Thinking about HS routes into city centres (notably HS2 in Manchester, but more generally), I was toying with existing rights of way that are modernly used primarily for commuters and reusing for HS.
So I go to wondering, since it is so expensive to either elevate or tunnel HS, whether there might be mileage in stacking light rail (tram) tracks vertically?
Thus using one trackbed instead of two for a light rail commuter service.
Of course it is a gross inconvenience (not to mention expense) to have elevated stations but perhaps the tracks could swap levels here and there where space permitted (the right of way could be widened for a short distance).
I was thinking for example of diverting existing Manchester airport heavy rail trains along a new line. And reusing the Styal branch right of way through Heald Green for a combination of HS2 and trams.
Are there any examples of one-up / one-down tramlines anywhere in the world?
So I go to wondering, since it is so expensive to either elevate or tunnel HS, whether there might be mileage in stacking light rail (tram) tracks vertically?
Thus using one trackbed instead of two for a light rail commuter service.
Of course it is a gross inconvenience (not to mention expense) to have elevated stations but perhaps the tracks could swap levels here and there where space permitted (the right of way could be widened for a short distance).
I was thinking for example of diverting existing Manchester airport heavy rail trains along a new line. And reusing the Styal branch right of way through Heald Green for a combination of HS2 and trams.
Are there any examples of one-up / one-down tramlines anywhere in the world?