Melbourne, ce mai intinsa retea de tramvai din lume:
harta: http://urbanrail.net/au/melb/melbourne-map.htm

Cea mai intinsa retea de tramvai din lume (circa 249 km cale dubla)...ca urmare a demontarii a unei parti importante din reteaua de tramvai din Sankt Petersburg, in special in ultimii 10 ani.

Un site excelent cu prezentarea sistemului de tramvai dela Melbourne, aici: http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=trams

Cateva aspecte interesante ale retelei de tramvai din Melbourne:

-peste 70% retea clasica, neseparata de trafic, deservita de 8 depouri.

-exploatarea este asigurata de un operator privat.

-toate tramvaiele sunt bidirectionale, neexistand bucle de intoarcere la capete.

-Cel mai mare "muzeu" in aer liber al tramvaielor din lume: in atelierele centrale de acolo (Newport Workshops), adica URAC'ul local, sunt tinute in conservare peste 150 de vagoane vechi din clasa W (si sub-clasa SW).

-inca exista in circulatie vagoane vechi fabricate la inceputul anilor '40, unele din ele avand dotari "moderne", inclusiv pantografe Schunk
Din cate stiu eu, numai la Milano mai sunt in circulatie tramvaie atat de vechi ("vestitele" tramvaie model Peter Witt).

-vagoanele vechi retrase din uz (W si SW) sunt declarate MONUMENTE ISTORICE, deci NU POT FI CASATE. Sunt tinute in conservare sau vandute la alte muzee.

-reteaua contine singura intersectie Grand Union din emisfera sudica, care este si ea decalarata "monument istoric" si nu poate fi desfiintata sau refacuta in alta configuratie. Mai multe detalii aici: http://www.yarratrams.com.au/Portaldata/1/Resources/pdf_document/newsletter/Tramlines_Issu.3pdf.pdf

- traseul 96 a fost votat de National Geographic in "Top 10" al celor mai frumoase trasee de tramvai din lume. http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=13776

@aztec
Sunt si la antipozi, in afara de aceste fapte, relevante de altfel, cu referire la constructii edilitare, o gramada ce ”comicarii” in legatura cu cetateanul de rand, care sa-ti provoace repugna!! Sper ca, in curand, sa afli si tu ce mi-a fost dat sa aud, deunazi (chiar ieri), de la un cetatean australian de peste 10 ani, recte fratele meu! Anumite perspective o sa te/va mire, chiar inspaimante! Astept sa ni se aflileze si sa vezi in ce masura au AIA grija de cetateni, dincolo de fatada afisata. O sa ramai/ramaneti trasnit/i!

B. In Melbourne („Yarra Trams”)

  Intre 1884-1923- tramvai cu cai, intre 1885-1940- tramvai tractat de cablul, intre 1908-1909- tramvai cu aburi, si din 1906 tramvai electric.

  Astazi reteaua de tramvaie numara   250  km retea cale-dubla (a doua ca lungime de pe Glob dupa cea din Sankt Petersburg, Rusia), cu 1763 de statii si 26 de trasee de tramvai. Sunt 8 depouri de tramvaie in Melbourne.
  Ecartamentul este de 1435 mm.

   In prezent, parcul de tramvaie din Melbourne este format  din urmatoarele 8 tipuri de tramvaie (in ianuarie 2019 erau 450 de tramvaie in circulatie in Melbourne):

 
-Clasa „W”. Au fost construite in total 752 de astfel de tramvaie, intre anii 1923- 1956. Din acestea doar 12 bucati se mai afla astazi in exploatare. Caracteristici tehnice: tramvai solo pe boghiuri, tensiunea de alimentare 600 Vcc. Construite de: „Holden Body Builders”, „Holden Street Workshope”, „James Moore & Sons” si „Preston Workshope”.

-Clasa „Z” (Z3). Au fost construite in total 230 de astfel de tramvaie, intre anii 1975- 1983. Din acestea doar 111 bucati se mai aflau  in exploatare in iulie 2019. Caracteristici tehnice: tramvai solo pe boghiuri, lungimea 16 m,  greutatea pana la 22 tone, tipul motoarelor electrice „ASEA-LJB-23”, cu o putere de 4*57 Kw , sau „AEG-ABS-3322”, cu o putere de 2*195 Kw, tensiunea de alimentare 600 Vcc, capacitatea de transport 70 pasageri. Construite de „Comeng Dandenong”.

Interior

- Clasa A (A1). Au fost construite in total 70 de astfel de tramvaie, intre anii 1983- 1987. Din acestea doar 69 bucati se mai afla astazi in exploatare. Caracteristici tehnice: tramvai solo pe boghiuri, lungimea 16 m,  greutatea pana la 22 tone, tipul motoarelor electrice  „AEG-ABS-3322”, cu o putere de 2*195 Kw, tensiunea de alimentare 600 Vcc, capacitatea de transport 40+65 pasageri. Construite de „Comeng Dandenong”.

