Search

Film representations of transport networks' closure events are valuable materials in a critical, comparative urban studies. Here, 1953 and 1962 films commemorating the last nights of the London and Glasgow tramways exemplify such use. The present study examines them as part of work towards an understanding of public transport as a type of contested public space, since publics can have them removed. On the one hand, both films manufacture consent for the removal of on-street electric public transport on rails at a time when internal combustion engine vehicles, both private and public, were becoming more and more widespread in the UK. On the other, the film-makers provide affectionate views of urban transport modes which in the late twentieth century were largely considered obsolete, thus paving the way for heritage discourses of transport and even anticipating sustainability-led positions on the city that would only gain traction decades after these networks closed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For much of the twentieth century, the tramway was the most important public transport system in Copenhagen, Denmark. It played a crucial role in the life of the city and features strongly in Danish art and literature produced during the network's lifespan as well as after it was finally closed in 1972. Despite this, the tramway has only received scarce scholarly attention. This article looks to address the situation. It does so by drawing attention to the fact that although the tramway was shut down, it lived on in art and literature. One example of this is "På Sporet af den Tabte Vogn" (1985) written by Klaus Rifbjerg. This short story has often been described as nostalgic. While this is not a misreading, it is an assessment that requires clarification. A close reading that draws on studies of nostalgia reveals that the short story does not boil down to a sentimental longing for a lost past. Rather, it thematises nostalgia for the Copenhagen tramway, questioning such remembrances' status and relevance in contemporary society. This means that, ultimately, the short story can be seen as part of a broader tendency in writing about closures of electric public transport networks in Western Europe and North America: it works as a counternarrative to notions of progress, an antidote to predominant ideas of urban development in the mid-twentieth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African & Mediterranean Journal of Architecture & Urbanism (AMJAU) is the property of Ecole Nationale d'Architecture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nowadays, cities are increasingly promoting active transportation modes and public transport to reduce car use. In parallel, the management of problematic ambient factors such as the odour in public transport systems is becoming a very important issue due to crowding that is constantly increasing. In this context, in order to contribute to public policies and to reduce olfactory nuisances, we evaluated the effects of ambient scent diffusers on the user experience and their attitude toward the use of such devices in public transport. We collected data among users of the tramway of Montpellier (France). They were questioned on-board about the ambient odour in two different situations. Users answered either in presence (70 users) or absence (97 users) of an ambient scent in the tramway carriage they were in. Our main results show that the presence of an ambient scent increased the pleasantness rating of the ambient odour and attenuated the perception of other odours inherent to public transport (perspiration, food, perfumes, etc.). Furthermore, the user attitude toward the presence of such a device in tramway carriages improved when the ambient scent was present. Thus, ambient scents might be a great tool in order to improve the olfactory comfort in public transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary history of London's tramways spans the period between late-Victorian and High Modernism, encompassing naturalist fiction, reportage, creative non-fiction, modernist poetry, and the psychological novel. The same timespan saw the horse tram give way to the electric tram, which itself faced replacement by motor buses and trolleybuses during the 1930s. This essay intersects these two narratives, of literary history and of transport history, as a contribution to mobility humanities focused on the city. Trams and tramways had a peculiarly in-between identity as vehicles and environments emerging from powered modernity but associated with the proletariat, as well as the urban districts where they lived. Reading literary texts by Arthur Morrison, Ford Madox Ford, and Virginia Woolf, spotlighted here as part of a broader corpus extending from the 1880s to the 1980s, brings the tramways' interstitiality to life. Trams, the literary readings demonstrate, were a contact zone that threatened to overturn separations of class and gender, as well as presaging an expanded future in which the city would be built around the industrial working class. The curtailment of tram operations in 1930s London meant that such a future never came to pass, but literary texts are windows onto its possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feasibility studies of transportation projects often require significant technical input, which should normally be the outcome of sub-sequent studies. An early assessment and screening of technically suitable project alternatives in the form of