page_title: Trams in Kolkata
section_title: Rolling stock
hierarchical_section_title: Trams in Kolkata / Rolling stock
caption_attribution_description: English: Tram in Kolkata, India.
context_page_description: The tram system in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India, operated by West Bengal Transport Corporation after Calcutta Tramways Company was dissolved, is the only tram network operating in India. Started in 1902, it is the second oldest electric tramway in India.
  The network initially had up to 37 lines in the 1960s but has gradually reduced over the years with only six lines currently operating due to financial struggles, poor maintenance, low ridership, addition of road flyovers, expansion of the Kolkata Metro, slow tram speed and perceptions that the trams are outdated and occupy too much road space. Due to these issues, there have been occasional talks of either shutting down the network permanently or limiting the operations of the system. However, the system is also considered environmentally friendly and an icon of Kolkata, so there have also been recent efforts to sustain the system with newer trams.
context_section_description: CTC owns 257 trams, of which 125 used to run daily. Each single-deck articulated car can carry 200 passengers (60 seated). But the number of trams is decreasing sharply due to various reasons and now only 35 trams run daily.
  The early horse-drawn cars and steel cars manufactured before 1952 were imported from England. Early trams were single-coach, similar to those in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kanpur. Triple-coach trams were tried without success. The later stock was the SLT type: double-coach with three doors, four wheels under each coach and no wheels between coaches. SLT trams had no front iron net but had a front-coach trolley pole. The both-end type had a front iron net and a rear-coach trolley pole. These were gradually replaced by articulated trams on all routes. The SLC type was introduced much later on the Bandhaghat line, and continued until its closure in 1971; after that, SLC trams began running on the G/H and T/G lines on the Kolkata side.
  Two trams were recently renovated with front and back glass, fluorescent lights, FM radio, digital display boards, angled seats and a fibreglass ceiling. The Nonapukur workshop began manufacturing 19 new trams from 2008 to 2010, of which four are nearing completion. The roof is clear polycarbonate sheeting with a wide window, and it has comfortable seating and better visibility from within. The workshop is also renovating steel-body (BSCL) cars. With plans for banquet-cafeteria and air-conditioned trams to attract commuters and foreign tourists (increasing CTC revenue), a single-coach, air-conditioned banquet tram has been introduced for heritage tours of North Kolkata in the morning and South Kolkata in the evening. Although the air-conditioned tram had poor ridership when it was introduced, more air-conditioned trams are planned.
  Types of rolling stock are:
  Old SLC – The first double-coach tram with wheels between the coaches, manufactured at the Nonapukur workshop. Sometimes called an "elephant car" by the CTC, its cab and rear are narrow and slightly slanted forward (like the head of an elephant, without the trunk). It was introduced as a higher-speed tram with an improved engine, designed to run on express routes such as Galiff Street, Ballyganj, Tollyganj, Behala and Khidirpur. Longer than an articulated tram, it was the first tram with a cab door.
  SLC – This variant has a pivot; less stylish than articulated trams, it is also manufactured at Nonapukur. Its front and back are straight. Also introduced as a higher-speed tram with an improved engine, it was designed to run on express routes but later had more general use.
  Articulated SLC – This is a slightly-less-stylish variation of the articulated tram, which is also manufactured at Nonapukur. Its front and back overhang, and narrow towards the ends. Also with an improved engine, it was used on local and express routes.
  Renovated SLC – After many years of SLC and articulated trams, rolling stock arrived from Burn Standard India which is stronger, heavier and faster than earlier designs and reversed the declining public perception of trams in the city. The improved stock began running throughout the city on all routes. Some were modified with front glass; two were modified to resemble Melbourne's B-class trams with fluorescent lights, back glass and double ends.
  New cars – Before the introduction of the single-coach tram in December 2012, this was the last new rolling stock. Built by Jessop India, it is a variation of the pivot type and was introduced around 1984. Some were modified with front glass; one was modified with fluorescent lights, FM radio, digital advertising and route boards.
  Single-coach – Introduced on 24 December 2012, they are reportedly faster and more manoeuvrable than double-coach trams; the carriage is longer than those in double-coach trams. More single-coach trams are planned across the city (including air-conditioned coaches), possibly replacing double-coach trams and enabling some closed routes to reopen.
caption: Articulated tram
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