Not all European trams are the same though, as a lot of modern "trams" are essentially LRVs without a dedicated transitway.
The yellow low-floor Bombardier LRVs and dedicated transitway portions of the Berlin Stadtbahn is exactly that Calgary should be looking to do with the Green Line.
Stadbahn apparently looks something like this:
Again, that does not meet accessibility standards and is a non starter.
Fun tidbit - it's not a high priority right now (obviously), but when I was on the West Calgary design committee, I found out the City was studying the idea of putting streetcars (similar to those in Toronto) on 17th Avenue - from MacLeod Trail all the way to 45th Street SW. I think that would be an absolutely terrific idea, and a great way for people to move down this important artery. There used to be streetcars on 17th way back in Calgary's early days too.
Fun tidbit - it's not a high priority right now (obviously), but when I was on the West Calgary design committee, I found out the City was studying the idea of putting streetcars (similar to those in Toronto) on 17th Avenue - from MacLeod Trail all the way to 45th Street SW. I think that would be an absolutely terrific idea, and a great way for people to move down this important artery. There used to be streetcars on 17th way back in Calgary's early days too.
What benefits over buses do street cars have, now that EV buses exist?
Again, that does not meet accessibility standards and is a non starter.
The Berlin Stadtbahn has mixed-use sections exiting directly onto the street like the picture you posted, but it also has sections of dedicated transitway like the following image, where there is a small platform at curb height to allow mobility-impaired individuals to board.
Fun tidbit - it's not a high priority right now (obviously), but when I was on the West Calgary design committee, I found out the City was studying the idea of putting streetcars (similar to those in Toronto) on 17th Avenue - from MacLeod Trail all the way to 45th Street SW. I think that would be an absolutely terrific idea, and a great way for people to move down this important artery. There used to be streetcars on 17th way back in Calgary's early days too.
I think having an inner city streetcar loop would be sweet. Beltline > Sunalta > Kensington > Bridgeland > EV/Inglewood > Victoria Park > Beltline. Or maybe just one that covers the southern parts that includes Mission too, and then maybe a separate one for the north. We have all these train lines to the burbs, but nothing that easily gets people circulating within the inner city neighborhoods. Too many spokes, not enough wheel!
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All of our busses are capable of kneeling to make a level entrance to the curb.
Which is fine for buses, but not for rapid transit. Key word being rapid. There needs to be some minimum infrastructure built to allow rapid loading and unloading. I’m agreeing with you, this is just a convenient post to quote.
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What benefits over buses do street cars have, now that EV buses exist?
Quick list (not exhaustive, of course):
Can attach/detach LRVs together based on increasing/decreasing demand.
LRVs generally last longer than automobiles (buses) do, thereby reducing labour cost per user.
Track systems are safer for use in the winter than buses.
Smoothness/fluidity of ride, level of comfort, is higher with LRVs, and ease of onboarding/offboarding is same as buses, or better.
Dedicated (and simple) track routes are easier to navigate/understand for the rider, even moreso for non-citizens/tourists.
Overall both systems move people, that's the point. If I had a choice bewteen the two (streetcars and buses) though, I'm taking the streetcar all day everyday. Used to live in Toronto and I always actively took the streetcar over bus there. The choice comes down to what is the better long-term ROI for that municipality, of course.
I think having an inner city streetcar loop would be sweet. Beltline > Sunalta > Kensington > Bridgeland > EV/Inglewood > Victoria Park > Beltline. Or maybe just one that covers the southern parts that includes Mission too, and then maybe a separate one for the north. We have all these train lines to the burbs, but nothing that easily gets people circulating within the inner city neighborhoods. Too many spokes, not enough wheel!
You could accomplish this with a bus route, too. Something dedicated with built up infrastructure/bus lanes that made it a quick route, especially if you want to move people to/from the new arena and back into the more happening parts of the city. But a streetcar/tram kind of thing would be cool, too.
Instead of a loop, I’d do two intersecting routes:
Kensington (Memorial/10 st)
Sunalta (10 ave/14 st)
17 ave/14 st
Tomkins (17 ave/8 st)
Mission (17 ave/4 st)
Arena
East Village
and
Sunalta
10 ave/8 st
10 ave/4 st
9 ave/1 st SE
East Village
Inglewood
Two intersections at Sunalta and East Village, with one taking you as far as Inglewood and the other as far as Kensington.
Both routes also intersect with nearby LRT stations, too.
I think having an inner city streetcar loop would be sweet. Beltline > Sunalta > Kensington > Bridgeland > EV/Inglewood > Victoria Park > Beltline. Or maybe just one that covers the southern parts that includes Mission too, and then maybe a separate one for the north. We have all these train lines to the burbs, but nothing that easily gets people circulating within the inner city neighborhoods. Too many spokes, not enough wheel!
Yeah, I'd get a lot of use out of a streetcar or even single bus that I can use in the winter to take me to the inner-city places that I like to bike to in the summer. In the summer, a streetcar would be a great tourism-driver for these neighbourhoods.
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A couple problems. They'd lose a few billion from the Feds/province, and they've already ordered a bunch of rolling stock.
But the federal funding department has asked for a new business case to go with this scope change. The mayor seemed certain that would not be any issue and she's probably right as the feds will likely have a hard on for any version of train to nowhere over a more pragmatic solution that would actually get a lot more people out of ICE cars and into busses.
There is likely a breakup fee in that LRV contract. I don't get the sense that this project has passed the point of no return.
It would be one thing if they are biting the bullet and putting in the hardest most expensive section of the line, but that simply isn't the case.
__________________ It's only game. Why you heff to be mad?
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Can attach/detach LRVs together based on increasing/decreasing demand.
LRVs generally last longer than automobiles (buses) do, thereby reducing labour cost per user.
Track systems are safer for use in the winter than buses.
Smoothness/fluidity of ride, level of comfort, is higher with LRVs, and ease of onboarding/offboarding is same as buses, or better.
Dedicated (and simple) track routes are easier to navigate/understand for the rider, even moreso for non-citizens/tourists.
Overall both systems move people, that's the point. If I had a choice bewteen the two (streetcars and buses) though, I'm taking the streetcar all day everyday. Used to live in Toronto and I always actively took the streetcar over bus there. The choice comes down to what is the better long-term ROI for that municipality, of course.
Streetcar doesn’t meet accessibility requirements so it’s a non-starter.
I think having an inner city streetcar loop would be sweet. Beltline > Sunalta > Kensington > Bridgeland > EV/Inglewood > Victoria Park > Beltline. Or maybe just one that covers the southern parts that includes Mission too, and then maybe a separate one for the north. We have all these train lines to the burbs, but nothing that easily gets people circulating within the inner city neighborhoods. Too many spokes, not enough wheel!
Gotta do a loop in Marda!
Here's a map of the former Calgary streetcar system. It makes one weep.
