Doesn't work in hilly cities. That's why San Francisco has trolleybuses too (and the historical cable cars, but those are more for tourists). They do have light rail where it does make sense though.

[–] JimmyJr@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Lisbon is very hilly and uses trams

[–] Kempeth@feddit.de 2 points 1 year ago

I looked it up and it can indeed go up to 13.5% inclination but they can only run powered cars, no attached wagons. That reduces capacity.

I don't want to shit on trams. I don't like this bus vs tram bashing in either direction. I'll happily take either improvement over a sea of cars...

[–] Uranium_Green@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 year ago

I don't quite remember what they're called but in the UK there's both old mining trains and old cliff trains/trolleys that use toothed wheels and toothed tracks on the hill portions to go up/down hill with little issue, obviously it's only safe for some gradient, but still with the right gearing it would be of possible

[–] dustojnikhummer@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Don't they use rubber tired trams, aka guided buses?

[–] JimmyJr@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nope, they use the old style

[–] dustojnikhummer@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Interesting. How steep would be the steepest hill?

[–] FluffyPotato@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

This. Trams are so much nicer, carry more people, way less maintenance cost and the tracks look so good if grass grows between it, also I don't get motion sickness on them. You don't even need any asphalt for them which is expensive to maintain, looks worse than pretty much anything except maybe a literal pile of garbage and heats up the surrounding area.