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Firema T-68

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90-678: The Firema T-68 was a model of light rail passenger vehicle first operated on the Manchester Metrolink network in Greater Manchester , England in 1992. It was constructed by Firema specifically as a high-floor, articulated bi-directional tram to operate solely on the Manchester Metrolink system. Twenty-six T-68s were manufactured by Firema at their factories in Italy. Six modified variants (known as

180-724: A "light rail" vehicle (it is a heavy rail vehicle), and is only included for comparison purposes. Low-floor LRVs have the advantage of a low-floor design, allowing them to load passengers directly from low-rise platforms that can be little more than raised curbs. High-floor light rail systems also exist, featuring larger stations. Historically, the track gauge has had considerable variations, with narrow gauge common in many early systems. However, most light rail systems are now standard gauge . Older standard-gauge vehicles could not negotiate sharp turns as easily as narrow-gauge ones, but modern light rail systems achieve tighter turning radii by using articulated cars . An important advantage of

270-458: A bus, there will be even more capacity when there is a combination of cars and light rail. Table 3 shows an example of peak passenger capacity. The cost of light rail construction varies widely, largely depending on the amount of tunneling and elevated structures required. A survey of North American light rail projects shows that costs of most LRT systems range from $ 15 million to over $ 100 million per mile. Seattle's new light rail system

360-403: A chaotic breakdown inflow and a dramatic drop in speed (a traffic jam ) if they exceed about 2,000 vehicles per hour per lane (each car roughly two seconds behind another). Since most people who drive to work or on business trips do so alone, studies show that the average car occupancy on many roads carrying commuters is only about 1.5 people per car during the high-demand rush hour periods of

450-504: A collision with a bus. The damage was not severe and it was returned to Queens Road Depot for repairs. On 17 December 2004, tram 1024`s pantograph brought down the overhead wires between Prestwich Tram Stop and Heaton Park Tram Stop . This was caused by the detachment of part of the carbon strip fitted to the pantograph head. On 11 January 2005, tram 1015 derailed on the approach to Piccadilly station. The middle bogie had derailed, colliding with an overhead line stanchion , damaging

540-496: A collision with a taxi on Nicholas Street, suffering damage to the coupler and fender. The LRV was repaired using parts from soon-to-be-withdrawn 1014. [REDACTED] Media related to Ansaldo Firema T-68 trams at Wikimedia Commons Light rail Light rail (or light rail transit , abbreviated to LRT ) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology while also having some features from heavy rapid transit . The term

630-512: A color name in English was in 1573. The X11 color named turquoise is displayed on the right. Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium , with the chemical formula Cu Al 6 ( P O 4 ) 4 (O H ) 8 · 4 H 2 O . It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue. In many cultures of

720-1142: A common right-of-way (however, Link converted to full separation in 2019). Some systems, such as the AirTrain JFK in New York City, the DLR in London, and Kelana Jaya Line in Kuala Lumpur , have dispensed with the need for an operator. The Vancouver SkyTrain was an early adopter of driverless vehicles, while the Toronto Scarborough rapid transit operated the same trains as Vancouver, but used drivers. In most discussions and comparisons, these specialized systems are generally not considered light rail but as light metro systems. Around Karlsruhe , Kassel , and Saarbrücken in Germany, dual-voltage light rail trains partly use mainline railroad tracks, sharing these tracks with heavy rail trains. In

810-442: A curve at Pomona station. The RAIB concluded this was due to insufficient maintenance of the tracks by the contracted operator, Serco , which led to the tracks slowly moving apart until they were out of gauge. On 28 March 2007, tram 1016 was involved in a collision on Mosely Street at Nicholas Street junction. The LRV Only suffered minor damage and was returned to service shortly afterwards. On 1 February 2007, tram 1013 split

900-471: A fault with the emergency brakes applying regularly without instruction to do so, 2001 was stored for several years from 2006. It was completely rewired and returned to service in June 2011. The final two T-68As, 2001 and 2003, were withdrawn on 30 April 2014. The trams were originally liveried in white, with a grey skirt, and a turquoise strip running along the skirt. Later modifications of this livery included

990-416: A light rail train may have three to four cars of much larger capacity in one train under the control of one driver, or no driver at all in fully automated systems, increasing the labor costs of BRT systems compared to LRT systems. BRT systems are also usually less fuel-efficient as they use non-electrified vehicles. The peak passenger capacity per lane per hour depends on which types of vehicles are allowed on

