Latin Amercian Trams in the 1950s/60s – Part 1 (now available on Photo Disc)

Posted on 01/07/2012

this Photo Disc is now available at tramshop.com – watch the youtube preview:

Cairo, Heliopolis, Helwan and Alexandria – Youtube

Posted on 11/28/2011

We have now uploaded some video slideshows to Youtube. Prints or JPEGS of most (not all!) images are available…

Alexandria City Trams – Part 1 (non-Duewag cars)

Alexandria City Trams – Part 2 (Duewag cars 800-830)

Alexandria City Trams – Part 3 (Duewag cars 831-869)

Alexandria City Trams – Part 4 (Duewag cars 870-900)

Alexandria Ramleh Interurban Trams – Part 1

Alexandria Ramleh Interurban Trams – Part 2

Alexandria Ramleh Interurban Trams – Part 3

Cairo City Trams – Part 1

Cairo City Trams – Part 2 (class 6000 cars)

Cairo Trams – Helwan System (more class 6000 cars)

Cairo Trams – Heliopolis Interurban

compilation – Egypt Trams 2011 – this Photo Disc is available at tramshop.com

tramshop.com Photo Discs

Posted on 10/10/2011

tramshop.com Photo Discs are available for purchase online at Blickpunkt Straßenbahn.

So far the online shop is available in German language only (we are working on an English language version)! This is what is available…

Photo Disc 402 Straßenbahnen in Kalkutta (2011) EUR 19,95 (Neuheit Januar 2012)

Slideshow

Photo Disc 401 Straßenbahnen in Ägypten (2010) EUR 19,95 (Neuheit Januar 2012)

Slideshow

Photo Disc 301 Straßenbahnen in Lateinamerika (1950/60er) Teil 1 EUR 19,95 (Neuheit Januar 2012)

Slideshow

Photo Disc 108 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 8 EUR 19,95 (Neuheit Januar 2012)

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 107 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 7 EUR 19,95

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 106 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 6 EUR 19,95

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 105 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 5 EUR 19,95

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 104 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 4 EUR 19,95

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 103 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 3 EUR 19,95

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 102 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 2 EUR 19,95

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 101 Straßenbahn Hamburg Teil 1 EUR 19,95

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b (Bonusinhalt)

Photo Disc 199 Straßenbahn Hamburg (Zusammenstellung aus unseren Discs 101-107 ohne das Bonusmaterial) EUR 99,00

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b

Slideshow Teil c

Photo Disc 201 Zusammenstellung des Bonusmaterials auf unseren Discs 101-107 EUR 31,90

Slideshow Teil a

Slideshow Teil b

Gleich hier online bestellen!

Kolkata 2011 – Youtube

Posted on 10/08/2011

We have now uploaded some video slideshows to Youtube. Prints or JPEGS of most (not all!) images are available…

2011 images taken by Daniel Joseph (animated by Eric Bronsky)

2011 images taken at B.B.D.Bag Terminus

2011 images taken on Behala – Joka line (showing both termini)

2011 images taken at Belgatchia Depot Terminus

2011 images taken at Bidhan Nagar Terminus

2011 images taken at Esplanade Terminus

2011 images taken at Galif Street Terminus

2011 images taken at Gariahat Depot Terminus

2011 images taken at Howrah Bridge Terminus

2011 images taken at Kalighat Depot Terminus

2011 images taken at Kidderpore Depot Terminus

2011 images taken in Lenin Saranio

2011 images taken at Nonapukur Workshops (and outside)

2011 images taken at Park Circus Depot Terminus

2011 images taken at Rajabazar Depot Terminus

2011 images taken at Shyambazar Terminus

2011 images taken at Tollygunge Depot Terminus

2011 images taken at various locations away from the main tram termini

compilation – 2011 images taken at various locations – this Photo Disc is available for purchase at tramshop.com

1970s-90s images (historic images from our 35mm slide collection)

