Bad Rumors From Philadelphia Regarding Rt. 15

Hi Folks:

  According to some writers from Subchat,  a source states that SEPTA is having trouble getting parts for their reconstructed PCC cars on Girard Avenue.  One source asked " How come San Francisco does not have trouble getting parts for their PCC streetcars?   Once service is temporarily suspended, it is possible that you could kiss service good bye, just like route 23- Germantown Avenue.  Since it is not clear yet if battery buses are successful,  I would say, salvage the overhead and convert it to trolleybus and buy in motion charging trolleybuses, if the streetcars have to go.  Remember what I said ages ago:  If Philadelphia did not have a trolley subway and private right of way running, Philadelphia would today be without streetcars for several decades already, just like New York.

SEPTA did not come out with an official statement yet about service on the number 15.

October 31, 1956 Again

 When streetcar service stopped on October 31, 1956, service on the McDonald Avenue branch ended as well.   In the picture above,   I am sorry, I lost the reference, a south bound PCC car is about to cross Cortelyou Road and McDonald Avenue.  In the foreground and above and perpendicular to the picture is the wooden support for the B-23 Cortelyou Road trolleybus which also ended on the same day.  The car shown, may make a short turn at the Kensington Loop on the next street or may go all the way to Coney Island.   PCC cars entered Church Avenue service around 1951  and notice above that the wooden ties are missing to three of the four tracks on the structure.  Through service to Coney Island started on October-November 1954 on the elevated structure above, so this picture can be dated from 1951 to 1954.

In the sixty years plus that Brooklyn lost it's trolleys, trolleys have made a comeback in various forms to even cities that were hostile to them, such as Los Angeles, Paris, London and other cities.   Of the world class cities, only New York and Chicago and some others cannot, will not, or simply cannot bring trolleys back, even for a demonstration line running a few hundred feet.

Many years ago, I posted a video of the Volgograd tram subway from the former Russia.   There, PCC type cares run on the street then descend into a tunnel with nice stations.   I would if I could would build such a line between Brooklyn and Staten Island.   Why not a subway?   I believe  that modern PCC cars can make up the grade on the roadway of the Verazano Bridge.  Thus you would not need to build a billion dollar tunnel.  The line can go underground in Bay Ridge and meet at platform level at one of the "R" stations on 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge for a cross platform transfer.  In Staten Island, the line can run underground like in Volgograd, or private right of way or in the middle of an important but wide street.

Just a suggestion.
Tramway Null

New Trolleybus Developments

https://youtu.be/uPejgdyiXZ4?t=12

Hi Folks:

 I came across a video produced by DlaLogika, a firm that is developing trolleypoles that are very flexible in reaching or dropping away from the electric overhead.   According to this video, special work at intersections would not be needed.  In a few seconds away from an intersection with another trolleybus line, the poles will lower and reattach to the overhead after the intersection is passed.   Also shown was a two way street with trolleybuses running in both directions but with one set of overhead.  One trolley radios the oncoming trolley and one of the two lowers the poles while the other trolley remain on line.  Once the trolley on the other side passes, the trolley poles are re-attached.   This technology probably uses GIS or photography.   This technology may enable some cities to consider a partial overhead system. 

   I also saw, but I do not have the reference of a trolleybus test using an above ground conduit for the electricity.   The trolleybus does not use wires but must be in contact with the metal conduit that appears to be .5 inches above the surface of the street.   I am not sure how ice, snow, salt and heavy traffic will effect this flat conduit system.  It is important to note that Manhattan streetcars received the power from slot between tracks with an underground conduit.  What happens when heavy cargo falls to the street and smashes the conduit container?

From Urban Transport Magazine:  From a few days ago written by their editorial staff:

First New Yutang Trolleybuses for Mexico City Officially Presented

...
""The Yutongs have been built in China and are branded ZK5120C. New for Mexico City, the trolleybus is carrying a new blue livery. The total contract value is reported to be 290 million MEX (ca. 13.4 million EUR or ca. 334,000 EUR per trolleybus). The new trolleybuses have a length of 12 m a passenger capacity of 84 – 90 of which 56 – 62 standing and 28 seating. Maximum speed is 70 km/h. Additionally, the new vehicles are equipped with Lithium-Phosphate batteries, allowing for a catenary-free battery range of 70 km. According to media reports, the newly elected mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, plans to purchase a total of 500 new trolleybuses. There are plans to reactivate old trolleybus lines and also build new lines..."


My Comment:

     Mexico City's trolleybus system has not been in the news recently.  It was formerly one of the largest systems in North America but it's fleet size was dropping.   It is interesting that the mayor appears to be pro trolleybus.    I also know that Mexico City has air pollution problems.  It is not clear if these Chinese made trolleybuses have In Motion Charging.

Re Philadelphia:

    I Googled Map Philadelphia for "Snyder Avenue" and along that avenue,  at least for the sections that I looked at, the trolleybus wire overhead is gone, but the trolley sport poles (many of them seem in place.  Also for Tasker Avenue in South Philly, the wire is gone but some support poles remain.

