History of trams

The history of trams, streetcars, or trolleys began in the early nineteenth century. It can be divided up into several discrete periods defined by the principal means of motive power used.
Horse-drawn.
The world's first passenger tram was the Swansea and Mumbles Railway, in Wales, UK. The Mumbles Railway Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1804, and this first horse-drawn passenger tramway started operating in 1807. It was worked by steam from 1877, and then, from 1929, by very large (106-seater) electric tramcars, until closure in 1961.
In 1860, Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula had become the first town in Europe to operate a street tramway. It was started by George Francis Train, an American when he laid track from Woodside Ferry to Birkenhead Park Main Entrance and ran a horse drawn car service. On 4 February 1901, the Corporation of Birkenhead owned Birkenhead Corporation Tramways commenced operating, first to New Ferry and later around the town. It closed on 17 July 1937.
The first streetcar in America, developed by John Stephenson, began service in the year 1832. This was the New York and Harlem Railroad's Fourth Avenue Line which ran along the Bowery and Fourth Avenue in New York City. These trams were an animal railway, usually using horses and sometimes mules to haul the cars, usually two as a team. Rarely, other animals were tried, including humans in emergency circumstances. It was followed in 1835 by New Orleans, Louisiana, which is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world, according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
The first tram in Continental Europe opened in France in 1839 between Montbrison and Montrond, on the streets inside the towns, and on the roadside outside town. It had permission for steam traction but was entirely run with horse traction. In 1848, it was closed down after repeated economic failure. The tram developed in numerous cities of Europe (some of the most extensive systems were found in Berlin, Budapest, Birmingham, Leningrad, Lisbon, London, Manchester, Paris).
The first tram in South America opened in 10 June 1858 in Santiago, Chile. The first trams in Australia opened in 1860 in Sydney. Africa's first tram service started in Alexandria on 8 January 1863. The first trams in Asia opened in 1869 in Batavia (now Jakarta), Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
Problems with horsecars included the fact that any given animal could only work so many hours on a given day, had to be housed, groomed, fed and cared for day in and day out, and produced prodigious amounts of manure, which the streetcar company was charged with storing and then disposing of. Since a typical horse pulled a streetcar for about a dozen miles a day and worked for four or five hours, many systems needed ten or more horses in stable for each horsecar.
Horsecars were largely replaced by electric-powered trams following the improvement of an overhead trolley system on trams for collecting electricity from overhead wires by Frank J. Sprague. His spring-loaded trolley pole used a wheel to travel along the wire. In late 1887 and early 1888, using his trolley system, Sprague installed the first successful large electric street railway system in Richmond, Virginia. Within a year, the economy of electric power had replaced more costly horsecars in many cities. By 1889, 110 electric railways incorporating Sprague's equipment had been begun or planned on several continents.
Horses continued to be used for light shunting well into the 20th century. Many large metropolitan lines lasted well into the early twentieth century. New York City had a regular horsecar service on the Bleecker Street Line until its closure in 1917. Pittsburgh, had its Sarah Street line drawn by horses until 1923. The last regular mule-drawn cars in the US ran in Sulphur Rock, Arkansas, until 1926 and were commemorated by a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1983. The last mule tram service in Mexico City ended in 1932, and a mule tram in Celaya, Mexico, survived until 1954. The last horse-drawn tram to be withdrawn from public service in the UK took passengers from Fintona railway station to Fintona Junction one mile away on the main Omagh to Enniskillen railway in Northern Ireland. The tram made its last journey on 30 September 1957 when the Omagh to Enniskillen line closed. The van now lies at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
Horse-drawn trams still operate on the 1876-built Douglas Bay Horse Tramway on the Isle of Man, and at the 1894-built Victor Harbor Horse Drawn Tram, in Adelaide, South Australia. New horse-drawn systems have been established at the Hokkaidō Museum in Japan and also in Disneyland.
Steam.
The first mechanical trams were powered by steam. Generally, there were two types of steam tram. The first and most common had a small steam locomotive (called a tram engine in the UK) at the head of a line of one or more carriages, similar to a small train. Systems with such steam trams included Christchurch, New Zealand; Adelaide, South Australia; Sydney, Australia and other city systems in New South Wales; Munich, Germany (from August 1883 on), British India (Pakistan) (from 1885) and the Dublin & Blessington Steam Tramway (from 1888) in Ireland. Steam tramways also were used on the suburban tramway lines around Milan and Padua; the last "Gamba de Legn" ("Peg-Leg") tramway ran on the Milan-Magenta-Castano Primo route in late 1958.
The other style of steam tram had the steam engine in the body of the tram, referred to as a tram engine (UK) or steam dummy (US). The most notable system to adopt such trams was in Paris. French-designed steam trams also operated in Rockhampton, in the Australian state of Queensland between 1909 and 1939. Stockholm, Sweden, had a steam tram line at the island of Södermalm between 1887 and 1901.
Tram engines usually had modifications to make them suitable for street running in residential areas. The wheels, and other moving parts of the machinery, were usually enclosed for safety reasons and to make the engines quieter. Measures were often taken to prevent the engines from emitting visible smoke or steam. Usually, the engines used coke rather than coal as fuel to avoid emitting smoke; condensers or superheating were used to avoid emitting visible steam. A major drawback of this style of the tram was the limited space for the engine so that these trams were usually underpowered. Steam tram engines faded out around the 1890s to the 1900s, being replaced by electric trams.
Cable-hauled.
Another motive system for trams was the cable car, which was pulled along a fixed track by a moving steel cable. The power to move the cable was normally provided at a "powerhouse" site a distance away from the actual vehicle.
The London and Blackwall Railway, which opened for passengers in East London, England, in 1840 used such a system.
The first practical cable car line was tested in San Francisco, in 1873. Part of its success is attributed to the development of an effective and reliable cable grip mechanism, to grab and release the moving cable without damage. The second city to operate cable trams was Dunedin in New Zealand, from 1881 to 1957.
The most extensive cable system in the US was built in Chicago between 1882 and 1906. New York City developed at least seven cable car lines. Los Angeles also had several cable car lines, including the Second Street Cable Railroad, which operated from 1885 to 1889, and the Temple Street Cable Railway, which operated from 1886 to 1898.
From 1885 to 1940, the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia operated one of the largest cable systems in the world, at its peak running 592 trams on of track, though during its heyday, Sydney's network was larger, with about 1,600 cars in service at any one time at its peak during the 1930s (cf. about 500 trams in Melbourne today). There were also two isolated cable lines in Sydney, the North Sydney line from 1886 to 1900, and the King Street line from 1892 to 1905. Sydney's tram network ceased to serve the city population by the 1960s, with all tracks being removed, in lieu of a bus service. Melbourne's tram network, however, continues to run to this day.
In Dresden, Germany, in 1901 an elevated suspended cable car following the "Eugen Langen one-railed floating tram system" started operating. Cable cars operated on Highgate Hill in North London and Kennington to Brixton Hill in South London. They also worked around "Upper Douglas" in the Isle of Man from 1897 to 1929 (cable car 72/73 is the sole survivor of the fleet).
Cable cars suffered from high infrastructure costs, since an expensive system of cables, pulleys, stationary engines and lengthy underground vault structures beneath the rails had to be provided. They also required physical strength and skill to operate, and alert operators to avoid obstructions and other cable cars. The cable had to be disconnected ("dropped") at designated locations to allow the cars to coast by inertia, for example when crossing another cable line. The cable would then have to be "picked up" to resume progress, the whole operation requiring precise timing to avoid damage to the cable and the grip mechanism. Breaks and frays in the cable, which occurred frequently, required the complete cessation of services over a cable route while the cable was repaired. Due to overall wear, the entire length of cable (typically several kilometres) would have to be replaced on a regular schedule. After the development of reliable electrically powered trams, the costly high-maintenance cable car systems were rapidly replaced in most locations.
Cable cars remained especially effective in hilly cities since their nondriven wheels would not lose traction as they climbed or descended a steep hill. The moving cable would physically pull the car up the hill at a steady pace, unlike a low-powered steam or horse-drawn car. Cable cars do have wheel brakes and track brakes, but the cable also helps restrain the car to going downhill at a constant speed. Performance in steep terrain partially explains the survival of cable cars in San Francisco.
The San Francisco cable cars, though significantly reduced in number, continue to perform a regular transportation function, in addition to being a well-known tourist attraction. A single cable line also survives in Wellington, New Zealand (rebuilt in 1979 as a funicular but still called the Wellington Cable Car). Another system, actually two separate cable lines with a shared power station in the middle, operates from the Welsh town of Llandudno up to the top of the Great Orme hill in North Wales, UK.
Gas.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a number of systems in various parts of the world employed trams powered by gas, naphtha gas or coal gas in particular. Gas trams are known to have operated between Alphington and Clifton Hill in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia (1886–1888); in Berlin and Dresden, Germany; in Estonia (1920s–1930); between Jelenia Góra, Cieplice, and Sobieszów in Poland (from 1897); and in the UK at Lytham St Annes, Neath (1896–1920), and Trafford Park, Manchester (1897–1908).
On 29 December 1886 the Melbourne newspaper "The Argus" reprinted a report from the "San Francisco Bulletin" that Mr Noble had demonstrated a new 'motor car' for tramways 'with success'. The tramcar 'exactly similar in size, shape, and capacity to a cable grip car' had the 'motive power' of gas 'with which the reservoir is to be charged once a day at power stations by means of a rubber hose'. The car also carried an electricity generator for 'lighting up the tram and also for driving the engine on steep grades and effecting a start'.
Comparatively little has been published about gas trams. However, research on the subject was carried out for an article in the October 2011 edition of "The Times", the historical journal of the Australian Association of Timetable Collectors, now the Australian Timetable Association.
A tram system powered by compressed natural gas was due to open in Malaysia in 2012, but the news about the project appears to have dried up.
Electric.
The world's first experimental electric tramway was built by Ukrainian inventor Fedir Pirotsky near St Petersburg, Russian Empire, in 1875. The first commercially successful electric tram line operated in Lichterfelde near Berlin, Germany, in 1881. It was built by Werner von Siemens (see Berlin Straßenbahn). It initially drew current from the rails, with the overhead wire being installed in 1883.
In Britain, the Volk's Electric Railway was opened in 1883 in Brighton. This two kilometer line, re-gauged to in 1884, remains in service to this day, and is the oldest operating electric tramway in the world. Also in 1883, Mödling and Hinterbrühl Tram was opened near Vienna in Austria. It was the first tram in the world in regular service that was run with electricity served by an overhead line with pantograph current collectors. The Blackpool Tramway, was opened in Blackpool, England on 29 September 1885 using conduit collection along Blackpool Promenade. This system is still in operation in a modernised form.
The earliest tram system in Canada was by John Joseph Wright, brother of the famous mining entrepreneur Whitaker Wright, in Toronto in 1883. In the US, multiple functioning experimental electric trams were exhibited at the 1884 World Cotton Centennial World's Fair in New Orleans, Louisiana, but they were not deemed good enough to replace the Lamm fireless engines then propelling the St Charles Streetcar in that city. The first commercial installation of an electric streetcar in the United States was built in 1884 in Cleveland, Ohio and operated for a period of one year by the East Cleveland Street Railway Company. Trams were operated in Richmond, Virginia, in 1888, on the Richmond Union Passenger Railway built by Frank J. Sprague. Sprague later developed multiple unit control, first demonstrated in Chicago in 1897, allowing multiple cars to be coupled together and operated by a single motorman. This gave birth to the modern subway train. Following the improvement of an overhead trolley system on streetcars for collecting electricity from overhead wires by Frank J. Sprague, electric tram systems were rapidly adopted across the world.
Earlier installations proved difficult or unreliable. Siemens' line, for example, provided power through a live rail and a return rail, like a model train, limiting the voltage that could be used, and providing electric shocks to people and animals crossing the tracks. Siemens later designed his own version of overhead current collection, called the bow collector, and Thorold, Ontario, opened in 1887, and was considered quite successful at the time. While this line proved quite versatile as one of the earliest fully functional electric streetcar installations, it required horse-drawn support while climbing the Niagara Escarpment and for two months of the winter when hydroelectricity was not available. It continued in service in its original form into the 1950s.
Sidney Howe Short designed and produced the first electric motor that operated a streetcar without gears. The motor had its armature direct-connected to the streetcar's axle for the driving force. Short pioneered "use of a conduit system of concealed feed" thereby eliminating the necessity of overhead wire, trolley poles and a trolley for street cars and railways. While at the University of Denver he conducted important experiments which established that multiple unit powered cars were a better way to operate trains and trolleys.
