TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram
| TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram | |
|---|---|
| TEDA | |
TEDA MGRT Tram
|
|
| Overview | |
| Type | Translohr |
| System | Tianjin Metro |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Tianjin, China |
| Termini |
TEDA North of College District |
| Stations | 14 |
| Services | 1 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 10 May 2007 |
| Owner | Tianjin |
| Operator(s) | Binhai Mass Transit Development Corporation |
| Character | Underground |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 7.86 km (4.88 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | None (there are no rails) |
| Electrification | Overhead lines |
TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram is a Translohr Light Rail system in Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area. It is a modern, high speed rubber tired tram system, both first in China & Asia. The line is considered as part of the Tianjin Metro system.
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 inefficiency.
Trams returned in Tianjin in 2006. Commercial service started in 2007. Unlike standard tramway, the Translohr rubber-tired LRT system was adopted.
After the abandonment of the tram network in 1972, gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles such as buses, taxis, and private automobiles started choking the streets. Like most Asian countries, China suffered many problems, including pollution, gridlock, and a sudden increase in population etc. Increasing population started increasing urbanization of Tianjin, thus more motor vehicles clogged the streets and increased pollution and worsened gridlock. Metro construction started 2 years before the tramway closure. However, it took 14 years to complete the first line as the construction was interrupted greatly by an earthquake and lack of workers. The city was suffering from congestion unheard of in the days of trams and it needed more metro lines, and fast, but construction costs were high. It was not possible for Tianjin in a short period. Another solution was needed. To solve the problem in a cheaper way, they decided to build an elevated rail system in eastern Tianjin, but although it was cheaper than metro, construction of elevated tracks and stations were also costly. So elevated rail also wasn't the permanent solution. Many cities around the world like Tunis, Sydney, Buenos Aires and Pyongyang were building LRT systems, and like them, Tianjin also planned for the return of trams.
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