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1080-435: A live rail. In outer areas, the trams switch to conventional overhead wires . The Bordeaux power system costs about three times as much as a conventional overhead wire system and took 24 months to achieve acceptable levels of reliability, requiring the replacement of all the main cables and power supplies. Operating and maintenance costs of the innovative power system still remain high. However, despite numerous service outages,

1170-543: A longer distance. Light rail cars are often coupled into multiple units of two to four cars. Light rail systems may also exhibit attributes of heavy rail systems, including having downtown subways, as in San Francisco and Seattle . Light rail is designed to address a gap in interurban transportation between heavy rail and bus services, carrying high passenger numbers more quickly than local buses and more cheaply than heavy rail. It serves corridors in which heavy rail

1260-642: A longitudinal layout to provide for more standing passengers and increase the overall capacity. The trial was unpopular with passengers and the tram was later refitted with standard seats in the original layout. The trial seats were retained and in March 2003 were fitted to vehicle 1007. The final three T-68s: 1007, 1016 and 1022 were withdrawn on 10 February 2014. Ahead of the opening of the Phase 2 line to Eccles Line , six new vehicles were ordered and constructed in 1999. Bodyshells were again built by Firema, this time at

1350-642: A more diverse range of design characteristics than LRT, depending on the demand and constraints that exist, and BRT using dedicated lanes can have a theoretical capacity of over 30,000 passengers per hour per direction (for example, the Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit system operates up to 350 buses per hour per direction). For the effective operation of a bus or BRT system, buses must have priority at traffic lights and have their dedicated lanes, especially as bus frequencies exceed 30 buses per hour per direction. The higher theoretical of BRT relates to

1440-407: A result, has many of the operating characteristics of a metro system rather than a light rail system. A capacity of 1,350 passengers per train is more similar to the heavy rail than light rail. Bus rapid transit (BRT) is an alternative to LRT and many planning studies undertake a comparison of each mode when considering appropriate investments in transit corridor development. BRT systems can exhibit

1530-402: A set of points while being moved at Queens Road depot. This caused the tram to end up diagonally, across two tracks. None of the bogies were derailed in the incident. On 29 June 2008, tram 1016 derailed as the rear vehicle of a double consist while crossing Princess Street near St Peter's Square . The derailment was attributed to insufficient maintenance by the previous operator, Serco . Damage

1620-534: A top speed of 55–71.5 miles per hour (88.51–115.1 km/h) depending on the system, while the trains on the all-underground Montreal Metro can only reach a top speed of 72 kilometres per hour (44.74 mph). LACMTA light rail vehicles have higher top and average speeds than Montreal Metro or New York City Subway trains. Many light rail systems—even fairly old ones—have a combination of both on- and off-road sections. In some countries (especially in Europe), only

1710-481: A tramway, a light metro, and, in a narrow sense, rapid transit. This is especially common in the United States, where there is not a popularly perceived distinction between these different types of urban rail systems. The development of technology for low-floor and catenary-free trams facilitates the construction of such mixed systems with only short and shallow underground sections below critical intersections as

1800-470: Is a generic international English phrase for types of rail systems using modern streetcars/trams, which means more or less the same thing throughout the English-speaking world . Light rail systems can range from trams runnig in streets along with other traffic, to semi-metro systems having portions of grade separated track. People movers are even "lighter", in terms of capacity. Monorail

1890-575: Is a separate technology that has been more successful in specialized services than in a commuter transit role. The use of the generic term light rail avoids some serious incompatibilities between British and American English . The word tram , for instance, is generally used in the UK and many former British colonies to refer to what is known in North America as a streetcar , but in North America tram can instead refer to an aerial tramway , or, in

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1980-602: Is a significant amount of overlap between the technologies; similar rolling stock may be used for either, and it is common to classify streetcars or trams as a subcategory of light rail rather than as a distinct type of transportation. However, some distinctions can be made, though systems may combine elements of both. Low-floor light rail lines tend to follow a reserved right-of-way and with trains receiving priority at intersections, and tend not to operate in mixed traffic, enabling higher operating speeds. Light rail lines tend to have less frequent stops than tramways, and operate over