Kolkata 2011 – The Fleet

Posted on 10/03/2011

This my attempt to compile a fleet list of the CTC. I can not say that I am 100% confident that everything shown here is correct. Various sources (most with little details and many omissions and even more remaining questions) have been used. Also my trip to Kolkata in February 2011 has allowed me to make personal oberservations (we visited all depots and I took photos of everything that was somehow captureable – i.e. some stored cars at the back of dark Tollygunge and Kalighat depots escaped me plus a handfull of cars at other depots that were boxed in by other cars. I know not all of the cars contained in the fleet list still survive but I have added fleet numbers of all the cars seen in service or in depots (including Nonapukur workshops) under each “class” heading. Not all the cars seen are “runners” (i.e. some looked like they have not moved in years) but I would not like to classify them as many of the cars actually in service do look like they should not be so… We did see more fibre glass bodies under assembly at Nonapukur workshops but none of them sported any fleet numbers. I could not find any references to cars 560, 588-599 and 660-680; these numbers may well have been left unassigned.

OK, here we go – this list deals with the current fleet (sorted by fleet number):

125 (M2s) “BALAK” CTC19?? (rebuilt from ?)

seen: 125

201-206 (JM6s) “PAYE” CTC1965-67 (trucks and electrical equipment ex Bombay)

seen: 204, 205

207-281 (JM6s) (class code not known) Burn & Co.1982-83 – referred to as “new cars”; no.211 was prototype 601; no.225 burned in depot fire

seen: 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218#, 219, 220#, 221, 222, 224, 226, 227#, 228, 229, 232#, 234, 235#, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 244, 245, 247, 248, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 260, 262, 263, 265, 266, 267, 268, 270, 271, 274, 275, 276, 277#, 278, 279, 280, 281#

282-289 (J6Ms) (class code not known) CTC1950(ca.) – the bodies look like the flat fronted “K” class; some sources list these as 282-299 “new cars” but this can not be right (as no.290 was not seen I can only guess to which class this belongs…)

seen: 282, 283, 286, 287, 288, 289

290-299 (JM6s) (class code not known) Burn & Co.1986-87 – referred to as “new cars”); for no.290 see above

seen: 291, 292, 293, 295, 296, 297, 298

just for info: 300-306 “J” = retired (one rebuilt into “N”)

307…489 (JM6s) “K” CTC1950(ca.) – about 30 rebuilt with lengthened bodies and tapered ends

seen: 323, 344, 370, 408, 410+, 416+, 427+, 429+, 439, 440, 442+, 449, 455, 456+, 458, 461#, 488
+ these cars have a “tapered” front

435 (JM6s) “SUNDARI” CTC1974 (prototype; rebuilt from “K” no.435)
not (!) seen

490…559 (JM6s) “L” CTC1950(ca.) - some rebuilt with eliptical ends

seen: 490, 492, 497#, 498, 503#, 504, 506#, 507, 514#, 516#, 540, 545#

561-587 (JM6s) “S” CTC1974-76 (trucks and electrical equipment ex Bombay and “K” class)

seen: 561, 562, 563, 568+, 569, 570, 572, 573, 574, 575, 577, 582, 583, 585, 586, 587
+ this car rebuilt as “Heritage Ride” car – now used for private charters

600-659 (JM6s) “N” Burn & Co.1982-83 (trucks and electrical equipment ex “J/K/L@”)

seen: 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605#, 606, 607, 608, 609+, 610, 612, 613, 614, 616, 617#, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 625, 626#, 627, 630, 633, 634, 635, 636#, 637, 638, 639, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 651, 652++, 653, 655++, 656, 658, 659
@ 1 car ex “J”, 35 cars ex “K” and 24 cars ex “L” (all re-numbered into this series)
+ this car with modern front end (resembling Melbourne “B” class – the other car was no. 649 but this was not seen)
++ these cars have a more modern front

681-700 (JM6s) (no class code known) Jessop & Co.1988

seen: 681, 684, 685, 686, 687, 690, 691, 692, 694, 695, 696, 697, 700

701-725 (JM6s) “N” Burn & Co.1988

seen: 701, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 711, 713, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 722, 723, 724, 725

