The Roosevelt Island tram
It came as quite a surprise to me that people around the world call trolleys or light rail "trams." To me, a tram cabin that runs on overhead cables. In New York, we have the only commuter tram in North America, which runs from Roosevelt Island in the East River to Manhattan.
Some info from a great website on the tram:
"The Roosevelt Island Tramway was born in 1976 as a means to shuttle residents to and from Manhattan. It was born due to resident frustration with the New York City Transit Authority, who had made unsuccessful plans to provide subway service from Roosevelt Island to Manhattan and Queens. Over twenty years later, the Tram has serviced over 20 million passengers and provided passengers with a breathtaking view of New York as they are quickly shuttled between Roosevelt Island and Manhattan."
Even more amazing is the fact that people used to access the island via an elevator in the middle of the Queensboro Bridge, which goes above the island from Manhattan to Queens. Wouldn't that jam up traffic?
If you click on the photo, you'll get a much larger verson of the above picture, with a wider frame that includes the bridge. It's now the background image for my computer's desktop.
Post Author:
rj3 | 10:39 PM |
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I grew up thinking the word "tram" referred only to a vehicle that resembled a hybrid between a train/trolley and a bus, and ran on the ground. My favorite is in Wildwood, NJ:
http://www.jerseyboardwalk.com/tram1a.jpg
Watch the tram car please!