applicability verification could yield significant cost and time savings for planners, decision makers and stakeholders. The objective of this paper is to develop a comprehensive approach for the technical applicability verification of tramway systems. The proposed method considers different applicability aspects in a systematic manner and allows for quickly assessing whether a project may be implemented, in the context of a preparatory process. A case study of the applicability verification method for the case of a planned tram line in Thessaloniki, Greece, demonstrates the potential of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulties in transitioning to electric mobility in developing countries lie in the lack of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and buses. This research proposes a novel methodology to integrate electric vehicles and buses to optimise the tramway infrastructure. It is necessary to address challenges from the technical point of view by analysing the stochasticity of its variables through simulation in OpenDSS software. The technical feasibility of the tram power system and the impacts caused in the distribution network due to the incorporation of charging stations in three operating scenarios: the first in slow charging, the second in fast charging, and a third scenario that combines the previous two methods. The simulations determine that slow charging at night represents 9% of the total bus fleet, improving the utilisation factor of the tram system from 11% to 32%, whereas the fast and combined charging of vehicles and buses is not feasible due to the increase in losses in the system due to overloading in the network; however, the study validates the penetration of certain charging stations in the tramway network in a real case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tarragona's physiognomy was transformed due to the fortifications, the exploitation of the quarries and the bulk earthworks for the urban expansion. Agustín Elcoro Berecíbar introduced the tramway for the transport of large rocks. Amado de Lázaro designed a tramway to speed up the grading works of the Rambla Nova and varied the quarrying of the port. In addition, this analysis highlights the relationship between the quarries and the progress of the port works, as well as the alteration of the urban landscape and the development of domestic architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence and deep learning-based techniques undoubtedly are the future of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies. In this article is presented a technique for detecting, recognizing and tracking pedestrians, vehicles and cyclists along a tramway infrastructure in a complex urban environment by Computer Vision, Deep Learning approaches and YOLOv3 algorithm. Experiments have been conducted in the tramway Line 2 "Borgonuovo –Notarbartolo" (Palermo, Italy) in correspondence of the tramway segments crossing a roundabout having an external diameter of 24 m. A survey vehicle equipped with a video camera was used in the study. The results of the research show that the proposed method is able to search and detect the position and the speed of road users near and over the rails in front of the tram in a very precise way as demonstrate by the estimated values of the Accuracy, Loss and Precision obtained during the neural networks training process. The implementation of this advanced detection method in ADAS systems may increase the safety of novel autonomous trams and autonomous rapid trams (ARTs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 FROM AUTHOR]

Urban transport in countries of East-Central Europe, including the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, played an important role in the residents’ daily mobility. The underdevelopment of individual motorisation contributed to the lasting significant role of public transport. Due to the operating characteristics of electric vehicles, as well as emerging fuel crises, electric public transport played a key role, especially in large cities. Differences in the development of economies in the electrotechnical segment influenced the structure of public transport in the analysed countries. The higher level of development of the Czechoslovak transport sector contributed to a greater share of trams and trolleybuses in total transport. Despite many development plans in Poland, the process of developing traditional means of electric transport slowed down with the political change in 1989. The situation was slightly different in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where, despite financial difficulties, the development of tramway and trolleybus networks continued. Modernisation of public transport began after joining the European Union. Technological development has led to the emergence of a new means of transport –electric buses. The apparent ease of putting them into service revolutionised the situation in Poland, thus popularising electric transport. The situation was different in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where the main focus was on the development of tramway and trolleybus transport. The article reconstructs the development of urban electric transport after 1989 in the analysed countries and identifies factors that differentiate contemporary transport development policies in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regional press played a crucial role in the turbulent atmosphere of the late 19th century. Moreover, it