Melbourne tram
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| Basic information | |
| Country | Australia |
| city | Melbourne |
| opening | November 11, 1885 |
| operator | Yarra trams |
| Transport network | Public Transport Victoria |
| Infrastructure | |
| Route length | 250 km |
| Formerly the largest route |
current maximum route length |
| Gauge | 1435 mm ( standard gauge ) |
| Power system | 600 volt DC overhead line |
| Stops | > 1700 |
| Tunnel stations | no |
| Depots | 8 + 1 museum + 1 main workshop |
| business | |
| Lines | 26th |
| Clock in the peak hours | 6–15 min (depending on the line) |
| Clock in the SVZ | 8–20 min (depending on the route), Sun 20–30 min |
| vehicles | W, Z, A and B class, Alstom Citadis , Siemens Combino , Bombardier Flexity Swift |
| statistics | |
| Passengers | 206.3 million per year (2017/2018) |
| Employee | 2200 (including 1200 drivers) |
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The Melbourne tram is the second most important public transport system in the Australian city.
With a length of 245 kilometers and 1813 stops, Melbourne has the largest tram network in the world. 206 million people are transported annually.
The line network consists of 27 lines that are numbered from 1 to 109. The City Circle tram (line 35) around part of the city center, the so-called Central Business District (CBD), is very popular with tourists and can be used free of charge with historic vehicles, some of which are painted in wine-red or green-yellow. In addition , the entire tram operation can be used free of charge within the free tram zone , limited by the route of line 35.
history
It all began in 1885 when a US patent cable tram (the same one that still powers the famous San Francisco cable cars today, albeit now a historic monument) was opened. This first train was imported from New York , the others were copied in the country under license.
At the time of the cabletrams , the maximum expansion reached a total of eleven powerhouses , these are the structures in which stationary steam engines via huge drive wheels provide underground propulsion through kilometers of steel conveying ropes ("rope" or "cable"). The respective Gripman in the individual cars was able to latch onto the road surface using a mechanical clamping device at a depth of about three feet (about one meter) and thus move the rail car forward - the maximum speed was determined by the speed of the cable.
For this purpose, a shaft up to four feet (approx. 1.2 m) deep had to be created in the middle of each track (i.e. between the rails), in which the steel cable was guided over pulleys so that the clamped wagons could be pulled. At the top, this shaft was closed with a continuous gap (“slot”) and secured so that nobody could get injured.
The up to eight kilometers long steel pulling cables that were used were six cardeelig (with “ soul ”) made of twisted wire cables with seven wires each, spliced “endlessly” and were extremely heavy. When jammed, these pull ropes were only allowed to be squeezed minimally by the clamping claw.
With the advent of stable electric motor drives, the trams were gradually converted to this drive technology in order to reduce the costly maintenance measures (e.g. the conveyor ropes had to be replaced at least once a year). By 1930 most of the routes had been changed; the last cable trams were running in October 1940.
