Out on a Rail

[Falls]

Nice one Falls. I really liked the dialect in your story.

 

It reminds me of when I was cycling through Sheffield and got my wheel stuck in a tram groove - before I knew it I was in Middlewood!

 

But though trams can be a nuisance to some people, e.g. Bert, I think they are the way forward. I live in Nottingham now and the tram here is much better than bus or car.

 

It's quick, because it doesn't get held up in traffic. It's also quick to get on and off as a conductor collects the fares.

It's reliable, because it doesn't have unexpected hold ups.

It's comfortable, because it's more spacious, air-conditioned and travels in a straight line.

 

I'm convinced that Trams are the way forward.

 

Having said that, Trams in Sheffield don't seem quite so effective for some reason. Do you think it's because too many of the routes are shared with buses and cars?

 

 

Hi Ron,

 

Sorry about the delay in responding. Yes, I think trams have their place in the transportation picture but they really only shine when they are separated from other traffic, like the Sheffield run from Meadowhall into town.

 

Once you put them back on regular streets with other traffic , like West Street in Sheffield, then much of the advantages is lost. Ive, only seen the system in Nottingham on two occasions and both of these were at night. The parts I did see were running on dedicated track so this was the way to go.

 

I live near Toronto and they still operated trams (street cars) on eleven routes, mainly in the down town area. Most of these operate on regular streets and where they are a bloody disaster; however, change is on the way.

 

Last week the Toronto Transit Commission ordered 204 new cars at some astronomical cost. Some are to replace the exisiting fleet but the rest will be used in four-car sets on routes along major east-west arteries where trams haven't run for at least 60 years. These will run on dedicated track in the outskirts but where they cross over the central north-south core, where you still have narrow streets, they are going to run in a tunnel about a mile long.

 

Regards