More tram research links (FFWD Nov 25)

Here is a link to the original FFWD article: Looking ahead to the past: A tale of three tram cities

Trams or streetcars are not mentioned at all in the 2009 Transportation Plan nor in the Municipal Development Plan.  In fact, the only place in any City of Calgary or Calgary Transit documentation I can find that references a tram is one that traverses 96th Ave. NW from Centre St. to the airport.  Here is the link to the plan: Transit Service to (YYC) 

The extent of Calgary's original tram line was drawn from a map published online:  Calgary's Tram System in 1950  I think this online version is copied from the rare book "Stampede City Streetcars" The story of the Calgary Municipal Railway by Colin K. Hatcher.  I have searched for a copy of this book but the only one I can find sells used on Amazon.ca  for more than $100.

After doing another online search I found a new book I had no idea about. "Calgary's Electric Transit: An illustrated history of electrified public transportation in Canada's oil capital."  Colin Hatcher and Tom Schwarzkopf, Railfare/DC Books, Pickering ON (2009).  I ordered my copy from Amazon.ca

Tram street in residential suburb Stockholm, Sweden

Tram research links (FFWD Nov 11)

Here is a link to the original article: Trams, Trams, Trams in FFWD, Nov. 11, 2010

Tram street in Freiburg, Germany

Seven rules for Sustainable Cities by Patrick Condon
A Tyee Series based on the book.  Each Chapter from the book  is condensed into one article.  

Sustainability by Design (UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture)

For information about trams in Portland see (from the Sustainability by Design website) Research Bulletin 6: The case for the tram

For information about comparative costs of transportation modes see Research Bulletin 7: A cost comparison of transit modes from the same website.

The PBS documentary series Blueprint America  provides a wonderful, short introduction to urban transportation issues in the US.  The five-part series connects transit, land use and sustainable living.  The third episode focuses on progressive urban development in Portland, Ore.  The figure citing $3B in tram-related investment was quoted in this segment of the series.

Ridership numbers are from the American Public Transit Association. Links to ridership statistics are here.

New Slideshow ~~~Tram Cities~~~

Follow the slide show link (on the right) to see some beneficial outcomes of tram development.  Featured, to coincide with an upcoming FFWD article, are views of Portland, Oregon

Trams have a much closer relationship with users than LRT
(Portland 2009)

Trams invite a different form of street development

(Portland 2009)

Resilience and the city

Link to our latest FFWD article which examines why resilience is a necessary component of a healthy, sustainable city.

In resilient places streets have multiple roles and are shared
by multiple users