Germany may be Planning to convert 631 Miles of the Autobahn for Trolley Truck Use

Hi Folks:

   I saw this today.  The ongoing experiment in Germany with trolleytrucks will last until 2022. If successful, and if money is available, many miles of road will be converted,     I believe it was mentioned in the article that the overhead may be used by other vehicles for charging (in motion charging).   This would imply that a smaller truck with batteries if equipped with overhead can use the overhead for a charge and then leave the highway and proceed a long way without wires.  How about interurban service using trolleybuses as well?   But I think the overhead will need to be redesigned for use by trolley buses and trolley trucks.
Tramway Null(0)


From International Business Times:  Wesley Dockey, 5/14/19

DW reported that Germany could be planning to convert 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of its 13,000 (8,077) Autobahn highway system into electric highways for hybrid trucks.

New Developments from St. Petersburgh, Russia

Hi Friends:
A Russian friend of mine gave me the link below to tramway developments in his home city of St. Petersburg.   He is an observer of the transit scene there for many years and he was worried that trams were being removed from his beloved city.  His link to, in Russian, show the construction of a completely new line, thus giving hope of new developments.   Also, there are great pictures of new tram cars in various settings.

  I told Igor that he is much to be proud of in St. Petersburg regarding trams.  Least they and trolleybus continue to exist.  In my home city of New York, the trolleybuses died in July 1960 and streetcars on October 31,1956 and in 1957.  This was a long time ago.  A large generation of New Yorkers who are not foreign born or who come from US cities that have streetcars, have no idea what a trolleybus or tram is.  Nice videos attached to the site as well.
A chizhik is a small bird.

https://vk.com/chizhiklrt

Yesterday was the 59th Anniversary of the End of Trolleybus Service in Brooklyn

  On July 27,  1960, trolley bus service ended on Brooklyn and Queens trolley bus lines.   One line, the St. John's Place line ended in 1959.   The trolleybus or trackless trolley, did not make a large impression on New York City transit history.  A line(s) started in Staten Island in the 1920's, but were gone a few years later.  In the early 1930's, experiments were conducted on the B-23 Cortelyou Road line and that line lasted until October 31, 1956, the last date also for streetcars in Brooklyn.   Several streetcar lines were converted to trolleybus in 1947 to 1958 but they just lasted until July, 1960.  I was told to me by a person who worked at the Transit Authority many years ago that there were double wire wood  supports under the Flushing Line structure at Woodside, but no line was ever built.  There were plans to covert more lines to trolleybus around 1950 but the deal fell through, including the Ocean Avenue Line, the Fifth Avenue Line in Brooklyn, the northern part of the Vanderbuilt Aveune Line and some lines in Queens.  Around 1992 the NYCTA wanted to convert the M-15 Second Avenue Bus Line in Manhattan but that also fell through as well.  The plan was for a Select Service Bus type of line with overhead.  This project was tied to a similar one in Los Angeles but since the LA project fell through, the M-15 line also did not come into being.  Looking at some early NYC Transit System Annual Reports in college around 1969, I came across an Annual Report for perhaps 1958 or 1959?  In it, it said that the trackless trolleys are "coming fast obsolete " and that they should be gone by 1962.  Besides Staten Island in the 1920's and Brooklyn and Queens from 1930 to 1960, no other boroughs had trolleybus systems  (Manhattan and Bronx).   With the perfection of on board batteries, it is not likely that any new trolleybus systems would open up in New York City or the United States.

Some Interesting News from Brooklyn

Hi Folks:
  Sorry that I did not blog in a long time, but nothing was really happening from my viewpoint.  Recently, via "Subchat", two news items came to view: 1)  Possibility of closing the Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn due to financial reasons and the official announcement of the start of express service in Brooklyn on the "F" train between Church Avenue and Metrotech-Jay Street.  Let us start with the F express service.   It will be very limited; two trips in the morning and two at night.  It will not stop at Bergen Street (lower) and will run local south of Church Avenue.  This service will start in September.   On the transit museum, it is rumored that it will close.   A potential location for relocation would be the lower level of the Ninth Avenue subway station of our beloved former Culver Shuttle.  It is just a rumor of closing or of relocation of the Museum, while the F train express service is official.  There is much to say on both subjects and I will continue in the future.