was the only medium of mass communication through which the public could be informed about the latest events in the town of Olomouc and its surroundings. The key periodicals of the Olomouc environment include the Czech newspapers Olomoucký Pozor and Našinec and the German Die Neue Zeit and Mährisches Tagblatt, which slowly became a national battleground of the local population. These newspapers were pillars of the Olomouc journalistic scene, reflecting the tense mood of the ethnically divided city, usually according to the political or national focus of the particular paper. Local periodicals thus portrayed everyday events from the point of view of individual national groups, which through their newspapers tried to discredit each other, and illustrated individual events adequately to their ideological stance. The pages of the press frequently included purposely formulated articles based on the long-term tendencies and objectives of the two nationalities. As tensions increased, events that were at first glance quite apolitical became the subject of controversy. Even such an achievement of modern society as the introduction of fully electrified public transport in the city soon turned into a political and national topic, which for some time filled the front pages of both Czech and German Olomouc periodicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Copyright of Llull: Revista de la Sociedad Espanola de Historia de las Ciencias y de las Tecnicas is the property of Sociedad Espanola de Historia de las Ciencias y de las Tecnicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bicycle infrastructure is utilised to improve cycling safety and encourage bicycle use as a sustainable and healthy transport mode. This study sets out to assess whether providing physically separated cycle tracks along distributor roads, as prescribed in Dutch design guidelines and the Sustainable Safety vision, yields the expected safety benefits for cyclists. Therefore the safety of physically separated cycle tracks is compared to marked or painted cycle lanes and to mixed traffic conditions at distributor roads with a speed limit of 50 km/h in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The study also includes the presence of the risk factors curbside parking and trams. Since police records are known to underreport single bicycle crashes and other crashes without a motor vehicle involved, ambulance records are used in this study instead. Also, both motor vehicle volumes as well as cyclists counts are taken into account in the crash analysis. By doing so, this study aims to address two weaknesses of previous research, i.e. the lack of control for exposure of cyclists and the use of police recorded crashes which miss the majority of bicycle crashes without motor vehicles. Results show that, controlled for kilometres travelled by bicycle and by motor vehicle, 50-60% less bicycle crashes occur on distributor roads with cycle tracks compared to those with cycle lanes. Curbside parking and trams are related to an increased likelihood of bicycle crashes, a difference of a factor 2 and 1.7-2 respectively. The authors therefore recommend to favour physically separated cycle tracks over cycle lanes and to take out curbside parking from the cross section as this presents the possibility to introduce cycle tracks in existing cross sections and mitigate an important risk factor concurrently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

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.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plans for opening tramway lines in Kalisz were first discussed at the beginning of the XX century. Electric narrow gauge, horse tram and electric trams later on should have connected the main railroad station with city centre and public utilities. First proposal came even before the opening of the newly constructed Warsaw – Kalisz railway (1901). Another project of town cable cars was proposed a few years later, but with no result. Following decades of the XX century saw redirection of ideas towards urban public transport, when cable-car proposals were finally replaced by a bus connection. To prepare this study, presenting an historical outline of the abovementioned, never materialized projects, author used the documents gathered in the State Archive in Łódź, studies concerning the economic, urban and social situation of the city, press reports and local guides and plans from the period under examination. Offering a brief overview of the topic, this work aims at promoting a need for detailed historical studies on this issue in Kalisz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Marmara University Social Sciences Institute / Öneri is the property of Marmara University, Institute of Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Regular use of public transportation might be a risk for acquiring symptomatic COVID-19. • Among our healthcare workers, COVID-19 infection was not related to regular public transport use. • Further evaluations are necessary to prove, or to reject, the hypothesis that public transport could be a particular source of COVID-19 infection. • Our study formally applies to a resource-rich urban setting with mandatory mask use in public vehicles. Use of public transportation could be associated with an increased risk for developing COVID-19. We investigated 376 COVID-19-compatible episodes among our healthcare workers (HCWs), of whom 225 (60%) reported that they used public transportation. In multivariate