TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram (Chinese: 天津开发区导轨电车; pinyin: Tiānjīn Kāifāqū Dǎoguǐ Diànchē) was a Translohr Light Rail line in Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA). It was a modern, high-speed rubber-tyred tram line, the first in both China and Asia. The line was considered as part of the Tianjin Metro system. It was run by Tianjin Binhai Mass Transit Development Co., Ltd, which has been a subsidiary of Tianjin Rail Transit Group Corporation since 2017.
| TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram | |
|---|---|
 | |
 TEDA MGRT Tram | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Closed |
| Owner | Tianjin |
| Locale | Tianjin, China |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 14 |
| Service | |
| Type | Translohr |
| System | Tianjin Metro |
| Services | 1 |
| Operator(s) | Tianjin Binhai Mass Transit Development Co., Ltd. (As a subsidiary of Tianjin Rail Transit Group Corporation since 2017) |
| History | |
| Opened | 10 May 2007 |
| Closed | 1 June 2023 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 7.86 km (4.88 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Character | At-grade |
| Track gauge | None, central guide rail |
| Electrification | 750 V DC Overhead lines |
| Operating speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
Tianjin once had a conventional steel-wheeled tramway network. The system gradually expanded and reached its peak in 1933 with 116 tramcars. Later however, like most cities around the world, the tram service was abandoned in 1972 due to its perceived inefficiency.
Trams returned in Tianjin in 2006. Commercial service started in 2007. Unlike standard tramway, the Translohr rubber-tired LRT system was adopted.
History
editConstruction began in 2005 and the 7.86 km (4.88 mi) long line was opened to the public in 2007, making it the first modern LRT system in mainland China. It is run by Tianjin Binhai Mass Transit Development Co., Ltd, which has been a subsidiary of Tianjin Rail Transit Group Corporation since 2017. The total cost of the project is estimated at 500 million yuan, of which 190 million yuan are used in engineering test-line (excluding vehicles). The Tram line quickly became popular amongst locals.
The new system was chosen for TEDA because moving from "point A" to "point B" had become slow and difficult with the increase in road traffic. The TEDA industrial zone has been Tianjin's fastest developing area.
As of June 2023[update], the TEDA Guided Tram has suspended operations for scheduled maintenance.[1]
On July 19, 2023, the transportation and construction management department of TEDA announced a project bidding announcement for the demolition of the power supply network of the line and the restoration of the road surface, which means that the line will be demolished.[2]
Timeline
edit- 1972 – Abandonment of original tram network as construction on the city's subway system began
- 2005 – Construction of rubber-tired LRT started
- 2006 – First test run
- 2007 – Opened to public on May 10, 2007
| Segment | Date opened | Length |
|---|---|---|
| TEDA — North of College District | 10 May 2007 | 7.860 km (4.88 mi) |
Practical Info
edit- Total length – 8 km
- Opened – 10 May 2007
- Operating hours – 5:30 A.M. to 12 Midnight
- Frequency – 3 minutes
Fleet
editThe LRVs for the line were manufactured by Translohr of France. All LRVs were low-floor, fully air-conditioned, and could run at high speed. Each LRV had three sections (Translohr STE 3).
Stations (south to north)
editThe line runs on unreserved tracks, mostly in the middle of the road. It crosses many numerical avenues of TEDA and the college district. All stations have island platforms.
| Station name | Connections | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Chinese | ||
| TEDA | 泰达 | 
|
Binhai |
| First Avenue | 第一大街 | ||
| Second Avenue | 第二大街 | ||
| Third Avenue | 第三大街 | ||
| Fourth Avenue | 第四大街 | ||
| Fifth Avenue | 第五大街 | ||
| Sixth Avenue | 第六大街 | ||
| Seventh Avenue | 第七大街 | ||
| Ninth Avenue | 第九大街 | ||
| Tenth Avenue | 第十大街 | ||
| Eleventh Avenue | 第十一大街 | ||
| International Joint Academy | 联合研究院 | ||
| College District | 学院区 | ||
| North of College District | 学院区北 | ||
Map
edit
See also
edit- Automated guideway transit
- Guide rail
- List of rubber-tyred tram systems
- Tianjin Metro
- Tianjin Suburban Railway (Tianjin–Jizhou railway)
- Trams in Tianjin - the first generation tramway network
- Zhangjiang Tram - rubber-tired LRT in Shanghai
References
edit- ^ 轨道世界 (2 June 2023). "天津开发区导轨电车暂停运营". 新浪网. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "天津经济技术开发区建设和交通局政府采购意向公告". 天津市政府采购网. 19 July 2023. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.