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Current line network
| line | Line route | Inner city corridor | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Coburg - South Melbourne Beach | Swanston Street | via Lygon Street & Melbourne City Center every 20 minute every Sunday evening |
| 3 | Melbourne University - East Malvern | Swanston Street | Weekdays only |
| 3a | Melbourne University - East Malvern | Swanston Street | Weekend / holiday variant of the 3 over St Kilda |
| 5 | Melbourne University - Malvern | Swanston Street |
in the evening only between Orrong Rd / Dandenong Rd and Malvern, change to 64 necessary |
| 6th | Melbourne University - Glen Iris | Swanston Street | Sunday evening every 20 minutes, formerly line 6 and line 8 (north) |
| 11 | West Preston - Victoria Harbor Docklands | Collins Street | formerly northern part of line 112 |
| 12 | St Kilda / Fitzroy St - Victoria Gardens | Collins Street | formerly the south part of line 112 |
| 16 | Melbourne University - Kew | Swanston Street | via St Kilda |
| 19th | North Coburg - City | Elizabeth Street | Night traffic Saturday and Sunday morning |
| 30th | St Vincents Plaza - Etihad Stadium Docklands | La Trobe Street | since 2019 daily and all day |
| 35 | City Circle |
Ring across Flinders St, Spring St, LaTrobe St, Harbor Esplanade |
Free tram line in the city of Melbourne |
| 48 | Victoria Harbor Docklands - North Balwyn | Collins Street | |
| 57 | West Maribyrnong - City (Elizabeth Street) | Elizabeth Street | via North Melbourne |
| 58 | West Coburg - Toorak | William Street | Via City on Sunday evening, every 20 minutes, formerly lines 8 (south) and 55 |
| 59 | Airport West - City (Elizabeth Street) | Elizabeth Street | |
| 64 | Melbourne University - East Brighton | Swanston Street |
in the evening partly signposted as 64/5, as there is a connection to the shuttle service of the 5th |
| 67 | Melbourne University - Carnegie | Swanston Street | Night traffic Saturday and Sunday morning |
| 70 | Waterfront City Docklands - Wattle Park | Flinders Street | |
| 72 | Melbourne University - Camberwell | Swanston Street | |
| 75 | City (Spencer Street) - Vermont South | Flinders Street | Night traffic Saturday and Sunday morning |
| 78 | North Richmond - Balaclava | no city center connection Tangential connection Church St / Chapel St |
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| 82 | Moonee Ponds - Footscray | no connection to the city center Tangential connection in the north-west |
formerly part of the Footscray tram |
| 86 | Bundoora RMIT - Waterfront City Docklands | Bourke St | via Smith Street night traffic Saturday and early Sunday |
| 96 | East Brunswick - St Kilda Beach | across Bourke Street | via City & St Kilda light rail line night traffic Saturday and Sunday morning |
| 109 | Box Hill - Port Melbourne | Collins Street |
City & Port Melbourne light rail line night traffic Saturday and Sunday morning |
Runs Monday to Friday during rush hour every 6–15 minutes, outside every 8–20 minutes, in the evening every 20 minutes (except 82: every 30 minutes), the last trains leave around midnight.
At the weekend there is night traffic on 6 lines every 30 minutes, the other lines run until around 1:30. During the day it is driven every 8–20 minutes, in the evening every 20 minutes.
With the exceptions mentioned above, on Sundays only 30-minute intervals are offered in the evenings.
Rolling stock
W-class
The W-class tram cars are the oldest vehicles still in service and were manufactured from 1923 onwards. A total of 752 trams were produced in three versions up to the 1950s, and as the new standard model in Melbourne they played an important role in tram operation. With the advent of new vehicles and the increasing age of the W-class, numerous vehicles were sold to Copenhagen , Seattle and Savannah ( Georgia ) or came into the possession of private individuals or collectors. After more than 50 years of operation, a premature end of the service could only be prevented by installing new brakes, so that today 26 vehicles are still used in the tram network. In addition, they take on the transport of passengers on the tourist City Circle, there are 26 vehicles available as a reserve that can be used immediately. Another 175 cars are parked in tram depots.
Z-class
The Z-class trams are still of great importance to the operation today and are used on a large part of the lines. Since 1975 three series have been made in different designs. The Gotha trams were used as the basis . The total number of 230 vehicles is divided into the first series with 100, the second series with 15 and the third series with 115 built trams. As part of a program to renew the vehicle fleet, eight vehicles were decommissioned and recycled between 2014 and the beginning of 2015 so that individual components can be used for other tram vehicles. New E-class cars will be put into operation to replace them.
A-class
Most of the A-class trams are still used in regular service. They were delivered from 1983 to 1987 and are divided into the A1 and A2 series. The latter is distinguished by new braking systems, doors and destination displays and is considered to be groundbreaking for the development of Melbourne's trams. Of the 70 trams built, only one of the A1 series is no longer in service.
B-class
In order for the tram to take over suburban rail lines in South Melbourne, new tram vehicles had to be purchased that could be guided over rail and tram routes. The new B-class was developed from the Z-class and A-class to take over operations on these routes. These vehicles are also divided into series, the B1 and B2, with only minor differences. A novelty for the Melbourne tram was the built-in air conditioning . All 132 vehicles produced are in operation.
