Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    THE city’s first tramline was put on a test run Thursday and will offer a new choice for 3 million residents in Longhua District when it is put on trial operation June 30.

    At around 9:44 a.m. Thursday the first tram, with four carriages, carried reporters from Hexi Station, moving at a low speed of 15 kilometers per hour south-north along Renmin Road. In two minutes, the tram arrived at Guancheng Station.

    “The tramline is designated at 70 kilometers per hour. Trams will run at speeds between 23 and 25 kilometers per hour when it is put into operation, considering the speed limit, waiting time at stations and at intersections,” Su Zhong, manager of the maintenance department of Modern Tram Co. Ltd. said.

    The exterior design of the tram is simple with white and golden colors as the base. With two cabins at both ends, the tram can run in either direction.

    “The low stepping board of the tram, which is even with the platform, will be more convenient for elderly people, children and physically challenged people embarking and disembarking,” said Su.

    Another advantage is that the tram is environmentally friendly.

    It will instantly begin charging for 30 seconds when it stops at a station to drop off and pick up passengers. The electricity stored in the energy-storage power source will be sufficient enough to get to the next station. In addition, 85 percent of the motion energy from going down slope and braking can be transferred into electricity and stored in the power source.

    According to Su, the tram will enjoy priority at intersections as the signals of trams will be intelligently coordinated with the traffic system at road intersections.

    “This means trams basically don’t need to wait for the red light when passing intersections. They are faster than the cars,” Su said.

    For a single trip, a tram can carry about 300 people. The capacity of tram service will reach 15,000 people an hour when 15 trams are put into use on the 11.72-kilometer experimental tramline this June.

    The experimental line includes an 8.59-kilometer main line running through 15 stations between Qinghu Station and Xinlan Station of Shenzhen Metro’s Longhua Line, and a spur line running 3.13 kilometers along Huanguan Road South with five stations.

    The main line and the spur line intersect at Dahe Station.

    Riders can pay the fee with Wechat, Alipay or Shenzhentong, in addition to buying a ticket at a station. The fare for the tram service hasn’t yet been announced.