# these cars have received a new fibre glass body (218 has a more modern version) – 17 seen in total

Workscars (all seen):

Flat Wagon 2 (M2s)

Flat Wagon 3 (M2s)

Water Car “HOWRAH” (M2s)

Inspection Wagon 2 (M2s)

Rail Scrubber 1 (M2s)

Rail Scrubber 3 (M2s)

School Car 2 (JM6s)

School Car 4 (JM6s)

School Car 5 (JM6s)

School Car 6 (JM6s)

Flat Cars (trailers) (two; not numbered) (B2d)

Having problems reading those Bengali numerals?

bengali numerals.png

Lodz Tramways – Part II (The Fleet)

Posted on 06/19/2011

Part I of our Lodz report dealt with the interurbans. In part II we show you photos of the current fleet (including all of the workscars) as of June 2011. All images were taken in May 2011 (except #72 and #506 which were parked in and impossible to photograph so older images were used) Here is a current fleet list (or click image to open pdf file) and here is a link to an all-time roster (in Polish):

2N1/2N2 Konstal

1234

5N/5N1/5ND Konstal

4092

337

644

122N PESA

1851

803N Konstal

803N Konstal (modernised)

805N/Na Konstal

805N/Na Konstal (modernised)

3272

Cityrunner Bombardier

1210

GT6/GT6ZR Duewag

38

40

42

47

71

72

74

75

77

78

123

147

GT6 Lohner

72 (Pawel Kacmierczak Photo)

GT8/GT8N/GT8ZR Duewag

52

81

82

84

85

86

149

201

202 (D. J. Vigar Photo)

203 (D. J. Vigar Photo)

204

506 (D. J. Vigar Photo)

509

511

513 (D. J. Vigar Photo)

514

515

Herbrand GE

Lilpop II/III

48

158

M6S Duewag

301

316

324

327

M8S Duewag

Sanok

Workscars (various types)

101

103

105

108

3088

12011

12035

12050

12107

22101

22103

32102

32106

72012

92002

92003

92004

92013

92025

92031

92032

92096

Other Workscars and Unidentified Cars (can you prive any details?)

Goods Van (Helenowek Depot)

Goods Van (Brus Depot)

Tower Car (Brus Depot)

898 Snow Plough (Chocianowice Depot)

Locomotor (Telefoniczna Depot)

Truck Transporter 358 (Telefoniczna Depot)

Truck Transporter ZKT-2 (Telefoniczna Depot)

Truck Transporter ZKT-3 (Chocianowice Depot)

body of old car (Helenowek Depot)

body of old car (Helenowek Depot)

Łódź Tramways – Part I (Interurbans)

Posted on 06/16/2011

Łódź is unique in Poland because it kept most of its interurban tramways. Only two lines were closed in the 1990s (route 44 to Aleksandrow and route 42 to Rzgow). See the 1998 map for details (this was published in the 2001 publication: Lodzka podmiejska komunikacja tramwajowa 1901-2001): click to enlarge

solid line = existing line

solid line with broken line underneath = closed line

broken line = planned line (never built)

During the German occupation in the 1940s the interurban lines were numbered 40 (Ozorkow), 41 (Zgierz), 50 (Aleksandrow), 60 (Lutomierks), 70 (Pabianice), 80 (Tuszyn) and 81 (Ruda – this is the short line shown on the map south of the line to Rzgow, Tuszyn & Kruszow). Between Tuszyn and Kruszow there was only a freight (goods) service. Route 45 is today run by MPK (the Lodz city tramway company) as route 16 and route 41 also by MPK (for a while carrying first number 11 and then “number” P). Half of the old line to Aleksandrow is still used by MPK (route 8 to Chochola). The old central interurban terminus in Lodz (Polnocna) is closed for business but still exists. The southern terminus (for old route 41) in Plac Niepodlegosci is today used by other MPK routes (but not as a terminus). MPK Lodz used to operate the whole network but in 199x the surviving lines 41, 43, 45 and 46 were heaved off to newly formed interurban tram companies (shareholders are the communities served): 41, 45 and 46 to MKT and 43 to TP. Line 45 was taken away from MKT by MPK later probably so MKT can continue operating in Lodz city streets (the MPK tickets are valid on this portion of the line) and the same applies to line 41.

