RET is the municipal transit operator of Rotterdam. (photo: Daniel Sparing)
Rotterdam has just opened a brand new tram depot in Beverwaard to replace an older workshop which was too expensive to maintain. The Beverwaard remise is along the East leg of the motorway ring, on line 23, which itself was laid in 2004.
The depot project was subsidized by an EU programme TramStore21, just the future Starr Gate depot in Blackpool, UK. The conditions of this subsidy required that the new depots become symbols of sustainability (buzzword alert!), so quite a few innovative solutions in terms of water, heating and spatial use were planned.
There is covered outdoor space for trams on some 18 tracks... (photo: Daniel Sparing)
...plus indoor workshops and offices. (photo: Daniel Sparing)
The use of rainwater to wash trams is reality, but the P+R on the roof remains a bit empty (it still takes a good 30 minutes ride to reach central Rotterdam from here, as opposed to e.g. 10/15 min train ride from Rotterdam Alexander/Barendrecht) and it turns out that there are better locations in the region to install wind turbines.
Smart energy and resource usage is understandably a requirement given limited budgets, competition, etc. But when talking about going green et al., it is a good idea to look at the forest and not at the trees: a tram depot is as “sustainable” as many car trips an attractive service can replace, so power up those trams 
More pictures below. Thanks to Jonge Veranderaars and RET for hosting us.
The vacuum cleaner for trams! With a wind power of 6. (photo: Daniel Sparing)
The vacuum cleaner is attached to the open last door, other doors closed (photo: Daniel Sparing)
The vacuum cleaner sucks yesterday's news out (photo: Daniel Sparing)
Into the tram wash (photo: Daniel Sparing)
Electric and HVAC boxes on the roof can be fixed in this section without overhead lines (photo: Daniel Sparing)
Here we learned what we knew already: it is not a good idea to fall under a tram. (photo: Daniel Sparing)
"Together for less carbon emissions in transit". No comment.. (photo: Daniel Sparing)
So can that one vacuum cleaner remove ALL garbage from the train? Better than a worker with a handheld vacuum cleaner?
Why do you say “no comment” on the photo with “Together for less carbon emissions in transit”?
Well the vacuum cleaner could collect most garbage, e.g. free newspapers (as they are the number one garbage on many transit networks) to the end of the car. From there I guess it has to be collected partly manually.
About emissions in transit, I think that the main effect on emissions comes when car trips are reduced because transit is attractive. Often the cleanest cars pollute more than e.g. trams on coal power per passenger. So the transit sector should be focused on excellent quality and comfort, not so much on its own emissions. But of course it is a nice plus if energy for trams is green, too.
That’s a powerful vacuum cleaner.
I was discussing on my blog about a local commuter rail’s marketing. They tend to post vague messages that don’t convey the benefits of the service, but they express the benefits to their customers. They should be telling the people who drive why they should switch to riding the train.
http://www.stevencanplan.com/do-people-really-know-the-cost-of-driving/