Monday, February 7, 2011

Trams in training!

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 For the first time in 3,000  years,  trams are moving through the streets of Jerusalem!
YAY!!
Yesterday was my first time to see one actually moving. 
I was so excited to see it coming that I ran across the street in order not to be shooting into the sun when  the tram would pass by.
The shadow on the zebra crossing is of the guard who shouted at me "Hurry up, fast!"
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The trams and their drivers will be doing such training runs for a few months before they dare to load up with curious first-time passengers.

Route map from CityPass 
(can be enlarged with a click) 
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What you see in the top photo  is the end of the train as it goes along Jaffa Street in the direction of the Old City.
It seemed rather incongruous, a sleek modern light rail in the narrow street  lined with old stone buildings housing mom and pop shops, right next to the old Machane Yehuda vegetable market.
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But I guess here in Jerusalem contrasts are nothing new to us.
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Most residents hated the  dug  up streets and congestion, but for me as a blogger it has been fascinating to watch and record, for these  many years, the building of Israel's first light rail transit system.
(Proof  of which is under my label "tram.")
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I'm proud to say That's My World.
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19 comments:

  1. Oh wow! You lucky duck! We still haven't begun our rail system. We have people who are opposed and those who are pushing for it. The discussion has been going on for years and I'm thinking it's never going to get off the ground. Sigh.

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  2. I remember the first day of the Luas, Dublin's tram. 4 accidents, 14 people injured. Mostly because of cars running into the tram. Hope yours will be safer!

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  3. I love trams - our city's way to small to need them though

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  4. So, was there a tram 3000 years ago? I know, silly question, but I am in a silly moode.

    It's been fun watching over your shoulder from time to time. Jerusalem certainly does have a time and timeless character.

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  5. Being a Melbournian, I am passionate about trams. And I think Jerusalem residents will be too.

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  6. Lucky you, I wish they'd do that here. We have one line and they keep talking about using them to take traffic out of the centre of the city but I doubt it will ever happen.

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  7. I think trams are a wonderful transport system and understand your excitement.

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  8. Congratulations to Jerusalem on this new modern addition, finally up and running!

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  9. You are so right, Dina. It's thrilling to see these modern trams of Jerusalem.

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  10. Wow...glad you got the shot, and with the guard in it, too.

    Good capture.

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  11. I'm just as excited as you are! I'm eagerly awaiting the extension of our own light rail system. They make getting around so much easier and faster. But, yes, the construction does seem to take forever and is such a big hassle.

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  12. 3 cheers for public transport!

    Stewart M

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  13. Sleek! I like the contrast, myself... Nice capture, Dina, especially with a guard rushing you on!

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  14. Looks like it was a fast and exciting shot over there at your side. That's really extraordinary too. I never see trains in streets before. Mostly underground, or separate tracks above or away from streets. Public transport are important mode of transport for any city or country.

    We have KTM, LRT (light rapid transit) and monorail here. Both LRT and monorail is okay. But most of the time KTM service is so slow and late. Hope that it will be faster and will improve for the citizens here.

    Have a nice day!

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  15. It took us two buses to get from Talitha Kumi to Mount Herzl, with a change in the middle of nowhere!

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  16. Gratuliere zur "Tram", der Berliner sagt nach wie vor "Straßenbahn".
    Ich benutze die Bahn an jedem Arbeitstag,wirklich eine gute Erfindung.
    Grüße aus Berlin,
    Uwe-Jens

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  17. I had the same thoughts about the old and the new when I was reading your post. Sadly, my city has a disfunctional bus system.
    V

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  18. Friends, thanks for sharing your impressions.

    Rob, not as bad as in Dublin, but this morning Jerusalem had its first tram accident. A car bumped into a tram, lightly. No one hurt.

    Katney, actually you're right. But we in Jerusalem like to be silly too and say for just about every first-time whatever: "For the first time in 3000 years ..." It's kind of a joke.

    Kristin shalom. Thanks for sharing your experience and impressions of trams.

    VP, so next time your travel will be easier.

    Shalom Uwe-Jens in Berlin. Herzliche Wilkommen in Jerusalem.
    "Straßenbahn" klingt gut aus.

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  19. ...Herzlich willkommen in Jerusalem schreibst Du...
    vielleicht ist es wirklich an der Zeit mal nach Israel zu reisen, ich war noch nie da.
    Das Jahr ist ja noch jung, mal sehen...
    Herzliche Grüße aus Berlin,
    Uwe-Jens

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