Tramscape Tramway
Photographs
Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Download the
Amsterdam Photograph Catalogue
|
|
Amsterdam also has a Metro system, which is a hybrid of "heavy"
and "light" lines, with dual-system operation in places.
It has been a source of major controvery at times, culminating in
riots over house demolition in 1975 which put paid to further sub-surface
work for over twenty-five
years.
The hybrid Amstelveen line is shown, left, at
De Boelelaan in 2007. A "Metro" train stops at the high
platform section of the station whilst a conventional tram heads
south having left the low platform area.
Further Information
on the Amsterdam metro.
|
Amsterdam has one of the densest street tramways in the world, if not
the densest. Trams are indelibly connected with Amsterdam - almost as much
as the canals and magnificent 17th century architecture alongside the
channels cut in tight rings around the city. Today, the city authorities
are investing in a complete new fleet of 100% low floor vehicles,
extending lines as the suburbs expand, as new developments take place on old
dockland sites - and since May 2005 trams provide the 8.5 km long link to the reclaimed
islands of Ijburg, to where a metro service was once envisaged.
It was not
always so. In the 1950s, there were well developed (and well -supported)
plans to replace the trams with buses - as was the general mood of the times.
Some closures did take place and by the mid 1970s, when the first full metro
line was under construction, most people would have anticipated further
retrenchment. Public protests about the metro put a stop to further
construction in the city centre for over twenty years - in which time the
public, and more particularly, the "official" mood swung strongly behind the
retention and expansion of the tramway. Although tunneling work is now
almost complete for a second radial metro line, which links Centraal Station
and Zuid Station, there have been numerous new tram extensions built, both
into the suburbs and within the city proper.
The
tramway is almost entirely "on-street" in the city area, but in many
places
partially segregated by street markings, raised "trambaan" lanes
(often shared with buses and, since 2004, taxis) and traffic reduction measures. The Netherlands has a high degree of cycle usage and
Amsterdam is no exception. Cycle lanes are built into most streets and cycle
"parks" proliferate throughout the city. Together with an intensive tram
service, cars have not come to strangle the city entirely.
To meet demand in the
rapidly growing suburbs in the west, a line was built out to Osdorp in 1962 and,
close by, trams were
extended to Guezenveld from Slotermeer in 1974. An extension to Diemen, in the
south-east, opened in July 1990. Just to the south of Osdorp,
services were extended from Sloten to Niew Sloten and the importance of the
growing Osdorp community was recognised by the opening of a new branch from Meer en Vaart to Osdorp de Aker in
December 2001. To the south of the city, the enormous
development at Amstelveen was linked to the network in 1991 in an imaginative
solution involving joint tram and semi-metro "Sneltram" operation. Other new
extensions included the linking of the VU Medical centre with the existing
network at Stadionsplein (3rd November 2003), the former docklands areas at Azartplein from Alexanderplein via
Czer Peterstraat (3rd May 2004).
One new "inner-city" link was established in
May 1992, with services opened on Paulus Potterstraat and Stadhouderskade linking Leidseplein and Van Baerlestraat
ro
relieve parallel routes, but with the added benefit of directly serving the
famous Rijksmuseum, home of many famous paintings by the Grand Masters
including Rembrandt, at the busy tourist entrance to which lies Hobbemastraat
tram stop.
Since the radial tram route duplicated by the first metro
line, between Centraal Station, Niewmarkt, Waterlooplein and Weesperplein,
fell victim to the opening of the underground section in 1977 and the nearby
link between Plantage Kirklaan and Weesperplein was closed to regular
services, closures have been minimal. One short peice of track, in Fredrik
Bolstraat between Albert Cuypstraat and Ceintuurbaan in the south of the city
was closed in September 2003 to allow metro station construction with the result that route 25
from President Kennedylaan now follows a circuitous route to Weteringcircuit,
adding a considerable number of minutes to this journey. With the opening of
Metro line 50 around the west of Amsterdam, the need for a tramway
along Amstelveenseweg has diminished, so some parts of that street are now
used for depot workings only whilst a revised service pattern makes use of
other parts of the line along this circumferential road.
Recognising
that there was no way that a bus-only service could cope with the demands for
transport on the limited number of streets penetrating the city which have to
cross 5 canals in rapid succession especially along the narrow Leidsestraat, trams have been retained, with frequent
services on numerous lines. Almost all lines run to one of two termini at
Centraal Station, leading to a constant procession of vehicles up and down
either Rokin and Damrak, or Niewezijds Voorburgwal, but are designed so that
numerous routeings exist in the city area, providing maximum coverage with the
minimum number of changes required to meet any destination.
Amsterdam
has been renewing its fleet with low-floor Combino trams from Siemens, with
the first of the batch entering service in April 2002. Although the lightweight
Combino design featuring large amounts of aluminium in the body shell has been
dogged by structural problems including cracking around the articulations, the
basic concept of the tram has been a success. Amsterdam has been plagued with
vandalism of tram stops, ticket machines and the trams themselves, with graffiti
a common and recurring sight. The city was also notorious for a high level of
fare evasion (estimated at a massive 25%) and
a general feeling of insecurity aboard trams which, especially after dark, became
a favourite haunt of drug-takers, pickpockets and other unsavoury elements of
society. The Combino design was
chosen with enhanced security in mind : clear sight lines throughout the tram,
large picture windows and video surveillance being important features to combat
violence aboard. One other important change was the decision to build
a fixed cabin for a conductor inside the spacious vehicle. Trams had been converted
to one-man-operation in the early 1970s, but in 1990, 15 trams on line 4 were
rebuilt with a conductor's booth on a trial basis and since 2003 other cars
have been rebuilt for conductors. With a conductor
aboard, and entry to the trams limited to doors adjacent to the driver and conductor
only, all travellers' tickets could be checked or fares collected as appropriate.
At a stroke, perceived security improved - and the GVB's revenue increased.
Visiting in early 2007, one could sense a complete change
since 20 years ago - the trams were spotless, tram stops (with all ticket machines
now removed) were unvandalised and there was no sense of insecurity on any tram,
in daylight hours at least. No doubt the GVB has worked hard to ensure this
visible improvement but perhaps, as the GVB had hoped, the new Combino
fleet has actually made the trams something to be proud of and treasured
by all sections of society........
More on Amsterdam Tram Types
Return
to Series List
