In Newcastle, the trams are powered by a battery. They charge by raising a pantograph up to touch a steel bar at each tram stop: https://youtu.be/yFQRo3I15fY
In Sydney, along George St and Circular Quay, the trams are powered by a third track embedded in the roadway. So, again, no overhead wires in this part of the network: https://youtu.be/DdiZ3UTa4g4
So yes, trams without overhead wires can be done.
Even if Melbourne didn’t move to a different power system, the city could reduce the amount of overhead wires by:
a) Giving trams their own right of way in the middle of the road (rather than sharing their lanes with cars), and
b) Hanging overhead wires from poles in the middle of the road (as happens currently on Burwood Hwy) rather than from poles on the side of the road.
Dedicated lanes would also make a world of difference in terms of travel times, frequency, and preventing trams from bunching up.
@maegul @ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml @poVoq @AussieWirraway It is possible to do trams without all the overhead wires.
In Newcastle, the trams are powered by a battery. They charge by raising a pantograph up to touch a steel bar at each tram stop: https://youtu.be/yFQRo3I15fY
In Sydney, along George St and Circular Quay, the trams are powered by a third track embedded in the roadway. So, again, no overhead wires in this part of the network: https://youtu.be/DdiZ3UTa4g4
So yes, trams without overhead wires can be done.
Even if Melbourne didn’t move to a different power system, the city could reduce the amount of overhead wires by:
a) Giving trams their own right of way in the middle of the road (rather than sharing their lanes with cars), and
b) Hanging overhead wires from poles in the middle of the road (as happens currently on Burwood Hwy) rather than from poles on the side of the road.
Dedicated lanes would also make a world of difference in terms of travel times, frequency, and preventing trams from bunching up.