Trams in Porto

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Porto tramway network
Porto Electrico 22.jpg
A tram on route 22 in Porto
Operation
Locale Porto, Portugal
Horsecar era: 1872 (1872)–1904 (1904)
Propulsion system(s)Mules
Steam (1878–1914)
Electric tram era: since 1895
StatusOpen
Routes30 (maximum)
3 (present)
Operator(s)Until 1946: CCFP
From 1946–present: STCP
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Electrification 600 V DC
Depot(s)Boavista (1874–1999)
Massarelos (original power station 1914–present)
Website STCP (in Portuguese and English)

The tram system of Porto in Portugal is operated by the Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP) and currently has three regular tram routes with 30-minute headways. All are heritage tram routes, as they use vintage tramcars exclusively, and should not be confused with the modern Porto Metro light rail system.

Contents

History

In 1872 the Companhia Carril Americano do Porto à Foz e Mattosinhos opened the first mule tram line in Porto, connecting Rua dos Inglezes (nowadays Infante) with Foz (Castelo) and Matosinhos. [1] [2] [3] In the next year, a branch line from Massarelos to Cordoaria was opened. A second company, the Companhia Carris de Ferro do Porto (CCFP) (the Porto Tramways Company), was established in 1873, and it opened a line from Praça Carlos Alberto via Boavista to Foz (Cadouços) in 1874. More lines were added through the 1870s until the 1890s. In 1878 the CCFP line from Foz to Boavista was converted to steam traction. [1] [2] At Boavista was the change of traction between mules and steam engines. Four years later, the interurban line of the CCFP was extended from Foz (Cadouços) to Matosinhos. [1] [2] CCAPFM and CCFP merged on 13 January 1893, using the latter's name for the resulting company. [1] [2] [3] Electric traction was introduced in 1895. The last mule-drawn car was retired in 1904, and electrification was complete with the elimination of urban steam engines in 1914.

In 1946, the city purchased the tram system from CCFP and took over its operation, with a new municipal company, Serviço de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP). By 1949, it reached its maximum length of 81 kilometers with 150 kilometers track length. The 1960s and the 1970s were marked by a continuous dismantling of tram tracks and a preference for cheaper bus transport. [1] The system shrank from 81 kilometers with 192 cars in 1958, to 38 kilometers with 127 cars in 1968, to 21 kilometers with 84 cars in 1978, to just 14 kilometers with 16 cars in 1996. The last remaining line (18) was the start of the current heritage tram system.

For many years, the system had more than 20 lines, but most were closed during the 1960s and 1970s. [3] :45–47 By July 1978, only four routes remained: 1, 3, 18 and 19. Route 3 (Boavista – Pereiró) closed on 30 April 1984. For almost 10 more years, the three remaining routes continued in operation without any closures, as routes 1 (Infante – Matosinhos), 18 (Carmo – Castelo do Queijo – Boavista) and 19 (Boavista – Matosinhos). [3] :46 The section from Castelo do Queijo to Matosinhos was closed on 11 September 1993 with the withdrawal of route 19 and of that section of route 1. The remainder of route 1, between Castelo do Queijo and Infante, was withdrawn on 10 September 1994. [3] :46 On 11 June 1996, the final route, 18, was downgraded from a full-service tram line to a heritage service with reduced frequency, but operating seven days a week. Buses took over most of the service on the route at that time, but with trams continuing to operate some trips, as a heritage service. The service used only three trams, operating on a 35-minute headway. [4] Route 18's 4 km section along Avenida Boavista was later closed, but tram service was gradually re-introduced in the 2000s on other sections, in the form of additional heritage-tram services, lines 1 and 22, as well as the former Line T (the Porto Tram City Tour, which has since been discontinued).

Heritage system

Lines

Tram fares are paid with a customized ticket that can be bought on board of the vehicle, on the Museum and in some hotels. The fare for a single trip is 3.50.

