French Delights part 5 – Paris’s TramTrain Line T-4. Could this be a template for TramTrain in the Tri-Cities at $11 million per kilometre?
Ai??
In November 2006, Paris transit authorities openedAi??Ai??a new tram-train line (T4) running from Aulnay-sous-Bois to Bondy (right side of Seine river),Ai??Ai??using the tracks of anAi??Ai??old life expiredAi??Ai??suburban railway (Coquetiers Line), with old and noisy rolling stock.Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Even though the old suburban line hadAi??Ai??14 level crossings,Ai??Ai??it was still important for the connection with Paris center.
The renewal of the line started in 2003 when the rail line was doubled from Livry-Gargan to Aulnay-sous-Bois. The level crossings were protectedAi??Ai??by a visive signaling system and the aged commuter train rolling stock was replaced withAi??Ai??modern dual low floor Siemens Avanto TramTrains,Ai??Ai??which canAi??Ai??run in tramway mode (750 V DC) and in electric train mode (25 KV AC). TheAi??Ai??new tram-train was a cost effectiveAi??Ai??conversion of an existing railway into a modern tramway, re-using theAi??Ai??old commuter railwayAi??Ai??infrastructure. The commuter train heritage is retained with the TramTrain Line being operated by the SNF (SociA?Ai??tA?Ai?? Nationale des Chemins de fer franA?Ai??ais) or National Railways.
Two newAi??Ai??extensionsAi??Ai??are actively being planned for: an intermediate branch from Clichy-sous-Bois to Montfermeil, a northern extension from Aulnay-sous-Bois to ParinorCountryCountry France France.
The cost of TramTrain Line T4 was a mere $11 million/km. to build and illustrates the growing popularity of TramTrain in Europe and now in North America as a cost effective alternative to more expensive construction.
Ai??
| Country | France |
| Line | T4 (Coquetiers Line) |
| Inhabitants | District 11.175.000 |
| Date opening | 2006 |
| Future development: | northern (Garonor) and eastern (Montfermeil) extensions |
| Length (km) | 8.0 |
| Track sections | on an existing railway (Coquetiers Line) |
| Stops | 10, average distance 890 m |
| Platforms | — |
| Platform doors | — |
| General characteristics | height cm 35 |
| n. of vehicles | 15 |
| n. of cars per vehicle | — |
| Type | steel wheels bi-directional |
| Vehicle dimensions (m) | length 37, width 2.65 |
| Vehicle capacity (pax) | tram: 242 (80 seated) |
| Frequency | 7’/15′ |
| Current/Voltage | 750 V DC overhead/25 KV AC overhead |
| Type of guide/gauge | standard gauge rails (1435 mm) |
| Speed Km/h | Comm 25, Max 110 |
| Accel./Decel. (m/sec2) | — |
| System capacity | — |
| Ridership | — |
| Total cost | 7 M Euro/km |
| Staff | — |
| System builder | SIEMENS |
| Model | Avanto |
The problem in this region is that there are few abandoned rights of way in the areas where demand for transit is highest. All the most coveted routes for tram-train are owned by the CPR. Even “abandoned” routes are held tightly by the CPR in the hope that some day they can have the land re-zoned and make enormous profits. Gordon Campbell, as a former employee of CPs real estate division, believes that’s what should happen. He’ll never support rail transit on those routes because it would get in the way of CPs ability to profit.
It’s way past time to stop the insanity. The CPR was given huge amounts of real estate as a bribe to extend their main line from Port Moody to the town of Granville (now called Vancouver). What’s particularly insulting to citizens is that the CPR was going to build that extension anyway, without any bribe whatsoever because they realized Port Moody lacked the deep water needed by ocean going ships.