MELBOURNE TRAM DEWIREMENTS

[@stuartcouper5678]

Love the video , when I was from the ages 4 to10 (1973 to 1979) I lived upstairs with my parents in a flat on Hawthorn Rd. , a stones throw (literally) from the intersection of Glenhuntly Rd. , countless times I watched W-Class trams lose the pole when turning left from Hawthorn Rd into Glenhuntly Rd (Route 64 Depot Returns) and being very close to the corner shop / footpath with roofing over , it was always an almighty racket when it so often occurred. James Duncan , by any chance would he be related to George Smith Duncan (Engineer) , THE George Duncan who oversaw the engineering side of the Melbourne Cable Tram Network (bar the Windsor - Esplanade construction which was completed after he left Melbourne IIRC).

[@GaryCameron780]

I live in a city that used to run electric trolley buses. Takes me back to watching them de-wire. Sometimes rather spectacularly.

[@Bobrogers99]

This brought back memories of the trolleys I rode while growing up in Boston, MA, USA. Dewirements were not uncommon (and worse when they changed to "trackless trolleys"). Im surprised that in the 1990s, these motormen had to operate the track switches manually. Interesting video!

[@marcelcharbonnier297]

Being born in 1952 in the french city which has alway had tramways since 1890 (Saint-Étienne), I love this ecologic and picturesque means of transportation. The pantograph is less problematic, but are those new trams real trams ?

[@guidoboreani1312]

Really a fascinating video, I loved it! Thanks for sharing. This brings back fond memories of when also Milano trams used the trolley pole. Milano had many complex junctions like this one and dewirements weren't unknown there also, but very rare, many caused by excessive speed. Here it looks that there's some bad misalignment in the overhead: it can be clearly seen that dewirements occur nearly always in the same place and that often the wheel takes the wrong wire at the switch. The contact wire looks too loose and switches and crossings badly positioned. I guess this should be a common problem in Melbourne, as many bent trolley poles can be seen in the video. I wonder why Z1s got double trolley rope.

[@ThePaulv12]

This junction is complex and oriented N, S, E, W. From any direction the tram is facing it can go left, right or straight ahead. This makes the overhead complex. The direction that the tram is turning at 2:45 is not often used compared to the other directions. That tram is connecting to Route 3, as Route 3 normally goes east-west and the riciprocal heading at that intersection. The 2:45 tram is facing north and turning east. Usually trams going north go straight ahead and south bound trams go roughly 50/50 either south or west. This means the wear pattern on the overhead plates will be worn in favour of the most used directions increasing the likelihood of a dewirement. Get a really good look at it on Google Maps Street View. The address is Balaclava road and Hawthorn road Caulfield Melbourne Australia. The Street View of the trackwork is superb.

[@CoolAsFreya]

ah trolley poles and manual track switches, we take for granted how quickly and hassle-free trams run now with automatic switches and pantographs

[@dkbmaestrorules]

Those poor guys who put the pole back on the wire, only to have it come straight off again!

[@Parker6432]

the trolley pole retrievers seem to be hopeless? No way they pull the pole down when they de-wire?

[@48firefox]

It looks like a spiders web of wires in the sky, I don't think every tram dewired that came through this intersection.

[@Sgt.Speed_III]

the Tram Wires in the Air looks like "no service 20 years ago ;-) "

[@neilforbes416]

The question begs: Why trolley poles? These are Z1- or Z2-class trams, why aren't they fitted with pantographs when first built?

[@youtubeviewer7030]

you reffering like what they have on trains

[@neilforbes416]

Yes, Electric trains have pantographs which are raised up to make contact with the overhead wire. Schony747 and Tressteleg1, who are tram drivers(although I think Tressteleg1 might be retired) know a lot more than me on the subject.

[@youtubeviewer7030]

what i call the diamond shape coductors

[@neilforbes416]

More a scissor-action(of sorts) to raise the bar, which has, I believe, a carbon strip along its length, up to the overhead wire. As I said before, I believe Schony747 and Tressteleg1 have a better understanding than me on this matter as they are, or were, tram drivers. Schony is still active while Tressteleg is, I think, retired.

[@youtubeviewer7030]

what i call the diamond shape yeah they have that the same on the electric metros down here also

[@pravinbabariya6273]

Nice

[@MickInOz82]

I estimate this video to be late 1993 or early 1994.

[@planetX15]

How can you tell?

[@rhodesianwojak2095]

@@planetX15 cars I would imagine

[@youtubeviewer7030]

@8:48 wow that pole dosnt seemed to be very stable one slip no power to the car and yes i just noticed it

[@thomasbedingfield9188]

No wonder they changed them over to pantographs.

[@matthewmassarotti2596]

Yeah I c now why they did less dewired

[@youtubeviewer7030]

@13:51 yep i ridden on these

[@Bobrogers99]

Rather hazardous to have to step out into traffic in a busy intersection to change points or to rewire the trolley pole!

[@filmtechnz1]

Really good video. What a shambles though. I have never been a tram aficionado though - I have never been able to work out why these monstrosities are allowed to take over the streets. Much prefer light rail (ie railcars), unless the trams have a special right of way.

[@ThePaulv12]

I suppose you hate trucks too. While the mighty GM was selling buses the world over intentionally focusing on tram network cities (and closing them down in order to line their greedy barbarian shareholders pockets), we resisted. I'm supremely heartened you don't like trams because it makes it all worthwhile. Long live the tram!

[@CoolAsFreya]

plenty of the tram tracks have their own thoroughfare nowadays with their trackspace only being shared with emergency services and the road seperate on either side of the track

[@Detroit8V92tta]

Man what a mess! Visual pollution and it doesn't even work properly.