Steam tram
A steam tram , steam tramway or steam tram is a tram that is operated by steam locomotives and whose tracks are laid either on the street or on a separate track body directly next to the street. Their operation is used for local public transport ; they can be licensed as trams as well as local or small trains . Steam trams were usually operated with specially developed tram locomotives, special short steam locomotives with all-round cladding and other adaptations for tram operation.
history
On July 9, 1877, the Cassel Tramway from Kassel to Wilhelmshöhe was the first steam tram in Germany to go into operation. Before that, there were already steam trams in Paris and Copenhagen . In the years from about 1880 to 1910 steam trams were widespread, especially on overland routes . In the cities, however, horse-drawn trams continued to be preferred , which appeared as early as the 1830s.
At the beginning of the 20th century, most steam trams - as well as many horse-drawn trams - were electrified . The routing of steam-powered railways through built-up streets was considered out of date and sometimes led to protests by affected residents. However, steam trams were used on certain less frequented routes well into the 20th century.
Selection of steam tram companies in Germany
- Cassel Tramway (1877 to 1897)
- Karlsruhe – Durlach steam train (1880 to 1900)
- Munich steam tram (1883 to 1900)
- Berlin steam tram (1886 to 1898)
- Doberan-Heiligendammer Railway (1886 to 1910)
- Darmstadt steam tram (1886 to 1922)
- Chiemsee Railway (1887 to today)
- Eschersheim Local Railway (1888 to 1908)
- Local railway Ravensburg – Weingarten (1888 to 1910)
- Filderbahn (1888 to 1902)
- Frankfurt Forest Railway (1889 to 1929)
- Saarbrücken tram (1890–1899)
- Mainz tram (1891 to 1923)
- Tramway Naumburg (1892 to 1906)
- Silesian tram (1894 to 1898)
- Eltville – Schlangenbad steam tram (1895 to 1933)
- Strasbourg tram (1896 to 1898)
- Local railway Reutlingen – Eningen (1899 to 1912)
- Rollbockbahn (1902 to 1957)
- Steam tram Neuötting – Altötting (1906 to 1930)
Further
- Lagos steam tram
- Samarang – Joana Stoomtram Maatschappij
- Royan steam tram
- Steam tram from Quend-Plage and Fort-Mahon
- Steam trams in Sweden
- Hietzing – Rodaun tram line
literature
- Walter Hefti : Steam trams . Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel, 1984, ISBN 3-7643-1536-9