Line 1 - Passeio Alegre–Infante

A tram on line 1 Porto tram 218, Rua das Sobreiras.jpg
A tram on line 1
BSicon uKBHFa.svg
Infante
MadridMetro-EMT.svg BSicon BOOT.svg Cruzeiros no Douro
BSicon uKDSTa.svg
BSicon uBHF.svg
Alfândega
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uSTRl.svg
BSicon uABZg+r.svg
BSicon uCONTfq.svg
BSicon uKRZ.svg
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
LINHA 18
BSicon uBHF.svg
Massarelos
BSicon uBHF.svg
Bicalho
BSicon uBHF.svg
Ponte da Arrábida
BSicon uBHF.svg
Sécil
BSicon uBHF.svg
Gás
BSicon BOOT.svg Ligação Marítima à Afurada
BSicon uBHF.svg
Fluvial
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uBHF.svg
D.Leonor
BSicon uBHF.svg
Cantareira
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uKBHFe.svg
Passeio Alegre

Line 18 - Massarelos–Carmo

BSicon uKDSTa.svg
BSicon uKBHFa.svg
Carmo
BSicon uSTRl.svg
BSicon uABZg+r.svg
BSicon uCONTfq.svg
BSicon uKRZ.svg
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
LINHA 22
BSicon uBHF.svg
Hospital de Santo António
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uBHF.svg
Viriato
BSicon uBHF.svg
Restauração
BSicon uBHF.svg
Entre Quintas
BSicon uCONTfq.svg
BSicon uKRZ.svg
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
LINHA 1
BSicon uABZgl.svg
BSicon uSTR+r.svg
BSicon uKHSTe.svg
BSicon uKDSTe.svg
Massarelos

Line 22 - Carmo–Batalha

BSicon uKBHFa.svg
Batalha (Guindais)
BSicon uBHF.svg
Praça da Batalha
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uBHF.svg
Rua de Santa Catarina
BSicon uBHF.svg
Praça D.João I
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uBHF.svg
Avenida dos Aliados
BSicon uBHF.svg
Rua Fernandes Tomás
BSicon uBHF.svg
Praça de Gomes Teixeira
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uKDSTa.svg
BSicon uBHF.svg
Carmo
BSicon uSTRl.svg
BSicon uABZg+r.svg
BSicon uCONTfq.svg
BSicon uKRZ.svg
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
LINHA 18
BSicon uBHF.svg
Clérigos
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uBHF.svg
Praça da Liberdade
BSicon uBHF.svg
Praça da Batalha
MadridMetro-EMT.svg
BSicon uKBHFe.svg
Batalha (Guindais)

Legend

Proposed expansions

Line 1 - line could in the future be extended from Foz to Castelo do Queijo or even Matosinhos and from Infante to the São Bento railway station via Rua Mouzinho da Silveira.

Tram museum

The Tram Museum building on the bank of the Douro. Museu Carro Electrico.JPG
The Tram Museum building on the bank of the Douro.

The Tram Museum is located in the old central power plant of the tram in Massarelos, next to an active STCP depot. The museum was inaugurated in May 1992. It preserves sixteen electric cars, five trailer cars and two maintenance cars. A parade of old cars is held annually along the streets of Massarelos and Passeio Alegre.

The museum was reopened in November 2015 with an €8 entrance charge.

Rolling stock

Network Map

Trams in Porto

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Guido de Monterey O Porto, origem, evolução e transportes (2a edição, 1972) Porto, published by the author Guido de Monterey
  2. 1 2 3 4 Manuel Castro Pereira (1995). Os Velhos Eléctricos do Porto published by José Carvalho Branco and Soc.Editorial Notícias da Beira Douro
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 King, B. R.; Price, J. R. (1995). The Tramways of Portugal (4th ed.). London: Light Rail Transit Association. ISBN   0-948106-19-0.
  4. Light Rail and Modern Tramway , August 1996, p. 315. Ian Allan Publishing/Light Rail Transit Association.
  5. "Brill-23".
  6. "Brill-28".
  7. "Brill-32".
  8. "Brill-28PS".