Re: Balloon loops on Australian tramways

[davemcl@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz (David McLoughlin)]

On 6 Mar 1999 04:13:27 -0500, msbrader@interlog.com (Mark Brader)
wrote:

>Would someone mind saying what makes a loop a *balloon* loop?  

Sure. It's a tight, circular or oval-shaped loop used by a
single-ended streetcar to change direction at the end of the line.
Toronto has many of them. Others can be found in Philadelphia and San
Francisco -- the turn at the end of the N Judah line in SF is a
balloon loop. They can also be found on tramway systems all over
Europe.

You can have loops which are not balloon-shaped, of course.

This thread was begun by citing balloon loops on Australian tramways,
because they were rare. All of Australia's electric tramways, past and
existing, use/used double-ended trams which normally reversed just by
shunting at the end of the line on a Y or X crossover. 

David McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand

The only city in the world where you will find signs at pedestrian
crossings which say: "Pedestrians give way to traffic."