European Railroad Discussion > Euro-July Part 1 - Bordeaux Trams

We just spent 2 weeks in southwest France and the Basque Region of Spain as our last trip to the Continent during our year in London.  Our trip coincided with the Euro 2016 football (soccer) tournament (won last night by Portugal), which was being played throughout France.  First stop was Bordeaux, which has a relatively new 3-line tram system.  The system is run entirely with Alstom Citadis trams, and in the center of the city it uses a center-rail power supply system to avoid overhead wires in the historic center.  The ground-level third rail is energized only in the segment directly under the tram, so there is no risk of electrocution of pedestrians (we hope).  So far, I have never heard of a problem with that aspect of the technology.  Frequencies are very high on the system, and there is a fascinating junction/transfer center at Quinconces where Lines B and C cross. 

1. Line B trams at Bassin a Flot.  Note grass trackway - used extensively in France.  Short turns happen at this location frequently, and there is a turning loop and a pocket track for the turnbacks.  This location is the closest tramstop if you want to walk over and see the WW2 German Kriegsmarine U-boat submarine pens, which still exist here and at other French ports occupied by the Germans during WW2.  I'll include a photo of the sub pens at the end. 
2.  LIne B tram on drawbridge over canal to U-boat sub pens.
3.  Three trams from lines B and C at the crossing at Quinconces.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/16 02:19 by dwatry.

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4. Line B tram at Quinconces.
5. Line C tram at Place de la Bourse along the Garonne River.
6. Line B tram in front of the Opera National. 
 

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7.  Line B tram passing Grand Hotel in Place de la Comedie.
8. Line C Tram passing in front of the SNCF Gare St Jean - Bordeaux's main station.
9.  Kriegsmarine submarine pen at the Bassins a Flot.  Though bombed heavily in WW2, the amount of reinforced concrete in these pens allowed them to survive largely unscathed.   Other pens survive also in Brest, La Rochelle, L'Orient, and possibly other cities - these are the ones I am aware of.   This area of the port is being extensively redeveloped and turned from indutrial use to new high-density housing. 
 

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