Re: Balloon loops on Australian tramways

["James Guthrie" <jim.guthrie@gov.edmonton.ab.ca>]

Edmonton Transit has such loops on its trolley lines - including
intermediate turning loops to allow for short runs, temporary vehicle
storage and the like. ( Example at 124 St. and !08 St. )
Two historical loops go back to old street car days - the loops were two
blocks before the then existing city limits, just to make it clear that the
line was built for, and maintained by City taxpayers. When Jasper Place and
Beverly were annexed, the lines were extended into those areas (1962).


David McLoughlin <davemcl@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz> wrote in message
36e1d6c6.13051029@news.iprolink.co.nz">news: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."
>