C-class
The C-class are trams of the Alstom Citadis model manufactured in France and built in 2001/2002. All 36 railways run on lines 109 (mainly) and 48 (partially). Due to an excess of vehicles at the Mulhouse tram , five more Citadis trams of the 302 series were leased in 2008. These vehicles, classified as C2-class, only run on line 96. The C-class vehicles are the first to feature low-floor technology in Melbourne.
D-class
From 2002 to 2004, German- made Combinos were put into operation. Both 38 three-unit and 21 five-unit vehicles were ordered, which were classified as D1 and D2. They are deployed from the Malvern (D1) and Brunswick (D2) depots. The tripartite D1 runs on lines 5, 6, 16, 58 and 72, and the five-car on lines 6 and 19. They can also be found on event lines to the MCG , Marvel / Etihad Stadium and the tennis facilities for the Australian Open . In 2013, announcements for the next stop and the transfer options there were introduced.
E-class
The Flexity Swift trams have been manufactured by Bombardier in Dandenong since 2013 . These are other low-floor vehicles that are used on lines 11, 86 and 96. Of the 24 vehicles that have already been delivered by July 2015, all but one will be used to train drivers in regular operations. They are also used on other lines on special occasions. The use of 28 more E-class trams is planned, 20 of which have already been ordered. A mission on line 11 is also being prepared.
W-class
Z-class
A-class
B-class
C-class and C2-class
D-class
E-class
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Development and planning
Extensions to the urban development areas
The tram plays an important role in urban development , as it is used to connect new residential and business districts to the city center. New office districts in Docklands will be connected by two tram lines. The tram will also represent local public transport for the major urban development project Fisherman's Bend , so this is to cross the city district on a new route. Since a connection to the existing line 109 in the form of a branch line does not make sense from an operational point of view, since it is already being used at its capacity limit, other solutions are being sought. A connection to lines 11 and 48 from Victoria Harbor Docklands is mentioned as a possibility , which however would have to cross the Yarra River with a high bridge so as not to restrict shipping to the South Wharf marina . The entire route is to be run as a grass track on Civic Boulevard .
Expansion of the stops
The barrier-free expansion of the tram network is currently being pushed ahead. To this end, numerous stops are being converted and equipped with raised curbs to make it easier for people with restricted mobility to board the vehicles. Two new stops are currently being renovated on St. Kilda Road . On this occasion, the track bed will be renewed at the same time.
Another construction project concerns the previously single-track terminus of line 96 in East Brunswick. Since there are often capacity bottlenecks there, the station is being expanded to two tracks and also converted to be barrier-free. The 33 meter long platforms should also enable better boarding to the new E-Class trams.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ https://yarratrams.com.au/facts-figures
- ↑ https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/assets/default-site/279bdb441f/PTV-Annual-Report-2017-18-accessible-version.pdf
- ↑ https://yarratrams.com.au/facts-figures
- ↑ https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/assets/default-site/279bdb441f/PTV-Annual-Report-2017-18-accessible-version.pdf page 12
- ↑ As the largest tram network in the world, the network of Saint Petersburg ( Russia ) with allegedly 285 kilometers is still often mentioned . Due to several line closures , however, it is now only the fourth largest.
- ↑ yarratrams.com.au (English)
- ↑ a b History of the tram in Melbourne ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English)
- ↑ a b Older trams make way for next generation. Yarra Trams, May 18, 2015, accessed July 16, 2015 .
- ↑ E-Class trams on Route 11 & new passenger info displays - all part of improving Melbourne's tram network. (No longer available online.) Yarra Trams, May 18, 2015, archived from the original on July 1, 2015 ; accessed on June 22, 2015 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Fishermans Bend development to feature boulevard, new tram line. www.heraldsun.com.au/, July 27, 2014, accessed on June 28, 2015 (English).
- ↑ Construction of new platform stops on St Kilda Rd - June 11 to early August 2015. Yarra Trams, June 10, 2015, accessed on June 28, 2015 .
- ^ New East Brunswick tram terminus being built in second phase of Route 96 upgrade. (No longer available online.) Yarra Trams, June 26, 2015, archived from the original on June 30, 2015 ; accessed on June 28, 2015 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