Sarajevo built a citywide system of electric trams in 1885. Budapest established its tramway system in 1887, and its ring line has grown to be the busiest tram line in Europe, with a tram running every 60 seconds at rush hour. Bucharest and Belgrade ran a regular service from 1894. Ljubljana introduced its tram system in 1901 – it closed in 1958.
The first electric tramway in Australia was a Sprague system demonstrated at the 1888 Melbourne Centennial Exhibition in Melbourne; afterwards, this was installed as a commercial venture operating between the outer Melbourne suburbs of Box Hill and Doncaster from 1889 to 1896. As well, electric systems were built in Adelaide, Ballarat, Bendigo, Brisbane, Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart, Kalgoorlie, Launceston, Leonora, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney. By the 1970s, the only tramway system remaining in Australia was the Melbourne tram system other than a few single lines remaining elsewhere: the Glenelg tram line, connecting Adelaide to the beachside suburb of Glenelg, and tourist trams in the Victorian Goldfields cities of Ballarat and Bendigo. In recent years the Melbourne system, generally recognised as one of the largest in the world, has been considerably modernised and expanded. The Adelaide line has also been extended to the Entertainment Centre, and there are plans to expand further.
In Japan, the Kyoto Electric railroad was the first tram system, starting operation in 1895. By 1932, the network had grown to 82 railway companies in 65 cities, with a total network length of . By the 1960s the tram had generally died out in Japan.
Two rare but significant alternatives were conduit current collection, which was widely used in London, Washington, D.C. and New York City, and the surface contact collection method, used in Wolverhampton (the Lorain system), Torquay and Hastings in the UK (the Dolter stud system), and currently in Bordeaux, France (the ground-level power supply system).
The convenience and economy of electricity resulted in its rapid adoption once the technical problems of production and transmission of electricity were solved. Electric trams largely replaced animal power and other forms of motive power including cable and steam, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
There is one particular hazard associated with trams powered from a trolley off an overhead line. Since the tram relies on contact with the rails for the current return path, a problem arises if the tram is derailed or (more usually) if it halts on a section of track that has been particularly heavily sanded by a previous tram, and the tram loses electrical contact with the rails. In this event, the underframe of the tram, by virtue of a circuit path through ancillary loads (such as saloon lighting), is life at the full supply voltage, typically 600 volts. In British terminology, such a tram was said to be 'grounded'—not to be confused with the US English use of the term, which means the exact opposite. Any person stepping off the tram completed the earth return circuit and could receive a nasty electric shock. In such an event the driver was required to jump off the tram (avoiding simultaneous contact with the tram and the ground) and pull down the trolley before allowing passengers off the tram. Unless derailed, the tram could usually be recovered by running water down the running rails from a point higher than the tram. The water providing a conducting bridge between the tram and the rails.
In the 2000s, two companies introduced catenary-free designs. The Alstom Citadis line uses a third rail, and Bombardier's Primove LRV is charged by contactless induction plates embedded in the trackway.
Battery.
As early as 1834, Thomas Davenport, a Vermont blacksmith, had invented a battery-powered electric motor which he later patented. The following year he used it to operate a small model electric car on a short section of track four feet in diameter.
Attempts to use batteries as a source of electricity were made from the 1880s and 1890s, with unsuccessful trials conducted in among other places Bendigo and Adelaide in Australia, and for about 14 years as The Hague "accutram" of HTM in the Netherlands. The first trams in Bendigo, Australia, in 1892, were battery-powered but within as little as three months they were replaced with horse-drawn trams. In New York City some minor lines also used storage batteries. Then, comparatively recently, during the 1950s, a longer battery-operated tramway line ran from Milan to Bergamo. In China there is a Nanjing battery Tram line and has been running since 2014.
Other power sources.
In some places, other forms of power were used to power the tram.
Hastings and some other tramways, for example Stockholms Spårvägar in Sweden and some lines in Karachi, used petrol trams. Paris operated trams that were powered by compressed air using the Mekarski system.
Galveston Island Trolley in Texas operated diesel trams due to the city's hurricane-prone location, which would result in frequent damage to an electrical supply system. Although Portland, Victoria promotes its tourist tram as being a cable car it actually operates using a hidden diesel motor. The tram, which runs on a circular route around the town of Portland, uses dummies and salons formerly used on the extensive Melbourne cable tramway system and now beautifully restored.
In March 2015, China South Rail Corporation (CSR) demonstrated the world's first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle tramcar at an assembly facility in Qingdao. The chief engineer of the CSR subsidiary CRRC Qingdao Sifang, Liang Jianying, said that the company is studying how to reduce the running costs of the tram.
Hybrid systems.
The Trieste–Opicina tramway in Trieste operates a hybrid funicular tramway system. Conventional electric trams are operated in street running and on reserved track for most of their route. However, on one steep segment of track, they are assisted by cable tractors, which push the trams uphill and act as brakes for the downhill run. For safety, the cable tractors are always deployed on the downhill side of the tram vehicle.
Similar systems were used elsewhere in the past, notably on the Queen Anne Counterbalance in Seattle and the Darling Street wharf line in Sydney.
Rail profile.
At first the rails protruded above street level, causing accidents and problems for pedestrians. They were supplanted in 1852 by grooved rails or girder rails, invented by Alphonse Loubat. Loubat, inspired by Stephenson, built the first tramline in Paris, France. The line was inaugurated on 21 November 1853, in connection with the 1855 World Fair, running on a trial basis from Place de la Concorde to Pont de Sèvres and later to the village of Boulogne.
The Toronto streetcar system is one of the few in North America still operating in the classic style on street trackage shared with car traffic, where streetcars stop on demand at frequent stops like buses rather than having fixed stations. Known as Red Rockets because of their colour, they have been operating since the mid-19th century – horsecar service started in 1856 and electric service in 1892.
Decline.
The advent of personal motor vehicles and the improvements in motorized buses caused the rapid disappearance of the tram from most western and Asian countries by the end of the 1950s (for example the first major UK city to completely abandon its trams was Manchester by January 1949). Continuing technical and reliability improvements in buses made them a serious competitor to trams because they did not require the construction of costly infrastructure. However, the demise of the streetcar came when lines were torn out of the major cities by "bus manufacturing or oil marketing companies for the specific purpose of replacing rail service with buses."
In many cases, postwar buses were cited as providing a smoother ride and a faster journey than the older, pre-war trams. For example, the tram network survived in Budapest but for a considerable period of time bus fares were higher to recognize the superior quality of the buses. However, many riders protested against the replacement of streetcars arguing that buses weren't as smooth or efficient and polluted the air. In the United States, there have been allegations that the Great American streetcar scandal was responsible for the replacement of trains with buses, but critics of this theory point to evidence that larger economic forces were driving conversion before General Motors' actions and outside of its reach. Certainly, the oldest system of all, the Swansea and Mumbles Railway of 1807, was purchased by The South Wales Transport Company (which operated a large motorbus fleet in the area) and despite vociferous local opposition, closed down in 1960.
Governments thus put investment principally into bus networks. Indeed, infrastructure for roads and highways meant for the automobile were perceived as a mark of progress. The priority given to roads is illustrated in the proposal of French president Georges Pompidou who declared in 1971 that "the city must adapt to the car". Tram networks were no longer maintained or modernized, a state of affairs that served to discredit them in the eyes of the public. Old lines, considered archaic, were then gradually replaced by buses.
Tram networks disappeared almost completely from France, the UK, and altogether from Ireland, Denmark, Spain, as well as being completely removed from cities such as Sydney, which had one of the largest networks in the world with route length and Brisbane. The vast majority of tram networks also disappeared in North America, but American cities Boston, Philadelphia, Newark, San Francisco, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Canadian city Toronto, and Mexico City still retained trams. This situation occurred in Italy and Netherlands, too. There are preserved system in Milan, Rome, Naples, Turin, Ritten and between Trieste and Opicina, and in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. On the other hand, tram systems were generally retained or modernized in most communist countries, as well as Switzerland, West Germany, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Japan etc. though cuts and closures of entire systems also happened there as the example of Hamburg shows. In France, only the networks in Lille, Saint-Étienne and Marseille, survive from this period, but they all suffered significant reduction from their original size. In Great Britain, only the Blackpool Tramway kept running, with an extensive system which includes some street running in Blackpool, and a long stretch of segregated track to nearby Fleetwood.
Resurgences.
The priority given to personal vehicles and notably to the automobile led to a loss in quality of life, particularly in large cities where smog, traffic congestion, sound pollution and parking became problematic. Acknowledging this, some authorities saw fit to redefine their transport policies. Rapid transit required a heavy investment and presented problems in terms of subterranean spaces that required constant security. For rapid transit, the investment was mainly in underground construction, which made it impossible in some cities (with underground water reserves, archaeological remains, etc.). Metro construction thus was not a universal panacea.
The advantages of the tram thus became once again visible. At the end of the 1970s, some governments studied, and then built new tram lines. In Germany the Stadtbahnwagen B was a modern tram (or tram-train) hybrid built to run on heavy rail tracks in a premetro type of system. The renaissance of light rail in North America began in 1978 when the Canadian city of Edmonton adopted the German Siemens-Duewag U2 system, followed three years later by Calgary and San Diego.
1980s and 1990s.
Britain began replacing its run-down local railways with light rail in the 1980s, starting with the Tyne & Wear Metro in Tyneside followed by the Docklands Light Railway in London. The trend to light rail in the United Kingdom was firmly established with the success of the Manchester Metrolink system and Sheffield Supertram in 1992, followed by Midland Metro in Birmingham in 1999, and Tramlink in London in 2000.
In France, Nantes and Grenoble led the way in terms of the modern tram, and new systems were inaugurated in 1985 and 1988. In 1994 Strasbourg opened a system with novel British-built trams, specified by the city, with the goal of breaking with the archaic conceptual image that was held by the public.
A great example of this shift in ideology is the city of Munich, which began replacing its tram network with a metro a few years before the 1972 Summer Olympics. When the metro network was finished in the 1990s the city began to tear out the tram network (which had become rather old and decrepit), but now faced opposition from many citizens who enjoyed the enhanced mobility of the mixed network—the metro lines deviate from the tramlines to a significant degree. New rolling stock was purchased and the system was modernized, and a new line was proposed in 2003.
In Berlin, in 1990, ADtranz low floor tram, the world's first completely low floor tram was introduced. West Berlin had shut down its trams in the 1960s but the East reversed a previous decision to shut down the tramway network and new lines have been laid into the western part of Berlin after reunification.
21st Century.
The 2004 Summer Olympics that prompted the redevelopment of trams as part of the Athens Mass Transit System. The tramways in Athens are integrated with the revived Athens Metro system, as well as the buses, trolleybuses and suburban trains.
In Melbourne, Australia, the already extensive tramway system continues to be extended. In 2004 the Mont Albert line was extended several kilometres to Box Hill, whilst in 2005 the Burwood East line was extended several kilometres to Vermont South. In Sydney, trams returned in the form of light rail with the opening of the Inner West Light Rail line in 1997, which has seen extensions and now covers .
In Prague, in 2009, Škoda 15 T, the world's first completely low-floor tram with articulated bogies was introduced.
In Scotland, Edinburgh relaunched its tram network on 31 May 2014 after delayed development which began in 2008. Edinburgh previously had an extensive tram network which began closure in the 1950s. The new network is significantly smaller, 8.7 miles, compared to the previous tram network, 47.25 miles.
Systems such as tram-trains are bringing rail-based transit to areas that never had it and would not otherwise have gotten it. The Karlsruhe model was one of the first in the modern era and provided one-seat rides where several connections would have been necessary before, increasing ridership by significant amounts upon opening of service compared to the prior bus or local train routes.
Modern development.
While many networks closed down during the postwar decades, the rolling stock on remaining systems kept developing, with multi-car trains (or articulated trams) with double-end designs and automatic control systems, allowing a single driver to serve more passengers, and decreasing turnaround time. Passenger and driver comfort have improved with stuffed seats and cabin heating. Advertising on trams, including all-over striping, became common.
The resurgence in the late 20th and 21st century has seen development of new technologies such as driverless automatic train operation in trams in Potsdam, low-floor trams and regenerative braking.


