Schaffhausen's trolleybus saved!
Schaffhausen's city council has decided in favour of its trolleybus. A second study by INFRAS (the first had recommended abandonment) has shown that despite the risen price of oil, full dieselisation would still cut costs. A mixed trolley/diesel/bio-gas fleet would, however, lead to higher costs, as the city is too small to justify the operation of three modes in parallel. The council has decided against bio-gas buses and is proposing to retain trolleybuses on route 1 (currently Schaffhausen's only trolleybus route) but also introduce them on route 3 (Sommerwies – Krummacker). The higher costs are considered justified in view of the noise and emissions avoided. The investment required to retain the mode on route 1 are 11.1 million Franks, of which 8.4 for seven new trolleybuses (the current fleet has eight), 0.6 for a spare diesel bus, 0.8 to replace the overhead repair vehicle and 1.3 to replace an electricity substation and varia. I'm not sure why the diesel bus should be included in the trolleybus costs as it would be required anyway. The electrification of route 3 (after 2013) would cost a further 21.6 million.
The timeline for the investment is as follows: 2008/2009: approval of financing of investment for route 1, mid 2009: tendering for new trolleybuses, 2009: acquisition of overhead vehicle and diesel bus, 2011-2012: delivery of seven trolleybuses, 2013 or beyond: decison on electrification of route 3, to be decided: new substation in Neuhausen.
Route 1 is to resume working over its full length this autumn, with the building work in Neuhausen that has led to it being curtailed approaching completion and the overhead lines to be re-instated. It had earlier been suggested that this section not be re-wired, hence accelerating abandonment.
This is very good news indeed, as especially in view of opposition from Neuhausen, it seemed that Schaffhausen was set to follow the short-sighted lead of Basel and Lugano. Well done Schaffhausen!
See also this website's trolleybus page.
this item was added on 17.09.2008 (5699 days ago)
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