So we have three operators for 4 lines. Route 43 sees a short turn service (43bis) going only as far as Konstantynow triangle (wye) and route 46 also has a short 46A that runs from Chocianowice (IKEA) to depot only. Route 43 (and 43bis) is operated out of Brus depot and route 46 out of Helenowek depots.

Cash strapped MPK Lodz is currently again trying to save money by declaring that they no longer can afford to make payments to MKT and TP for the lines operated within the Lodz city limits (those tracks are also served by MPK services) and in a new twist MKT is also threatend because MPK would like to take over (take back really) the Helenowek depot. After closing the large Dabrowskiego depot in 2010 MPK is running out of space (and indeed has outstationed some of its historic vehicles at Brus depot). The MPK Chocianowice depot is the old depot for the Pabianice and Rzgow (Tuszyn) interurbans. MPK also has Telefoniczna depot and the central workshops in ul. Tramwajowa (to be closed). See the 2011 MPK map of services for details of the current routes.

MPK uses 805Na cars on lines 16 (usually two-car sets) and 41 (single cars only; Pabianice city only pays them for 5 trams an hour!). TP and MKT both use mostly ex German Duewag trams from various sources (plus the odd surviving 802Na cars; MKT modernised their cars by replacing the fronts and ends). A complete MPK/MKT/TP fleetlist follows in part II.

A photographic overview:

Line 41 Lodz – Pabianice

above: MPK 3-564 in Pabianice, September 1988 (Matthias Mitdank Photo)

above: MPK 3-497 en-route (location not known), 29.8.1992

above: MKT 4 passing Chocianowice depot, 30.5.2003

above: MKT 13 passing Duzy Skred loop 30.5.2003

above: MPK 3-320 at Chicoanowice IKEA loop (whilst operated as line “P” with two-car sets), 8.11.2009 (Pawel Kazmierczak Photo)

Line 42 Lodz – Rzgow

above: MPK 3-474 at Rzgow loop, 28.8.1992

above: the same car en-route (location not known), 28.8.1992

Line 43 Lodz – Lutomiersk (also 43A Lodz – Konstantynow)

above: MPK 4-039 Stalingradu, 20.9.1988 (Matthias Mitdank Photo)

above: MPK 4-066 Lutomiersk loop, 17.5.1991 (Siegfried Wolf Photo)

above: TP 2 passing through Konstantynow, 29.5.2003

above: MPK 4-040 passing Brus depot, July 1991 (Jörg Harbrecht Photo)

above: TP 42 in Lutomiersk, 29.5.2003

Line 44 Lodz – Aleksandrow

above: MPK 32 in Aleksandrow, September 1978

above: MPK 5-092 in Aleksandrow, 20.9.1988 (Matthias Mitdank Photo)

above: MPK 5-976 Zachodnia/Ogrodwa (Poznanski palace in background), June 1991 (Jörg Harbrecht Photo)

Line 45 Lodz – Zgierz (today route 16)

xxx

above: MPK 5-982 en-route (location not known), 29.8.1992

above: MPK 3-904 Plac Jana Kilinskiego loop, Zgierz, 17.2.2009 (Pawel Kazmierczak Photo)

Line 46 Lodz – Ozorkow (also 46A Lodz – Helenowek)

above: MPK 101 Ozorkow, September 1978

above: MPK 5-062 Ozorkow, 22.5.1993 (Ole Iskov Photo)

Warsaw Work Horses – Part III (Rubber-Tyred Fleet)

Posted on 06/04/2011

Unlike parts 1+2 we can only show you a selection of the road (incl. road/rail) vehicles owned by the tramway company. Most photos were taken inside the huge ZETiT complex (i.e. the permanent way and workscar depot in Obozowa) – those taken at other locations are marked. Many more vehicles were seen and many of them impossible to photograph (they were either parked in by other vehicles or parked with the front against a building).