2070-563: Is by far the most expensive in the US, at $ 179 million per mile, since it includes extensive tunneling in poor soil conditions, elevated sections, and stations as deep as 180 feet (55 m) below ground level. This results in costs more typical of subways or rapid transit systems than light rail. At the other end of the scale, four systems (Baltimore, Maryland; Camden, New Jersey; Sacramento, California; and Salt Lake City, Utah) incurred construction costs of less than $ 20 million per mile. Over

2160-426: Is especially important for wheelchair access, as narrower gauges (e.g. metre gauge) can make it challenging or impossible to pass the tram's wheels. Furthermore, standard-gauge rolling stock can be switched between networks either temporarily or permanently, and both newly built and used standard-gauge rolling stock tends to be cheaper to buy, as more companies offer such vehicles. Overhead lines supply electricity to

2250-502: Is expensive. Similarly, the most expensive US highway expansion project was the " Big Dig " in Boston, Massachusetts, which cost $ 200 million per lane mile for a total cost of $ 14.6 billion. A light rail track can carry up to 20,000 people per hour as compared with 2,000–2,200 vehicles per hour for one freeway lane. For example, in Boston and San Francisco, light rail lines carry 9,600 and 13,100 passengers per hour, respectively, in

2340-575: Is hard to distinguish between what is called light rail, and other forms of urban and commuter rail. A system described as a light rail in one city may be considered to be a streetcar or tram system in another. Conversely, some lines that are called "light rail" are very similar to rapid transit ; in recent years, new terms such as light metro have been used to describe these medium-capacity systems. Some "light rail" systems, such as Sprinter , bear little similarity to urban rail, and could alternatively be classified as commuter rail or even inter-city rail. In

2430-559: Is impractical. Light metro systems are essentially hybrids of light rail and rapid transit. Metro trains are larger and faster than light rail trains, with stops being further apart. Many systems have mixed characteristics. Indeed, with proper engineering, a rail line could run along a street, then go underground, and then run along an elevated viaduct. For example, the Los Angeles Metro Rail 's A Line "light rail" has sections that could alternatively be described as

2520-484: Is one of the highest capacity ones, having been upgraded in a series of expansions to handle 40,000 passengers per hour per direction, and having carried as many as 582,989 passengers in a single day on its Line 1 . It achieves this volume by running four-car trains with a capacity of up to 1,350 passengers each at a frequency of up to 30 trains per hour. However, the Manila light rail system has full grade separation and as

2610-407: Is similar to that of a traditional tram, while operating at a higher capacity and speed, often on an exclusive right-of-way. In broader use, it includes tram-like operations mostly on streets. A few light rail networks have characteristics closer to rapid transit or even commuter rail , yet only when these systems are fully grade-separated are they referred to as light metros . The term light rail

2700-542: The Cádiz TramBahia , where trams share track with commuter and long-distance trains from the main terminus in the city and curve off to serve cities without a railway connection. Some of the issues involved in such schemes are: There is a history of what would now be considered light rail vehicles operating on heavy rail rapid transit tracks in the US, especially in the case of interurban streetcars . Notable examples are Lehigh Valley Transit trains running on

2790-758: The London Underground and the New York City Subway . Conventional rail technologies including high-speed , freight, commuter , and rapid transit urban transit systems are considered "heavy rail". The main difference between light rail and heavy rail rapid transit is the ability for a light rail vehicle to operate in mixed traffic if the routing requires it. The world's first electric tram operated in Sestroretsk near Saint Petersburg , Russia , invented and operated on an experimental basis by Fyodor Pirotsky in 1880. The first tramway

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2880-637: The Netherlands , this concept was first applied on the RijnGouweLijn . This allows commuters to ride directly into the city center, rather than taking a mainline train only as far as a central station and then having to change to a tram. In France, similar tram-trains are planned for Paris, Mulhouse , and Strasbourg ; further projects exist. In some cases, tram trains use previously abandoned or lightly used heavy rail lines in addition to or instead of still in use mainline tracks. In 2022, Spain opened

2970-874: The O-Train Trillium Line in Ottawa, Ontario , Canada, the River Line in New Jersey , United States, and the Sprinter in California , United States, which use diesel multiple unit (DMU) cars. Light rail is different from the British English term light railway , long-used to distinguish railway operations carried out under a less rigorous set of regulations using lighter equipment at lower speeds from mainline railways. Light rail

