(France )NANTES-L1

Nantes
Nantes bases its economy mainly on its important harbour and on many trades (expecially wood commerce). This city has been ever advanced in public transport; the first transport system based on the hire of coaches pulled by horses (in XIX century) is remarkable to be mentioned.
At the beginning of '900 Nantes developed an electric tramway system, which was replaced by a bus network in the years '50s. The oil crisis in the years '70s and the rising congestion of the streets convinced the administrators to set up again an efficient guided public transport. So, in 1986 the first segment of a modern tramway network was opened, constantly extended and upgraded; the network shows many intersesting features, like the grass-tracks and the low floor rolling stock (Nantes was one of the first town to introduce this kind of innovation).
Line 1 runs mostly east-west, along Francois Mitterand-Place du Commerce-Haluchere-Beaujoire route. Line 1 interchanges in the city center (Place du Commerce) with the other 2 lines: Line 2 (nord-south, Orvault Grand Val-Place du Commerce-Gare de Pont Rousseau route) and Line 3 (north-south from Sillon de Bretagne-Plaisance-Neustrie).
A northern extension of Line 3 (Sillon de Bretagne-Marcel Paul) opened in 2009, while a direct northern connection of Line 1 and 2 is under construction.
The network has been completed (since November 2006) by a modern bus line in reserved lanes called Line 4 or BusWay; it runs from Porte de Vertou to Chatedrale, interchanging both with tramway and standard buses.
TAN (official site)

CHRONOLOGY
07-01-1985	Bellevue-Haluchere
22-04-1989	Haluchere-Beaujoire
17-04-2000	Croix Bonneau-Mendes France Bellevue
28-08-2000	Mendes France-Francois Mitterand
03-09-2007	Croix Bonneau-Jamet

Country	France
Line	Line 1
Inhabitants	City 280.000, District 710.000
Date opening	1985
Future development:	Line 1 and Line 2: northern connection
Length (km)	17.6
Track sections	mostly ground level (street and reserved lanes), with viaduct sections
Stops	33, average distance m 500
Platforms	--
Platform doors	--
General characteristics	--
n. of vehicles	79 (46 Alstom+33 Bombardier)
n. of cars per vehicle	--
Type	steel wheels
Vehicle dimensions (m)	length Alstom:38, Bombardier: 36.4 - width 2.40
Vehicle capacity (pax)	Astom: 322 (72 seated); Bombardier: 353 (58 seated)
Frequency	3'/6'
Current/Voltage	750 V overhead
Type of guide/gauge	standard gauge rails (1435 mm)
Speed Km/h	Comm. --, Max 80
Accel./Decel. (m/sec2)	--
System capacity	--
Ridership	29 millions pax/year
Total cost	--
Staff	--
System builder	ALSTOM, BOMBARDIER
Model	Alstom: TFS, Bombardier: Innovia
NOTE	ADTranz rolling stock (now Bombardier) rolling stock shared by Line 1, Line 2, Line 3 8 further CAF tramcars in service staring from 2012