Shanghai Translohr line closes

Shanghai's 9.8km Zhangjiang Tram (actually a Translohr guided bus built in 2007-2009) was closed from 1 June and replaced by a conventional electric bus service. This was because of consistently low patronage due to the centre of Zhangjijang district shifting away from the line, plus the difficulty in obtaining spare parts for the discontinued technology. The line ran on unreserved track in the centre of a paved road with rutting a problem as the wheels always use the same alignment. The nine three-section 25m vehicles that provided a 6-minute service are being scrapped. 

 

Translohr is a rubber-typed guided bus system developed in France by Lohr Industrie (since acquired by Alstom). Translohr vehicles are permanently fixed to the central guideway with power collection from the overhead by pantograph. They can still be seen in Paris and Clermont-Ferrand (France), Venezia-Mestre and Padua (Italy) Tianjin (China) and Medellin in Colombia (planning to replace with a conventional tram.