[Article] Council opposes overhead cables on cross-city Luas line

James Howard · 13-09-2010, 17:24

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...278759275.html

I hope they aren't spending any money on this objection. Using a third rail for a tram system does not appear to be sensible to me - no matter how many safety interlocks you can fit.

I had a look at the wires on the Docklands Luas line and you can't even see them from 100 metres away.

Ronald Binge · 13-09-2010, 18:59

Why not do a costing on just how much the differential would be and then charge personally the individuals who have backed this gimcrack idea with the massive costs involved.

dowlingm · 14-09-2010, 02:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Howard

I hope they aren't spending any money on this objection. Using a third rail for a tram system does not appear to be sensible to me

If Dublin wanted an in-ground system it is fortunate that they have picked one of the tram manufacturers which makes one. However, it's pricey and if the council wants it they should be prepared to bear some of the cost.

ACustomer · 14-09-2010, 08:37

The cost of this would be enormous: all existing trams would have to be retro-fitted with 3rd rail pickups. We don't know whether this is even feasible, in which case one would need a complete new tram fleet. Crazy nonsense, reminiscent of the Celtic Tiger era whan public bodies could waste unlimited amounts of money on daft projects where the cost-benefit ratio was never considered (often on the spurious grounds that it was "commercially sensitive").

We are run by wasters and idiots.

Colm Moore · 14-09-2010, 11:13

Quote:

3rd rail pickups

The modern technologies use batteries and/or buried power supplies, not third rail in the conventional sense.

It need only be put in to sensative locations. Only the trams to be used on that particular section would need it.

ACustomer · 14-09-2010, 12:02

Colm Moore:
(1) Batteries: is there room for them underfloor on an Alsthom tram?
(2) Buried power supplies: OK not a 3rd rail, but in principle the same problem: a whole extra pickup system for the power: is it doable?
(3) "Only the trams to be used on that particular section would need it". Can you be serious? if the sensitive location happens to be the city centre, then either all trams will have to be fitted, or else it's all change at Sthepen's Green, and again somewhere else on the North side.

Bordeaux has such a system, but the point is that it was specified at the outset. Retrofitting would seem to be extremely cost-ineffective.

James Howard · 14-09-2010, 12:21

Mind you a third rail activated for the section occupied by a tram would sure sort out any problems about people running across the road in from of trams. Ding Ding Bzzzzwwwrrrrrt!

Not to mention putting the fear of God into cyclists.

One wonders if anybody on Dublin City Council has been north of College Green recently. College Green is a nice area architecturally but the section between Westmoreland St and the top of O'Connell Street is nothing special.

Surely this is all a bit premature given that the Metro is going to be busy restoring O'Connell St into replica condition for the 1916 centenary.

13-09-2010, 17:24	#1
James Howard Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sligo Line Posts: 1,115	[Article] Council opposes overhead cables on cross-city Luas line http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...278759275.html I hope they aren't spending any money on this objection. Using a third rail for a tram system does not appear to be sensible to me - no matter how many safety interlocks you can fit. I had a look at the wires on the Docklands Luas line and you can't even see them from 100 metres away.

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13-09-2010, 18:59	#2
Ronald Binge Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 112	Why not do a costing on just how much the differential would be and then charge personally the individuals who have backed this gimcrack idea with the massive costs involved.

14-09-2010, 08:37	#4
ACustomer Really Regular Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 767	The cost of this would be enormous: all existing trams would have to be retro-fitted with 3rd rail pickups. We don't know whether this is even feasible, in which case one would need a complete new tram fleet. Crazy nonsense, reminiscent of the Celtic Tiger era whan public bodies could waste unlimited amounts of money on daft projects where the cost-benefit ratio was never considered (often on the spurious grounds that it was "commercially sensitive"). We are run by wasters and idiots.

14-09-2010, 12:02	#6
ACustomer Really Regular Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 767	Colm Moore: (1) Batteries: is there room for them underfloor on an Alsthom tram? (2) Buried power supplies: OK not a 3rd rail, but in principle the same problem: a whole extra pickup system for the power: is it doable? (3) "Only the trams to be used on that particular section would need it". Can you be serious? if the sensitive location happens to be the city centre, then either all trams will have to be fitted, or else it's all change at Sthepen's Green, and again somewhere else on the North side. Bordeaux has such a system, but the point is that it was specified at the outset. Retrofitting would seem to be extremely cost-ineffective.

14-09-2010, 12:21	#7
James Howard Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sligo Line Posts: 1,115	Mind you a third rail activated for the section occupied by a tram would sure sort out any problems about people running across the road in from of trams. Ding Ding Bzzzzwwwrrrrrt! Not to mention putting the fear of God into cyclists. One wonders if anybody on Dublin City Council has been north of College Green recently. College Green is a nice area architecturally but the section between Westmoreland St and the top of O'Connell Street is nothing special. Surely this is all a bit premature given that the Metro is going to be busy restoring O'Connell St into replica condition for the 1916 centenary.