Mór Balázs de Verőce (; 5 April 1849Zsigmond 2018, p. 67. – 1 August 1897) was a Hungarian entrepreneur and engineer. He pioneered the adoption of electric trams in Budapest and initiated the construction of the Budapest Millennium Underground Railway, the first electric underground urban railway on the European continent.
Early life and education
Balázs was born in Pest to a middle class Hungarian Jewish family, the son of Ármin Kohn and Róza Luria. At the age of one, his mother married a wealthy privatier named Zsigmond Blasz, who raised him in the subsequent years. He used the surname until 1882, when he officially changed his name to Balázs.Zsigmond 2024, pp. 19–20.
After completing secondary school studies, he attended the Royal Joseph Polytechnic, the preceding institution of Budapest University of Technology and Economics.Zsigmond 2024, p. 20. He travelled extensively in his youth, particularly to London,Zsigmond 2018, pp. 67–68.Merczi 1994, p. 138. where he likely encountered modern transport innovations such as the first section of the London Underground, opened in 1863.
Career and urban transport initiatives
Transportation in mid-19th century Buda and Pest
In the mid-19th century, the cities of Buda and Pest underwent a process of rapid urbanization, which gained momentum with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and the unification of the cities of Buda, Pest and Óbuda in 1873 to form Budapest. The city tripled its population compared to levels in the 1840s, which created new challenges in the area of public transportation.Rózsa 2006, p. 204.
Horse-drawn omnibuses have been in service since 1832.Rózsa 2006, p. 204. By the 1860s, 16 lines were served by over 200 cars, 60 percent of which connected Városliget with the city.Lukács 1996, p. 132.
The first horsecar service started operating in Pest in 1866, and in 1868 on the Buda side.Rózsa 2006, p. 205. These were run by the or (Budapest Street Railway Company), which held a monopoly over horse-drawn tracked transit in the city.Merczi 1994, p. 131. The cars ran on standard gauge tracks and could accommodate up to 70 passengers.Rózsa 2006, p. 205. By 1870, the network extended to a combined length of 47 kilometers.Lukács 1996, p. 132. While accessible and convenient, they could not solve all problems. Deputy Police Captain Károly Polgár articulated the difficulty in 1868:
The horsecar network continued to expand, becoming the core of the city's transport system. While its tracks were also increasingly used by steam locomotives, especially for freight transport, horses dominated the cityscape. The necessary stables and granaries had a large urban footprint, and their upkeep imposed significant costs. The multitude of horses also presented a public health risk.Zsigmond 2021, p. 20. As Budapest grew to become an international hub with modern industrial and residential districts, the need for rapid and reliable transportation at scale between distant areas of the city became a priority.Rózsa 2006, p. 205.
In the following years, the city's transport infrastructure was extended with more modern components, such as the Buda Funicular (1870) and the Svábhegy Cog-wheel railway (1874), both steam-powered. The city also adopted unified traffic rules and a master plan of a municipal transit system, originally envisioning steam-powered vehicles.
The first electric tramline in Budapest
In 1885, Balázs published a systematic plan in Hungarian and German, outlining a new tram network for the city.Zsigmond 2018, pp. 69-70. He proposed steam traction, except for a section on the Danube bank, where he suggested electric trams supplied by an overhead wire. The network consisted of five lines: A connection between the city and on (steam) A line along from the Nyugati Railway Station to (steam) A line along the Danube bank from the public warehouses (), connecting to the line via (electric) From towards the new public cemetery to the east (steam) From to , along (today ) (steam).
The proposal gained favor with the Metropolitan Board of Public Works, which oversaw all major developments in Budapest. The company operating the horsecar network, BKVT, did not have priority rights for mechanized transport and could not compete with Balázs's proposal. The authorities also found the proposal compelling as BKVT was often deprioritizing lines due to costs, despite the public need.Zsigmond 2018, p. 69. Balázs partnered with the firm (Lindheim & Co.) which had experience in operating a steam tramline in Debrecen,Merczi 1994, p. 132. and acquired Siemens and Halske as a supplier for the electrical equipment.
The concept changed in the following months, largely due to the proliferation of electric trams throughout Europe, and the board's preliminary approval in the next year allowed for "any form of applicable traction", instead of steam specifically, for the line along .Merczi 1994, p. 132.
During consultations, city officials expressed their disdain for the overhead wires, citing their unappealing visual impact on the city. While electric tram services already existed throughout Europe, such as the Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway near Berlin, these ran outside of densely populated areas. The officials also had concerns on the safety of underground conduits as an alternative.Zsigmond 2018, p. 70.
To reach a compromise, Balázs pushed for testing the idea, which met with sympathy from Minister of Transportation Gábor Baross. Constructed within a few weeks, the experimental tramline began operation along the Nagykörút (Grand Boulevard) in Budapest on 28 November 1887.Rózsa 2006, p. 206.
