Why did we replace trams with trolley buses? Having used both types of transport I found trolley buses to be a more practical form of movement.I have noted the differences below.
Trolley buses run on normal bus tyres,no rail lines and point switches to be installed and maintained thus considerable savings in capital costs.
Should a trolley bus come across the scene of an accident it can travel around the site even to the extent of disconnecting from its overhead power supply and travel on its back up batteries till the road is clear.If the road is completely blocked it can perform a Uturn and leave the scene.
Trolley buses pull into the kerb at bus stops as a normal bus would.Thus traffic flow is not disrupted.
Trolley buses accelerate quickly to rejoin the traffic flow.
Should a trolley bus breakdown it will disconnect from its overhead wires and other buses go around the obstacle.
In my experience trams can not do any of the above.
If a tram tries to travel uphill,say from Circular Quay,it would find traction problems if its passenger load was light or it was raining because the rails will be wet and greasy from the oil washed down from the engines of trucks and cars and leaves from trees also contribute to wheel slip.
Going in the opposite direction the same would apply if the tram had to stop suddenly and adhesion could not be maintained.
Motor and Bicyclist are averse to tram rails as they dont want to fall in to the gap beside the rail,thus their attention span is diverted from the road ahead,also should they be going round a bend and their tyres touch the slippery steel an accident may occur
So can someone please tell me why we replaced trams with trolley buses?