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TDI, in conjunction with partners WGH and Sustraco, are developing a low cost, hybrid diesel/electric ultra light rail (ULR) Minitram system. What is Ultra Light Rail? The concept of ultra light rail involves using lighter weight, smaller capacity and consequently lower cost vehicles and infrastructure than conventional LRT. This means that rails can be laid over existing services and, because the vehicles are self powered, there is no need for any form of wayside power supply or overhead conductors. The design and manufacture of the vehicles themselves borrows heavily from the automotive industry by taking advantage of off-the-shelf, high volume components and cutting edge, hybrid drive technology. KalamataThe first completely new system using ULR principles will probably be built in Greece in the town of Kalamata in the southern Peloponese. The Kalamata ULR system will comprise a 5km route of conventional metre-gauge tramway track, a depot, 23 stops and eight hybrid diesel electric trams, each with 45-passenger capacity. It is expected that with the associated civil works, to be carried out by a local contractor, the total project cost will amount to around EUR 8 million (£5 million). This represents only 10% of the cost of building a conventional light rail system. The planned service will provide a tram every seven and a half to 10 minutes in each direction. Maximum speed will be 50kph although it is expected that speeds through Kalamata's rather narrow streets will seldom exceed 30kph. The track system will use conventional grooved rail components but will be laid without the deep concrete bases that have been used for recent LRT systems. |
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