Link to: Ron Ayers' Picture Gallery Ron Ayers Homepage

Picture Gallery

Types of Railway.

Left: Tram, Melbourne.

A railway is normally thought of as a
two rail structure (duorail) in its own
right of way. A system using two lighter
rails, and either using its own right of way
or sharing space with motorised road
traffic is referred to as a tramway or
light rail system.

Right: Double decker trams, Hong
Kong.

The capacity of the vehicles using a
tramway can be increased by using two
decks. This improves efficiency,
particularly in peak periods.

Left: Monorail.

A system using a single rail is known as
a monorail. The monorail in the picture
uses the vehicle sitting astride the rail, but
systems where the vehicle is suspended
beneath a single rail are also in use.

Right: Cable Cars, Hong Kong.

This system uses a moving cable to which
the vehicles are attached. This system can
be used for much steeper grades than
those that can be used for normal
railways.

Page last modified 10 September 1998.