-Clasa B (B2). Au fost construite in total 132 de astfel de tramvaie, intre anii 1984- 1994. 131 se afla astazi in exploatare. Caracteristici tehnice: tramvai articulat pe 3 boghiuri, lungimea 23-24 m,  greutatea pana la 32,5 sau 34 tone, tipul motoarelor electrice  „AEG-ABS-3322”, cu o putere de 2*195 Kw, tensiunea de alimentare 600 Vcc, capacitatea de transport 76+40 sau 110+120 pasageri. Construite de „Comeng/ABB Dandenong”.

Interior

-Clasa C1 ("Alstom-Citadis-C1"). Tramvaie ultramoderne, achizitionate in anii 2001- 2002 din Franta, in numar de 36 bucati. Caracteristici tehnice: tramvai dublu-articulat cu doua boghiuri, compus din 3 sectiuni, lungimea 22,98 m, greutatea 28,6 tone, 4 motoare electrice de 115 Kw fiecare, 6 usi, capacitatea de transport 40+110 pasageri.

-Clasa C2 ("Alstom-Citadis-C2"). Tramvaie ultramoderne, achizitionate in 2008, in numar de 5 bucati. Tramvai compus din 5 sectiuni, lungimea 32,52 m, capacitatea de transport 54 pasageri pe scaune si 150 in picioare, 4 motoare electrice de tractiune care dezvolta 129 Kw fiecare.

-Clasa D (Siemens-Combino). Tramvaie ultramoderne, achizitionate in 2002- 2004, in 59 de bucati. Au cate 3 sau 5 sectiuni, lungimea de 20,04 m (la cele cu 3 sectiuni) sau 29,85 m (la cele cu 5 sectiuni), capacitatea de transport 32 de pasageri pe scaune si 56 in picioare (la cele cu 3 sectiuni) sau 90 de pasageri pe scaune si 130 in picioare (la cele cu 5 sectiuni), 4 motoare electrice de tractiune care dezvolta 100 Kw fiecare.

Cu 3 sectiuni:

Cu 5 sectiuni

Interiorul

-Clasa E. Tramvaie ultramoderne, produse de "Bombardier Dandenong", achizitionate incepand din 2013. In iunie 2019 se aflau in circulatie 77 astfel de tramvaie in Melbourne. Date tehnice: 3 sectiuni, lungimea 33,45 m, capacitatea de transport 64 pasageri pe scaune si 146 in picioare, greutatea 62 tone, viteza maxima 80 km/h.

Interior

The city’s tram fleet is ageing and desperately needs an overhaul, Melbourne’s tram operator has warned the Andrews government, while the push to ramp up services is making it difficult to properly maintain the network’s 500 trams.

A confidential document released to The Age under freedom-of-information laws reveals deep concerns about the company’s capacity to deliver increased tram services without a major injection of new, low-floor trams over the next decade.

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The document, titled “MR4 - Franchise Rolling Stock Strategic Plan’, was prepared by Keilos Downer - the company that owns Melbourne’s tram operator, Yarra Trams - as part of its bid for a seven-year contract to run Melbourne’s tram network, estimated to cost $2.7 billion.

It has been withheld by the government since late 2018, but has now been released following a review by the Office of the Victorian Commissioner, who found it should be made public.

The document, which a government spokeswoman has described as “historical”, reveals that Keilos Downer warned in 2017 of “considerable” risks to safety and service delivery in continuing to operate the network’s older trams.


By the end of Keilos’ current contract with the government in 2024, all rolling stock more than 20 years old would have exceeded their use-by dates. In 2016, 40 per cent of the fleet had already exceeded its design life.

While 100 new E-class trams have been purchased - 30 more than anticipated by Keilos in 2017 - most of Melbourne’s trams are still 40 to 50-years-old, and the bulk are not wheelchair-accessible.

About 60 per cent of Melbourne’s low-floor tram fleet was built in the 1970s and ’80s. Nearly 400 of the 510 trams currently in service - about 78 per cent - were built more than 20 years ago.

“The challenges and risks of continuing to operate the older trams of this fleet are considerable,” Keilos warned in 2017.

“These trams were not built to modern standards and cannot meet the more stringent modern performance requirements for safety, reliability, availability, and driver and passenger amenities levels.”

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The sharp reduction in fleet size due to the retirement of Z1 and Z2-class trams during 2015-16 put a major strain on tram availability and this would not be sustainable in future years, Keilos said.

“It is predicted that Keolis Downer will only reach the minimum fleet size to run the current timetable by December 2017 ... this minimum number of trams will be insufficient to meet the demands of an expanded MTT [Master Timetable].”

The lack of available trams has made it difficult to keep up with the maintenance task, risking “increasing breakdowns and service disruptions”, the company warned.

“The overall fleet performance due to a lack of investment has started to drop ... the solution is adding to the fleet and reducing the number of trams out of service due to maintenance”.

