Melbourne Trams

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Tram squeeze eases but some still suffer

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> All class: Bendigo restores grand Melbourne tram

[ozbob]

Twitter

Daniel Bowen ‏@danielbowen 14h

Brand shiny new Melb tram on the move the other night http://tdu.to/a37290/E_class_Preston_unloading_Liam_Davies_2.JPG ...

[ozbob]

Yarra Trams --> Melbourne's next generation tram arrives



Tram 6001

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> New trams arrive, but not on schedule

[ozbob]

Melbourne's first E Class tram has run for the first time, entering out-of-service testing in the early hours of Monday 15 July.



The tram travelled to various locations around the Yarra Trams network, including St Georges Road, Collins Street and the length of Route 96 before returning to Preston Workshops.

Tram 6001 will become a more visible presence on the network over the next few months as testing continues. The tram is scheduled to enter passenger service later this year.

--> More images from the first test.

The Route 96 Project forms part of the introduction of Melbourne's first E Class trams. To find out more about the project drop in to one of the following information sessions being presented by Public Transport Victoria, Yarra Trams and VicRoads.

[SurfRail]

I have heard that some of the more devious types got some mates to weld point bars across the track in parts of the CBD.

[ozbob]

Herald Sun Leader --> Public Transport Victoria to upgrade tram route 96 to accommodate low-floor trams

[ozbob]

Yarra Trams --> Makeover for Z-Class trams

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Quicker trams will keep Melbourne on track to success in future

N THE first half of the 20th century, every Australian state capital city had an expansive tram network. Sydney's was one of the biggest in the world.

But after World War II, tram lines across Australia were torn up, making room for the newly affordable motorcar. Melbourne alone stood against the tide, instead setting tram tracks in mass concrete, ensuring any future attempts to remove them would be financially and politically impossible.

History has judged Melbourne kindly and the city's commuters are reaping the rewards of the foresight shown half a century ago. Patrons on what is now the world's biggest tram network make the equivalent of 30 trips to the moon and back every year. And Melburnians can happily gloat over Sydney and Perth, which are now going through the long and very expensive task of rebuilding their tram networks.

However, after more than 100 years, Melbourne's tram network is not only the biggest, but also arguably the slowest. In the 1950s it took 20 minutes to travel from East Brunswick to Southern Cross - today it takes it takes roughly 30. Within the City of Melbourne, a third of time spent in a tram is wasted waiting in traffic.

But it's not age slowing down the centenarian tram system, it's cars. More than 80 per cent of Melbourne's tram network shares the road with regular traffic. Also, trams spend up to 17 per cent of their time stuck at lights, which is off the scale compared with other tram networks around the world such as Zurich, Barcelona, and Lyon ...

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Elizabeth Street closure to unleash traffic chaos

[ozbob]

Twitter

Denis Napthine ‏@Vic_Premier 54m

Premier & @heidivic unveil one of 8 @yarratrams transformed into mobile art, part of @MelbFestival #SpringSt
http://t.co/SumQAes4L1

[ozbob]

Twitter

VicTrack ‏@VicTrack_Vic

Fantastic looking Melbourne Arts Tram! @MelbFestival #melbfest http://t.co/NBU1vv8HRV

[ozbob]

Twitter

Adam Gilbert ‏@adamgilbert 8m

Spotted - the shiny new trams for Melbourne at the St Kilda station stop. @yarratrams http://t.co/i8zhz8rjoz

[SurfRail]

Interesting that they no longer have a door position near the front.  How is that going to work at safety zones where people will now have to get off and walk up to the intersection, through a stream of people trying to get on?

[ozbob]

Visual Arts Hub --> Melbourne's art trams hit the tracks

[ozbob]

Yarra Trams --> Exploring Melbourne's Art Trams

[ozbob]

Twitter

Adam Carey ‏@adamlcarey

Melbourne's B-Class trams to be refurbished: prepare to perch http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/melbournes-b-class-tram-refurbishment.html#.Um7Uzv76PFw.twitter ...

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Art collective on roll as commuters give tram creatures thumbs up

[ozbob]

Twitter

Yarra Trams ‏@yarratrams 8m

We'll be introducing #eclass trams soon, so here's a flashback to the launch of the Z-Class in May 1975. http://t.co/TbUfIy8VGQ

[ozbob]

Melbourne's Art Trams --> http://www.yarratrams.com.au/media-centre/news/articles/2013/exploring-melbourne%27s-art-trams/

[ozbob]

News.com.au --> Melbourne's new trams finally on track


http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2013/11/04/1226752/615951-1fc1b88e-44db-11e3-add9-a931c5f36f4d.jpg

[ozbob]

Daniel Bowen Blog --> A look inside the new E-class trams

[ozbob]

http://yarratrams.com.au/media-centre/news/articles/2013/yarra-trams-observes-remembrance-day/

Yarra Trams observes Remembrance Day

Yarra Trams will observe one minute's silence at 11 o'clock this Monday (the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month) for Remembrance Day.

Tram drivers have been asked to remain at stops (where safe to do so) during the minute of silence observed at 11am, as a mark of respect for those who have served Australia in wars and armed conflicts.

Announcements will be made on board trams in the minutes leading up to 11am to remind passengers of the observance.

Remembrance Day has been traditionally observed in many nations since the end of World War I. For more information on Remembrance Day and this year's Poppy Appeal visit anzacappeal.com.au

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Where have Melbourne's new E-class trams gone?

[cartoonbirdhaus]

Rode a few on the weekend, including the 96. (Sunday saw three trams, all doing the 96, turn up at Port Junction at the same time!)

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Commuters wilt as trams run hot

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Tram routes to be separated from vehicles under Plan Melbourne strategy for development by 2050

[ozbob]

Twitter

Yarra Trams ‏@yarratrams

We'll be opening a new tram depot in 2016. Details - http://www.yarratrams.com.au/media-centre/news/articles/2014/historic-depot-redevelopment-to-drive-a-brighter-tram-future/ ... (includes bonus tram simulator footage!)

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Waiting for better tram times is like..... waiting for a tram

[colinw]

The Age -> Call to extend Plenty Road tram line to South Morang station

[cartoonbirdhaus]

"A tram every 15 minutes in its own reservation is far more efficient than buses that get stuck in traffic on Plenty Road because there are no bus lanes"

Then the obvious solution is to install bus lanes! Clearly it's not about bus vs tram, but reserved right-of-way (something most of the tram system lacks) vs having to share the road with cars.

[ozbob]

Melbourne has had a day of severe weather ...

Amazing photograph below ... tram still running .. lol

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Herald Sun ‏@theheraldsun 6m

Good luck to all those commuting home from Melbourne tonight! pic.twitter.com/v4007UvbsT http://hsun.info/1pdaNWR  (fix) #melbweather #rainy

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Tram system jammed as old carriages fall apart

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Yarra Trams marks best month ever for punctuality

[colinw]

Just a random snap I took today of a W class outside our office in Docklands Drive.  Brrrrrr - can't see it in the photo but there were flurries of sleet.

[ozbob]

 

Snowing at Ballarat!  Enjoy 

[dancingmongoose]

Yarra Trams defends 'unusual' driver snapped with windscreen shade down during trip -> http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/yarra-trams-defends-unusual-driver-snapped-with-windscreen-shade-down-during-trip/story-fnii5sms-1226981506171

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age -->Test proves Yarra Trams' E-Class trams too power hungry for network

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Fix missing links in tram network: Greens