Berlin to Experiment with a new In Motion Charging Trolleybus System

Hi Folks:

 Sorry for being away.  Not much happening in New York City.   I came across in  Urban Transort Magazine  that the City of Berlin is about to build a brand new trolleybus system with overhead wires using the concept of "In Motion Charging".  Berlin currently does not have a trolleybus system and I believe that this is significant.   The article was an editorial and was dated March 3, 2020.   The conversion of some diesel bus lines will be in the Spandau district.   This is significant because it recognizes that some busy bus lines cannot depend on battery power alone at this stage of technology.  These trolleybus discussed for Berlin will have at least 50% of their route under wire and the rest in battery mode.  For some reason,  I could not copy the link or any pictures from this magazine to show you.

Here in New York City the picture is not pretty.   The subways and other public places have been taken over by the homeless and crime is increasing.  Despite having a city agency to deal with the homeless, the problem is getting worse.  Crime is beginning to increase again.  No new subway routes are under construction and the plans that do exist, do not get implemented.  New subway cars are planned or under construction but they will be R-160 or R-179 look a likes. Some units being built will have open gangways.  Basically, the cars have fewer seats and of course, no seats near a widow.   When the R-46 and R-68 cars are retired,  there will not be a single car left in the system with a seat near a window.   No cars being built will feature a railfan window.  The new cars being built, I believe the R - 210 will be very similar to the R-160 or R-179,  The front of the new cars may show a destination sign,  something that was missing and taken away from subway cars for many decades.   The R- 32 and R-38 had destination signs,  but they were eliminated in a re-building process.  In the 1970's and 1980's,  in many car classes, the brains at the TA covered up or eliminated the front destination sign.  Any side destination sign made from plastic that was back lighted were also eliminated during the period or the bulbs were not replaced after burning out.  Remember when many IRT and BMT car classes had green lighted signs at first like the R-27-30, R-32, R-38, R-16, R-14 and all of the IND  R1-9's?   As the R1-9's were retired, years before, the TA simply did not replace the light bulbs in the destination and  route cabinets on the sides of each car.

So long for now.

Tramway Null(0)