The service ran on 1000 mm narrow gauge tracks using underground conduit current collection, between Nyugati Railway Station and . Its maximum allowed speed was 10 km/h, and relied on a power supply housed next to the railway station.Antal 2013, p. 75. The line consisted of four stops and was served by three green cars, two of which were equipped with an engine. After its opening, the operation became the responsibility of Siemens & Halske, within a joint venture that included Balázs and Lindheim & Co. Europe's first inner city electric tram service quickly became popular with the locals.Merczi 1994, p. 134.
The first standard gauge lines and the creation of BVVV
The success convinced the municipality to allow the construction of the first of the originally proposed lines with electric vehicles. The line from to , along was built with a standard gauge track and a tram depot located at . It used the same conduit current collection system as the test line, designed by Siemens & Halske, and was opened on 30 July 1889. The second line in opened shortly afterwards, on 10 September of the same year.
The new lines were served by a central generating station housing steam turbines in , supplying 117kW of power at 300V direct current.Antal 2013, p. 78. The specific schema of the underground current conduit became known internationally as the 'Budapest system',Antal 2013, p. 78. as it was first used in the city.Guarnieri 2020, p. 74. It was cited in a 1904 discussion by the Institution of Civil Engineers as an early example of the side-slot conduit system, recognized alongside systems in Paris and Vienna.Molesworth 1904, p. 196.
Underground conduits existed in various forms by the end of the 1880s, and often featured a central third rail. In Budapest, the conductor was hidden beneath one of the rails, within an understructure that formed a channel and supported the surface rail. Drainage connections to the sewage system prevented the accumulation of water, but the slot was prone to collecting dirt and debris,Vuchic 2007, p. 18. and required regular cleaning and maintenance (usually during night hours).
One drawback of the arrangement was the fact that the current collector could only be retrieved through special openings built in the track, but not over regular sections. This had two important consequences: a broken collector could shut down traffic for hours; and combining with overhead wires later required rebuilding the tracks themselves. Siemens & Halske subsequently addressed this problem and created the 'Improved Budapest' system: this allowed the retrieval of the collector anywhere on the tracks. A slightly modified form of this arrangement was also deployed in Berlin.
The construction of the remaining lines from the original plan were also approved. The line along was built in several sections between 1890 and 1892.Merczi 1994, p. 134. In 1891, the Anglo-Hungarian Bank purchased all operators and merged them in a single company, , or (Budapest Electric City Railway Corporation), and appointed Balázs as its first general manager, and later chairman.Merczi 1994, p. 132.
By October 1893, BVVV also constructed the line between and the New Public Cemetery. Since it mostly ran in the outskirts of the city, it was built without electrification, but shortly afterward became the first in Budapest to use an overhead wire.Merczi 1994, p. 134. Electric trams proved so successful that city authorities decided to completely retire horsecars, although this wasn't fully implemented until well into the 20th century. By this time, BVVV acquired unique operational expertise, and was entrusted with the electrification of the BKVT (and other) lines. Due to costs, reliability and increased public acceptance, these lines received overhead wires.
The first underground in Budapest
The success of the modern tram system inspired new plans for the city. By the 1890s, the meticulously designed (today Andrássy út) became a main artery connecting the city center with Városliget. Since it was always intended as an elegant boulevard, the municipal board was reluctant to allow any form of tracked transportation on it.Zsigmond 2018, p. 75. However, the upcoming Millennial Exhibition, a grand event celebrating the thousand years of Hungarian statehood scheduled for 1896, required a better connection between the two locations.
Balázs reached out to BVVV's competitor, BKVT to create a joint bid for a tramline along the avenue.Zsigmond 2018, p. 75. While this plan was declined by city planners in line with prior expectations, the two companies also agreed secretly to propose the ambitious idea of an underground rail line as an alternative. The city eventually gave its approval for the expensive project with the condition that the line must be opened before the exhibition.Merczi 1994, p. 137.
The tight deadline allowed 21 months for completion. The line was opened on schedule, on 2 May 1896.Merczi 1994, p. 138. It was the first electric urban underground railway line in continental Europe,Vuchic 2007, p. 37. and the first one in the world designed for electric traction from its conception.
In March 1897, Balázs published a plan that proposed the construction of further underground lines. He also argued against the adoption of elevated rail systems (which was advocated by BKVT), citing their environmental impact, based on experience in the USA.Zsigmond 2018, pp. 76-77
Public service and recognition
An active participant in local politics and social life, Balázs was a member of Budapest's general assembly as deputy of district VII in 1891, and was serving on the Committee of Public Construction (). He supported the Jewish community of Budapest in acquiring a plot of land to construct a synagogue and a school, and expanding the community's hospital in . He lobbied for the city's monetary support for pensioners and for founding a public library.Zsigmond 2018, pp. 73-74.
In recognition of his achievements, Balázs was ennobled in 1896, the year of Hungary's Millennium celebrations.Zsigmond 2018, p. 76. His coat of arms included the unusual heraldic motifs of an iron wheel, a railway and lightning bolts — symbols of his contribution to modern transport — with the Latin motto (‘I advance through effort’).Zsigmond 2024, p. 23.
Death and burial