Nissan Diesel C-series

The Nissan Diesel C-series () was a heavy-duty commercial vehicle that was produced by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan Diesel (now UD Trucks) and sold in two generations between 1971 and 1990 (although production continued into the 1990s for certain markets). The second generation was marketed as the "Nissan Diesel Resona" in Japan from 1983 until 1986, which is usually what the second generation is referred to as. The C-series was replaced by the Nissan Diesel Big Thumb in 1990.
First Generation.
The first generation Nissan Diesel C-series trucks were built from July 1971 until 1979. Certain versions, like the heaviest tractors and special-use models continued to be built into the early 1980s as they were only gradually replaced by the second generation models.
Second Generation.
Arriving in 1979, the new C-series originally had round headlamps. In 1983 the model received a facelift, changing to square headlamps. This was also when the name was changed to Resona in Japan (short for "resonate"), although Nissan Diesel reverted to using the C-series name in 1986. The second generation was available with inline-six "PE6" and "GD6" diesels (also available turbocharged), as well as the naturally aspirated V8 ("RE8" and "RF8") and V10 ("RE10") diesels. In New Zealand, the 14-liter GD6T-powered machines were marketed as the "Nissan Diesel Shogun."
Lineup.
The New Zealand importer also developed their own twin-steer 8 x 4 version (CGA340) with the second axle set farther forward than on Japanese-market trucks. This was also available as a conversion kit for the earlier CWA models.


Tacoma Streetcar Disaster

The Tacoma Streetcar Disaster was a public transportation accident that took place in Tacoma, WA on July 4, 1900 when an overloaded streetcar failed to negotiate a curve and plunged down an embankment near a trestle that spans today's South Tacoma Way. The accident resulted in 43 deaths and approximately 65 injuries, many serious.
Background.
Tacoma was served by several privately owned streetcar companies starting from 1888, and by 1900 there were lines running from the city center to several suburban areas, as well as up and down the steep hills in Tacoma's downtown area. One of the companies was Tacoma Railway & Power, which operated lines from Tacoma to Spanaway and from Tacoma to Steilacoom.
Accident.
The car involved in the accident originated at 8:00AM in the Edison neighborhood (now known as South Tacoma). The car was filled over capacity with people from outlying areas en route to Tacoma's 4th of July parade. Conditions were wet. As the car descended a hill down Delin Street towards a sharp curve, it became evident the motorman would not be able to slow down sufficiently, and passengers began to jump off. Near the intersection of South 26th and "C" Streets, where the tracks curved to the north onto a trestle, the car left the tracks and plunged over into a ravine.
Residents and bystanders in the area heard the crash and hurried to give aid. The carnage at the scene was described as horrific, with many victims trapped under the wreckage. Fatalities numbered 37 on the day of the accident, with 6 more dying of their injuries in the following days.
Aftermath.
The following day, an inquest was convened by the Pierce County Coroner. Ultimately, the accident was blamed on the motorman, F. L. Boehm, for allowing the car to reach excessive speed, with the jury also finding that Tacoma Railway and Power Company was criminally negligent for assigning Boehm to an unfamiliar route and for improper maintenance of its cars, rails, and the unsafe grade. Boehm testified that he might have been able to safely negotiate the curve, had the car not been overloaded. The Tacoma Railway and Power Company stopped using the trestle shortly thereafter and it was torn down in 1910.


List of NefAZ buses

Neftekamsk Automotive Plant (NefAZ) is a Russian of city buses located in the city of Neftekamsk, Bashkortostan.
Bus models.
In 1981, NefAZ began manufacturing buses, including public buses. In  2005, NefAZ manufactured 1,255 buses, selling up to 1,150 buses that year. These buses are available on chassis-terrain trucks KAMAZ 4310 (4208/4951), KAMAZ 4326 (4211), Ural-4320 (42112) GAZ-66 (3964). The NefAZ product line includes the polunizkopolnye and low floor (5,299 ...) buses, as well as a small class (3,299), mid-class (4,299) and articulated models extra-large class (52,995). Some of these models were developed with the co-operation of Dutch-Belgian group DAF - VDL (32,997/52,995 ...) and the German Daimler (42,997). Buses can be equipped with domestically-produced engines as well as engines licensed from Cummins and DAF. Several of these models were awarded either "Best Goods of Bashkortostan," or "100 Best Goods of Russia".
NefAZ-4208.
The original shuttle bus, the NefAZ-4208/4951, with a full weight of 9900 kg, was created on the KamAZ-43101/43114 (6x6) chassis with a 220-260 hp Diesel engine KAMAZ-740. It was designed for 29 seats plus two separate places in the driver's cabin, had glazed windows with a metal body with reinforced thermal insulation and a single side door with maximum speed of 85 km/h. A similar shuttle bus, the NefAZ-4211 is based on the 240-strong chassis KAMAZ-4326 (4x4) on a light weight 1150 kg 2-door body with 26 seats.
NefAZ-5299.
Large buses created on the local bus chasis KamAZ -5297. Available in different versions: Urban vysokomol, low floor and polunizkopolnye, Commuter, Intercity, Travel. It is currently one of the most purchased Russian buses. The buses designed by NefAZ have a roomy interior and are equipped with three double-wing passenger side doors. Inside, 115 seats, 25 of which are for sitting in the low-floor and polunizkopolnoy modifications can accommodate a wheelchair, and the median door is equipped with a ramp. Ventilation is provided by three ceiling hatches with electric and air vents. The interior features two storage sites in the middle and rear of the cabin (with the exception of low-floor model).
The driver's cab is separated from the passenger compartment by a partition with windows, but by request, a door can be installed. The suburban modification has two doors and comfortable seating for passengers with seat belts suitable for long distance, and still have enough space for carrying luggage. At the same time as the Serial production of the model was launched in 2001, the suburban option was introduced for the transportation of 45 passengers and with this the first samples of an apron bus. Currently, buses are available with several engine options, including both Cummins and KAMAZ. In 2010, the production of gas turbine buses methane commenced.
NefAZ-3299.
Small buses, which in the future can be used on small commercial routes instead PAZ, Gazelle. Designed in two versions: the urban and inter-urban. After the release of about 40 small buses production was suspended.
NefAZ-Daimler-42997.
Released prototype of the city bus of the middle class, for which the production has not been delivered.
VDL-NefAZ.
Buses of this model appeared in 2007 as a result of a joint venture between Neff and VDL. The result is a series of buses named VDL-NefAZ, different models produced are:
Experienced low-floor articulated bus extra large class released in several copies, which are tested at the factory and in Ufa.
This is a high-end motor coach, which in 2009 was the winner of the "100 best goods of Russia."
NefAZes in games.
The NefAZ 5299 series of buses has been used as a model in computer games: bus simulator OMSI in urban and suburban versions of Grand Theft Auto IV and and in the urban, suburban and long-distance versions of all three GTA games.
In addition, a 1:35 scale model was presented at a conference in.