3060-520: The Old and New Worlds , this gemstone has been esteemed for thousands of years as a holy stone, a bringer of good fortune or a talisman . The oldest evidence for this claim was found in ancient Egypt , where grave furnishings with turquoise inlay were discovered, dating from approximately 3000 BCE . In the ancient Persian Empire , the sky-blue gemstones were earlier worn round the neck or wrist as protection against unnatural death. If they changed color,

3150-703: The Philadelphia and Western Railroad high-speed third rail line (now the Norristown High-Speed Line ). Such arrangements are almost impossible now, due to the Federal Railroad Administration refusing (for crash safety reasons) to allow non-FRA compliant railcars (i.e., subway and light rail vehicles) to run on the same tracks at the same times as compliant railcars, which includes locomotives and standard railroad passenger and freight equipment. Notable exceptions in

3240-508: The T-68A ) were produced in 1999 in a joint project by Firema and Ansaldo . All 32 were replaced by Bombardier M5000s between 2012 and 2014. The first 26 T-68s were built in 1991 by Firema with bodyshells constructed at various plants in Casaralta (8), Casertane (7), Cittadella (4) and Fiore (7). Bogies and the central articulation sections were constructed at Firema's Padova plant (which

3330-530: The medians of roads . If run in streets , trains are usually limited by city block lengths to about four 180-passenger vehicles (720 passengers). Operating on two-minute headways using traffic signal progression, a well-designed two-track system can handle up to 30 trains per hour per track, achieving peak rates of over 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction. More advanced systems with separate rights-of-way using moving block signaling can exceed 25,000 passengers per hour per track. Most light rail systems in

3420-624: The 1970s was proven to have been a technical failure by the following decade. After World War II, the Germans retained many of their streetcar networks and evolved them into model light rail systems ( Stadtbahnen ). With the exception of Hamburg , all large and most medium-sized German cities maintain light rail networks. The concept of a "limited tramway" was proposed by American transport planner H. Dean Quinby in 1962. Quinby distinguished this new concept in rail transportation from historic streetcar or tram systems as: The term light rail transit

3510-495: The French city of Bordeaux , the tramway network is powered by a third rail in the city center, where the tracks are not always segregated from pedestrians and cars. The third rail (actually two closely spaced rails) is placed in the middle of the track and divided into eight-metre sections, each of which is powered only while it is completely covered by a tram. This minimizes the risk of a person or animal coming into contact with

3600-449: The LRV being sent to Crewe Works for repairs to the cab structure and other damaged bodywork. The damaged "B" end of 1023 left Manchester on 19 December 2001 and returned on 7 February 2002. 1023 finally re-entered service on 27 February 2002. On 31 August 2004, tram 1015 derailed at Shudehill. It was returned to Queens Road Depot for repairs. On 19 September 2004, tram 1014 was involved in

3690-524: The T-68s were found to be suffering from corrosion to their solebars , which would have required further expensive repairs to keep them in service. In July 2012, Transport for Greater Manchester decided that it would be more cost effective to withdraw all of the T-68s/T-68As and replace them with M5000s with the first T-68 withdrawn in 2012. The final three T68s were withdrawn on 10 February 2014 and

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3780-662: The US are the NJ Transit River Line from Camden to Trenton and Austin's Capital MetroRail , which have received exemptions to the provision that light rail operations occur only during daytime hours and Conrail freight service only at night, with several hours separating one operation from the other. The O-Train Trillium Line in Ottawa also has freight service at certain hours. With its mix of right-of-way types and train control technologies, LRT offers

3870-455: The US as a whole, excluding Seattle, new light rail construction costs average about $ 35 million per mile. By comparison, a freeway lane expansion typically costs $ 1.0 million to $ 8.5 million per lane mile for two directions, with an average of $ 2.3 million. However, freeways are frequently built in suburbs or rural areas, whereas light rail tends to be concentrated in urban areas, where right of way and property acquisition

3960-595: The United States and in North America . In Britain, modern light rail systems began to appear in the 1980s, starting with the Tyne and Wear Metro from 1980 and followed by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London in 1987, continuing into the 1990s including the establishment of the Manchester Metrolink in 1992 and the Sheffield Supertram from 1994. Due to varying definitions, it

4050-590: The United States are limited by demand rather than capacity (by and large, most American LRT systems carry fewer than 4,000 persons per hour per direction), but Boston's and San Francisco's light rail lines carry 9,600 and 13,100 passengers per hour per track during rush hour. Elsewhere in North America, the Calgary C-Train and Monterrey Metro have higher light rail ridership than Boston or San Francisco. Systems outside North America often have much higher passenger volumes. The Manila Light Rail Transit System

