So... About Those Trolleybuses

Comments · 683

• RM

  @RMTransit · 4 years ago · pinned

  Sorry about the focus issues!

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• AL

  @aleasenigel9517 · 4 years ago

  I’m really happy that we’re going to have trolleybuses in Prague after 50 years since all of our cables were torn down. It was a real shame, but we’re recognising the benefits and putting those cables back up!

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• CH

  @charleskummerer · 4 years ago

  This is what being a proper and ethical youtuber looks like. Good journalistic integrity and self-reflection.

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• SH

  @ShawnBird · 4 years ago

  Battery-assisted trolley bus that can charge under wires feels like it could be the future. All the benefits of BEV, with no time wasted charging, and less wear on the battery.

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• RI

  @ricktownend9144 · 4 years ago

  Excellent video!  Trolleybuses are NOT gadgetbahns - it's an old, well-tried and reliable technology that has, as you say, been successfully combined with the new battery-tech.  And trolleybuses are popular with passengers.  I think the reason many systems have closed is the cost of replacing the wires, when that is all done at once (I don't know if that's the case with Boston).  For some reason, the obvious financial solution of keeping back some of the fare-income each year, so that funds are there when they are needed, seems to be beyond the managers or owners, though that is perfectly normal business practice in general.  I know that you don't usually cover money matters, but it would be really interesting to see a comparison between the setting up costs of trolley-wires. and the costs involved in conversion from diesel to battery-buses - charging points, extra space to park the buses while charging etc..  Or perhaps some of your readers know where this information is available on the internet.

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• 68

  @68404 · 3 years ago

  Most medium to large towns in the former Soviet Union have trolley buses. <br>Indeed, the longest trolley bus route in the world is in Crimea, running from Simferopol to Yalta (about 90km). And yes, I have been on it 🙂

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• MA

  @marsgal42 · 4 years ago

  Trolleys have always been a no-brainer here in B.C.: zero-emission vehicles that plug in to hydro dams. What more do people want?

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• VI

  @Vitally_Trivial · 4 years ago

  We used to have a small trolley bus system in Brisbane, nicknamed the Whispering Death because of how quiet they were. They were initially used to replace a tram line had some pretty steep grades, the newer and larger bogey trams could not climb. The initial plan would have the route extending out west from the city towards the university campus at St Lucia. Unfortunately someone living on Coronation Drive complained that the overhead lines would spoil his view of the Brisbane river, which led to the route being revised, instead heading east over the Story Bridge to the suburbs in that direction. The network grew a little, but when it was announced the trams were going to be removed, the trolley bus network was unable to support itself without its shared infrastructure from the tramways. The last trolleybuses ran in 1968, and the final trams the following year in 69.

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• AL

  @alexanderboulton2123 · 4 years ago

  Love seeing RM being such a Canadian and saying &quot;I&apos;m soory&quot;

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• MA

  @markdebruyn1212 · 4 years ago (edited)

  The Dutch city of Arnhem used to have a tram/streetcar system but during WWII the only depot got destroyed with nearly all rollingstock in it, so the city decided to replace it with a trolleybus network, wich is still running today with 6 routes since 1949

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• IT

  @itsCatte · 4 years ago

  There are surprisingly many trolley bus routes in my home town in Shanghai. I am so glad the city decided to keep them! The cables are surprising had to find because the streets here are lined with trees and shops unlike american stroads

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• ST

  @stevebolandca · 4 years ago

  Hi Reece, Steve Boland here from Muni. I do a lot of work on trolleybuses and off-wire operations, and while you&apos;re right, trolleys are good, just a note of caution: re-poling after off-wire operation is not quite as simple as you&apos;ve made it seem, and thus designing a trolley system with lots of gaps can present challenges. Re-poling is a pretty delicate operation with a relatively high failure rate (10-20%, depending on mechanical issues, operator skill levels, etc.) and can result in significant delay if the operator has to manually re-pole. The pans themselves are also quite fragile and require regular replacement. So it&apos;s no panacea, although it is a tool we&apos;ve come to use more and more frequently as it allows you to reroute trolleys without having to add (relatively) expensive infrastructure.

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