Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.6.2.13 $; site uiucdcs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!friedman From: friedman@uiucdcs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.railroad Subject: light rail (streetcar) systems - (nf) Message-ID: <20600016@uiucdcs.UUCP> Date: Thu, 5-Jul-84 13:40:00 EDT Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.20600016 Posted: Thu Jul 5 13:40:00 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 7-Jul-84 01:21:42 EDT Lines: 148 Nf-ID: #N:uiucdcs:20600016:000:8515 Nf-From: uiucdcs!friedman Jul 5 12:40:00 1984 #N:uiucdcs:20600016:000:8515 uiucdcs!friedman Jul 5 12:40:00 1984 My own railroading interest started with an interest in streetcars, and that is still my primary interest. Who else out there is interested in streetcars? There are still a number of streetcar systems in the US and Canada, and the number is growing. Only one system retains the real, old fashioned type of vehicle, and that is New Orleans, whose cars date back to 1924. A number of other systems have been using the streamlined PCC streetcars, designed in the 1930s and 40s (the last of them were built in the US in the late 1940s, although they were manufactured in Europe later than that). More recently, several new streetcar systems have been built, only now, people feel the need for a modern term; "streetcar" or "trolley" just sounds too old fashioned, I guess. So the modern term, LRT (for light rail transit), has come into use. And the new cars are often called LRVs: light rail vehicles. The "Mass Transit" issue for June 1984 has a compilation of all the LRT systems, new and old, in the world. Here is an extract of information on US and Canadian light rail systems, using information from this article and other sources. Boston, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The Boston light rail system is 34.8 miles long, and carries about 100,000 passengers per weekday. There are 64 PCC cars and 139 Boeing LRVs in use. Parts of this system go back to 1897. Buffalo, New York: Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority. This system is expected to open in April 1985. It will be 6.4 miles long and will have 12 stations. Most of the system will be underground. Projected ridership is 45,000 daily by 1985. 27 LRVs are being built by Japan's Tokyu Car Corp. of Yokohama. Calgary, Alberta: Calgary Transit. This system began operation in 1981, and has 7.7 miles in service with another 6.4 miles under construction. It carries 40,000 passengers per weekday. The 30 LRV cars were built by Siemens-Duewag. Cleveland, Ohio: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA). This system began operation in 1920. The entire line was recently rebuilt from the railbed up, and the overhead system changed from trolley pole to support both trolley poles and pantographs. It operates 48 LRVs built by Breda (Italy) plus 20 PCCs on standby and 20 more in storage. At least some of the PCCs have been equipped with half-pantographs in place of trolley poles. The system in- cludes two lines, is 13.3 miles long, and averages 17,000 riders each weekday. Detroit, Michigan: Southeastern Metropolitan Transportation Authority (SEMTA). Detroit currently operates a short line with vintage trolleys over a 35 1/2 inch gauge track in the downtown area, more as a tourist attraction than a transit line; it opened in 1976. SEMTA is planning a new LRT system, to be about 15 miles long initially and open in 1990; it is projected to be about 52.5 miles long when completed. Edmonton, Alberta: Edmonton Transit. Edmonton's system is now 6.4 miles long, extended in 1981 and 1983 from an initial 4.5 miles that opened in 1978. There are 24 Diemens-Duewag LRTs serving 8 stations. Further extensions are planned. Ridership is about 20,000 per day. Ft. Worth, Texas: Tandy Corp. This privately-owned, 1.3 mile line connects a parking lot to a downtown shopping and office complex. It operates 8 rebuilt PCC cars. Newark, New Jersey: N. J. Transit. The Newark system, opened in 1935, runs 26 St. Louis Car Co. PCC cars over a 4.2 mile line carrying 10,000 passengers per weekday. The line begins in subway at the Pennsylvania Station basement in Newark, and leaves the subway for private right of way at grade level 1.6 miles from the Station. New Orleans, Louisiana: New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. This is a true streetcar line, running 35 cars built by Perley Thomas Car Co. of High Point, North Carolina (long since out of business) in 1924, over a line that opened as a suburban steam line in 1835 (making it the oldest operating street- car line in the world). In electrified form, the 6.5 mile line dates from 1893. It carries 21,000 riders per weekday. Gauge is 5 feet 2 1/2 inches. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). This system opened in 1892 in electrified form, and still includes 95.6 miles of streetcar lines (10 routes). Average weekday ridership is 90,000. SEPTA runs 144 new Kawasaki-built LRVs and 145 PCCs, with 164 more LRVs on order from Kawasaki. 112 PCCs are being extensively rebuilt. Gauge is 5 feet 2 1/2 inches. Pittsburg, Pennsylvania: Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT). This system is being rebuilt from a 22.5 mile remnant of the old streetcar system, opened in electric form in 1891. The first 2.8 miles of a 10.5 mile rebuilt line were opened April 15, 1984. The reconstruction includes a 1.1 mile down- town subway, expected to open next November. 45 of the present 90 PCC cars are being rebuilt (losing their trolley poles to half-pantographs, among other changes) to augment 55 new LRVs on order from Siemens-Duewag. Portland, Oregon: Tri-County Metropolitan Transit District (Tri-Met). This system is expected to open in mid 1986. It will be 15.1 miles long initially, and is projected to carry 42,000 passengers per weekday; a 15.5 mile extension is planned. 26 articulated cars are on order from Bombardier of Canada, which is supplying a Belgian design. Sacramento, California: Sacramento Regional Transit District. This 18.3 mile system is expected to open in spring of 1986. The 26 LRV cars are on order from Siemens-Allis (Atlanta, Georgia) for delivery between August 1985 and February 1986. They will be articulated, 80 feet long, seating 64 each, and will operate in trains of one to four cars at speeds up to 55 mph. Ridership is projected at 24,000 passengers per weekday. San Diego, California: Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB). The 15.9 mile San Ysidro line, popularly known as the Tijuana Trolley, opened in 1981, and serves 14,000 riders per weekday. Ground was broken June 1, 1984 on a 4.5 mile second line, expected to open in April 1986, and to be extended to 17.3 miles. The 24 LRV cars were built by Siemens-Duewag; 6 more are on order for November 1985 delivery. San Francisco, California: San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni). Everyone knows about the three famous cable car lines, which reopened June 21, 1984 after extensize rebuilding; the cable system could be considered light rail transit, I guess. Muni also operates a 5-route electric light rail system of 21.3 miles with 130 Boeing-built LRVs and 50 PCCs. Ridership is 162,000 per weekday. The section from old Twin Peaks Tunnel to downtown was moved from surface trackage to subway (a level above the BART subway) in 1981; the surface tracks to downtown remain, and have been used in recent years for weekend service [I don't know if that is still going on] and for tourist service using vintage electric streetcars, some borrowed from nearby railroad museums. San Jose, California: Santa Clara County Transportation Agency. Construction of a 21-mile light rail system is scheduled to begin in early 1985, with an opening date in 1987. 50 LRVs have been ordered from Urban Transportation Development Corp. (UTDC) of Canada, with delivery of the first car scheduled for early 1986. Seattle, Washington: Seattle Metro. Seattle opened a waterfront streetcar line in 1982, using 4 cars purchased from Melbourne, Australia. The line is 1.6 miles long and carries about 2,000 riders per weekday. Toronto, Canada: Toronto Transit Commission. Toronto's electric streetcar system opened in 1892. Currently, the system includes 8 routes, 45.6 miles, gauge 4 feet 10 7/8 inches. Cars include 110 PCCs and 190 CLRVs (Canadian LRVs) from UTDC, manufactured by Hawker Siddeley. Six CLRV prototype cars were built by S. I. G. of Switzerland. These cars are equipped with trolley poles. There is a 4.3 mile standard gauge extension (the Scarborough Rapid Transit) due to open in March 1985. ALRT (advanced LRT) cars for the Scarborough line are from UTDC; I think these are half-pantograph equipped. Vancouver, British Columbia: British Columbia Transit (BCT). This new 13.3 mile system is scheduled to open in early 1986; about 1 mile is underground. Average weekday ridership is projected at 100,000 by 1990. UTDC is to supply 114 ALRT cars, with delivery to be completed by late 1986. George Friedman