Stupid Question?

[juan king]

So this is what crap is floating around my head today, really important I'm sure you will agree.

This may be a stupid question or not? I know that trains do not cope with inclines very well. So what's different about trams? I've noticed that where the Supertram (Sheffield) goes underneath the university roundabout, The tracks are on maybe 30 degree incline.

A train would never manage to climb that.

[anonymous-user]

juan king said:

So this is what crap is floating around my head today, really important I'm sure you will agree.

This may be a stupid question or not? I know that trains do not cope with inclines very well. So what's different about trams? I've noticed that where the Supertram (Sheffield) goes underneath the university roundabout, The tracks are on maybe 30 degree incline.

A train would never manage to climb that.

I can only assume it is down to weight difference. I assume the tram is lighter, and so that is why it can do the climb.

[anonymous-user]

Are the trams on a conveyor belt?

[Sour Kraut]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

No silly. That's a plane.

[moosepig]

30 degrees?

[anonymous-user]

Sour Kraut said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

No silly. That's a plane.

A plane on a conveyor belt? Are you mad, that would never take off!!

[Sour Kraut]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

No silly. That's a plane.

A plane on a conveyor belt? Are you mad, that would never take off!!

Not sure. Definitely wouldn't go under the Sheffield underpass, though.

[anonymous-user]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

NO mate, on rails a'la blackpool,nottingham,wolverhampton,manchester and amsterdam.

[juan king]

moosepig said:

30 degrees?

This was the only image I could find and doesn't really show it well.

[anonymous-user]

snowy slopes said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

NO mate, on rails a'la blackpool,nottingham,wolverhampton,manchester and amsterdam.

One of us needs a whoosh....

[anonymous-user]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

NO mate, on rails a'la blackpool,nottingham,wolverhampton,manchester and amsterdam.

One of us needs a whoosh....

Probably me, so

[juan king]

Found another image that illustrates my point entirely

[strudel]

http://www.ukmotorists.com/tram_signs.asp

[Tony2or4]

snowy slopes said:

juan king said:

So this is what crap is floating around my head today, really important I'm sure you will agree.

This may be a stupid question or not? I know that trains do not cope with inclines very well. So what's different about trams? I've noticed that where the Supertram (Sheffield) goes underneath the university roundabout, The tracks are on maybe 30 degree incline.

A train would never manage to climb that.

I can only assume it is down to weight difference. I assume the tram is lighter, and so that is why it can do the climb.

I don't think weight difference can be the reason, because if you reduce the weight then you also reduce pro rata the amount of friction available twixt wheels and track.

I think the wheel/track contact surface must be rougher (ie more friction available) than for a train - either that or could it be that a train really could climb that slope?

[juan king]

strudel said:

http://www.ukmotorists.com/tram_signs.asp

it was a joke

[strudel]

FYI the trams are about 44t I seem to recall.

[Amused2death]

juan king said:

moosepig said:

30 degrees?

This was the only image I could find and doesn't really show it well.

Looking at the angle between the brickwork and the road surface in the left of the picture it looks a lot less than 30 degrees, I'd say nearer 15, though still quite a climb.....maybe they take a run-up

[43034]

http://www.supertram.com/uploads/vehicleinfo.pdf

[dr_gn]

juan king said:

moosepig said:

30 degrees?

This was the only image I could find and doesn't really show it well.

That's just before the University stop, it's nothing like 30 degrees! It's a bit of an illusion because the track is emerging onto a downhill stretch, which makes the angle look much steeper. The maximum gradient on the Sheffield Supertram network is 10%, about 5.71 degrees.

[juan king]

I stand corrected!