Hotel Arcata

The Hotel Arcata is a National Historic Place and fully operational hotel located in Arcata, California. It was built to accommodate visitors to Arcata, California, drawn by the Humboldt State Normal School (now Humboldt State University) and delivered by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. In 1920 the Redwood Highway, US 101 provided more access to Arcata.
The hotel was renovated in the 1980s and was acquired by the Big Lagoon Rancheria, becoming the first off-reservation Native American-owned hotel in California.


Jonway Wuxing

The Jonway Wuxing (五星) is a microvan produced by Jonway Automobile.
Overview.
The Jonway Wuxing was originally launched in September 2012. Later in May 2013. The Wuxing is Jonway Automobile's first entry into the Chinese micro van market, and Wuxing in Chinese means Five Star.
Jonway Automobile plans to launch the model in America as the Shuttle G, and an additional electric version would also be launched as the Shuttle EV.
Powertrain.
The Jonway Wuxing is powered by a Mitsubishi 4A10 Series 1.1 liter engine producing 69 horsepower and 89 N·m mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. As of 2013, prices of the Dongfeng Junfeng ranges from 37,800 to 42,800 yuan.
Skio Junfeng (Jonway Wuxing based).
Dongfeng produces a rebadged electric logistics version called the Skio Junfeng (东风时空俊风) sold under the Skio (时空) NEV sub-brand. Despite the Junfeng name, the electric panel van is based on the Jonway Wuxing (永源五星) microvan instead of the Dongfeng Junfeng microvan, and was developed by Dongfeng in a joint venture with Zhejiang Jonway and rebadged based on the Jonway Wuxing (永源五星) microvan. Dongfeng has teamed up with Zhejiang Skio Matrix (Shikong) and Zap Jonway to market a panel van version of the Jonway Wuxing as the new Junfeng. Skio Matrix is an electric vehicle conversion specialist and supplier of battery packs which also markets electric vehicles on behalf of Dongfeng (U-Vane EV), Zhidou, and Kandi.


Trolleybuses in Reading

The Reading trolleybus system served the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire and was owned by Reading Corporation, who had operated an electric tramway since 1901. As there was a need for major refurbishment of the tramway in the 1930s, they decided to replace it with a trolleybus network. The first route was converted on , and by mid 1939, trolleybuses were running over most of the tramway routes, with the last tram running on 20 May. By the standards of the various now-defunct trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom, the Reading system was a moderately sized one, with a total of four routes, and a maximum fleet of 63 trolleybuses, a size that lasted from 1 December 1950 to 27 March 1952.
Reading saw a large increase in population during the Second World War, and extra vehicles were obtained to meet the demands for transport. During this period, all of the termini were given new non-geographical names, in case there was an invasion, but most were reverted when hostilities ceased. In the post-war period, small extensions to the system continued to be made, and although a batch of second-hand trolleybuses were purchased in 1949, most acquisitions were new, with a final batch of twelve obtained from Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles in 1961. The demise of the system was hastened by the manufacturer of overhead wiring announcing that they would cease production of these items, and some major roadworks taking place in the town, which would have required reconstruction of the overhead wiring. The first closure of a route took place in July 1965, and the system closed on .
Reading was at the forefront of the trolleybus preservation movement, when Reading Transport Society obtained the first British trolleybus to be privately preserved. Another five Reading vehicles were eventually saved, including one that was sold to Teesside for further service when the Reading system closed. The Reading Transport Society spent years searching for a site where their vehicles could be exhibited and operated, and were instrumental in setting up The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft in 1969, where all of the preserved vehicles are normally stored. The Society was rebranded as the British Trolleybus Society in 1971, reflecting the wider remit that they now had.
History.
Reading Corporation had run an electric tramway network since 1 November 1901, and by the 1930s the tramcars were showing their age, as the fleet still consisted of the 30 vehicles that had been bought for the opening of the system and another six that had been acquired a year later, although many had been fitted with new bodywork at the Mill Lane depot in the 1920s. In 1931 a Tramways (Future Policy) Subcommittee was created, to consider what should be done when replacement of the tramcars became necessary. Formal visits were made to see several trolleybus systems, and the committee proposed a trolleybus network as the solution. As they were already promoting a Bill in Parliament to authorise the supply of electricity, the initial plan to obtain powers to convert the Caversham Bridge to Whitley Wood route became a more general request to cover the conversion of all the tram routes, and these powers were enshrined in the Reading Corporation Act (1935).
Trams on the route along Erleigh Road had been withdrawn on 7 August 1932, to be replaced by motorbuses, The overhead wiring on part of the route was altered for trolleybuses, and a Sunbeam demonstrator was obtained in May 1936 to allow driver training to take place. The vehicle was fitted with a skate to allow it to run under the tramway wires between the depot and the test track, and although there was never a public trolleybus service on the Erleigh Road route, passengers were often carried free of charge during this period to provide a taster for the new mode of transport. Trams were withdrawn from the Caversham to Whitley Street route on 15 July 1936, to be temporarily replaced by motor buses while the conversion of the overhead wiring was completed. A formal opening took place on 18 July, with the Mayor driving the Sunbeam demonstrator, now No.1 in the corporation's fleet. The other five vehicles obtained to provide the service were an eclectic mix, with one each from Associated Equipment Company (AEC) of Southall, Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, Leyland Motors of Leyland, Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies of Ipswich, and another Sunbeam. All had lowbridge bodywork by Park Royal Vehicles, with 50 seats on the demonstrator and 52 seats on the rest.
The different makes of trolleybus were assessed, and an order was placed with AEC for 25 vehicles to enable the rest of the trams to be withdrawn. These were of highbridge design, with a central gangway on the top deck, rather than the offset sunken gangway of the lowbridge design. Because a highbridge design is inherently taller than a lowbridge vehicle, the corporation had to obtain a special dispensation from the Ministry of Transport, as low bridges on Caversham Road and Oxford Road meant that the overhead wires were very close to the roof at these locations. As well as the price being competitive, AEC had the advantage that their works were only away. Delivery of the first vehicle occurred on 14 December 1938, and the final one arrived on 18 April 1939. New overhead wiring was erected, and where possible, the tramway wiring was removed, with the trams using one of the trolley wires to obtain their power. The "main line" tramway route ran from Oxford Road, near its junction with Craig Avenue in the west, to Wokingham Road in the east, with a branch to London Road. The trolleybus route would be somewhat longer, with an extension along Wokingham Road to the "Three Tuns" public house at one end, and a longer extension to "The Bear" public house in Tilehurst at the other. Driver training took place at the Tilehurst end, where there was no conflict with the trams, and the final trams ran on 20 May 1939, bringing 38 years of tramway operation to an end. Trolleybuses ran along the extended route on the following day.
The onset of the Second World War brought its own problems, with Reading seeing a rapid increase in population, from 100,000 to 140,000 in just two years, and corresponding increases in the number of passengers trying to use the system. Attempts to hire surplus trolleybuses or motor buses from other operators failed, but in 1942 an order was placed with Sunbeam for six utility-bodied vehicles, which arrived in 1943. All of the termini were renamed to remove geographical information, in case of invasion, with Caversham becoming Promenade, Whitley becoming Whit Pump, Tilehurst becoming Bear Inn, Wokingham Road becoming Three Tuns, and London Road becoming Liverpool Road. When hostilities ceased, all but Liverpool Road reverted to their pre-war names. On 31 July 1944 a new branch was opened from Oxford Road to Kentwood, enabling trolleybuses to replace motor buses with a consequential saving in precious oil based fuel.
In 1949 the Whitley Street line was extended along Northumberland Avenue on 5 June, with a branch to Whitley Wood and a short branch to Reading General station opening on 7 August. Subsequent short extensions took the system to its full extent, with the Kentwood route running to Armour Hill and the Northumberland Avenue line running to the junction with Whitley Wood Road. Services on the extended system were provided by purchasing twelve three-axle Karriers from the Huddersfield system, although only six were used in public service, and a batch of 20 vehicles from British United Traction with air-operated doors on the rear platform were delivered in 1950. The final additions to the fleet were twelve Sunbeams with front entrances, which arrived in 1961.
Demise.
By 1965, many UK trolleybus systems had closed, and there were just 16 still in operation. The main manufacturer of the overhead equipment and wiring for trolleybus systems, British Insulated Callender's Cables, gave notice that they would cease production by the end of the year, because of difficulties in making the wire in sufficient quantities for it to be economic. At the same time the trolleybuses came in for some bad publicity in the local press because they cost more to operate compared to motor buses and they were inflexible, even though the trolleybuses were profitable (Reading's motor buses made a loss), faster and less polluting. Reading Corporation decided to abandon the trolleybus system, and the routes were phased out between July 1965 and November 1968.
The first route to close was the Caversham Bridge section, on 10 July 1965. At the same time, the wiring allowing the trolleybuses to serve the Stations was altered, in preparation for the introduction of a one-way system in the area. The decision to abandon the system was taken at a Council meeting on 26 Juy 1966, and large-scale closure began on 8 January 1967, when services on the Whitley Wood branch were withdrawn. Next to go were the route to Northumberland Avenue and the branch to the stations, which ceased on 31 December 1967. The Liverpool Road and Armour Hill branches closed on 3 March 1968, leaving just the main line from Tilehurst to Wokingham Road, which lasted until 3 November 1968, with trolleybus No.144 making the final ceremonial trip.
The UK's first contra-flow bus lane was instigated along Kings Road, when that road was made one-way in the early 1960s. The trolleybuses continued to operate two-way, as it was considered uneconomic to erect wiring on the new inbound route, London Road. The concept of the contra-flow bus lane proved successful, and was adopted in other places for motor buses. The extended main line from the Three Tuns to the Bear still exists today as Reading Buses route 17, the town's busiest and most frequent route, and the first to be designated a premier route. This was a scheme to upgrade the quality and level of service, including better provision for passengers with reduced mobility, realtime service information, and a higher capacity, more reliable bus service. This standard was rolled out on route 17 in 2004.
Depots.
The Corporation owned a tram depot on Mill Lane, near to where the north-south Caversham to Whitley Street route crossed the east-west Wokingham Road to Norcot route. The site also contained a power station equipped with three boilers and four steam engines, which could supply 400 kW at 500 volts for the trams. For the arrival of the trolleybuses, a new depot was constructed on the same site, and temporarty tracks were laid to enable the trams to be parked in the adjacent motor bus depot. Wiring was erected along a small section of London Street and all of Mill Lane, to allow the vehicles to reach either of the main routes, but there was never a public service on the depot access wires. In order to supply power to the new overhead wiring, substations were constructed at Crescent Road on Wokingham Road, Catherine Street on Oxford Road, near the "Rex" Cinema at Norcot, and at Kentwood Hill in Tilehurst. Soon after trolleybus operation began, power was available from the national grid, and the Mill Lane power station was shut down in October 1936. The equipment was removed from the boiler house in 1941, and the building became the trolleybus maintenance workshop.
As the size of the trolleybus fleet grew, the Mill Lane depot was no longer big enough, and a new depot on Bennet Road was constructed. It was officially brought into use on 14 January 1952, but had been used to store vehicles for nearly two years prior to that. Two new substations were required for the extension to Whitley, and they were sited at the junctions of Basingstoke Road with Christchurch Gardens and Buckland Road. The Bennet Road depot was closed in 1958. After the ceremonial last trolleybus on 3 November 1968, the mayor switched off the power to the overhead wiring from Mill Lane, and the trolleybuses had all been towed away to Bennet Road by midnight. They were gradually disposed of, with the last vehicle at the site being No.188, which departed on 11 May 1969.
After closure of the system, the Mill Lane garage was used for motorbuses, but in 1998 the site was completely demolished to make way for the Inner Distribution Road and "The Oracle" shopping mall. Mill Lane itself also disappeared in the redevelopment. However, the huge stone sign that adorned the top of the power station was saved and built into the back wall of the cinema that forms part of the complex.
Fleet.
For the opening of the system, six vehicles were obtained from five manufacturers, in order to assess the capabilities of each. Of the two from Sunbeam, the first was a demonstrator, and was obtained because it allowed driver training to begin, whereas new vehicles had a longer lead time. The eclectic mix was matched by a similar mix of electrical equipment, but all had bodywork by Park Royal Vehicles, so looked similar externally. Having assessed the vehicles, that from AEC was placed first, with vehicle No.6 from Sunbeam in second place. When asked for tenders, both quoted the same price, and so the first large batch was obtained from AEC. The second batch was obtained to cope with increased traffic levels during the Second World War, and were probably Sunbeams, although Joyce et al. also call them Karriers. The difference is trivial, as they were essentially the same vehicle. The Karrier model W was built at the Wolverhampton factory of Sunbeam, and badged with a Sunbeam logo if the order was placed through Sunbeam's Wolverhampton office, or a Karrier logo if it was placed through Karrier's Luton office.
Reading's first wide trolleybuses were the 20 bought from British United Traction in 1949. They had 64 seats and were also the first to have air-operated doors on the rear platform. At a similar time, they purchased a batch of twelve three-axle Karriers from Huddersfield, which had been built in 1934. The General Manager was originally given permission to buy between five and ten of the vehicles, but obtained all twelve. Plans for them to enter service immediately could not be actioned, because of the poor condition of the vehicles, and a programme of rebuilding, using two of them for spares was started, although only six of them were eventually completed.
Higher capacity was a feature of the three-axle Sunbeam S7s bought in 1950, which had seating for 68 passengers. The final batch of twelve vehicles were model F4As from Sunbeam, which had two axles, but retained the higher seating capacity of the previous batch. These were the only new vehicles that Reading bought which did not have bodywork by Park Royal Vehicles, but instead, they went to H. V. Burlingham of Blackpool for the coachbuilding. In a departure from previous practice, they had a front entrances, and six of them re-used motors and electrical equipment from the AECs they were replacing, while the other six had new equipment supplied by British Thomson-Houston (BTH). When the system closed, five of those with BTH equipment, Nos.183 to 186 and 192, were sold on to Teesside, where No.186 became the final vehicle to operate on that system when it closed in 1971.
Preservation.
Six of the former Reading trolleybuses are now preserved. The Reading Transport Society was formed in April 1961 when 14 enthusiasts decided it was worth trying to save one of the AEC vehicles due to be withdrawn later that year. When they managed to do so in September, No.113 became the first privately preserved trolleybus in Britain. Although intended to be a local society, membership spiralled rapidly, attracting members from all over Britain. By 1964 they owned three other trolleybuses, and began searching for a permanent site where they could be displayed. Working with other societies, part of a former airfield at Sandtoft, near Doncaster, was purchased in 1969, and the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft was formed. Reading No.193 was the first trolleybus to move to the site in November 1969. The Reading Transport Society was renamed the British Trolleybus Society on 29 April 1971, exactly ten years after it was set up to purchase No.113, and all of the Reading trolleybuses in preservation are normally stored at the Sandtoft site.


