Trains.com

Trackless trams ?

2949 views
13 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Georgia USA SW of Atlanta
  • 11,919 posts
Trackless trams ?
Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 3:29 PM

Scientific American short article on trackless trams as a way to lower initial infrastructure costs.  BTW  =  We used to call electric buses using overhead dual conductors  " Trackless trolleys "

Will Trackless Trams Gain Traction in the U.S.? - Scientific American

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 2,593 posts
Posted by PNWRMNM on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 6:39 PM

Simply rebranding electric busses. That will not hold up once people see an artists rendering or a photo. Of course, that presumes people know what an electric bus is, so he might get away with the con. 

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Canada
  • 1,820 posts
Posted by cv_acr on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 6:43 PM

From article:

a self-driving electric bus with optical sensors that let it follow a white line painted on the road

 

LOL, in Florida or Arizona maybe. Not in the 12" of snow we got overnight here...

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • From: I've been everywhere, man
  • 4,269 posts
Posted by SD70Dude on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 6:47 PM

Texas is currently paralyzed by snow too.

We called them "trolleybuses" out here.  I'm still angry that Edmonton got rid of ours.

Edmonton BBC trolleybus 192.jpg

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 9:58 AM

Everything that was old is new again.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
  • 4,422 posts
Posted by DSchmitt on Thursday, February 18, 2021 3:30 PM

Not really trackless. The track is painted lines on the pavement.

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,897 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, February 18, 2021 3:52 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH

Everything that was old is new again.

 

Exactly. All the expansion of the Baltimore mass transit system from the late 30's to the early 50's was with trolley buses rather than tracks in the street. 

And by the early 60's both were pretty much gone. And now we have some tracks in the street again?

Maybe we should have just kept them then?

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Thursday, February 18, 2021 8:13 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Maybe we should have just kept them then?

Should have kept them as the Northern Central.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,897 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, February 18, 2021 8:43 PM

Overmod

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Maybe we should have just kept them then?

 

Should have kept them as the Northern Central.

 

 

Yes that too. And that rocket ship interurban to Annapolis, try to get from Camden Station to downtown Annapolis in one hour today.........

Both are walking trails now.......

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, February 18, 2021 10:09 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
 
Overmod 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Maybe we should have just kept them then? 

Should have kept them as the Northern Central. 

Yes that too. And that rocket ship interurban to Annapolis, try to get from Camden Station to downtown Annapolis in one hour today.........

Both are walking trails now.......

Sheldon

Don't overlook all the trackless trolley's that used to circulate on various routes in downtown Baltimore.

The B&A went to busses in about 1953 - 68 years ago (my Aunt use to ride the railroad from Linthicum to downtown until the end - My Grandfather used it regularly from his home in Severna Park to Camden Station)

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,897 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, February 18, 2021 10:42 PM

BaltACD

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
 
Overmod 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Maybe we should have just kept them then? 

Should have kept them as the Northern Central. 

Yes that too. And that rocket ship interurban to Annapolis, try to get from Camden Station to downtown Annapolis in one hour today.........

Both are walking trails now.......

Sheldon

 

Don't overlook all the trackless trolley's that used to circulate on various routes in downtown Baltimore.

The B&A went to busses in about 1953 - 68 years ago (my Aunt use to ride the railroad from Linthicum to downtown until the end - My Grandfather used it regularly from his home in Severna Park to Camden Station)

 

Further up the chain in this post, that was my comment that Overmod only partly quoted.

I pointed out that virtually all of the late 30's thru early 50's expansion of BTC transit in Baltimore was trolley buses. Baltimore had trolley buses from 1938 until 1959.

I grew up in Severna Park, and I remember the B&A still running freight to Annapolis when I was a child.

And as a teen and young adlut, I was a member of the Severna Park Model Railroad Club, located in the old station.

Sheldon

 

    

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Friday, February 19, 2021 8:25 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Further up the chain in this post, that was my comment that Overmod only partly quoted.  I pointed out that virtually all of the late 30's thru early 50's expansion of BTC transit in Baltimore was trolley buses. Baltimore had trolley buses from 1938 until 1959.

Memphis probably had even more than Baltimore did, so it's "really treading on sore water" (as a colorful friend of my father once said) to bring them up nostalgically.

We kinda-sorta have some of the effect with hybrid buses ... but all the overhead-wire infrastructure is long gone, and its perceived benefit vs. costs to restore would be slim.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
  • 4,422 posts
Posted by DSchmitt on Friday, February 19, 2021 3:40 PM

In 1980 or 81 I was a passenger on a trolleybus in San Franciso. The dtiver pulled to the curb and ran into a store  leaving the polls up.   

Another trolleybus came up behind but could not pass because of the raised polls.  The driver of that bus got out, lowered the polls then continued on his way.

The driver on my bus returned and tried to pull out. The look on his face was priceless.

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, February 21, 2021 7:32 AM

"...ran into a store."

Glad it was the driver that entered the store and not the trolleybus with him.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy