Tramway

A tram is a rail vehicle designed mainly for urban transport. It usually runs on tracks laid along city streets or on a reserved route, allowing it to share space with road traffic or travel separately from it. Most modern trams are electrically powered and receive electricity through an overhead wire called a catenary. Their electric motors turn the wheels and allow the vehicle to accelerate smoothly.

Steel wheels running on steel rails create little rolling resistance, which helps a tram carry many passengers while using relatively little energy. Some networks use low-floor trams, making boarding easier for passengers with reduced mobility, people using wheelchairs, and travelers with strollers. A tram can consist of one car or several sections joined together.

Trams are particularly useful on busy urban routes because they can carry many passengers at once and serve numerous stops. Their tracks and overhead electrical equipment form part of the city's transport infrastructure. At intersections, signals and priority systems may help trams move safely through traffic. Drivers control acceleration and braking while following signals, speed limits, and other operating rules.

Modern trams use several braking systems, including regenerative braking on many vehicles, which can convert part of the energy released during braking into electrical energy that may be returned to the network or used by other systems. Compared with individual cars, a tram can transport many people in a limited street space, making it an important option for public transport in densely populated areas.