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This study aims to present the meaningful implications of introducing a tramway as a new mode of transportation in the Daejeon Metropolitan Area, a major metropolitan area in South Korea. An efficiency comparison by data envelopment analysis (DEA) was carried out, using variables selected from the 2021 Public Transportation Investigation by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (KTSA) (2021), and the ‘Guidelines for selecting new transportation means’ announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in 2021. As a result, the efficiency of public transportation in major metropolitan areas outside of the capital region was higher than in the capital metropolitan area. In particular, the Daejeon Metropolitan Area ranked high in efficiency compared to other major metropolitan areas with similar conditions. In the V-super efficiency results of the efficiency model based on the input of operational costs for each new mode of transportation, considering variable returns to scale (VRS), the bus rapid transit (BRT) ranked first, the tramway second, and the bimodal tram third. Regarding construction cost input, the tramway ranked first, the bimodal tram second, and BRT third.

The problem of noise pollution in cities becomes quite acute as soon as it comes to increasing the level of motorization. However, most researchers study the negative impact of traffic noise in general. In the era of sustainable mobility, there will be a trend to reduce the number of private vehicles on city streets. Still, the problem of acoustic load in residential areas will not be solved since public transport is a rather powerful source of traffic noise. The article solves the problem of determining the patterns of changes in the acoustic load from public transport vehicles at different speed modes and road surface. The article's objects of research are straight sections of public transport lines. The subject of the study is the patterns of changes in the noise level from public transport vehicles at different speeds, their position, and the type of surface. The obtained results indicate that the main range of noise pollution from public transport on straight sections is 75-85 dBA, and this level can vary by 15-20% depending on the type of line (trolley bus, bus, tram) and the type of road surface. The regularities of changes in the level of noise pollution, which were revealed in work, indicate that for each type of surface and type of public transport line, there are such values of traffic speeds, when they are reached, there is an overtime acoustic load on residential areas at specific distances from them. The obtained results differ from the currently existing scientific studies in that they consider the acoustic characteristics of clear public transport lines and not the traffic flow as a whole. Therefore, it becomes possible to determine the maximum and not the equivalent level of noise from public transport. The field of application of the results is transport planning of both new residential areas and areas of existing adjacent buildings. Thus, in the first case, recommendations were made regarding territorial gaps from the construction line to arterial streets with high volume of public transport, depending on its type and surface. On the other hand, recommendations have been established regarding the speed regime of public transport at different distances from existing buildings' lines.

The Constantine tramway line in Algeria has many variables that can be analysed to assess the impact of the line. These variables include social ones, such as the rational supply of transport between different modes of travel, the place of people with reduced mobility in the supply and interior and exterior design. Moreover, the economic variables that are the most dominant in relation to its importance in the development of the economy of the city are the reliability and comfort made to the regularity of the transport time in relation to time savings and intermodality at stopping points. To this end, this article examines these different variables during several commissioning periods in order to determine the impact of the introduction of the tramway line in the Constantine metropolitan area. Its approach is carried out through a field survey, interviews and on-site observations with a population made up of users of different travel modes. The results confirm that the tramway line linking the city of Constantine and the new town of Ali Mendjeli has a strong effect on ridership. On the other hand, its effects seem minimal in terms of rational supply and intermodality between different travel modes. Meanwhile, reliability and regularity are topics that deserve to be explored. The accessibility of people with reduced mobility is considered a primary objective of the tramway system.