Pesa Atribo

The Pesa Atribo is an articulated diesel multiple unit for regional train services made by Pesa SA of Poland.
Description.
The Atribo is a development of the earlier Pesa 218M. It features a low floor and is designed for regional, non-electrified lines. The train features two toilets, one of which is accessible to disabled people. The trains can operate with up to three sets in multiple. The Italian version has 21 seats in first class (in the 2 + 1) and 129 fixed and 4 tip-up seats in the 2nd class. The Polish version is second class only having 150 fixed seats and 7 tip-up seats. Atribo is equipped with visual and acoustic passenger information system.
Trenitalia sets have a Voith engine, producing less noise and lower emissions.
Usage.
Ferrovie del Sud Est.
The contract with the Ferrovie del Sud Est for the delivery of 13 Atribo sets was signed on June 12, 2006. On February 26, 2007 FSE using the options included in the signed contract, expanded the order to 23 units. Deliveries began on July 15, 2008. In March 2010, signed a new contract for the next 4 sets.
FSE uses its Pesa Atribo's in the region of Apulia. They operate services around Bari, Martina Franca, Taranto and Lecce.
Ferrovie Nord Milano.
FNM ordered two Pesa Atribo sets on February 17, 2009. They were handed over to the operator on April 9, 2009 in Brescia. The trains are allocated to operate the route Brescia - Iseo - Edolo.
Ferrovie Emilia Romagna / Trasporto Emilia-Romagna Passeggeri.
On May 19, 2009 a contract was signed with the Ferrovie Emilia Romagna for 8 Atribo sets to operate on the Bologna - Portomaggiore and Casalecchio - Vignola lines. The first three sets were delivered on June 25, 2009. Later, an agreement was signed for the delivery of 4 additional units.
West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
The region signed an agreement on January 29, 2010 for the purchase of 10 Atribo sets with the option of adding another 2 units, of which the options were taken up in September 2010. The first two units were delivered on June 25, and June 27, 2010 and started their operation in the West Pomeranian Regional Transport Department. Further units were delivered at a rate of one or two a month until January 28, 2011.
Vehicles are assigned to the depot in Kolobrzeg. Trains were allocated primarily to operate the Szczecin - Kolobrzeg (- Koszalin) and Szczecin - Szczecinek services. Vehicles occasionally operate the Koszalin - Mielno Koszalin route, supported mainly by Class SA103 and Slawno - Darlowo supported mainly by Classes SA109 and SA110. In case of failure of Western Pomeranian Class EN57, Atribo sets replace them on the electrified routes such as Szczecin - Białogard, Szczecin - Gryfino and Szczecin - Kamien Pomorski. Since August 29, 2012 Atribo are also used on the line Szczecin - Piła and since June 2013 also to Szczecin Airport Goleniów (on the route from Szczecin to Kolobrzeg).
Trenitalia.
On 12 December 2013 Pesa a contract signed in Rome with Trenitalia for the supply of 40 Atribo sets with the option to purchase an additional 20. Transfer of the first unit for the Italian national carrier took place in November 2014 and the end of the supply is scheduled for July 2015. At the end of July 2014, the first vehicle was tested on an experimental track Railway Institute near Żmigród, and it was delivered on August 20 to Pisa and allocated to the tests necessary to release these vehicles to move around on the Italian railway network. On December 4, 2014 the official presentation of the unit was held at Roma Termini.
Units were purchased to replace older units with the aim to replace old ALn 668 series and ALn 663, and operate in the regions of Tuscany, Abruzzo, Calabria, Marche and Veneto. The units are known by Trenitalia as Swing. As at December 2015 32 of the 40 units have been delivered.
Pomeranian Voivodeship.
On September 2, 2014 the Pomeranian government signed a contract for the supply from Pesa of 7 Atribo sets and 2 Pesa 218Mc sets operate on the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway. The trains entered service with the inauguration of the metropolitan railway on 1 September 2015.
External links.
"This article is based upon a translation of the as at February 2015."


