Matthew Dong Mr.

Favento TIJ101-01 2011 10 Electric Streetcar Written Report

The electric streetcar is a passenger rail vehicle. They are usually larger than buses but smaller and slower than conventional trains. The electric streetcar is powered by electricity collected from an overhead wire. It is one of the earliest public transportation in the world, introduced in the late 19th century. They were once very popular and there used to be a streetcar system in most major Canadian cities such as Edmonton and Calgary. Streetcars were discontinued in most cities during the 1940 60s and were replaced by buses. Today, the only remaining streetcar system in Canada is in Toronto. It is also called electric tram. History of Electric Streetcars The earliest model was developed in Russia in 1880 In 1883, the first streetcar in Canada was installed in Toronto Other earliest models were installed in Berlin and Richmond in the 1880s These models were unreliable because the electricity was provided through the rail, which means the power was limited and it was unsafe for people or animals to cross the tracks The first tram that collected power from an overhead wire (bow collector) was built in 1887, this design eliminates most difficulties of the previous design The electric streetcar became widely used in the early 1900s, but were mostly replaced by buses in the 1940-60s Today, Melbourne, Australia has the largest electric tram system in the world, and Toronto has the largest tram system in North America Parts of an Electric Streetcar 1. Tram: the main body of the vehicle, carries the passengers

2. Overhead wires: Provides the power(electricity) for the tram Runs directly above the rails and along the tram route Power fed from a high voltage electrical grid 3.Bow collector: Transfers the electrical current from the wire to the tram below First used in the late 1880s

4. Rail Tracks The tram runs on rail tracks

The tracks reduces friction between the wheels and the ground, and increases the load of the tram Pros & Cons 1.Pros: - no emission of greenhouse gases less noise than buses have a higher passenger capacity than buses 2.Cons: - high costs of installation takes up space on roads, limiting other transportation ( cars, buses, etc. ) if one part of the system breaks down, the entire system will have to be stalled Conclusion The electric streetcar is a quiet, effective, and environmental friendly method of transportation. It had once been the world's most popular public transportation, and it still is in some places. Electric streetcars can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and can have a positive impact on the environment. In my opinion, electric streetcar systems should be rebuilt in cities around the world.