Tram transport in Poland

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 27. Chapters: Tram vehicles of Poland, Tramways in Kraków, Tramways in Poznan, Alstom Citadis, Silesian Interurbans, Combino, Warsaw Tramway, Poznanski Szybki Tramwaj, Flexity Classic, Flexity Outlook, Tramways in Lódz, Konstal 105Na, Tramways in Bielsko-Biala, ¿koda 19 T, ¿koda 16 T, Szczecin Tramway, Tramways in Wroclaw, Moderus Alfa, Tramways in Czestochowa, Tramways in Gorzów Wielkopolski, PESA 122N, PESA 120N, PESA 120Na, Konstal 105NWr, Tramways in Teschen, Tramways in Grudziadz, PESA SA, Tramways in Zgierz, PESA 121N, Konstal 805Nm, Tramways in Pabianice, Tramways in Ozorków, Protram, Protram 205 WrAs, Tramways in Elblag, Tramways in Torun, Tramways in Bydgoszcz, Protram 204 WrAs, Tramways in Gdansk. Excerpt: Tramways in Kraków are a tramway system in Kraków, Poland. It is operated since 1882. There are 25 ordinary and 2 supporting lines with a total length of 322 kilometres (200 mi). The total system length for the end of 2008 was 86.5 kilometres (53.7 mi), including a 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) tram tunnel with two underground stops. The first horse tram, 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) line was opened in 1882. It used narrow gauge tracks (900 mm) and ran from the railway station to Podgórski bridge. It was financed, constructed and operated by National Bank of Belgium. In 1901 the tram network was electrified and the formal opening of the first line took place on 16 March. The new SW1 class cars were produced by Sanocka Fabryka Wagonów. At the end of 1902, the system consisted of five electrified, narrow gauge lines. However, the network owners were primarily interested in the income generated by the existing lines, not in building new ones, which caused conflicts between them and the city council. The electrification and network extension was forced thanks to the Austro-Hungarian law changes favourable to the city. It stated that a railroad or a tram line can be operated only by a local company, registered in Austria. The private owners from Belgium must have created such a company named Krakowska Spólka Tramwajowa and transferred the agreement with the city to it. It took place in 1898 under several conditions. Eventually, Kraków managed to buy 95% of shares of Krakowska Spólka Tramwajowa in 1910. In the same year, the city greatly increased in size by including several neighbouring villages and former military areas. The new districts were designed and it became clear that the narrow gauge network was not able to cope with the increasing transport needs. It was decided that a new network with a standard gauge tracks will be constructed from scratch. In January 1913 the first standard gauge line (number 6) was opened, which ran from Zwierzyniecka Street, through Starowislna t