New Trams for Toronto

Occasionally the Datuk Bandar of KL resurrects a proposal to build trams in the city to reduce traffic congestion. Predictably, the proposal is shot down – often with comments suggesting that the trams would cause congestion, or that trams are old and nostalgic and not “real public transport” which usually means costly LRT or MRT that does not “interfere with traffic”

Most of these comments are based on a real ignorance of what trams can do. In their modern incarnation as light rail vehicles, trams are high capacity, comfortable, universally accessible, technologically advanced and fast – vehicles like these can see in great cities all over the world.

TRANSIT member Moaz is from Toronto (Canada), and he follows public transport issues over there as well. He has been excited about the purchase of new Light-Rail Vehicles by the City of Toronto to replace their old fleet.

The City was looking at 2 options, the Flexity model offered by Bombardier, and the Combino model offered by Siemens.

– for those of you who do not know, Bombardier is the maker of KL’s Kelana Jaya (PUTRA) line trains, while Siemens is the maker of the Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains for the Airport Express Rail line –

On April 24 the Toronto Transit Commission recommended the Bombardier Flexity model. Discussion and information has spread throughout the news and discussion forums and blogs.

Please enjoy the following links:

The Streetcar redefined, Bombardier’s project website for Toronto, has images, information, and videos.

Images of the Bombardier Flexity from Bombardier’s website:

• Technical drawing of Flexity from Valencia (Spain)
• Technical drawing of Flexity from Palermo (Italy)
• Exterior of Flexity LRV from Lodz (Poland)
• Interior of Flexity LRT from Dresden (Germany)

You may also be interested in:

• Information about the design used in Porto (Portugal)
• General information about the Flexity LRV