Trams

About Trams

A tram (also known as a tramcar, or a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit type in which vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks laid on public streets, although some trams run on sections of track in their own segregated right-of-way. Trams are a type of light rail and are included within this broader category. However, they differ from it in their frequent integration into urban streets, lower traffic signal priority, coexistence with other vehicles, and lower capacity. Their units are capable of forming motor coaches or motorcars, which allows for the operation of longer trains. Trams are usually lighter and shorter than main line and rapid transit trains. Most trams use electrical power, usually fed by a pantograph sliding on an overhead line; older systems may use a trolley pole or a bow collector. In some cases, a contact shoe on a third rail is used. If necessary, they may have dual power systems—electricity in city streets and diesel in more rural environments. Occasionally, trams also carry freight.