Dirty streetcar exteriors

[yin_yang]

Just noticed this today while driving behind one. Is this a common thing? Usually they are clean but what could cause this?

 

[BB ON]

It's almost entirely the graphite from the trolley pole. If you look at the top you'll see a bigger spot of it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Just noticed this today while driving behind one. Is this a common thing? Usually they are clean but what could cause this?View attachment 234345

Once the trolley go 100% pantographs, the graphite from the pantographs will end up out-of-sight on the roof. All the surface vehicles are washed each day, however the sprays salt and dirt from the road end up dirtying the vehicles by afternoon.

 

[TransitBart]

Once the trolley go 100% pantographs, the graphite from the pantographs will end up out-of-sight on the roof. All the surface vehicles are washed each day, however the sprays salt and dirt from the road end up dirtying the vehicles by afternoon.

Every bus and streetcar is washed each day?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Exterior bus cleaning is performed nightly using an exterior automated bus wash at operating garages. On extreme cold winter days, this wash may be temporally suspended due to operational problems that may result from freezing water.

Exterior cleaning or washing is performed every seven days for both subway and streetcar vehicles. This activity involves a complete automated body wash of the vehicle’s exterior at the carhouses using equipment very similar to that used to wash automobiles. During the winter when the temperature is very cold, operational problems arise from freezing water and the frequency of exterior washing is curtailed.

From link.

Being winter, exterior washing maybe curtailed depending on the temperature.