Starrucca House


Herndon House

The Herndon House, later known as the International Hotel and then the Union Pacific Headquarters, was an early hotel located at Ninth and Farnam Streets in present-day Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1858 by Omaha pioneer Dr. George L. Miller along with several associates, it was financed by the sale of city-donated land and a $16,000 loan. It was used as the headquarters building of the Union Pacific Railroad for more than 50 years; it was demolished in 1922.
The hotel was originally named for Lieutenant William Lewis Herndon of the U.S. Navy whose exploration of the Amazon River in the early 1850s captivated the United States. Billed as the best hotel in town, it was one of the finest between Chicago, Illinois and San Francisco, California. The building had more than 100 rooms and featured a fine menu for visitors, including clams and oysters, as well as local game.
Numbered among the guests were political figures, soldiers, railroad men, Indian chiefs, river-boat men, and ranchers. They included William T. Sherman, Major General Grenville M. Dodge, James E. Boyd, David Butler, Alvin Saunders, General J. M. Thayer, Brigham Young, Thomas C. Durant, P. T. Barnum, J. Sterling Morton and P. W. Hitchcock. In 1858 Logan Fontenelle, Joseph LaFlesche, and a contingent including Standing Hawk, No Knife, Young Crane, Little Hill and others stayed at the Herndon for several days, bound for Washington, D.C. to see President James Buchanan. A. J. McCune, one of the early operators of the hotel, also ran the Douglas House, another early Omaha hotel.
In 1860 the dining room of the Hendron House hosted for the first dramatic performance in Omaha, with a borrowed bolt of muslin for a curtain. Julia Dean Hayne, a leading actress of the time, played the title role.
Responding to President Abraham Lincoln's call for soldiers to fight in the Civil War, on May 18, 1861 the newly appointed Nebraska Territory governor, Alvin Saunders, issued a proclamation calling for the immediate raising and equipping of a regiment. The men were mustered into Companies A and B, and were sworn in on the lawn south of Herndon House. In 1862 General James Craig stationed the headquarters of the Military District of Nebraska at the hotel. This placement is credited with eventually leading to the placement of the Omaha Quartermaster Depot, Fort Omaha, and the Department of the Platte in the city. On December 2, 1863 the hotel hosted a massive celebration, including a banquet and ball, for the first construction related to the development of the First Transcontinental Railroad, which began in Omaha. By 1868 the building was billed as the International Hotel.
In May 1867 eccentric railroad promoter George Francis Train was staying at the Herndon House when a windstorm hit the building. Train requested an African American steward in the hotel to stand with his back to the window he was sitting by, fearing the wind would blow it in and expecting the steward to block the glass with his own body. The hotel steward objected, and Train became angry and declared he would build a better hotel within 60 days. That same day Train bought the lot across the street from the Herndon House and secured a builder. Train asked how much it would cost to construct a three-story, 120 room establishment, and the builder replied $1000 a day. Train said, "Show me you are worth it. I will be back to Omaha in 60 days and expect to sleep in the building." The Cozzens House Hotel was finished upon his return.
Union Pacific Headquarters Building.
After the Herndon House closed in 1870, the Union Pacific Railroad leased the building for use as its first general headquarters, and in 1875 the railroad bought the building outright for $42,000. In 1878 the building was completely renovated for $54,000. The offices on the first floor included UP officials in charge of land, express, and coal departments, as well as the Division Superintendent and train dispatcher offices. The auditor, cashier, general superintendent, general freight, ticket agents and paymaster's offices were located on the second floor, and the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company occupied the third story. After vacating the building in 1911, the railroad used it as a storehouse until 1922, when it was demolished.


Downtown Transit Center

Downtown Transit Center is a bus and light rail transportation center in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States, operated by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO). It includes an island platformed METRORail light rail station and bays for bus service.
The station was opened on January 1, 2004.
The station is located adjacent to the Lee P. Brown Administration Building, the METRO headquarters. The bus bay has parking space for nine buses.
Routes that go through the Downtown Transit Center include:


The Jarrett House

The Mount Beulah Hotel, also known as the Jarrett Springs Hotel and known for the last 70 years as The Jarrett House, is an historic hotel located near the intersection of US Highways 23 and 441 in Dillsboro, Jackson County, North Carolina. It was built about 1884, and is three-story frame hotel with a triple-tiered porch. It combines traditional and modest Victorian decorative elements. The building has had a number of additions and modifications since its construction.
In 1984 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Current use.
The buildings and lot are being auctioned for back taxes on September 22, 2020, Jackson cty courthouse 2pm
The building is the dominant building of downtown Dillsboro, North Carolina, and still serves as a hotel and restaurant. It was renovated in 1975, removing the original wooden Victorian porch and replacing it with a cast iron New Orleans-Style Porch and has had many minor cosmetic upgrades over the years. It is one of the few remaining grand Southern Railway (U.S.) Resort Hotels.


Dual-mode bus

A dual-mode bus is a bus that can run independently on power from two different sources, typically electricity from overhead lines (in the same way as trolleybuses) or batteries, alternated with conventional fossil fuel (generally diesel fuel).
In contrast to other hybrid buses, dual-mode buses can run forever exclusively on their electric power source (wires). Several of the examples listed below involve the use of dual-mode buses to travel through a tunnel on electric overhead power.
Many modern trolleybuses are equipped with auxiliary propulsion systems, either using a small diesel engine or battery power, allowing movement away from the overhead wires, called "off-wire" movement, but such vehicles are generally not considered to be dual-mode buses if their off-wire capability is very limited. Examples include the fleet of about 300 trolleybuses in San Francisco and the trolleybuses used on a 2005-opened system in Rome, Italy, which are capable of running on battery power only for short distances or short periods of time before needing recharging. The Rome vehicles are powered from overhead trolley wires over most of the 11.5-km route and only use battery power on the 500-metre section closest to the city centre. Dual mode trolleybuses in a number of Chinese cities can operate significant distances (8 to 10 km) off-wire on battery power.


