COMMENTS TO MY PAGE "ART POSTCARDS WITH A RAILWAY MOTIVE"
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Glasgow District Subway
The Glasgow District Subway officially opened in 1896. Engineers adopted a circular route rather than intersecting lines, as Glasgow’s compact size at the time suited this design. The system runs approximately 6.5 miles (10.4 km) in total. The tunnel bores were narrow, with a gauge of 4 feet (1,219 mm), which is significantly smaller than standard railway gauges. The Glasgow Subway is the third-oldest subway system in the world after the London Underground (1863) and the Budapest Metro (1896). The system is described as two lines, the Outer Circle and Inner Circle, which simply refers to the double track, having trains running clockwise and anticlockwise respectively around the same route in separate tunnels. Stations use a variety of platform layouts including single island platforms and opposing side platforms. Initially, the subway was powered by a cable-haulage system, similar to San Francisco's cable cars. A stationary steam engine powered a continuous cable loop, and trains would grip or release the cable to move. Rolling stock was quite basic and consisted of small wooden carriages without doors, requiring passengers to enter and exit via the open platforms. Despite its technical simplicity, the system was revolutionary at the time and quickly became popular with commuters. The flat fare system made the subway an affordable way to travel across Glasgow. By the 1920s, the cable-haulage system became outdated and inefficient. In 1935, the subway was electrified, bringing it in line with modern subway systems. Electrification allowed for faster, quieter, and more reliable service. The line was originally known as the Glasgow District Subway, and was thus the first mass transit system to be known as a "subway"; it was later renamed Glasgow Subway Railway. In 1936 it was renamed the Glasgow Underground. Despite this rebranding, many Glaswegians continued to refer to the network as "the Subway". In 2003, the name "Subway" was officially readopted.
December 17th 2024
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