14:

35:

53:

309:

312:

342:

345:

347:

353:

355:

356:

358:

364 (Praga Depot):

365:

367:

368:

373:

400 (Praga Depot):

401:

426:

467:

487:

495:

WI 83766 (car registration):

Warsaw Work Horses – Part II (Trailers & Traversers)

Posted on 06/03/2011

Apart from the motor car fleet of work cars there are also numerous trailers. Many of the trucks used are probbly from old passengers trams. As in part I we show all the vehicles we saw during our one day visit to all depots and workshops. I did miss the snow ploughs this time, they were either hidden away or just impossible to photograph. Part IV will deal with works cars I photographed on previous visits.

01 ZETiT:

02 ZETiT:

05 ZETiT:

06 ZETiT:

P12 ZETiT:

2301 ZETiT:

2302 Wola:

2315 ZETiT:

2316 Wola:

2319 Wola:

2320 ZETiT:

2321 Wola:

2322 ZETiT:

2323 Wola:

2329 Wola:

(not numbered) Wola:

(not numbered) Wola:

(not numbered) R-1:

(not numbered) R-3:

Wola Works has three traversers (two indoors and one outdoor):

ZETiT has two turntables (I only managed to photograph one this time):_

Depots:

R-1 = Wola

R-2 = Praga

R-3 = Mokotow

R-4 = Zoliborz

Wola = Wola Workshops

ZETiT = Obozowa Permanent Way Yard

Warsaw Work Horses – Part I (Motor Cars)

Posted on 06/03/2011

In late May I lead a party of 45 tram enthusiasts (open pdf file with group photo – taken from the Warsaw tram club website) for www.intraexpress.de in Poland. We visited the tram systems in Warsaw, Czestochowa and Lodz. We also saw the metro depot in Warsaw and rode and visited the WKD interurban from Warsaw to Grodzisk (Mazowiecki). Some photos of this will follow in a separate posting.

Here I want to show you the large fleet of workscars that still operates in Warsaw. Having the largest tram network in Poland Warsaw also has the largest fleet of work equipment (both steel wheel and rubber tyred). As with most systems in Poland proper workscars are still a mayor part of the fleet. In most Western Europen countries and indeed most of the tram networks around the world steel wheel workscars have disappeared in the last 10-20 years. They have largely been replaced by rubber tyred vans and lorries and Unimog type road/rail vehicles. In Central & Eastern Europe there are still many workscars around converted from old passenger cars (both motor cars and trailers) and also the odd purpose built vehicles. Warsaw so far has kept many of the workscars in daily use. During our visit we saw two or three in actual service running between depots and of course with a special permanent way depot housing a large fleet of both proper workscars and an even larger number of road and road/rail vehicles Warsaw has more workcars than some of the smaller tram systems I have visited around the world have passenger trams!

We were fortunate enough to visit all the Warsaw tram depots and the main workshops in one day using two charter trams so I think we saw all the vehicles that are owned (except maybe one or two that may have been hidden away in locked sheds) and we even managed to photograph those cars we saw during riding from depot to depot when they re-appeared in their home depots later. I had visited Warsaw during 2007/8 seeing all the depots (except the main workshops) then so in a separate posting I’ll also show photos of some vehicles that seem to have gone today.

Numbering of workscars is fairly hap-hazard in Warsaw. Many cars are numbered in the 2xxx series (or maybe have 2xxx numbers but the first digits are simply not shown) and others have a class code in front of the fleet number (i.e. S-7; with our without the hypen). Others have probably kept their original (ex passenger car) number or simply carry a “stock” number as they never leave the companies’ premises (looking at older slides most workscars seem to have this stock number and many previoulsy only displayed this number). Two little tower wagons (trailers) were spotted not carry any type of number (not even a stock number – though stock numbers can be found on nearly all the other mobile “machinery”).

12 Type 13N (1962) visiting Wola: this car is probably old #2412 now sporting a slightly rebuilt end