Totally NOT Off the Rails

May 1, 2016 10:06 PM

Last week, Berlin hosted the 5th Annual TRAM-EM European TramDriver Chanpionship (in English) (in German), with the best drivers from 27 cities competing and Budapest becoming the first two-time winner. In addition to the main competition for smoothness in starting and stopping and precision in stopping, they ran a side contest: TRAM BOWLING (longer videos).
posted by oneswellfoop (10 comments total)

Why can't we get transit like this in the US? (Not to start a derail, but it pisses me off.)
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 11:06 PM on May 1, 2016 [3 favorites]

This is perfect. I so want to go watch the tram bowling in person next year - surprisingly difficult, apparently!
posted by sldownard at 11:08 PM on May 1, 2016

The Tram song is cool, but not Danish public transport cool.
posted by seawallrunner at 11:12 PM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]

Why can't we get transit like this in the US? (Not to start a derail, but it pisses me off.)

InsertNiftyNameHere, I agree. But we used to, but it was mostly all destroyed. Thanks General Motors! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspiracy
posted by james33 at 3:06 AM on May 2, 2016

Because something something Free-Market Jesus.
posted by acb at 3:14 AM on May 2, 2016

Not to start a derail

I see what you did there.

The Tram song is cool, but not Danish public transport cool

Berlin public transport is so cool they don't even care (previously)

(What, no #keepmefiweird?)
posted by progosk at 3:49 AM on May 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

weird tag added.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:13 AM on May 2, 2016

Something something Live Action Streetcar Dilemma as a sporting event!
posted by cstross at 4:18 AM on May 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

I love riding on street cars, so it's neat to see people taking them so seriously. I wish they were still a normal part of the infrastructure in the US, rather than mostly a historical memory except for a few places.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:53 AM on May 2, 2016

In the USA we have the APTA (American Public Transportation Association) Rail Rodeo (there is also a bus "Roadeo"). At BART, we're having our internal competition on Wednesday to pick the crews that will compete in the national event. Our maintenance teams usually do well (I know, I know, they get a lot of practice on our old fleet).
posted by agatha_magatha at 10:20 AM on May 2, 2016 [3 favorites]