In the US, not one light rail system operates in the black. Also, freight rails are operated under the DoT and prioritized for mile-long freight trains, not passenger ones.
This is what Philadelphia's Trolley system does. It's in need of a lot of TLC but functions like this to connect the western part of the city to Center City and the heavy rail system.
It's a common misconception that there was no other traffic than suburban on the Manchester - Altrincham line, in fact there were trains to Knutsford/Northwich/Cheshire which were diverted to run via Stockport on old freight lines and some of the freight itself. This has added significant time to Mid Cheshire line journeys which has held them back from growing the into Manchester market so much.
Good article, though I’m a stickler for consistency.
E.g. Your use of kilometers and miles. I think it would be more helpful to state all distances in kilometers or miles. Or there is always the option of stating distances in one measure (with the equivalent other measure put inside parenthesis). E.g., 100 kilometers (62.5 miles). Same thing with expressing speeds 100 kilometers per hour (62.5 miles per hour).
Secondly, all of these different terms for all of the different types of services is tough to keep straight in one’s head. Interurban is just what it implies. But a tram-train? That’s tricky. This sounds to me like light rail. In the United States, a tram is either an aerial tram (also called a gondola) or it’s a trolley bus. A tram could also be considered a streetcar. It’s just what I think of when I think of trams in Europe. Light rail, meanwhile, is indicative of light passenger loads. And a metro, in my mind’s eye is a subway. I like the term metro better than subway, because subways aren’t always sub ways. Sometimes they’re elevated, sometimes they run at grade. The London Underground, if all of it involves subsurface operation, would be a subway in the truest sense of the word.
Unified tram/train systems are the Wave of the Future in America. And always will be
I live in NY State on the Hudson River West Bank, about 30 miles from Columbus Circle in Manhattan. I can take a train to the Penn Junction (completed at enormous expense) and get Penn Station at West 34th Street. Then walk or pay another fare(Metro) to get to that destination. No thanks.
In the US, not one light rail system operates in the black. Also, freight rails are operated under the DoT and prioritized for mile-long freight trains, not passenger ones.
This is what Philadelphia's Trolley system does. It's in need of a lot of TLC but functions like this to connect the western part of the city to Center City and the heavy rail system.
As a work in progress fan from Karlsruhe, I am very happy you’re featuring this! And can approve 100%
It's a common misconception that there was no other traffic than suburban on the Manchester - Altrincham line, in fact there were trains to Knutsford/Northwich/Cheshire which were diverted to run via Stockport on old freight lines and some of the freight itself. This has added significant time to Mid Cheshire line journeys which has held them back from growing the into Manchester market so much.
We need an Oxford Tram!!
Good article, though I’m a stickler for consistency.
E.g. Your use of kilometers and miles. I think it would be more helpful to state all distances in kilometers or miles. Or there is always the option of stating distances in one measure (with the equivalent other measure put inside parenthesis). E.g., 100 kilometers (62.5 miles). Same thing with expressing speeds 100 kilometers per hour (62.5 miles per hour).
Secondly, all of these different terms for all of the different types of services is tough to keep straight in one’s head. Interurban is just what it implies. But a tram-train? That’s tricky. This sounds to me like light rail. In the United States, a tram is either an aerial tram (also called a gondola) or it’s a trolley bus. A tram could also be considered a streetcar. It’s just what I think of when I think of trams in Europe. Light rail, meanwhile, is indicative of light passenger loads. And a metro, in my mind’s eye is a subway. I like the term metro better than subway, because subways aren’t always sub ways. Sometimes they’re elevated, sometimes they run at grade. The London Underground, if all of it involves subsurface operation, would be a subway in the truest sense of the word.
Just my two cents.
Unified tram/train systems are the Wave of the Future in America. And always will be
I live in NY State on the Hudson River West Bank, about 30 miles from Columbus Circle in Manhattan. I can take a train to the Penn Junction (completed at enormous expense) and get Penn Station at West 34th Street. Then walk or pay another fare(Metro) to get to that destination. No thanks.