Tram is one of the types of public transport in cities. Refers to electric powered rail transport. The name "tram" comes from the English combination of the words "wagon" (trolley) and "path". Trams move along certain routes and only along those streets where special tram rails are laid. The voltage of the air contact network is used as a power source.
What is a tram?
Tram is one of the first types of urban transport. He appeared in the first half of the 19th century. The first cars moved on horse drawn traction. Electric traction began to be used only at the end of the century before last. The first city where the tram became widespread was Berlin. In the first half of the 20th century, tram transport was actively developing, but after the Second World War it became less popular. In the 70-80s of the 20th century, there was a certain renaissance, which was associated with technical improvements and the fight against air pollution. Recently, the popularity of the tram in the world has declined sharply.
Trams are electric, horse, diesel, gasoline, steam, etc., but it is the first option that is the main one. The remaining species are not used now.
Tram station
This is a special organized place that is intended for boarding and alighting people from public transport, in this case a tram. In addition to a sign indicating a tram stop, it is equipped with a canopy and benches. It may also contain a map of tram routes, a schedule and numbers of cars stopping at it.
In large cities, outdoor advertising is a common attribute, and there may also be a ticket office. Stopping cars in such places is prohibited.
Stop sign
The mark is set for the purpose of increasing awareness of drivers and passengers. There are certain numbers on the street sign of the tram stop - 5.17. For such stops, slightly different road rules apply. This applies to traffic rules for the passage of tram stops. The fact is that the tram can stop right in the middle of the street, which is used for car traffic. In this case, a yellow zigzag line is drawn on the road near the paths. It provides that the driver in the case of a tram stop with passengers must wait until they get out and cross the road, and only then the car can go on.
At the same time, it can move slowly if people don’t go, but it will be safer to wait until the passengers are fully disembarked.
The remaining rules are the same as for other public transport stops.
Tram in Moscow
A tram appeared in Moscow in 1899. In 2018, 48 routes and 5 depots operate in the city. In total there are 2 tram networks: main and north-west. There is no rail connection between them. The total length of tram tracks in Moscow is 418 kilometers. The length was slightly less in 1926 (395 km).
The tram network reached its greatest development in the early 1930s, when the routes of this type of transport covered almost the entire city. Including its outskirts. In 1934, the tram was considered the most important vehicle in Moscow. Of the four million urban population, 2.6 million used trams to travel. The total length of the lines was approximately 560 km.
Since 1935, there has been a diversification of urban transport. At first, the reduction of tram lines was associated with the development of the subway, and then the trolleybus. Some lines were carried over to secondary streets. In particular, the paths that went near the Kremlin, and part of the paths going to the city outskirts, were removed. In the 50s, the dismantling of tram tracks on part of the routes was associated with the construction of highways. In the late 60s and early 70s, the closure of the lines led to the separation of its northwestern part from the main tram network.
The removal of Moscow tram routes continued into the 80s, but it was combined with the construction of new sections.
Period of market relations
Since the mid-90s of the 20th century, due to the expansion of the road network and the increase in the number of road transport, there has been an active reduction in the number of tram routes in Moscow. The total length of the tracks decreased from 460 to 420 km. In the late 90s, only 150 thousand people used the tram as the main vehicle. In the mid-zero, its total share in urban passenger traffic was about 5 percent. Nevertheless, in some areas it was the main mode of transport.
During the reign of Sergei Sobyanin, from 2012, the tram network began to expand. Some routes were opened, extended or restored. In 2017-2018 more new lines are being introduced. The tram park is being significantly updated.
Features of the Moscow tram network
The tram network of the city of Moscow is a weakly interconnected part, one of which is completely separated from the rest. There are 4 such parts: Apakovskaya, Yauzskaya, Krasnopresnenskaya and Artamonovskaya.
The oldest stop in Moscow
During the existence of the Moscow tram, stops repeatedly changed and changed their appearance. One of the few exceptions is the Krasnostudenchesky passage station. There is a reconstructed pavilion of the 19th century, built even when there was a real village in the area.
Now there are high-rise buildings around, and kiosks are located in the pavilion itself. It is likely that soon it will be replaced (or already replaced) by a regular stop, which will lead to the loss of this facility.