Rail Whale: Double Decker Tram Concept
 

A low cost answer to light rail over-capacity issues?

http://www.behance.net/gallery/RAIL-WHALE/1858523

(by Grzegorz Rozwadowski)

Done before - google Scanditram.

I've wondered if you could do something similar with standard driving segments and double height intermediate sections. Not fully double deck but handy if you needed 40m capacity in 30m length and overbridges weren't an issue.

Well considering that the Luas Red line will have capacity issues sometime in the future due to it's inability to extend beyond the current 40m trams, it's possible you could see these double decker concepts in Dublin. ;)

Not really, unless you fancy shutting the network down for a few months to raise the OHLE!

No need to close anything. That the point of Double Deckers designs, that it runs on existing infrastructure.:)

Double decker buses easily pass underneath the OHEL's easily so surly there wouldn't be too much disruption to this hypothetical upgrade? You can observe pantograph for the luas on both lines extends very high up already.

A few things:

Double deck does not mean double capacity, as you need space for stairs and probably can't have standing in the upper saloon.

DART OHLE cables are at about 4.5m above rail under bridges, which amkes it a bit tight for double deck trains. At level crossings DART and Laus cables are raised to about 5m above road

DART Underground will be 50mm too low for double deck trains!

@colm what height above rail? NJT's multilevels are 14'6

I don't recollect, the 50mm was the headline figure when I asked at the oral hearing if DU could take double deck trains.