Editing Light rail (section)

===Emergence===
Although some traditional trolley or tram systems continued to exist in the US and elsewhere, the term "light rail" has come to mean a different type of rail system as modern light rail technology has primarily post-WWII West German origins. After World War II, Germany retained many of its streetcar networks and some of these evolved into model light rail systems (''[[Stadtbahn]]en''). With the exception of [[Hamburg, Germany|Hamburg]], all large and most medium-sized German cities maintain light rail networks.<ref name="Bottoms">{{cite conference|first=Glen|last=Bottoms|title=Continuing Developments in Light Rail Transit in Western Europe|publisher=[[Light Rail Transit Association]]|year=2000|conference=9th National Light Rail Transit Conference|location=Portland, Oregon|url=http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/circulars/ec058/15_01_Bottoms.pdf|access-date=26 December 2009}}</ref>

The concept of a "limited tramway" was proposed by American transport planner H. Dean Quinby in 1962. Quinby distinguished this new concept in rail transportation from historic streetcar or tram systems as:<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Quinby |first=Henry D. |date=January 1962 |title=Major Urban Corridor Facilities: A New Concept |journal=Traffic Quarterly |publisher=Eno Foundation for Highway Traffic Control |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=242–259 |via= |hdl-access=free |hdl=2027/uc1.$b3477}}</ref>
* having the capacity to carry more passengers
* operating with "three-section, articulated" transit vehicles
* having more doors to facilitate full utilization of the space
* faster and quieter in operation

The term ''light rail transit'' was introduced in North America in 1972 to describe this new concept of rail transportation.<ref name="Thompson" /> Prior to that time the abbreviation "LRT" was used for "[[Light metro|Light Rapid Transit]]" and "[[Light metro|Light Rail Rapid Transit]]".<ref>{{cite book |last= Wright |first= Gerald |date=Fall 1972 |title= Light Rapid Transit – the Immediate Answer for Edmonton |location= Edmonton, Alberta |publisher=The University Practicum in Rapid Transit – [[University of Alberta]] Extension Service}}</ref> An attempt by [[Boeing Vertol]] to introduce a [[US Standard Light Rail Vehicle|new American light rail vehicle]] in the 1970s was proven to have been a technical failure by the following decade.