In the 21st century, one of the key requirements is to develop and maintain our infrastructure facilities most efficiently using the available resources. Tramways are of significant national economic importance and represent an important national asset. There are currently seven different types of superstructure systems in Hungary, based on the national regulations and the related requirements currently in force. This paper compares the paved tramway superstructure systems in the context of track geometry, through-rolled axle tons of track, and the age of track sections. Paved tracks have many benefits, but the main ones are easier maintenance and road traffic use. Elastically supported continuous rail bedding (ESCRB; in Hungary, this is known as “RAFS”) and “large” slab superstructure systems are used to create paved superstructure systems. Road crossings use the latter systems, while heavily loaded lines use several ESCRB systems. This article examines the geometrical changes in several ESCRB superstructure systems. A TrackScan 4.01 instrument was used to take measurements in June and September 2021 and in April 2022, September 2022, and May 2023. Track gauge, alignment, and longitudinal level are examined. Regardless of the ESCRB superstructure system or age, a medium-loaded line’s track gauge trendline increases, which means that the track gauge is widening and, regardless of traffic load or age, the average longitudinal level is constantly increasing from year to year. When it is a medium-loaded line, the average value of alignment increases slightly, and the trendline is almost straight, but it decreases when it is an extremely heavily loaded line. The authors will analyze how the reference track section will change in the future. Based on the results, it is important to assess how subsequent measurements affect the trend lines. Because the data evaluations show similar results, comparing open tramway tracks to paved ones is crucial.

During research work, three series of studies were performed to support the importance of using rail lubrication at tramway tracks in Budapest. The first task was to determine the noise reduction efficiency of automated rail lubrication: noise measurements were performed in case of lubricated rails with corrugations, non-lubricated rails with corrugations, grinded rails as well as grinded and lubricated rails. Once the conformity was determined, an additional task was to find the right lubricant. After the noise and braking effect tests of various lubricants, it was a legitimate need to determine the optimum lubricant application because the setting of the devices is based only on the experience of the Operator. Finally, the noise mitigation effect and the friction coefficient affecting the wheel/rail contact with different lubricant application settings were investigated simultaneously. It is important that the lubricant be applied in appropriate amount such that even the safe movement of the trams is guaranteed, but at the same time the noise reduction is satisfactory too. Based on the results, the authors make recommendations for the application of the rail lubrication devices.

Abstract Traditional solutions for tramway interlocking systems are based on physical sensors (balizes) distributed along the infrastructure which detect passing of the trams and trigger different actions, like the communications with the ground infrastructure and the interlocking system. This approach is not easily scalable and maintainable, and it is costly. The SISTER project designed new architectural solutions for addressing the previous problems based on the virtualization of the sensors and on the local positioning of each tram. The key idea is to trigger actions when the computed local position corresponds to a virtual tag. However, the computed position can be affected by errors, compared to the real one. Therefore, it is important to understand the impact of these new solutions on the traffic that can be supported by the tramway network. This paper presents a stochastic modeling approach for analysing the performability of a tramway system based on the SISTER architectural solutions, aiming to identify the parts of the tramway network that are more critical and sensible to the variation of the traffic conditions and to the setting of the key architectural parameters. We build a model using Stochastic Activity Networks and run sensitivity analyses on (i) the accuracy of the positioning, (ii) the different SISTER parameters, and (iii) considering possible outages temporarily blocking the journey of a tram. This analysis allows to properly set and fine-tune the key architectural parameters, to understand the impact of the accuracy on the positioning, to understand the impact of the outages.

Pedestrian movement in the public environment is important in supporting local public life, commerce and physical activity. Countering the decline in the presence of people on the streets is a major focus of urban planning in a wide variety of urban contexts. This research investigates the contribution of a tramway to local pedestrian movement, using the Hong Kong Tramway (HKT) as a case. Flow counts were collected in a field study of the tram corridor that enabled regression analysis. Pedestrian flow was positively related to the following, in descending order of importance: feeder street pedestrian flow, tram alighting rates and irregular crossing rates. These factors cumulatively account for 39% of pedestrian volume on tram corridor segments. Pedestrian flow is negatively related to the degree of barrier fencing and block size. The tram is also used to transit between walking segments, effectively enlarging the individual walking environment. The findings suggest spatial planning measures associated with higher pedestrian flow.