Toyota HiAce

The (pronounced as "High Ace") is a light commercial van produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. First launched in October 1967, the HiAce has since been available in a wide range of body configurations, including a minivan/MPV, minibus, panel van, crew van, pickup truck, taxi and an ambulance. In Japan, the HiAce is exclusive to "Toyopet Store" locations.
First generation (H10; 1967).
In the late 1960s, Toyota Auto Body, a Toyota subcontracting company, led the development of the HiAce as a small van with a design, similar to European ones at the time, but, according to former Toyota senior employee Akira Kawahara, something unseen in the Japanese industry.
Introduced in 1967, the HiAce was offered as a cab over pick-up, delivery van, and a stretched commuter vehicle. It was also called the HiAce Commercial in camper van configuration. It was brought to market two years after the introduction of the Nissan Homy, acquired by Nissan when they assumed operations of the Prince Motor Company. A few engines of different sizes were available upon introduction, ranging from the 1.35 to a 1.6-litre version. In 1975, the 1.8-litre 16R engine was added. The HiAce was available with a heater, considered a luxury item at the time.
The HiAce was primarily designed as a commuter vehicle, able to transport up to 8 people. With this goal in consideration, the HiAce exterior dimensions and engine displacement were in compliance with Japanese government regulations so as to encourage sales, and accommodate the most passengers by utilizing a cabover body style, with the engine installed underneath and between the front passengers. It was a smaller alternative to the larger Toyota Coaster minibus, and was introduced to Japan after the 1950 Volkswagen Transporter, and the 1961 Chevrolet Greenbrier cabover vans. It was introduced in the same year as the much smaller Toyota MiniAce, which was based on the Toyota Publica, a predecessor to the Toyota Corolla.
This type of HiAce is a rare model these days mostly because of weather wear and rust. HiAce vans originally sold on the European market have largely been exported to Africa and to Southeast Asia where they are used as public transport vehicles.
Second generation (H11/H20/H30/H40; 1977).
The new HiAce of 1977 featured a longer, and more streamlined cab with single headlights. As the second generations dimensions grew, it was joined by a smaller, junior-level cabover van called the Toyota LiteAce to continue to offer dimensions closer to the first generation. In addition to the petrol engines, a 2.2-litre diesel engine was offered in certain markets. New for the "20–40 series" HiAce was a double-cab pick-up, super-long-wheelbase van, and a super long, high-roof Commuter. The Commuter models can seat up to 15 passengers. The short wheelbase truck initially carried the "H11"-series chassis codes. For the vans, 20 series vans have short wheelbases, 30 series have long, and 40 series have super long wheelbases.
After the third generation was introduced in 1982, certain variants of the second generation continued to be manufactured for several years. A majority of the second generation models were exported from Europe and Japan to African and Asian countries after production ended and are used as public transport vehicles.
Third generation (H50/H60/H70/H80/H90; 1982).
A new HiAce van was launched in 1982, with the HiAce pickup truck coming in August 1985. The truck's cab design was common to the bigger ToyoAce light truck, though it had different frontal styling. The truck was a completely different model than the van.
The van's model number contains various wheelbase specification information: 50 series vans have short wheelbases, 60 series have long, and 70 series have super long. The pickup trucks are in the 80 and 90-series. The Toyota Mobile Lounge, displayed at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show, is based on the HiAce high-roof Commuter. While the van and Commuter were redesigned in 1989, the pickup truck was produced until the 1995 model year, and was the last HiAce based pickup truck. Air-conditioning was offered as standard equipment on some variants from this generation onwards.
Fourth generation (H100; 1989).
The fourth generation model appeared in August 1989 and was available in standard wheelbase and long wheelbase variants; a Grand Cabin; standard wheelbase and long wheelbase van; long wheelbase and super long wheelbase high roof van. The latter shares a body design with the Commuter, which is a 15-seat minibus.
A range of engines were available in the fourth-generation vehicles, ranging from 2.0-litre petrol engines to 3.0-litre turbodiesel engines. The 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine (2L-T) was updated to the electronically controlled 2L-TE in October 1990. Most versions are rear-wheel drive, but part time or full-time four-wheel-drive versions were sold depending on specification level and market. Four-wheel drive models were initially only available with the 2.8-litre 3L diesel engine in the Japanese domestic market, but export markets received petrol options as well. The base model is typically the DX. Upmarket versions included GL,Super GL,Super Custom and Super Custom Limited models
The facelifted fourth-generation HiAce was launched in August 1993. At this time, the new 3-litre 1KZ-TE turbodiesel replaced the 2L-TE and 3L diesels in HiAce Wagons (passenger car registration) in Japan. The HiAce received a facelift again during 1997 and once more in 2002. In Japanese-market commercial HiAces the 2.8-litre 3L engine was replaced by the larger 5L engine in August 1998, in order to meet stricter emissions standards. Export models were available with a range of different engines to suit local importers, uses, and tax structures.
In the Philippines, the HiAce was first sold in August 1990 with a diesel engine, getting revamped in October 1994. It was revamped again in May 1997 for sale as both a business vehicle and as a family vehicle. The HiAce was first then comes in two variants; the business-oriented 15-seater and the family van-oriented 13-seater. In March 1999, the HiAce 3.0 Grandia and 2.0 GL petrol HiAce variants were launched, as well as the HiAce Commuter, a HiAce meant for business, and the HiAce was facelifted again in that year. In September 2000, the top-of-the-line 3.0 inline-4 diesel HiAce Super Grandia was launched. All came with a standard 5-speed manual transmission. These variants were all sold until June 2005, with the next generation being launched in June of that same year. A special edition HiAce Super Grandia J (Japan edition) was also sold together with the RAV4 J and Revo J from August 2002 to June 2003.
A special model intended to be used as an emergency medical vehicle known as the Toyota HiMedic, was launched in May 1992 with sales commencing from June of the same year. It used a 4.0-litre V8 engine shared with the Celsior.
RegiusAce.
The HiAce was rebadged with a luxury orientation, called the Toyota RegiusAce. It was introduced in August 1999 with different versions called the Regius HiAce and Regius Touring HiAce sold at Toyopet and Vista dealerships. The RegiusAce uses a cab-over layout, meaning that front seat passengers sit on top of the front axle and the 1TR-FE engine is located underneath the floor and between the front passengers.
When the "Vista" sales network was replaced by the "NETZ" sales network, the Regius Ace was sold exclusively at the Netz Store. The first generation H100 series was manufactured between 1999 and 2004.
China and other markets.
The HiAce (H100) also remains popular in China, where it is still produced by Jinbei Motors as the Jinbei Haise, King Long Motors and the Foton Motor Company as the Foton View C1. These are exported to several markets, including Chile, and are also assembled in both Egypt (by Bavarian Auto Group) and Sri Lanka (as the Micro MPV J). Common engines found in Chinese HiAce variants are the 2.0 and 2.2-litre ("491Q-ME") petrol engines and the 2.8-litre diesel engine. A Chinese variant of the 2.4 L 2RZ-E engine is also available known as the 4RB2. The Isuzu 4JB1 engine and other engine names such as the V19, 4G20C and the 4G22 are available in China as well as 2.5 and 2.7-litre diesel engines. As of 2019, the 2006 variant is still available for purchase with the 4G20, 4G21 and V19 petrol engines available as standard.
In Belarus, the MAZ-182 model is made based on the King Long Haise before it was phased out of production due to lack of interest with plans to eventually localize production. The first models (MAZ-181010 and MAZ-182010) were made in December 2010 before it was dropped in 2012, with surviving models found either being used for MAZ personnel or in the streets, some of them as ambulances. The models were publicly displayed in 2011.
Granvia, HiAce Regius, Grand HiAce, Touring HiAce (XH10, XH20).
Sold in the Japanese market between 1995 and 2002, the Granvia is a semi-bonneted van, with the front wheels positioned in front of the front seats for better safety. Available with seven- and eight-seater configurations and in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, it is based on the regular HiAce. Because of tighter safety regulations, this model replaced the mid-engined HiAce in Europe and several other markets. The engines for Granvia are either a 2.4 L or 3.0 L diesel, or 2.7- and 3.4 L petrol. The Granvia spawned into the upmarket multi-purpose vehicles the HiAce Regius, the Grand HiAce and the Touring HiAce. The Granvia, Grand HiAce, and Touring HiAce are upmarket passenger vans only.
In Europe, the Granvia-based HiAce sold from 1995 was usually equipped with the 2494 cc 2KD diesel engine in a variety of versions, with or without turbocharging. The HiAce underwent a facelift in 2006, with bigger "jewel-style" headlights, and continued to be built in this form until 2012, replaced by the Toyota ProAce.
In Australia, the Granvia was sold as the HiAce SBV, alongside the fourth generation HiAce, and both were replaced by the new fifth generation model. The HiAce SBV sold in Australia (from 1996 to 2003) was designated RCH12R (short wheelbase) and RCH22R (long wheelbase) and was available only with 2.4-litre "2RZ-E" petrol engine developing 88 kW at 4800 rpm and 200 Nm at 3600 rpm and five-speed manual transmission. The smaller SBV TownAce was powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine.
They are also very popular in New Zealand, imported as used vehicles from Japan. The 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel is especially favoured as its enormous torque but not so impressive power output are ideally suited to the hilly conditions in a country with an overall 100 km/h speed limit. Many of these vehicles are in commercial passenger service.
The Grand HiAce was based on the HiAce Powervan. Sales of the Grand HiAce started in Japan in 1999. Engines available were a 3.4-litre petrol and a 3.0-litre turbodiesel. This type was sold in Japan only until 2002. In Taiwan, the Granvia was badged HiAce Solemio.
The semi-bonneted HiAce was sold in Norway and was the best selling van for many years until early 2012, when it was withdrawn from most European markets as it could not be made to pass the Euro 5 emissions rules.
The Hiace sold in Europe was replaced with a rebadged version of the Citroën Jumpy/Peugeot Expert/Fiat Scudo which is sold as the Toyota ProAce. It's made in cooperation with Jinbei as the Jinbei Granse (阁瑞斯 Geruisi) or Grace in English.
Fifth generation (H200; 2004).
The fifth generation HiAce became available for sale in late 2004 as a wide long-wheelbase wagon, wide super-long-wheelbase high-roof "Grand Cabin", long-wheelbase van, long-wheelbase high-roof van and a wide super-long-wheelbase high-roof van. In this generation of the HiAce, the gear lever has been moved to the dashboard to enable easier movement in the cabin. Transmission choices range from a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic.
Most models use a four-cylinder DOHC engine, in a variety of forms, a 1TR-FE 2000 cc or 2TR-FE 2,700 cc petrol engine, or a 2KD-FTV 2,500 cc or 1KD-FTV 3,000 cc D-4D turbodiesel engine. Two of these engines are available in Malaysia, the 2.5 L turbodiesel, offered in a choice of panel van or window van; and the 2.7 L petrol, that comes only in the window van option. At least some general export market HiAces are powered by the 5L-E 3,000 cc diesel engine.
In Japan, Toyota's internet-enhanced GPS and vehicle telematics service called G-Book was made available as an option on all trim packages for both private and commercial uses.
The fifth generation HiAce was launched in the Philippines on 13 June 2005, with D-4D variants; The 15-seater Commuter and the 13-seater GL Grandia, both with manual transmission. In March 2006, the new top-of-the-line 11-Seater HiAce Super Grandia was launched, being the first ever HiAce in the Philippines with a standard automatic transmission. In 2015, the 10-seater Super Grandia LXV was added in lineup, based on the GL Grandia trim, the LXV was only offered with an automatic transmission and receives 15-inch alloy wheels, updated rear seats, higher roof (campervan) and a high end audio system. The GL Grandia and Super Grandia LXV trims were sold until April 2019 and the Super Grandia trim was sold until August 2019. The 3.0 Commuter variant is sold until this date and the 3.0 Cargo variant was introduced. Available colours for this Hiace in the Philippines are Silver Metallic (Commuter/Cargo/GL Grandia), Gold Metallic (Super Grandia LXV), White (Commuter/Cargo), White Pearl (Super Grandia LXV), Black (GL Grandia/Super Grandia), and Luxury Pearl Toning (GL Grandia/Super Grandia).
The 2.5 and subsequent 3.0-litre turbodiesel KD engines have a maximum power output of at 3400 rpm and at 3400 rpm and maximum torque of at 1600–2600 rpm and at 1200–3200 rpm respectively. The 2.0 L and 2.7 L TR petrol engines have a maximum output of at 5600 rpm and at 5200 rpm respectively and a maximum torque of and ; both being achieved at 4000 rpm. In November 2017, the Japanese market Hiace Van and RegiusAce came fitted with the 2.8 L 1GD-FTV engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission generating a power output of at 3600 rpm and of torque from 1000 to 3400 rpm. This supplanted the 1KD-FTV.
On Japan's list of the most commonly stolen vehicles, , the HiAce resides in the first place. Because of a lack of a theft immobilizer, it is fairly easy to steal a HiAce, as opposed to much more valuable SUVs and sports cars, which have more sophisticated theft deterrent systems.
Even after the newer H300 was released, , the H200 series continued to be sold in countries such as Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand. , the H200 is the only vehicle being sold in Japan with the HiAce name.
RegiusAce.
The second generation of the RegiusAce was completely restyled. Transmission choices are a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic, with the gearshift lever integrated into the instrument panel so as to allow front seat passengers access to the rear of the vehicle from the inside. A moderate restyle was completed in November 2005. It was discontinued in 2020 due to integration of all Toyota stores across Japan.
Mazda Bongo Brawny.
In 2019, Mazda introduced a badge-engineered version of the H200 as the new Bongo Brawny. Unlike its predecessors, the new Bongo is meant for commercial purposes. It is offered in DX and GL trims.
The Brawny is equipped with collision avoidance package as standard with forward collision warning with automatic braking, automatic high beam, and lane departure warning.
Sixth generation (H300; 2019).
The sixth generation HiAce made its global debut on 18 February 2019 in the Philippines. It uses a front hood/bonnet arrangement instead of a cab-over design, hence a departure from the design language of its predecessors. Its development was led by Toyota chief engineer Takuo Ishikawa.
The sixth generation HiAce is available in two engine options: a turbocharged 2.8 L "1GD-FTV" inline-four diesel engine or a naturally aspirated 3.5 L "7GR-FKS" V6 petrol engine.
Markets.
Australia.
The sixth generation HiAce was released in Australia on 28 May 2019 and is offered in five grades: LWB Van, LWB Crew Van, SLWB Van, SLWB Commuter and Commuter GL. The 3.5L V6 engine option is only available on LWB & SLWB grades.
Indonesia.
The sixth generation HiAce is sold in Indonesia as the HiAce Premio (based on long/high roof body), which was introduced at the 27th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in July 2019.
Philippines.
The sixth generation HiAce is offered in 5 trim levels: 15-seater Commuter Deluxe, 12-seater GL Grandia Monotone and 2-Tone, 14-seater GL Grandia Tourer, 10-seater Super Grandia and Super Grandia Elite. The Super Grandia trims are sold as the Granvia/Majesty in other markets. All trim levels are powered by the 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine mated to either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
Mexico.
The sixth generation HiAce was released in the Mexican market in late August 2019.
Thailand.
The sixth generation HiAce was launched in Thailand in 2019. There are three models of the HiAce in Thailand: HiAce (Normal Roof), Commuter (High Roof), and Majesty. The Majesty was launched on 16 August 2019, replacing the Ventury.
GranAce/Granvia/Majesty/HiAce Super Grandia/HiAce VIP/Quantum VX.
A more luxurious passenger version of the HiAce, called Granvia, was released on 21 May 2019 and is sold in Taiwan and Australia (replacing the Tarago). The Granvia was also released in Thailand as the Majesty on 16 August 2019, replacing the Ventury, followed by the HiAce Super Grandia in the Philippines on 19 August 2019. It is also sold in Japan as the , which was announced on 8 October 2019 and unveiled at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show through October to November 2019. It went on sale on 16 December 2019. The Granvia was launched in the United Arab Emirates on 10 October 2019 and is powered by the 3.5-litre V6 engine. It was also introduced in Russia as the HiAce VIP on 25 October 2019.


