How did we build streetcar lines for 60 years without moving Utlities?

[CandOforprogress2]

The Following book showed Cleveland Streetcars using a portible Switch to get around water main breaks and gas lines while they were under repair. A Modular system could do the same. Cleveland OH has had gas lines since the 1910s

http://www.librarything.com/author/christiansenharry

[tomikawaTT]

Back in the day, more than a few streetcar lines were built as part of a scheme to create suburban sprawl.  To begin with, the only utilities along most of the route to Electric Park were the railroad's own power poles.  Water and sewer lines came MUCH later.  By the time the electric and phone lines went underground the rails were usually paved over or removed.  So was Electric Park.

Chuck

[daveklepper]

The three-mile tunnel costs are just for the tunnel.  No stations, no track, no escalators, no elevators for the handicapped, no lighting, track, signals.    Figure that that 250,000,000,00 for three miles on the surface would probably have been 450,000,000.00 if in a subway.  If cut and cover construction is used, of course utilities will have be relocated to an even greater extent than with surface track. If Cincinnatti is on a rock, and a tunnel borrer is used, the cost would not be much different even without much relocation of utilities.  The only advantage, and an important one, is less disruption of activity on the street.

[CandOforprogress2]

So what is the problem now that with the cost of moving utlities that above ground rail now costs more then underground rail? For example a 25 ft diameter 3 mile tunnel was built for 195 Million Dollers for moving and storing sewage water that lays 100 feet underground in Euclid/ Cincy Streetcar costs 250,000,000.00 for 3 miles of above ground rail because of the cost of moving utlities.

[rcdrye]

Look at pictures of building cable (later conduit electric) lines in New York and other cities.  Plenty of utilities to relocate in the 1890s and early 1900s.

[matthewsaggie]

When most streetcar lines were built, there were very few underground utilities. Only the densest cities had public water, and fewer had public sewer systems. Many of those were installed after the track was down. Gas, usually coal gas, was not that widespread, either.

[CandOforprogress2]

and could we come up with a modular track system that can be easly moved without disrupting the uilities right of access or service? It works on my model train layout and Walthers has had this in there catolog for years.