Purpose. The authors’ aim is to demonstrate their results of analysis of deterioration of tramway tracks’ geometry. Methodology. This article is a start of a PhD research. At first, the superstructure systems and the used instrument were summarized, after that the examination of running track, tramway stops, crossings and turnouts. Findings. The authors examined separately the running track, tramway stops, level crossings and turnouts. In case of examination of running track, we evaluated the measurement results according to two methods. To clarify the superstructure systems’ deterioration factor the authors had to do further measurements on other tramway lines too. Originality. The fulfilled analysis is the first step to the complex method that can consider and determine the optimisation of life-cycle costs of tramway superstructures. For this goal a lot of parameters, factors have to be taken into consideration in the future. There are available methods and models for different civil engineering areas, e.g. there is very complex methodology related to road pavements, but there is no special one related neither to railway tracks, nor tramway tracks. Practical value. The authors tried to construct a calculation and evaluation method that can assess the examined 6 different tramway superstructure types on the tramway line No. 1 in Hungarian capital (Budapest). It is a very new reconstructed tramway line that is the second longest one in Budapest. The authors showed which type of superstructure system is the «best» and the «worst» based on own made measurements and calculation-evaluation methods. The next aim of the authors is to start a PhD research in the Multidisciplinary Doctoral School at Szechenyi Istvan University (Győr, Hungary) with the continuation of this topic.

The most important thing nowadays is to use available resources to develop infrastructure as efficiently as possible. In this regard, evaluating the deterioration of tramway tracks is critical from both a technical and an economic viewpoint. In Hungary, seven types of superstructure systems are currently differentiated in the case of tramway transport, but the geometrical deterioration, lifecycle, and lifecycle cost of the tramway tracks are not accurately known. The current study aimed to evaluate and compare the results of track geometry measurements of two different “open” tramway superstructure systems depending on their traffic load and age. The geometry measurements we re executed by TrackScan 4.01 instrument, developed and maintained by a Hungarian developer company called Metalelektro Méréstechnika Ltd. The evaluation of the measurements showed a clear relationship between the traffic load, age, and track deterioration. Based on the results, it can be generally stated, concerning “open” superstructure systems, that regardless of the “open” superstructure system or the level of traffic load, the average value of alignment is decreasing; however, the average value of the longitudinal level is increasing. Furthermore, the deterioration of an older ballasted track with lower traffic is similar to that of a younger ballasted track that has a higher traffic load. Another significant result was that the deterioration of the track gauge parameter in the case of concrete slab tracks is clearly described as the broadening of the track gauge.

New technologies such as the I-BIM (Infrastructure Building Information Modeling) are radically changing the infrastructure design and construction sector. In this study, the I-BIM approach has been used for the design of a portion of the future Bologna’s Red Tramway Line. Starting from the topographical survey of the area, a “federated” model was created, aggregating in a single digital environment all the models inherent to the individual disciplines involved. Interference analysis (Clash Detection) between the various disciplines was performed, subject to the preparation of a coordination matrix and the temporal simulation of the worksite phases (BIM 4D). The results have shown that the I-BIM approach represents a powerful tool for optimizing and validating infrastructure design, allowing users to see how the infrastructure integrates and fits into the real 3D environmental context.

Abstract New tramway technologies such as “ground-level power supply systems” fit with the purpose of preserving historical heritage and urban environments of city centers. Such public transportation systems do not require a traditional air supply system (+ 750 V) and are therefore referred to as “catenary-free systems” (i.e., APS system, tramwave system, Primove system). Their implementation is becoming increasingly widespread, especially for cities with prestigious historical heritage, where high levels of environmental sustainability, capacity, reliability and safety standards are required. The study compares some of the most well-known and novel catenary-free systems for the creation of a 68-km tramway system, to be implemented in a metropolitan city. For each of the 7 new tramways, AIMSUN microsimulations were run to identify the most appropriate tramway track geometry and road section to minimize the interference with the vehicle activity. Moreover, for each system a financial and economic performance analysis has been carried out for an investment of about 869 million euros, while taking into account different scenarios of transportation demand. In addition, a cost–benefit analysis of the tramway lines investment project has been presented, including the calculation of the financial net present value, the economic net present value, rate of return of the investment and cost–benefit ratio. The analysis demonstrates that the APS ground-level power supply system is a proven alternative with greater economic and financial performance.

The article presents, in a multifaceted manner, the changes that occurred in urban electric transport in Ukraine after 1991. The purpose of the article is to research the diversification of the degree and directions of development and transformation of urban electric transport systems in the context of the transport policy. The legal and financial conditions for the functioning and development of the system are discussed, and a SWOT analysis of the current situation is carried out. In order to assess the direction of the changes occurring on individual networks, a synthetic index was used, constructed on the basis of the statistical data from 25 years available. The research has shown that in 1991‒2016, in the vast majority of Ukrainian cities there was a regression in urban electric transport, the largest in the east of Ukraine. That was of a bipartite nature: in the first years it practically applied to all networks, later a polarization in cities occurred ‒ in parts of cities the situation of urban electric transport has improved slightly. In the context of numerous diagnosed problems, the challenges faced by urban electric transport in Ukraine were indicated.

The noise and vibration that cause deterioration of comfort at specific locations can be reduced by modernisation of tram lines in some large cities where dense development surrounds tram lines. The paper deals with the impact of noise and vibration produced by tram traffic. Its aim was to verify whether the modernisation of one of the busiest tram lines in the capital of Slovakia had an impact on the reduction of noise and vibration emissions arising in its surroundings. The paper analysed experimental measurements conducted at the busiest locations of the studied tram line, focusing on the parameters LAeq and vrms. The methodology for reducing the adverse effects of noise and vibration is based on the modernisation of the tramway line, characterised in detail in the paper. The presentation and analysis of the measurement results are followed by conclusions that underline the importance of reducing noise and vibration emissions generated by tram traffic by modernising the tram line network.

La historia de la Compañía Madrileña de Urbanización tras la muerte de Arturo Soria y Mata es todavía hoy poco conocida. Su actividad en el periodo posterior ha sido escasamente estudiada por los investigadores, interesados casi únicamente en sus promociones inmobiliarias y en la evolución e influencia póstuma de la obra por la que Arturo Soria obtuvo reconocimiento: la Ciudad Lineal. Este artículo hace un análisis de la actividad empresarial de la compañía en la etapa que se inicia a la muerte de Soria, cuando varios de sus hijos cogieron las riendas, y las dificultades que tuvieron que sortear hasta su salida de ella, al inicio de la posguerra. Una parte importante de la investigación se ha basado en el estudio de la documentación inédita conservada por la familia Soria.AbstractThe Compañía Madrileña de Urbanización history after Arturo Soria y Mata’s death is still today poorly known. Its activity in the later period has been scarcely studied by researchers, only interested in its residential developments and in the evolution and posthumous influence of the work by which Arturo Soria was acknowledged: the Linear City. In this journal article it is analyzed the firm activity after Soria´s death, when some of his sons conducted it, so as the difficulties aroused until they left the company, in the post-war years. An important part of the research has based in the study of unpublished documents kept by Soria’s family.

Tramways have made a remarkable comeback in France since the 1980s. An organization of public transport based on the decentralized administration system set up in the early 1980s has allowed local urban authorities to make their own choices to develop public transport networks in the context of automobile domination. As in many other countries, worries about fossil fuel dependency and demands concerning sustainable urban development appear as strong elements in favour of urban light rail. However, in France, tramways are not just technical solutions for traffic congestion, they have also become a symbol of a cultural mutation in urban development planning. Coupled with a national political push for a more inclusive city in social terms, tramways are the backbone of contemporary urban policies, in a French version of transit-oriented development (TOD), especially for mid-size cities.

