WASHINGTON-BALTIMORE | Public Transport

[Silly_Walks]

Originally Posted by Woonsocket54

Baltimore light rail (MTA) is testing grass track beds

What's there to test? Tons of places around the world have trams running on wonderfully green grass, it's great.

[Silly_Walks]

Originally Posted by ajw373

in Europe and other places light rail vehicles are generally trams that run on road or on a reserved right of way

Not where I'm from. Trams that run on road or on reserved right of way are called trams.

When trams share metro (or even train) tracks for part of their journey, they are generally considered light rail. Some trams that have strong metro characteristics (long distances between stations, speed, (almost) completely segregated track, longer vehicles) are also called light rail.

[trainrover]

Baltimore's fleet appears the crashworthy one of the lot ...

[flapane]

Originally Posted by ajw373

Actually they aren't trams they are light rail vehicles. Whilst in Europe and other places light rail vehicles are generally trams that run on road or on a reserved right of way in North America light rail is a separate class sitting between tram (street car in US talk) and heavy rail.

A sort of Boston Green Line...

[ajw373]

Originally Posted by Silly_Walks

Not where I'm from. Trams that run on road or on reserved right of way are called trams.

When trams share metro (or even train) tracks for part of their journey, they are generally considered light rail. Some trams that have strong metro characteristics (long distances between stations, speed, (almost) completely segregated track, longer vehicles) are also called light rail.

Where are you from and also note the word generally, if you don't know what it means look it up in a dictonary.

[Silly_Walks]

Originally Posted by ajw373

Where are you from and also note the word generally, if you don't know what it means look it up in a dictonary.

Europe.

And be nice.

[ajw373]

Originally Posted by Silly_Walks

Europe.

And be nice.

In which case what I said, which to remind you is "Whilst in Europe and other places light rail vehicles are generally trams" is right. So what part where you disagreeing with? And be nice yourself.

[Silly_Walks]

Originally Posted by ajw373

In which case what I said, which to remind you is "Whilst in Europe and other places light rail vehicles are generally trams" is right. So what part where you disagreeing with? And be nice yourself.

The Netherlands. But I haven't heard of any other European country calling trams, light rail.

[trainrover]

The distinction's been prominent for maybe a century now in N America, i.e., streetcar/trolley vs. interurban; nowadays, I suppose, it's vs LRT. Think of an interurban (LRT) as heavy duty tram ... the distinction may be the result of supplied voltage, current, such that substations could be spaced farther apart for the comparatively longer distances travelled around the continent Also, trolleybusses tend to be called trackless trolleys

image hosted on flickr




Check out how a well-known, 114-year-old corporation pegs one of their infrastructures, to the following (heavy duty) metro


"... San Francisco’s BART was North America’s first modern interurban rapid transit system. ..."

[ajw373]

Originally Posted by Silly_Walks

The Netherlands. But I haven't heard of any other European country calling trams, light rail.

Firstly I think you may have missread what I wrote. Suggest you go back and read my first post on the matter, in particular the bit where I said in America, repeat in America the vehicle that was in the picture was NOT refered to a tram, and how in Europe the vehicles that run on light rail systems are generally called trams (and are actually different to the vehicle pictured). In fact I would say it seems like we are actually in agreeance.

As for your comment above are you refering to the vehicles or to the system? If the system then most of the systems in the UK are refered to as light rail, but the vehicles are called trams (or the generic term train). The exception of course is the Docklands Light Rail system in London where the vehicles are not called trams, however quite clearly the DLR is heavier than what is considered light rail in the rest of Europe, in is more a metro system than anything.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by ajw373

Firstly I think you may have missread what I wrote. Suggest you go back and read my first post on the matter, in particular the bit where I said in America, repeat in America the vehicle that was in the picture was NOT refered to a tram, and how in Europe the vehicles that run on light rail systems are generally called trams (and are actually different to the vehicle pictured). In fact I would say it seems like we are actually in agreeance.

As for your comment above are you refering to the vehicles or to the system? If the system then most of the systems in the UK are refered to as light rail, but the vehicles are called trams (or the generic term train). The exception of course is the Docklands Light Rail system in London where the vehicles are not called trams, however quite clearly the DLR is heavier than what is considered light rail in the rest of Europe, in is more a metro system than anything.

This is a bit of an odd discussion. The German Stadtbahn systems and the pre-metro systems in other European cities are actually "light rail" systems by many definitions. The Essen Stadtbahn actually uses the same vehicles as the DLR used to before it got its new stock.

The whole definition of "light rail" vs. "tram" came about because they wanted to rebrand trams to something else to get people over the image of slow, clunky, noisy vehicles that take up road space, so they came up with the term "light rail". But now things have moved beyond this. Generally, segregated ROW and more metro-like services combined with tram-like vehicles characterise "light rail" systems. But anyway, this is a bit of a meaningless diversion into terminology that doesn't really have a bearing on the system.

[ajw373]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

This is a bit of an odd discussion. The German Stadtbahn systems and the pre-metro systems in other European cities are actually "light rail" systems by many definitions. The Essen Stadtbahn actually uses the same vehicles as the DLR used to before it got its new stock.

The whole definition of "light rail" vs. "tram" came about because they wanted to rebrand trams to something else to get people over the image of slow, clunky, noisy vehicles that take up road space, so they came up with the term "light rail". But now things have moved beyond this. Generally, segregated ROW and more metro-like services combined with tram-like vehicles characterise "light rail" systems. But anyway, this is a bit of a meaningless diversion into terminology that doesn't really have a bearing on the system.

I agree and the definition isn't really clear. However however what triggered this was someone making comment as to how outdated the "tram" pictured was. I was pointing out that in the US the vehicle would be considered light rail and not a tram/streetcar and how in the US light rail is a separate class hence why it is a big chunky vehicle.

In Europe and elsewhere light rail, as you point out could be anything from trams to 'metro' style systems like DLR, but the vehicle we were discussing could in no way shape or form be called a tram.

[Woonsocket54]

Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...U_graphic.html

Redevelopment near Wiehle Avenue station
With Metro slated to open the Wiehle Avenue station next year, Fairfax County has been drawing up plans to redevelop the area around the station to accommodate higher density buildings and add residential complexes.

[Nexis]

[Nexis]

image hosted on flickr

Untitled by VaDOT, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Untitled by VaDOT, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Untitled by VaDOT, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Untitled by VaDOT, on Flickr

[trainrover]

Lovely, metros goin' interstate

[Nexis]

[krnboy1009]

When is the train supposed to hit the track in DC Streetcar system?

[flapane]

Originally Posted by Nexis

image hosted on flickr

Untitled by VaDOT, on Flickr

Is it for the Silver Line or for some streetcar line?

[LtBk]

The Silver Line.