The government set aside $1.48 billion in last year’s budget for the new ‘Next Generation Trams’, planned to roll out from 2025, which will enable the retirement of older high-floor trams. The tram designs and detail about how and where the trams would be built have not yet been released.


Keilos warned in 2017 of a host of challenges facing the tram network over the next decade, including the risk to network disruptions caused by major public transport projects, industrial relation tensions and an upward trend in passenger falls.

The 89-page document - in which the company’s expected maintenance and operational costs have been redacted - warned the network was already struggling with long turn-around times for collision repairs, poor wash services and an inconsistent rollout of new rolling stock.

An ageing workforce posed major challenges, Keilos warned, with nearly 30 per cent of engineers and officers with specific knowledge about the tram network expected to retire over the next 10 years, the documents show.

Plans for 18 new apprentices to join the company may not adequately make up for the “drain on skills”, the company said.

In a bid to secure the multibillion-dollar works with the government, Keilos pledged to roll out a beefed-up maintenance scheme, promising a 16-hour, seven-day maintenance model that would see two rapid-response crews based at strategic CBD locations and Malvern and Preston depots to immediately respond to problems, the documents show.


A Yarra Trams spokesman said since the 2017 rolling stock strategy was developed it had made significant improvements. “The A and Z-class life extension project is also under way, with an initial investment from the state government of $26 million to make major upgrades to the longest serving trams on the network.”

But Rail, Tram and Bus Union branch secretary Luba Grigorovitch said there has been a “steady increase” in the number of trams pulled out of service for maintenance over the past decade, making it difficult to run all timetabled services.

“In extreme or inclement weather, reliability of older trams is diminished with more trams out of service. While this often puts more pressure on maintenance crews, drivers are also pushed to meet unattainable KPIs,” Ms Grigorovitch said.

The current tram franchise agreement started on November 30, 2017 and winds up in 2024, with the option of a three-year extension. It marked a 63 per cent increase in funding to Keilos compared with the previous contract.

After securing the deal, Keilos publicly promised improved digital information, more frontline employees providing passenger assistance and ramped up maintenance projects.


The government said it imposed higher standards on infrastructure maintenance, and took up the right to conduct ‘spot audits’ to ensure the public assets were being properly managed.

A government spokeswoman said the Keilos document was “historical” and argued the government was making “Victoria’s biggest ever investment in new tram rolling stock”.

“These modern, accessible trams will progressively replace our older, high-floor trams when they are rolled out in 2025 and support almost 1900 jobs in local manufacturing, the associated supply chain and wider economy,” she said.

These trams would have modern heating and cooling, improved accessibility with easy access for passengers with wheelchairs or mobility aids, and a more efficient design with on-board energy storage to limit current draw at peak times and reduce power use, the spokeswoman said. A manufacturer would be chosen through a procurement process.

Since 2015, the Andrews government has invested more than $700 million in 50 new E-Class trams, with a total of 100 trams set to be operational by the end of the year.


The Age’s request to release the internal document in late 2018 was rejected by the government after the company deemed it “highly sensitive”. The Office of the Victorian Commissioner advised that it be made public following a review late last year.

Sursa: The Age

The busiest Melbourne tram corridor will enter significant upgrades while a trial gets underway to expand the RideSpace initiative, a free online tool that inform passengers on how busy the train trip is and provides travel alternatives.

Until mid-July, the popular Federation Square/Flinders Street Station stop on St Kilda Road will undergo upgrades including a larger platform, improved disability access and new shelters, to reduce overcrowding and improve passenger flow between Flinders Street Station and the stop.

The works cover the replacement of 600 metres of tracks on Swanston Street and St Kilda Road as part of the upgrade, providing a safety boost for passengers, quieter infrastructure, and a reduced risk of derailments.

“This stretch from Southbank Boulevard through to Melbourne University is the busiest tram corridor in the world. These improvements will create a better travel experience for both commuters and people visiting some of Melbourne’s most popular attractions like Federation Square and the arts precinct,” Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll said.

As more passengers return to the network, the real-time arrival and passenger capacity indicator RideSpace is being trialed on tram route 59 which travels between Essendon and the city. Over the coming months, this tram trial will assess passenger counting technology and data accuracy before being rolled out to passengers.

The St Kilda Road upgrade is part of the Victorian Government’s maintenance and renewal program, which delivered AUD 640 million (USD 48.45 million) of works across the Melbourne public transport network this financial year, improving reliability and passenger experience.

The St Kilda Road business precinct and Shrine of Remembrance will be accessed by the new Metro Tunnel project’s Anzac Station when it opens in 2025. The new station is strategically located to ease pressure on the St Kilda Road/Swanston Street tram corridor and will include an interchange with a tram super stop on St Kilda Road.

The 250 km-long Melbourne tram network served by 1,700 stops and nine depots is operated by more than 450 vehicles providing more than 5,000 daily ensuring over 200 million trips each year.

Sursa: Railway Pro