has also been adopted with various permutations elsewhere, as in Nordhausen and Kassel in Germany which introduced diesel and electric hybrid vehicles. Used on the 25kV ac self-contained T4 light rail line in Paris, the Siemens Avanto is due to work proper tram-train two-voltage operations into Mulhouse in south-east France.
In the Netherlands, the two-system Alstom Regio Citadis has been deployed to integrate RandstadRail with Den Haag’s tramway.
Although now self-contained with a common power supply and no longer part of the mainline network, the UK’s Manchester Metrolink has the tram-train characteristic of using both railway and tramway infrastructure.
THE PROJECT
On 18 March 2008 the UK Department for Transport (DfT) announced that tram-train vehicles would be operated on a trial basis over the Huddersfield-Penistone-Barnsley-Sheffield route (‘the Penistone line’), mostly in the county of South Yorkshire.
The project is represented by the DfT as looking at the environmental benefits, operating costs and technical suitability of tram-trains, a lighter type of train than those until now used in the UK. It is also to test the popularity of the trains with passengers on this line which has an active Community Rail Partnership that has played a key role in promoting rail services to the communities served.
The implementation of the trial will be a partnership between the DfT, infrastructure body Network Rail and franchised train operator Northern Rail. Rail services are within areas served by the West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executives.
INFRASTRUCTURE
At 37 miles (59.5km) long, with 1,435mm gauge, non-electrified and with many singe-track sections, the Penistone line has a mix of urban and rural surroundings. Used by 1.2 million passengers each year, there are 17 stations, many being unstaffed halts.
“The scheme appears to be closely linked to creating a new generation of lightweight rolling stock with better efficiency than present types.”
The DfT’s publised rationale for choosing this line is that it combines passenger-only and mixed passenger/freight sections. Under the project, Network Rail is due to spend £15m on track improvements and station alterations, with the DfT contributing £9m to the trial.
Official UK interest in tram-trains has been welcomed in the industry, although the choice of the Penistone Line has attracted some criticism, mainly for its appropriateness in terms of representing the market, or exploiting the capability and rationale of the format.
Alternative locations have included York-Leeds via Harrogate, previously expected to be the first UK application. Mixing diesel working with the electric tramway, Preston-Blackpool-Fleetwood would require a new connection to near Blackpool Airport.
Largely formed from heavy rail infrastructure, Manchester Metrolink has been represented as a strong candidate. It provides the opportunity of running Chester line services through central Manchester by switching between diesel and electric supply at Altrincham station, where a connection between systems could be installed relatively cheaply.
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