The need for the introduction of trams in Osijek in the late 19th century was largely due to the poor connectivity between the areas of the city and the growing development of the city. Tram transport was an extremely important step in connecting and modernizing the city and a key step in the integration of the still unconnected areas of the city, a role it has played throughout history. From its beginnings, the residents of Osijek have been intricately connected to the tram, which has had a role in the modernization of the city and is today regarded as a symbol of the city. As a means of public transport, in Croatia, the tram is now used only in Zagreb and Osijek. Today, many cities around the world have reintroduced trams as a public transport system, and Osijek is one of the few “small” cities that can boast of its continuous existence and expansion. This paper describes the development and current state of tram traffic in Osijek as a contribution to the celebrations of the anniversary of the introduction of the electric tram in the city.

Tramway systems are more and more diffused today, to reduce pollution and greenhouse emissions. However, their electrical feeding substations can have significant margin for improvement. Therefore, it is questionable which kind of changes can be introduced, by changing their main features. First of all, transformer technology can be enhanced, by moving from the standard transformer to the amorphous metal one; thus, guaranteeing a significant reduction in losses. Then, by installing one dedicated storage systems for each substation. This solution can help to increase the energy efficiency; thus, recovering the tram braking energy and reducing the delivered energy from the grid, and also the reliability of the system; thus, guarantee different levels of services, in the case of failure of a feeding substation. This paper investigates in a systematic approach the two proposed solutions. In particular an amorphous metal transformer has been properly designed, and performance compared to the standard one. Then, evaluation of distributed storage installation was performed, and the aspects of reliability for these systems evaluated. Results have shown the general feasibility of the proposed solutions, showing a significant energy saving with respect to the conventional ones.

For twenty years we have observed all over Europe a renaissance of the tramway as a public transport system. This phenomenon can be related to the upgrades of technology and especially to the interventions of urban improvement usally carried out together with the construction of new tracks. On the contrary, in Florence, where a new tram network has been building since 2004, a traditional sectorial approach has still prevailed, unable to offer solutions to conflicting uses of the street space. Consequently citizens’ hostility against the tramway has increased. The University of Florence has attempted to reopen the discussion about the positive link between new infrastructures and urban renovation, promoting a seminar, that has been joined by town planners, transport experts, politicians and public officials. As a contribute, there was presented a proposal –both methodological and effective- in order to align the Florentine project to the quality standards achieved in other european cities.

After twelve years from the beginning of the challenging process of urban transformation unde taken in Bordeaux, we can make a comprehensive thinking over projects, achievements and methods, that the different actors together used for the replanning of the urban landscape and the redefinition of the local identities.

Tramway system is the issue of this research project. Tramway can be defined as a system of transport used wholly or mainly for the carriage of passengers, which employs parallel rails that provide support and guidance for vehicles carried on flanged wheels, and has been designed to have a significant element which operates on line-of-sight on a highway.The main objective of this research project is focused on the determination of the best route for proposed tramway into Ramadi city. It also focuses on the other important design considerations. Origin-destination stations and four proposed routes have been selected based on navigation, surveying, and specifications by using GPS device, total station device, Civil 3D program and GIS software. Six main criteria with their sub criteria have been chosen, which are: accessibility, safety, economic, environment, population density and trips, and security. A comparative form for these criteria has been designed to facilitate the comparison process to select the best proposal among the four proposals.Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method has been used to evaluate the proposals. The results of the analysis explained that the proposal1 is the best alternative among four alternatives to be an acceptable tramway route at Ramadi city.

The growing interest in the use of energy storage systems to improve the performance of tramways has prompted the development of control techniques and optimal storage devices, displacement, and sizing to obtain the maximum profit and reduce the total installation cost. Recently, the rapid diffusion of renewable energy generation from photovoltaic panels has also created a large interest in coupling renewable energy and storage units. This study analyzed the integration of a photovoltaic power plant, supercapacitor energy storage system, and railway power system. Random optimization was used to verify the feasibility of this integration in a real tramway electric system operating in the city of Naples, and the benefits and total cost of this integration were evaluated.