analyses, HCWs using public transportation had no greater incidence of COVID-19 than those continuously using a private transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comparison of two alternative systems to supply the traction power of a tramway in Cuenca–Ecuador. Each system studies the effective combination of supercapacitors, lithium ion batteries and proton exchange membrane fuel cells (SC/LIB/PEMFC) on board. The first system uses renewable sources (PV/HKT/GB/Grid) supplying the on-board systems through the existing grid and hydrogen charging stations. While the second system uses only grid power from a single point of charge, leaving the tramway without any external connection point throughout their journey. The energy and economic analyses are based on the capacity of each system to supply the load and the resources used. The results show that the new proposed control systems, by means of the analysed configurations made up of different control states, are always capable of perfectly supplying the power required by the tramway throughout their journey. However, when using energy from renewable sources, hydrogen consumption decreases by 4.27% with respect to the grid on each round trip, with a lower net present cost. Furthermore, in the first proposed system, the depth of discharge in SC and LIB is greater. • Energy control systems based on fuel cell for a hybrid tramway in Ecuador. • Renewable components (photovoltaic, hydrokinetic and biomass). • All components are charged with the braking power of the tramway. • The study includes technical-economic analysis of two proposed systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the concept of a simple system for the identification of the technical condition of tracks based on a trained learning system in the form of three independent neural networks. The studies conducted showed that basic measurements based on the root mean square of vibration acceleration allow for monitoring the track condition provided that the rail type has been included in the information system. Also, it is necessary to select data based on the threshold value of the vehicle velocity. In higher velocity ranges (above 40 km/h), it is possible to distinguish technical conditions with a permissible error of 5%. Such selection also enables to ignore the impact of rides through switches and crossings. Technical condition monitoring is also possible at lower ride velocities; however, this comes at the cost of reduced accuracy of the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving an optimal operating cost is a challenge for the development of hybrid tramways. In the past few years, in addition to fuel costs, the lifespan of the power source is being increasingly considered as an important factor that influences the operating cost of a tramway. In this work, an optimal energy management strategy based on a multi-mode strategy and optimisation algorithm is described for a high-power fuel cell hybrid tramway. The objective of optimisation is to decrease the operating costs under the conditions of guaranteeing tramway performance. Besides the fuel costs, the replacement cost and initial investment of all power units are also considered in the cost model, which is expressed in economic terms. Using two optimisation algorithms, a multi-population genetic algorithm and an artificial fish swarm algorithm, the hybrid system's power targets for the energy management strategy were acquired using the multi-objective optimisation. The selected case study includes a low-floor light rail vehicle, and experimental validations were performed using a hardware-in-the-loop workbench. The results testify that an optimised energy management strategy can fulfil the operational requirements, reduce the daily operation costs and improve the efficiency of the fuel cell system for a hybrid tramway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents experimental research carried out to determine the possible actions to reduce the noise generated by trams in a highly urbanised area. A few design strategies affecting tram ride quality have been presented - especially in the aspect of the acoustic phenomena. Main sources of the noise in trams were characterised. The paper includes selected results of comprehensive studies of tram noise in the pass-by test based on the authors' research methodology. The tests were carried out on various types of trams to recognise the acoustic phenomena characteristic for the rolling stock in a selected tram system. The results of the measurements were analysed both in the field of amplitudes based on noise maps and in respect to frequencies based on noise spectra. The results indicated the rolling noise as important issue demanding taking some actions in order to reduce its level. In this area, elements for the application of individual attenuation solutions, i.e. at the source and during propagation, were presented. The results of the measurements were used as input data to the assumptions of the noise attenuation passive system, which was the final outcome of the study. Dedicated external dampers were used in the case of wheel and rail pairs, where the dominant power of the noise is emitted. The acoustic properties of the bogie area and the bogie side covers were redeveloped to hamper the noise propagation, which is a novel application. The presented results indicate measurable benefits from the applied solutions on the tram noise reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]