wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:56 am, "sweek" wrote:
I think they're simply too ugly, and would hate to see so many wires
in London. I know that this is obviously true for trams, too, unless
we go for the still buggy system that Bordeaux has at the moment. But
at least the vehicles look a lot nicer then, and trams have a higher
"status" compared to buses.

Wires do not have to be as conspicuous as they often are in tram
schemes (huge steel 'I' girders and tensioned wires with large
weights). Trolleybus wiring can be quite light weight and is not
tensioned. In urban areas it can be suspended from brackets on
buildings. In really sensitive areas, you can of course dispense with
wiring and run on batteries or super capacitors or other auxiliary
power. Clearly where there are wires they will be able to be seen if
you look but what is better a view with wires or an atmosphere laden
with pollutants which we (now) know make people (especially children
and the elderly) suffer with breathing problems and die prematurely?
We can make the excuse of non-knowledge for the widespread electric to
diesel conversions of the 50's through to 1972 in the UK but that
excuse no longer holds water.

The ugly, high visibility wire supports for tram lines are not necessary
for the higher tension overhead used by modern tram systems, they are
simply cheaper than the alternative. In the pictures linked below, the
overhead is supported by the existing buildings, not by independent masts.

http://www.nettrams.net/PictureGalle...s/image001.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:N...ss-transit.jpg

Of course trolley buses are not immune to ugly, cheap masts:
http://www.bussfoto.com/Bildgalleri/...a_060512c.html

Where overhead wiring is deemed too ugly, it is possible to run trams
with no overhead wires at all, with no need for a separate on board
power supply.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:B...-Roustaing.jpg

In the various new generation and updated first generation tram and
trolleybus systems I have visited, I would have to say that the
trolleybus overhead in general is more visually intrusive because of the
second wire and because of the much more complex (and noisy) equipment
necessary for junctions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:M..._at_Haight.jpg

Robin