4140-472: The United States, "light rail" has become a catch-all term to describe a wide variety of passenger rail systems. Light rail corridors may constitute a fully segregated corridor, a dedicated right-of-way on a street, an on-street corridor shared with other traffic, a corridor shared with other public transport, or a corridor shared with pedestrians. The most difficult distinction to draw is that between low-floor light rail and streetcar or tram systems. There

4230-415: The ability of buses to travel closer to each other than rail vehicles and their ability to overtake each other at designated locations allowing express services to bypass those that have stopped at stations. However, to achieve capacities this high, BRT station footprints need to be significantly larger than a typical LRT station. In terms of cost of operation, each bus vehicle requires a single driver, whereas

4320-866: The case of the Disney amusement parks , even a land train . (The usual British term for an aerial tramway is cable car , which in the US usually refers to a ground-level car pulled along by subterranean cables .) The word trolley is often used as a synonym for streetcar in the United States but is usually taken to mean a cart, particularly a shopping cart, in the UK and elsewhere. Many North American transportation planners reserve streetcar for traditional vehicles that operate exclusively in mixed traffic on city streets, while they use light rail to refer to more modern vehicles operating mostly in exclusive rights of way, since they may operate both side-by-side targeted at different passenger groups. The difference between British English and American English terminology arose in

4410-421: The closure of Glasgow Corporation Tramways (one of the largest in Europe) in 1962. Although some traditional trolley or tram systems continued to exist in San Francisco and elsewhere, the term "light rail" has come to mean a different type of rail system as modern light rail technology has primarily post-WWII West German origins. An attempt by Boeing Vertol to introduce a new American light rail vehicle in

4500-415: The day. This combination of factors limits roads carrying only automobile commuters to a maximum observed capacity of about 3,000 passengers per hour per lane. The problem can be mitigated by introducing high-occupancy vehicle ( HOV ) lanes and ride-sharing programs, but in most cases, policymakers have chosen to add more lanes to the roads, despite a small risk that in unfavorable situations an extension of

4590-755: The direct translation, which is city rail (the Norwegian term, by bane , means the same). However, UMTA finally adopted the term light rail instead. Light in this context is used in the sense of "intended for light loads and fast movement", rather than referring to physical weight. The infrastructure investment is also usually lighter than would be found for a heavy rail system. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), in its Glossary of Transit Terminology, defines light rail as: ...a mode of transit service (also called streetcar, tramway, or trolley) operating passenger rail cars singly (or in short, usually two-car or three-car, trains) on fixed rails in

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4680-506: The doors also being painted turquoise, and a turquoise strip painted along the top of the body, with thin orange or yellow lines separating the turquoise stripes and the white body. Only 1003 received the yellow and grey Metrolink livery introduced when the first M5000s entered service. Naming of the T68s was carried out regularly from the fleets inception in 1992, usually applied in vinyl on the cab sides as advertisements for sponsors or carrying

4770-476: The doors and bodywork. On 8 September 2005, tram 1014 suffered a minor cab fire whilst at Piccadilly Gardens . The LRV was returned to Queens Road Depot for repairs to take place with wiring and damaged cab components. On 10 November 2005, the pantograph of tram 1022 detached while in service. Investigations found that a brick, which had been thrown at the tram from a bridge on the Bury Line, jammed underneath

4860-550: The last Manchester Corporation Tramways service in 1949. It is destined for the Heaton Park Tramway but remains at Metrolink's Trafford Depot until it can be accommodated. 1023 remains under the ownership of Transport for Greater Manchester and moved to Crewe Heritage Centre in March 2021. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service purchased 1003 for use as a training rig at its training facility in Bury. Four of

4950-408: The last two T-68As on 30 April 2014. To bid farewell to the T-68s, on 26 May 2014 a farewell tour was operated by 1007 and 1016, the former being the first tram to run through the city streets when it opened in 1992. The Heaton Park Tramway owns T-68 1007, being chosen as it was the first tram to run through Manchester city centre on the system's opening on 27 April 1992 and sharing a number with

5040-458: The late 19th century when Americans adopted the term "street railway", rather than "tramway", with the vehicles being called "streetcars" rather than "trams". Some have suggested that the Americans' preference for the term "street railway" at that time was influenced by German emigrants to the United States (who were more numerous than British immigrants in the industrialized Northeast), as it is