Another Interesting Article by Alon Levy

Kicking the tires on battery-electric buses

The better option now for Greater Boston is the electric trolley bus

 ALON LEVY,  JOSH FAIRCHILD and  JAMES ALOISI May 25, 2019

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/

Hi Folks:

 I just came across another interesting article by Alon  Levy dealing with electric buses and in motion charging.  Alon  is saying that with today's technology, for cities with cold weather and hills, the battery bus may not be able to be successful.   For those cities with existing trolleybus networks, they should give trolleybuses a try with in motion charging technology.   The question is if battery buses cannot solve the cold weather and hill problem, will cities that opt for clean buses will re-establish trolleybus networks?   Take the case of south Philadelphia.   I believe that the two southern routes, Tasker-Morris and Snyder still have wired portions up.   Philadelphia is testing with Proterra electric buses.   If they fail, would Philadelphia re-establish the two southern trolleybus routes?   Do not forget that the poles are up and perhaps portions of the wire and fittings need to be replaced?     I believe that unfortunately, trolleybuses are a hard sell because of the wires and flexibility issues.     A city will be willing to deal with weight problems on their buses and charge times rather than setting up new trolleybus systems, unfortunately.  IMHO.  Below is what it left on Snyder Avenue in Philadelphia  at th western end of the former trolleybus route.   Using Google Maps, you can see that most of the wire is gone, but the power utility poles remain in many places.   If the Proterra buses fail, would SEPTA re-invest with trolleybuses for Tasker-Morris and Snyder Avenues?

New York City to have 100% Electric Bus Fleet by 2040: But What About Trolleybuses?

New York City Aims for All-Electric Bus Fleet by 2040

NYC has more than 5,700 MTA buses. Taking the fleet electric would reduce climate-warming emissions and cut fuel, maintenance and health costs.

Phil McKenna

BY PHIL MCKENNA

------------------------------------------------------------------------


My opinion begins below:

This headline comes from  "Inside Climate News" from a few days ago.  Various periodicals similar to this mentioned this and I looked over one very fast.   I did not see one mention of trolley buses,or in motion charging or streetcars.  I believe that the decision makers in transportation believe that pure battery powered buses will be economical and efficient by 2040.  It can get very hot in New York in the summer and very cold in winter and will the bus batteries be able to handle the load without spending the day recharging?   In previous posts, I discovered that if battery buses are assisted with under the wire charging, battery buses may be successful and as we speak, experiments are taking place in Europe.  It seems to me that in New York City, decisions regarding the old streetcar system and small trolleybus system in Brooklyn and Queens (1930-1960) were made by perhaps a single individual who was hostile to the concept of overhead wired transport or  just does not know.  Is this the same situation here?  Why are trolleybuses or in motion charging not considered an option?  I would like to say that some heavy duty bus routes in Manhattan and Brooklyn should be converted to streetcar not for development but for efficiency and clear air.

As far as New York City is concerned, it has no luck with re-establishing electric surface transportation using wires. Not a mention of trolleybuses here and in a similar proposal for Los Angeles.  Remember that around 1992, Los Angeles wanted to establish a big trolleybus system.

In 1969, I thought streetcars would come back due to concerns about dirty air, but I was wrong.
In 1973 and 1979, I thought streetcars would come back due to an oil embargo, but I was wrong.
I thought streetcars would come back to 42nd Street because it was approved, but I was wrong because the mayor vetoed it.
I thought streetcars would come back to Red Hook, but I was wrong.
I thought streetcars would come back due to peak oil, but I was wrong.
I thought that streetcars would come back to various streets in NYC as planned by the Regional Plan, but I was wrong.
I thought streetcars and trolleybuses would come back due to Climate Change, but I was wrong...


Thanks folks, so long.
tramway null(0)

"Trolley" System Planned for Paterson, New Jersey

In my March, 2019 copy of the "ERA Bulletin"  (Vol. 62, No. 3), in the commuter and Transit Notes section for Other Transit  Systems (page 10), it mentioned that for an urban renewal project,  a trolley system is proposed to link the subject area due to scarce parking.  Two loops are proposed and the expected hours of operation were listed.  In the back of my mind, I did not hear about this when I googled News, for streetcars" for a period of time.    In addition, the running schedule was posted so fast!   What about the environmental studies about the impact of the system?   What about the court cases about the line, environmental impact studies and  everything else that makes building  any form of rail or electric transit difficult in this region?   To my surprise, when I  Googled "Paterson New Jersey" and "Trolley", you get pictures of a planned system using faux trolleys.  They look nice but to call them streetcars, trolleys, or light rail is like calling a "hot dog" float in a parade a hot dog.   I believe a similar system is planned for a development in Coney Island Brooklyn.  If it is too good to be true, it is probably not true.  I am surprised that ERA Bulletin gave any space to this non story, unless down the road, if this system is successful, perhaps the real thing will be considered.

Just an observation.   A new green "New Deal" was proposed recently and it was much in the news.  According to my limited research, I did not notice any articles linking this plan with proposed trolleybus lines, streetcars or in motion charging as a means of  electrifying our surface transit.

Perhaps the planners are betting on battery powered buses only.  IMHO only.

tramway_null(0)

Interesting article about Battery Buses vs Trolleybuses with In Motion Charging

Excellent Article.   Perhaps there is some hope for trolleybuses after all.    Interesting, as stated in the article, that officials in California do not have respect for trolleybuses?  How will weak battery buses get up those San Francisco hills during a cold snap?

https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2019/01/electric-bus-battery-recharge-new-flyer-byd-proterra-beb/577954/

The Verdict's Still Out on Battery-Electric Buses

1. ALON LEVY

 7:00 AM ET