Rubber-tyred tram

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Guidance and steerage in a Translohr tram 1995. Rubber tyres are used to support the vehicle, while metal wheels and a single rail are used for guidance.

Diagram of the Translohr guide rail (green) and the tram's guide wheels (red)

Diagram of the guide rail and guide wheel of the Bombardier's GLT

A rubber-tyred tram (also known as tramway on tyres, French: tramway sur pneumatiques) is a development of the guided bus in which a vehicle is guided by a fixed rail in the road surface and draws current from overhead electric wires (either via pantograph or trolley poles).

Two incompatible systems using physical guide rails exist, the Guided Light Transit (GLT) designed by Bombardier Transportation, and the Translohr from Lohr Industrie (currently made by Alstom and FSI). There are no guide bars at the sides but there is a central guidance rail that differs in design between the systems. In the case of Translohr, this rail is grasped by a pair of metal guide wheels set at 45° to the road and at 90° to each other. In the GLT system, a single double-flanged wheel between the rubber tires follows the guidance rail. In both cases, the weight of the vehicle is borne by rubber tires to which the guide wheels are attached, which make contact with the road on concrete roll ways designed to minimize impact on the ground. Power is usually supplied by overhead lines, rechargeable batteries, or internal combustion engines where there are no overhead wires.

A third system was introduced in 2017. Called Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) and developed by CRRC, it uses optical systems to follow markers on a roadway. The ART system is frequently referred to as a "trackless tram" and occasionally as an "optically-guided bus".^[1]

Characteristics[]

The Translohr system operates as a guided vehicle at all times, while with the Bombardier system the vehicles can be driven independently as requirements dictate, such as journeys to the depot. Consequently, the Bombardier vehicles are legally considered buses, and must bear rear-view mirrors, lights and number plates, and are controlled with steering wheels and pedals like ordinary buses, though the steering wheel is not used when following the guidance rail. On the other hand, Translohr vehicles operate like standard trams and cannot move without guidance, so they are not classified as buses and are not equipped with number plates. The ART system can be diverted by virtual track by the driver using a conventional steering wheel.

These systems are intended to offer a more tram or light rail-like experience than a regular guided bus, and offer some advantages over steel-wheeled trams, such as the ability to climb steeper gradients (up to 13%), and quieter running around corners.^{[citation needed]} The infrastructure installation can be less complicated than the installation of a complete tram line in an existing street.^{[citation needed]} These systems have been likened to the tram equivalent of rubber-tyred metros, and they are also less efficient than steel-wheeled light rail vehicles. There is no evidence to prove the superiority of either guidance system. Both Bombardier and Translohr have had derailments during operation.^[2][3]

List of systems in operation[]

Translohr[]

• Clermont-Ferrand tramway, France (STE4, since 2006)
• Padua tramway, Italy (STE3, since 2007)
• TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram, Tianjin, China (STE3, since 2007)
• Mestre-Venice tramway, Italy (STE3, since 2010)
• Zhangjiang Tram, Shanghai, China (STE3, since 2010)
• Ile-de-France tramway Line 5, France (STE3, since 2013)
• Ile-de-France tramway Line 6, France (STE6, since 2014)
• Ayacucho Tram, Medellin, Colombia (STE5, since 2015)

Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART)[]

• Yibin, Sichuan, China
• Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
• Yongxiu, Jiangxi, China

Bombardier Guided Light Transit (GLT)[]

• Nancy Guided Light Transit, France (since 2001) 40% of the line runs as a driver steered trolley bus. The entire route is to be converted after 2020 to light rail by 2023.^[4]
• Caen Guided Light Transit, France (2002—2017) GLT closed in 2017 and converted to light rail which opened in 2019.^[5][6][7]

Proposed systems[]

Translohr[]

• Ljubljana tram, Slovenia (proposed)^{[citation needed]}
• Antananarivo, Madagascar (proposed)^{[citation needed]}

Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART)[]

Substantive proposals, including vehicle testing, have been made by relevant authorities for the following systems. Suggested applications are not listed.

• China, Changsha. Changsha Meixi Lake to Changsha Municipal Government line, reported to start construction in 2021 for completion in 2022^[8]
• China, Harbin. In May 2021 testing of a vehicle was underway with plans for a 18.2 km (11.3 mi) route with 11 stations.^[9] There are reports that stations have been constructed in January 2021^[10] and trial operations will commence in August 2021.^[11]
• China, Tongli. As of February 2021 testing was underway with the service expected to open to passengers by the end of 2021.^[12]
• China, Xi'an. Two routes. One with 18 stations over 29.7 km (18.5 mi) and second with 9 stations over 10.6 km (6.6 mi).^[13]
• Malaysia. Skudai-Tebrau-Iskandar Puteri Line in Johor. ART is one technology under consideration for the corridor. A three month test of an ART vehicle, along with eight other bus types, began in April 2021.^[14][15]
• Malaysia. The three line Kuching LRT project was proposed as a light-rail in 2018 but shelved due to costs. In 2019 ART announced ART technology had been selected instead, due to its lower costs for similar levels for service.^[16] As of July 2021 the project has not commenced construction.
• UAE. The system is being considered for use during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.^[17] In July 2019 a two week test with one vehicle was undertaken in Doha, the first trial outside China.^[18]
• Australia, NSW. Liverpool to the, under construction, Western Sydney Airport was proposed in 2019 by Liverpool City Council with a plan to open by 2026.^[19]
• Australia, WA. Scarborough Beach Road with the Stirling City Centre and the Perth CBD. In March 2021 the Australian Government provided $2 millions to produce a business case for the project.^[20]
• Australia, Wyndham City Council. A May 2019 proposal,^[21] updated in November 2020,^[22] for a loop network with of two routes of 14 km (8.7 mi) and 21 km (13 mi) and a third to be investigated. It would connect a number of railway stations on two separate lines.
• United States. A waterfront line between Queens and South Brooklyn in New York City, called "BQX", was first proposed as a light-rail line in 2014. In 2020 the project was revived with plans to use trackless tram technology.^[23]

Other[]

• Cambridge, United Kingdom. One of the three systems under consideration for the proposed 90 mi (140 km) Cambridge Autonomous Metro utilises a "fully autonomous, battery-powered road transport vehicle". (The other options are a personal rapid transit and a guided bus. An upgrade bus service is also being considered.)^[24]

See also[]

References[]