5130-524: The latter is described as light rail. In those places, trams running on mixed rights-of-way are not regarded as a light rail but considered distinctly as streetcars or trams. However, the requirement for saying that a rail line is "separated" can be quite low—sometimes just with concrete "buttons" to discourage automobile drivers from getting onto the tracks. Some systems such as Seattle's Link had on-road mixed sections but were closed to regular road traffic, with light rail vehicles and buses both operating along

5220-435: The lengthy scene featuring 1019 was eventually cut. In March 1992, tram 1013 derailed on the point-work on the approach to Platform B at Victoria station during trial running, prior to opening. No serious damage was suffered by the LRV and it re-entered trial running shortly afterwards. On 6th December 1994, tram 1017 derailed in the vicinity of Collyhurst tunnel running empty from Queens Road . On 12 August 1996, tram 1006

5310-462: The light rail concept was the "Shaker Heights Rapid Transit" which started in the 1920s, was renovated in 1980-81 and is now part of RTA Rapid Transit . Many original tram and streetcar systems in the United Kingdom , United States , and elsewhere were decommissioned starting in the 1950s as subsidies for the car increased. Britain abandoned its tram systems, except for Blackpool , with

5400-829: The low hight sections, the T-68s were equipped with retractable steps to allow passengers to use them. The dual height platforms have since been either rebuilt as high level platforms (St Peter's Square, Market Street), or removed (Mosley Street, High Street). The T-68s could operate either as single units, or coupled together in pairs. The fleet later received various modifications, including electronic destination displays instead of destination blinds, retractable couplers, covered bogies, internal electronic displays, CCTV in place of mirrors and several other electronic modifications. Fifteen were later fitted with air-conditioning . Vehicle 1022 underwent an interior modification layout trial in 1995 that saw non-standard seating fitted with higher backs and more rounded grab handles. The seats were set in

5490-470: The names of notable people. Examples include "The Robert Owen" carried by 1004 and "The Eric Black" carried by 1019 throughout its time in service. Throughout the fleets life a total of 90 names were applied to 31 of the 32 T68 and T68As, with 1023 never having received a name throughout its time in service. In 2008, the entire T-68/T-68A fleet underwent a refurbishment programme, which was designed to keep them in service for at least another 10 years. However,

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5580-517: The newer Bombardier M5000 trams introduced from 2009 proved to be considerably more reliable than the T-68/T-68A fleet; which averaged 5,000 miles (8,000 km) between breakdowns, while the M5000 trams at introduction averaged 20,000 miles (32,000 km). The M5000 trams are also 10 tonnes lighter than the T-68s/T-68As, causing less track wear, and using less energy. In addition to this, many of

5670-465: The old and new systems. Since the 1980s, Portland, Oregon , has built all three types of system: a high-capacity light rail system in dedicated lanes and rights-of-way, a low-capacity streetcar system integrated with street traffic, and an aerial tram system . The opposite phrase heavy rail , used for higher-capacity, higher-speed systems, also avoids some incompatibilities in terminology between British and American English, for instance in comparing

5760-540: The original fleet (1005, 1010 and 1015) also received the same modifications to allow them to run alongside the new T-68As. Subsequently, all but 1018 - 1020 were similarly modified. Originally, the T-68As were only authorised to run between Eccles , Piccadilly and the Queens Road depot, but from 2009 they were modified to allow running on all lines. The T-68A trams only ever operated as single units. After developing

5850-448: The pantograph and caused it to detach as it retracted to match lower overhead wires outside of the city centre. On 22 March 2006, tram 1011 derailed as it entered a section of street running at Long Millgate near Victoria station. There were no injuries nor damage caused. The derailment was attributed to the failure of a repaired section of track at the interface between on- and off-street running. On 17 January 2007, tram 1005 derailed on

5940-569: The peak direction during rush hour. Turquoise (color) Turquoise ( / ˈ t ɜːr k ( w ) ɔɪ z / TUR -k(w)oyz ) is a cyan color , based on the mineral of the same name . The word turquoise dates to the 17th century and is derived from the French turquois , meaning 'Turkish', because the mineral was first brought to Europe through Turkey from mines in the historical Khorasan province of Iran (Persia) and Afghanistan today. The first recorded use of turquoise as

