European Railroad Discussion > Week in the East - Part 3 - Riga Trams

Riga, Latvia has a well-used tram system with 7 full-time lines and several peak-hour only lines for short-turns.  The fleet is made up of older Tatra T3 cars and some slightly later Tatra cars that I think are technically KT6 cars.  Tatra cars are usually operated in pairs, with the second car running as a trailer with the pole down.  And by the way - that is a feature of the Riga system - trolley poles instead of pantographs on the older cars.  Newer cars are Skoda 15T ForCity trams, with pantographs.  They are nice and modern and comfortable, but they lack the character of the Tatras!   Right-of-way configuration varies from standard center-of-street in mixed traffic to separate side-of-the-road, and dual tracks on one side.   Riga also has trolleybuses on several lines.  The system is very easy to ride - buy an eTalon card in any corner store and you can load as many rides on it as you want, or time passes. 

1.  Tatra KT6 trams on Line 7.
2.  Tatra T3 trams on Line 5.
3. Tatra T3 tram converted to street washer. 
 

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4.  KT6 trams on Line 7 at Central Market (Tirgus). 
5.  Interior of KT6 tram.
6.  T3 trams on Line 5 near port.
 

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7.  T3 trams on Line 7 turning loop at Ausekla Iela.
8.  Articulated trolleybus on Line 22.
9.  T3 trams on Line 5 at Auskela Iela. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/16 16:20 by dwatry.

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10.  T3 trams on Line 7 at Central Market.
11.  KT6 trams on Line 7.
12.  T3 trams on Line 7.
 

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13.  T3 trams on Line 10 at Central Market.
14.  New Skoda tram on Line 6.
15.  T3 trams on Line 5. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/16 16:29 by dwatry.

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How do the poles and pantographs get along on the same route?

I presume the same way Muni does it in SF.  F-line PCC cars pull-in and out over the same lines used by the Breda LRVs.  Overhead switches and crossovers have some "skids" so that the pantographs will slide under the overhead frogs for the trolley poles. 

Thanks Duncan, that's wetted my appetite.

There were scenes both of a Riga tram, and aboard one, in the "Dogs of Riga", an episode (2012) of the PBS Mystery series "Wallender" about a Swedish detective named Kurt Wallander. It was filmed mostly in Riga. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/16 05:52 by ATSF3751.