While on the subject of Melbourne's trams, Seattle bought several of them for use on its now defunct (alas!) Route 99, Waterfront Streetcar. In 1990 I was in Seattle and combined pleasure with business by riding the 99 line during my lunch. A group of Australian tourists boarded, and one woman remarked something to the effect that it was evidence that the US was financially badly off if it had to buy Melbourne's obsolete trams. I didn't comment =- she may have been speaking in jest, but if for real, then it was humorous, because Seattle spent a lot of money to find OLD streetcars and bring them to Seattle.
CVM
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