Re: Balloon loops on Australian tramways

["Ron BEST" <ronbest@bigpond.com>]

IIRC, there was an investigation into converting Melbourne to single-ended
operation with balloon and/or round-the-block loops. It saves heaps on car
design (only one set of doors) and you get more seats in a given size car.
But the extra land and track required and problems with short-workings would
be the killers. A few small systems have done it, I think - Hong Kong
(island line) was double-ended originally, I think. The cars can still be
driven from both ends, but there is a "front" and a "back" - I can't
remember how to tell the difference. I think the fare box is only at one
end.

Don't know if anyone's gone the other way (single- to double-ended)
Rgds
Ron BEST
David McLoughlin wrote in message <36e1d6c6.13051029@news.iprolink.co.nz>...
>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."
>