Zaragoza tram
The Zaragoza Tram is a tram system in the Spanish city of Zaragoza, capital of the autonomous community of Aragon. The first generation network ran from 1885 to 1976. The second generation has one line called Line 1 of which the first phase opened in 2011. The network was expected to be expanded with a second and third line but the project was cancelled but plans to recover it are being made.
History
In 1885, the first animal traction tram line was established. In 1902, Zaragoza had five main lines and one secondary line. In the same year, one of the lines were electrified. The network was expanding quickly in a radial form across the city, with the present Spain square as the center.The 1950s was the heyday of the Zaragoza Tram. From the 1960s, the tram system declined, with little or no investment and was gradually converted to bus operation. On 23 January 1976, the last Zaragoza tram line disappeared and the company changed its name to Transportes Urbanos de Zaragoza.
In 1982 a report was published with plans to reinstall the tram as part of the premetro concept, along with alternative plans for a metro and monorail system.
On 10 June 2009, the Traza consortium of Tuzsa, CAF, FCC Construcción, Acciona, Ibercaja and Concessia selected to build new tramway. On 19 April 2011, Phase 1 of Line 1 opened. Phase 2 of the work of the new tram line 1 began for completion in mid-2013.
Two more lines are proposed:
Network
Line 1 (Valdespartera-Parque Goya)
The initial north–south line has 25 stops with mostly side platforms except in two cases. The average distance between consecutive stops is about 500 m, adding to a total length of 12.8 km line. The average commercial speed is 19 km/h, with an end-to-end journey time of 40 minutes; 19 minutes for the journey Academia General Militar-Plaza de España and 22 minutes from Plaza de España to Plaza Cinema Paradiso.Construction work started on August 18, 2009, and was projected to last four years in two phases:
- Phase 1 : Section between the Valdespartera neighbourhood and Plaza de Basilio Paraiso. Opened 19 April 2011.
- Phase 2: : Section between the Plaza de Basilio Paraiso and Academia General Militar.
- Construction of the track and electrical system 202 million
- Purchase of rolling stock: 82 million
- Construction of the depot: 37 million
- Private investment due to works' enhancing "private" facilities: 55 million
- Traffic light system integration and other expenses: 25 million