Meanwhile well to east, it seems Odessa's tram system is being run down. This could be deliberate policy and they will be replaced with buses or there really is just no money in the Ukraine to maintain the system. 4:21 but no need to watch more than 40 seconds. Note: Things may not be as bad as they look as I have seen the distortion effects of certain camera lenses before in videos like this.
Melbourne's Christmas Sleigh Tram may look good at night but I don't think much of it in the daylight. Photo by Yarra Trams.
Melbourne has the largest tram/light rail system in the world if it is measured by route length at 250 km but from the list I am looking at Budapest has the highest numbers of travellers at nearly 400 million per annum, as against Melbourne's at a mere 180 million which is much exceeded by many tram cities.
I watched that whole 4+ minute video and noticed those trams slowed right down to almost walking speed over the warped section of rails. I didn't see any passengers in any of them, which doesn't surprise me, I wouldn't get in there either, in case the whole thing came off the rails altogether.
ReplyDeleteThe Budapest tram is quite pretty and I like that Melbourne one too, decorated like that it could be sidelined as a diner when its usefulness is superseded.
River, it is very rare for a tram passenger to ever get injured. The trams are so heavy and solid. The Melbourne sleigh tram is one of the City Circle trams, supposedly to provide free city travel in a circle around the city. We already have three restaurant trams.
DeleteAndrew, in my place we don't have Christams trams but I am going to watch more carefully in the morning
ReplyDeleteGosia, maybe you will in the future. Mention it to the authorities, if you will.
DeleteThat Budapest one looks great. I wonder if it is cost effective to decorate trams or they just do it to cheer people up on a miserable day!
ReplyDeleteMarie, I think the lighting would cheer people up and entertain kids. It would not be expensive to do with LED lighting. I think the trams would look quite good when viewed from a distance as they travel along the river.
DeleteLots of cities HAD efficient, clean and popular tram systems and moronically pulled them out for stinking cars and polluting buses. INSANE.
ReplyDeleteWell done Geneva, Amsterdam, Toronto, San Francisco, Melbourne, Budapest, Prague and Istanbul!! Great cities!
Hels, and a few Austrian and German cities too. Oil companies have much to answer for.
DeleteI do hope that camera distortion had a BIG part to play in that.
ReplyDeleteThat really didn't look comfortable. Or even safe which is probably more important.
EC, note the driver of the first tram getting a good rock around. River noted no passengers, so maybe they are on track that isn't part of the normal routes.
DeleteThe first video is good and the trams has people in it, the light a lovely.
ReplyDeleteThe next video is a bit weird.
Margaret, the second video is way weird.
DeleteThe Christmas Budapest tram is glorious... I've never seen a tram decorated like that before (but I don't get out much).
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the Ukrainian video. It looks awful but if you watch it at 3.50 and the extreme close up, the variances in the track look manageable, if not comfortable. Lets just say that I don't think that it would meet western standards.
Craig, it does seem to be a Budapest thing, although I recall an Italian tram town did similar last Christmas. No, not western standards. These are legacy tram systems that may or may not be kept.
DeleteTrams they come and they go well they do in Sydney,
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that tram stays on the tracks, it would be a bumpy ride.
Merle..............
Merle, indeed they do, including monorails, but it looks like this south eastern one will go ahead.
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