Asakura Station (Tosaden)

 is a tram station in Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.
Adjacent stations.
!colspan=5|Tosa Electric Railway


Dawn station

Dawn is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network, located in the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The street level stop located in an especially hilly portion of a neighborhood known for its rolling terrain, providing access to commuters within walking distance. The station is located along the South Busway at the south end of the Palm Garden trestle and also serves as a transfer opportunity to the one city bus that stops at the same location.
History.
The original Dawn stop was established at the south end of the Palm Garden trestle where Dawn Avenue crossed the Pittsburgh Railways trolley right of way. In the 1950s the stop was served by the 38 Mt. Lebanon, 39 Brookline, 42 Dormont, and 43 Neeld services. Just south of the stop was a junction where the line continued on to West Liberty Avenue (service 38 and 39) with the branch to the west proceeding to Broadway (service 42 and 43). When the 38 Mt Lebanon line along West Liberty Avenue was abandoned on May 25, 1963, it was combined with the 42 Dormont and renumbered as 42/38 Mt. Lebanon/Beechview. However, the 42 Dormont continued as a separare service but for rush hour use only. All lines, except the 39 Brookline, eventually became the 42 South Hills Village, the current Red Line. The 39 Brookline was abandoned on Sep 3, 1966.


Renault AGP


Hotel Pennsylvania

The Hotel Pennsylvania is a hotel located at 401 Seventh Avenue (15 Penn Plaza) in Manhattan, across the street from Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden in New York City. The fourth largest hotel in the city, it was closed indefinitely on April 1, 2020.
History.
Early years.
The Hotel Pennsylvania was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and operated by Ellsworth Statler. It opened on January 25, 1919 and was designed by William Symmes Richardson of the firm of McKim, Mead & White, which also designed the original Pennsylvania Station located across the street.
Statler Hotels, which had managed the Pennsylvania since its construction, acquired the property outright from the Pennsylvania Railroad on June 30, 1948 and renamed it the Hotel Statler on January 1, 1949. All 17 Statler hotels were sold to Conrad Hilton in 1954 and the hotel became The Statler Hilton in 1958. It operated under this name until 1979, when Hilton sold the hotel to developer William Zeckendorf, Jr., for $24 million. The hotel was renamed the New York Statler and was operated by Dunfey Hotels, a division of Aer Lingus. The hotel was sold again for $46 million in August 1983. A 50% interest was bought by Abelco, an investment group consisting of developers Elie Hirschfeld, Abraham Hirschfeld, and Arthur G. Cohen, with the other 50% bought by the Penta Hotels chain, a joint-venture of British Airways, Lufthansa, and Swissair. The new owners renamed the hotel the New York Penta and undertook a massive renovation. In 1991, Penta's partners bought out the chain's stake in the hotel and returned it to its original name, Hotel Pennsylvania.
Recent history and attempted demolition.
The threat of the Hotel Pennsylvania's demolition was first introduced in 1997 when Vornado Realty Trust bought the hotel in a joint venture with Ong Beng Seng, a Singaporean hotel developer and financier. Vornado and Seng's company then announced on September 25, 1997 the formation of a joint venture for converting the hotel into the first Official All Star Hotel. The plans were halted by mid-1999 as Planet Hollywood sold its stake to a New Jersey-based real estate investment trust.
Vornado announced in 2007 that the hotel was to be demolished to make way for a new office building with Merrill Lynch as its anchor tenant. Owner Vornado Realty Trust intended to build a building by 2011.
In 2006, the Save Hotel Pennsylvania Foundation (now the Hotel Pennsylvania Preservation Society) was created. Shortly after the announcement of Vornado's plans, the staff of "", a magazine that sponsors biennial HOPE hacker conventions at the hotel, began investigating possible ways to save the hotel from demolition. They were joined by the new Save the Hotel Pennsylvania Foundation, whose members included a number of city organizations and politicians to aid in the landmarking of the hotel, including the Historic Districts Council, Manhattan Community Board 5, and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried. In November 2007, Manhattan Community Board 5 voted 21-8 to have New York City Council landmark the historic hotel. In February 2008, however, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission denied the request for landmarking.
Preservation efforts have proven difficult. Emmanuel Goldstein of "2600" noted that while people overseas expressed concern over the fate of the hotel:
New Yorkers might not care enough to get involved. The hotel was old; the rooms weren't as big and luxurious as other more modern facilities; and New Yorkers simply weren't in a position to grasp the importance of such a place since they normally don't need cheap and easily accessible hotels if they already live here.
In May 2010, the hotel was again in danger of demolition. Manhattan Borough president Scott Stringer gave a conditional approval overruling Manhattan Community Board 5. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission reviewed the hotel's Cafe Rouge for landmark status based on a request by the Hotel Pennsylvania Preservation Society, but on October 22, 2010, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission declined to designate the cafe as a landmark.
On July 14, 2010, the New York City Department of City Planning voted unanimously in favor of the construction of the tower. On August 23, 2010, the NYC Council voted to approve the proposed Uniform Land Use Review Procedure submitted by the building owners.
On December 14, 2011, Vornado proposed to delay the demolition of the hotel due to market conditions.
On March 4, 2013, Vornado revealed they were abandoning plans to demolish the hotel and replace it with the office tower. The decision was followed by a statement by chairman Steven Roth:
We're not going to tear down the hotel. In fact, we're going to invest in it aggressively and try to make it into a really profitable, really good hotel for our purposes.
Vornado confirmed they would be renovating and improving the hotel, but provided little other detail. Preservationists as well as those in the Hotel Pennsylvania Preservation Society (formerly the Save Hotel Pennsylvania Foundation) would like to see the renovations develop into restorations, bringing the hotel back to its 1919 splendor. In March 2018, Vornado Realty Trust renewed special permits with the City Planning Commission to develop the proposed 15 Penn Plaza skyscraper on the Hotel Pennsylvania's site. In an April 2018 letter to investors, Roth mentioned the demolition and 15 Penn skyscraper plan as a continued option, but also described Vornado as being at "a tipping point" with regard to redeveloping the Pennsylvania into a "giant convention/entertainment hotel".
In June 2019, Vornado released new plans to lure their existing tenant, Facebook, to the site of the hotel, with a new design done by Rafael Viñoly. According to The Real Deal, Facebook stated they are not moving. In April 2021, Vornado again announced plans to demolish the hotel to make way for the new skyscraper, now known as Penn15. According to Roth, "the hotel math has deteriorated significantly over the last five years", and the benefits of continuing to operate the hotel were outweighed by the drawbacks of maintenance, taxes, and lack of demand.
Cafe Rouge.
The Cafe Rouge was originally the main restaurant in the Hotel Pennsylvania. It served as a nightclub for many years, but now operates as a separate venue from the hotel entirely, as a multi-purpose space. It is the only space in the hotel that escaped significant alterations during the building's massive 1980s renovation.
The Cafe Rouge measured , with a ceiling height of , with a main central level and two terraces on either side. The terraces were raised . The Café was designed with a distinctly Italian character. Both the wall base and door trim were made of terracotta, the walls were artificial limestone, and the ceiling was treated to give the effect of old wooden beamed ceilings. The ceiling was carefully studied in color to increase the apparent height of the room, and the beams of the ceiling had carvings of various designs. The east end of the Café had a large floor-to-ceiling fountain. The Café had large arched windows running along the exterior wall of the room. The arched window design was mimicked on the opposite wall. A bandstand was located on the central floor of the room on the exterior wall.
Big band era.
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, The Café Rouge had a big band remote connection to the NBC Red Network (after 1942, the NBC Radio Network) and became known for the performances held inside. Multiple artists played inside the Café – such as The Dorsey Brothers, Woody Herman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and The Andrews Sisters.
One evening in November 1939, while in the midst of a steady long-term engagement at the Cafe Rouge, bandleader Artie Shaw left the bandstand between sets and decided he had had enough of the band business and all the hype of having become, in a year and a half, the leader of the most popular big band in the country. Shaw essentially quit his own band on the spot, the act obliging "The New York Times" to comment in an editorial.
During 1940–42, the Glenn Miller Orchestra also had repeated long-term bookings in the room during the three years of Miller's highest profile as a bandleader. Miller's orchestra broadcast from the Café; some were recorded by RCA Victor. Shaw's principal orchestrator from 1937–39, Jerry Gray, was immediately hired by Miller as a staff arranger when Shaw deserted his band; it was during Miller's 1940 engagement at the hotel that Gray wrote the tune "Pennsylvania 6-5000" (with lyrics later added by Carl Sigman) that made use of the Hotel's telephone number, 212-736-5000, which is the New York phone number in longest continuous use. Les Brown's band, with its vocalist Doris Day, introduced their song "Sentimental Journey" at the Café in November 1944.
Later use.
The Café Rouge is no longer considered a part of the Hotel Pennsylvania business and has a separate address and entrance from the street at 145 West 32nd Street. The hotel structure is currently owned by Vornado Realty Trust.
In 2007, for the Garden in Transit project, adhesive weatherproof paintings of flowers attached to NYC taxicabs were painted inside the Café.
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission reviewed the Café Rouge for landmarking status on the basis of evaluation papers created by the Hotel Pennsylvania Preservation Society (formerly the Save Hotel Pennsylvania Foundation). On October 22, 2010 the Café was rejected as a candidate for landmarking, most likely because the 15 Penn Plaza project was approved and the moderate, but not destructive alterations of the interior since its construction. The 15 Penn Plaza project, would have included the demolition of the Café.
Most of the original interior decor remains intact. The fountain and beamed ceiling and other architectural details remain, though the entire room, as well as the ceiling, have been painted over in white. Numerous events from the 2013 New York Fashion Week were held in the Cafe Rouge.
In 2014, the Café Rouge was converted to an indoor basketball court known as Terminal 23, to commemorate the launch of the Melo M10 by the Jordan Brand division of Nike. It provides a facility for youth and high school players.