6030-696: The plant in Stanga, Italy. Traction equipment was built by Ansaldo at the Padova facility, where assembly of the vehicles was completed. The six T-68As entered service on the Eccles Line at its opening in 1999, numbered 2001–2006. They were similar to the original fleet, but built with modifications to allow for a high proportion of street running on the Eccles Line with other traffic. These included retractable couplers and covered bogies, as well as electronic destination displays instead of destination blinds. Three of

6120-556: The required clearance height can be reduced significantly compared to conventional light rail vehicles. Reference speed from major light rail systems, including station stop time, is shown below. However, low top speed is not always a differentiating characteristic between light rail and other systems. For example, the Siemens S70 LRVs used in the Houston METRORail and other North American LRT systems have

6210-432: The right-of-way that is often separated from other traffic for part or much of the way. Light rail vehicles are typically driven electrically with power being drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley [pole] or a pantograph ; driven by an operator onboard the vehicle; and may have either high platform loading or low-level boarding using steps." However, some diesel-powered transit is designated light rail, such as

6300-415: The road network might lead to increased travel times ( Downs–Thomson paradox , Braess's paradox ). By contrast, light rail vehicles can travel in multi-car trains carrying a theoretical ridership up to 20,000 passengers per hour in much narrower rights-of-way , not much more than two car lanes wide for a double track system. They can often be run through existing city streets and parks , or placed in

6390-401: The roads. Typically roadways have 1,900 passenger cars per lane per hour (pcplph). If only cars are allowed, the capacity will be less and will not increase when the traffic volume increases. When there is a bus driving on this route, the capacity of the lane will be higher and will increase when the traffic level increases. And because the capacity of a light rail system is higher than that of

6480-671: The same as the German term for the mode, Straßenbahn (meaning "street railway"). A further difference arose because, while Britain abandoned all of its trams after World War II except in Blackpool , eight major North American cities ( Toronto , Boston , Philadelphia , San Francisco , Pittsburgh , Newark , Cleveland , and New Orleans ) continued to operate large streetcar systems. When these cities upgraded to new technology, they called it light rail to differentiate it from their existing streetcars since some continued to operate both

6570-408: The standard gauge is that standard railway maintenance equipment can be used on it, rather than custom-built machinery. Using standard gauges also allows light rail vehicles to be conveniently moved around using the same tracks as freight railways. Additionally, wider gauges (e.g. standard gauge) provide more floor clearance on low-floor trams that have constricted pedestrian areas at the wheels, which

6660-551: The system was a success with the public, gaining up to 190,000 passengers per day. Automatic train operation is employed on light rail networks, tracking the position and speed of a train and hence adjusting its movement for safety and efficiency. One line of light rail (requires 7.6 m, 25' right of way) has a theoretical capacity of up to 8 times more than one 3.7 m (12 foot) lane on a freeway, excluding busses, during peak times. Roads have ultimate capacity limits that can be determined by traffic engineering , and usually experience

6750-529: The trams (1016, 1022, 1024 and 1026) were transferred to the tram test centre at Long Marston . 1016 was scrapped in June 2021 followed by 1024 in August 2022. A single car prototype bodyshell numbered 1000 was built in Italy in 1990 and delivered to Manchester for public exhibition to promote the system. It is now preserved and displayed at the Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester . In December 2010, T-68 1015

6840-503: The trams, making it safe on city streets. Several systems in Europe and a few recently opened systems in North America use diesel -powered trains. When electric streetcars were introduced in the late 19th century, conduit current collection was one of the first ways of supplying power, but it proved to be much more expensive, complicated, and trouble-prone than overhead wires . When electric street railways became ubiquitous, conduit power

6930-460: The vast majority of light rail systems. This avoids the danger potentially presented by an electrified third rail . The Docklands Light Railway uses an inverted third rail for its electrical power, which allows the electrified rail to be covered and the power drawn from the underside. Trams in Bordeaux , France, use a special third-rail configuration where the power is only switched on beneath

7020-472: The wearer was thought to have reason to fear the approach of doom. Meanwhile, it has been discovered that turquoise can change color. The change can be caused by light, or by a chemical reaction brought about by cosmetics , dust, or the acidity of the skin. Turquoise is a stone and color that is strongly associated with the domes and interiors of large mosques in Iran , Central Asia , and Russia . Celeste

