Re: Balloon loops on Australian tramways

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

Christchurch (England) had a turntable to literally "turn" trolleybuses at
the end of one route, at least!
Some systems now use batteries in the buses for turning, especially at
infrequently-used short-working points or during traffic blocks, and for
stabling in the shed.

Rgds
Ron BEST

David McLoughlin wrote in message <36eeeff2.24973411@news.iprolink.co.nz>...
>James Guthrie
>
>>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. )
>
>James, pardon my pedantry, but some people will be confused by your
>post.
>
>You are talking about the turning loops/circles from Edmonton's
>trolley-BUSES, but your use of the term "trolley" for them will cause
>some US readers to think you mean trams/streetcars which they call
>"trolleys."
>
>Every trolleybus system in the world today (and there are several
>hundred) uses a turning circle, a loop or a run around the block to
>turn at the end of the line, because all trolley buses are
>single-ended (like a motor bus) and thus need to turn around to go
>back the way they came.
>
>However, not all streetcar/tramway systems use single-ended vehicles.
>Many use double-ended vehicles which do not need a loop to change
>direction... they simply shunt and the driver walks to the other end
>of the car to head the other way.
>
>Just to recap, this thread began about turning loops on  Australian
>tramways which were very rare, because all Australian electric trams,
>past and present, were double-ended.
>
>David McLoughlin
>Auckland New Zealand
>
>I remember the Ice Age. It was what they claimed was happening to the
>weather before they invented Global Warming.
>