Inspired by another discussion on railroad.net would any of you be interrested to see things that aren't finacially practical but probably would be if history had it otherwise? Such as things that would be financially practical if at least one more North American streetcar system had survived.
Here's an example that I would be delighted to see if I were in Northern US: Cincinatti is about to return trams, now their previous system was built to the Pennsylvania trolley gauge, and three other systems, in Philladelphia, Pittsburgh and New Orleans retain that gauge, showing no sign of regauging, envon though dual gauge track is possible and some European systems (such as Stuttgart, Chemitz and Essen) have been regauged.
None of the operators of any of the current Penna trolley gauge systems are in the market for low floor trams. Though a Pennsylvania based comapny which produced historic replicas for New Orleans is now entering the low floor tram supply market and they are almost certainly toold for the Penna trolley gauge. But nevertheless, Cincy appears to be stuck in a rut where the only solution is standard gauge, then again they are also not using an inch of old track so buliding to the same gauge as before does not save any money let alone costruction related energy consumption.
The only existing North American oddball gauge system that's in the market for new trams is Toronto. As long as the operators of of the current Penna trolley gauge systems are not in the market for low floor trams, the standard for new sytems, including Cincinnati and Baltimore, is stuck in the suppliers box.
Here's an example that I would be delighted to see if I were in Northern US: Cincinatti is about to return trams, now their previous system was built to the Pennsylvania trolley gauge, and three other systems, in Philladelphia, Pittsburgh and New Orleans retain that gauge, showing no sign of regauging, envon though dual gauge track is possible and some European systems (such as Stuttgart, Chemitz and Essen) have been regauged.
None of the operators of any of the current Penna trolley gauge systems are in the market for low floor trams. Though a Pennsylvania based comapny which produced historic replicas for New Orleans is now entering the low floor tram supply market and they are almost certainly toold for the Penna trolley gauge. But nevertheless, Cincy appears to be stuck in a rut where the only solution is standard gauge, then again they are also not using an inch of old track so buliding to the same gauge as before does not save any money let alone costruction related energy consumption.
The only existing North American oddball gauge system that's in the market for new trams is Toronto. As long as the operators of of the current Penna trolley gauge systems are not in the market for low floor trams, the standard for new sytems, including Cincinnati and Baltimore, is stuck in the suppliers box.