The main French cities have decorated their tram with different public art commissions. Beyond the simple ‘bandwagon effect’, the effervescence around this practice reconciling public art and tram helps to create or restore the image and the identity of the cities. To achieve it, this partnership builds itself around a narrative process, within which the official speeches greatly participate in this new apprehension of the urban space. On a larger scale, the multiple communication tools given to the key players of the project, and the urban narrative coming from the partnership, both aim to place this one at the heart of urbanistic issues. Moreover, these issues question the city-dweller’s place in this ‘promotional’ narrative of metropolises.

Tramway systems, which can carry more passengers than buses at one haul, are now being proposed to meet Indonesia’s public transport requirement. The objective of this research is to analyze the management structures for operating tram in different countries and then propose a suitable organizational structure for operating trams, if re-introduced, in Indonesia. The author chose France (Montpellier tramway), Germany (Karlsruhe tram-train) and the UK (Nottingham Express Transit) as the role model countries for investigation. From the analysis, the most appropriate organizational structure and suitable tramway management structure for operating tramways implementation in Indonesia. The key features of the research are to establish public transport company by local government to manage all public transport systems, propose tramway construction and operation to exist as separate departments under the tramway team division of the public company, recommend the public transport company to have responsibility for overseeing construction of the trams, operating, and maintaining the trams, suggest local government to own them and have responsibility for tramway strategic policy, control regulation as well as supervision and coordination of the performance of the public transport company, propose joint working between public and private sectors.

Comment le souvenir d’enfance d’un trajet quotidien en tramway dans les rues de Montevideo se transforme en un symbole du destin du poète.

Background: A change to new tramways in Graz (Austria) led to severe complaints in residential areas. To understand the underlying reasons for these complaints, a systematic measurement campaign was designed. Methods: Six locations in Graz and two locations in a comparably sized city were selected. Parallel indoor recordings of sound and vibrations were conducted from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. (due to sleep problems) at all locations. Results: Vibration levels remained below the limits of the Austrian standard (Wm-weighting) although variability was observed among sites, tram types and pass-bys. A complex characteristic of the acoustic feature space was found with A-weighting (differences between A- and C-weighting of more than 15 dB were observed). C-weighted background to peak noise ratios clearly distinguished “old” from “new” trams. Psychoacoustic indices indicated a high variability between locations and tram types. Roughness and loudness was higher in “new” versus “old” trams at most locations. “New” trams exhibited high sharpness values and variability, especially at higher speeds—when compared with trams from a control city. Conclusions: Standard indicators of sound and vibration were not sensitive enough to uncover the reasons for the complaints. Only the integrated analysis of the ambient soundscape (high signal-to-noise-ratio), the more noticeable sound (in psychoacoustic terms) and the observed high variance of the immissions provided guidance to implement appropriate technical solutions.

This paper focuses on the electrification of tramways in Ostrava in 1900-1901. As the administrative, economic and cultural centre of an evolving industrial agglomeration, Ostrava had specific transportation requirements. Tram electrification was in response to these requirements. Two private companies, Brünner Lokaleisenbahngesellschaft and Ganz & Comp., (Mährisch-Ostrauer Elektrizitäts-Aktien-Gesellschaft) negotiated an agreement. The first part of this paper deals with technical aspects of electrification the change-over from steam power to electric power, while the second section analysesthe dealings between these private companies, subsequent municipalization and the involvement of the municipal self-government of Moravská Ostrava.

How can new tramways lines promote the development of sustainable cities? This article attempts to address this question through the use of a theoretical model, which situates the economic transport system within three contexts: the larger economic environment, the social environment and the natural environment. A new tramway line constitutes a new supply within the economic transport system of an urban area and this supply in turn produces potential effects within that system and its three environments. These effects, which are identified on the basis of studies carried out by urban planning agencies in Nantes, Grenoble and Strasbourg, are grouped together in three geometrical configurations: the line, the corridor, and the perimeter. These forms can then be organized into concrete territories such as the street, the pedestrian neighborhood and the city. The sustainable city project can thus use the potential effects of modern tramways for the simultaneous reproduction of the economic sphere, the social sphere and the biosphere within the urban space.