7110-434: The widest range of latitude of any rail system in the design, engineering, and operating practices. The challenge in designing light rail systems is to realize the potential of LRT to provide fast, comfortable service while avoiding the tendency to overdesign that results in excessive capital costs beyond what is necessary to meet the public's needs. The BART railcar in the following chart is not generally considered to be

7200-479: Was caused to tram 1016 as well as the overhead line at the point of the derailment. Tram 1008, the other vehicle, was not damaged in the incident. On 5 June 2011, tram 1002 struck a pedestrian on Piccadilly Gardens. The person walked into the path of 1002 and was struck at 9 mph (14 km/h). The person died at the Manchester Royal Infirmary . On 8 June 2013, tram 1016 was involved in

7290-543: Was coined in 1972 by the U.S. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA; the precursor to the Federal Transit Administration ) to describe new streetcar transformations that were taking place in Europe and the United States. In Germany, the term Stadtbahn (to be distinguished from S-Bahn , which stands for Stadtschnellbahn ) was used to describe the concept, and many in UMTA wanted to adopt

7380-502: Was coined in 1972 in the United States as an English equivalent for the German word Stadtbahn , meaning "city railway". Different definitions exist in some countries, but in the United States, light rail operates primarily along exclusive rights-of-way and uses either individual tramcars or multiple units coupled together, with a lower capacity and speed than a long heavy rail passenger train or rapid transit system. Narrowly defined, light rail transit uses rolling stock that

7470-466: Was in its infancy at the time, Metrolink was in its planning stages, and in order to be compatible with standard height railway platforms used by Metrolink, the vehicles were high-floor , using the same 900 mm (35 in) platform height as British Rail trains. In the beginning, several stops in the city centre ( High Street , Market Street , Mosley Street and St Peter's Square ) had dual height platforms, with one high part and one lower part. For

7560-677: Was introduced in North America in 1972 to describe this new concept of rail transportation. Prior to that time the abbreviation "LRT" was used for " Light Rapid Transit " and " Light Rail Rapid Transit ". The first of the new light rail systems in North America began operation in 1978 when the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta , adopted the German Siemens-Duewag U2 system, followed three years later by Calgary, Alberta , and San Diego, California . The concept proved popular, with there now being numerous light rail systems in

7650-510: Was involved in a collision with a HGV which had gone through a red traffic light on Corporation Street, near Victoria station. The force of the impact derailed the B car of the tram but there were no serious injuries to the driver or passengers. The damaged carriage was repaired at Metro-Cammell Works in Washwood Heath, with the tram returning to service just over four months later, on 16 December 1996. On 11 February 1998, tram 1018

7740-424: Was involved in a collision with a Police car on High Street. On 13 December 2000, tram 1015 was involved in a collision on Corporation Street. Repairs took almost two months to complete, with the LRV returning to service on 2 February 2001. On 15 December 2001, tram 1023 was involved in a serious collision with a bus whilst crossing over Princess Street . The cab of 1023 was extensively damaged, which resulted in

7830-451: Was later responsible for the construction of the T68A vehicles). The first T68 to be delivered to Manchester was 1001, arriving 29 August 1991; this was the only T68 to be delivered as a complete unit with the others arriving in separate consignments with each bodyshell and bogies being assembled at Queens Road depot. The T-68s entered service on 6 April 1992. As low-floor tram technology

7920-632: Was the Gross-Lichterfelde tramway in Lichterfelde near Berlin in Germany, which opened in 1881. It was built by Werner von Siemens who contacted Pirotsky. It initially drew current from the rails, with overhead wire being installed in 1883. The first interurban to emerge in the United States was the Newark and Granville Street Railway in Ohio, which opened in 1889. An early example of

8010-411: Was used in the 50th anniversary live episode of the television programme Coronation Street , to portray a tram crash on the street. As well as a mock-up tram for scenes after the crash, real life T-68 1015 was also used, numbered as 1030 and temporarily vinyl wrapped in the new yellow and grey livery. Trams 1019 and 2001 appeared in the 2001 comedy drama The Parole Officer starring Steve Coogan but

8100-527: Was used in those cities that did not permit overhead wires. In Europe, it was used in London, Paris, Berlin, Marseille, Budapest, and Prague. In the United States, it was used in parts of New York City and Washington, D.C. Third rail technology was investigated for use on the Gold Coast of Australia for the G:link light rail, though power from overhead lines was ultimately utilized for that system. In

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