There hasn't been too much talk here about the Loop trolley, but there has been progress made on the cars themselves. Citizens for Modern Transit has bought two streetcars and they are currently being refurbished in Iowa. Hopefully they won't sit in a museum somewhere but rather be put to good use... on the street. This has the potential to start a rebirth of the streetcar in St. Louis and its streetcar suburbs.



Pictures of trolleys being reconditioned



Trolley Loop map

God I wish they would extend this project (and by they I suppose I mean Joel Edwards singularly).



I live on the loop now (see my username) and of course I completely support this idea. But how much cooler - and more usefull - would it be if the trolley ran all the way into the Central West End.



Linking the loop up with the West End just seems to make so much sense; They're two of the city's most vibrant neighborhoods. All it would take is an extension of the trolley line down lindell to Euclid. If I had my way the trolley would then loop north on Euclid and go back west on Delmar. That route would connect the two neighbiorhoods (allowing for some good bar hopping and whatnot without a car) and encourage development further east on the loop (the current path does nto go as far east on delmar as the one I'm proposing). It would allow tourists to easily hit both neighborhoods and encourage growth in between them. I just think its a no-brainer. ... and while I like the history musuem I really don;t see it as much of a tourist draw. The trolley would be much more successfull if it linked up with the West End.

Mark, I completely agree with you.



And I think others would too. Spread the word!

I called the number posted on a couple of his buildings-- e.g. the office space sign for the Tivoli-- and Joe Edwards himself picked up.

How many streetcars are there going to be? Two Peter Built and one Marathon? I guess three is good.

Right now there are two cars. The marathon car isn't part of it unless it gets purchased in the future for renovation. Notice the trolleys to go website hasn't been updated since last year. However, the map is correct.



My guess as to why it's going to the Forest Park Station is to connect better with Cross County, plus it would lower the cost of constructing a new streetcar line if it's done in pieces. I'd like to see more lines extending to the CWE and beyond.

I found this on the CMT website. The article is dated May 6 and it has a link to FAQ



CMT Trolley Update



The estimated cost is $32 million to build. If Metro builds it that cost goes to $55 million

It seems that Mayor Slay me agree with our rabid street car boosters ... I found this on his weblog today. Finally, someone in power recoignizing that St. Louis could reintegrate street cars into our puiblic transit mix for a true mass transit program ....



Making Tracks



Joe Edwards sent me a note last week about restoring electric streetcar service in the City. Joe is excited about a plan to run restored vintage streetcars on fixed tracks through the Loop. He says that the system would ?add to the quality of life, increase tourism, and spur economic development.?



It?s a good idea. Integrating streetcars into the existing public transportation grid might make the streetcars much more than just tourist attractions ? and not just in the Loop.

It is encouraging just knowing those in charge have some understanding of the issue. For so many years, I thought I was the only person on earth that felt this way. Now it seems like discussion of good transit is becoming mainstream. There is hope!

good God I really need to start checking my spelling/typing

markofucity wrote:good God I really need to start checking my spelling/typing

Don't worry about it, you always have something good to add. I think we all hope no one is checking on our spelling and grammar!

Just curious, does anyone know which cities in the United States currently use streetcars?



I know San Francisco uses cable cars, and New Orleans has electric streetcars. Streetcars are also common in many European cities.

I think the following North American cities still have streetcars to some degree:



Boston, Cleveland, Newark, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Toronto



Correct me if I am wrong.



Also, it depends what you mean by street car. For instance, light-rail travels on the street at times in Baltimore and many other cities.

Doesn't Portland have a very nice modern streetcar system?



http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/



I think Skoda makes those cars...............I really like them though. Very nice and efficient. Not retro, but nice. Im a whore for gadgets though!

markinlondon wrote:Just curious, does anyone know which cities in the United States currently use streetcars?

According to the Gomaco Trolley website, they've provided street cars for places like Tampa, Memphis, Little Rock, and Charlotte.



Also, I was reading in this months CMT newsletter that the trolleys will be delivered around mid-August. One will be on display at the History Museum, the other somewhere on the Loop.

Heard a report on the trolley on KMOX this morning. They said Joe Edwards is looking for $32 million, and beginning August 16th there will be a unit on display outside the History Museum for a year.

KWMU News



<A HREF="http://publicbroadcasting.net/kwmu/news ... ">Trolleys coming back to St. Louis</A>

Tom Weber, KWMU



ST. LOUIS, MO (2005-08-03) Streetcars will return to St. Louis later this month.

They'll only be on display, but they're meant to raise interest in building a streetcar line between Forest Park and the Delmar Loop.



Crews started laying track at the History Museum Tuesday morning.



<A HREF="http://publicbroadcasting.net/kwmu/news ... _ID=802755">>>> read more</A>

Ucityman wrote:i saw some tracks on display in the loop....



i know the whole idea isn't set in stone yet, but I am getting very excited

I can't wait until this becomes reality.

They showed the trolley being put in place this morning in front of the museum on channel 2 news and had an interview with Joe Edwards.

I'm stoked about this project as well - but I continue to have one large misgiving about it: It should be longer. If they would just extend the lline down Lindell to the Chase, they would link the Loop to the Central West End. I've raised this issue before and people have responded (rightly) that they can always extend it - but I worry that the cost associated with putting in a true street car track system (as opposed to a street car "bus" running off of an overhead electric wire) will make extending the line cost prohibitve. I know Joe Edwards is a big "true street car" proponent - and I understand his position - btu I would much rather have a longer line that actually served a large transit need (linking up two of our best neighborhoods) rather than a short - "touristy" - line that essentially does nothing more than ferry people up and down the loop (I mean how many people really need a street car to get from one end of the loop to the other - are people going to pay to ride a rail system a mile and a half down the road?)



I continue to say that we should go with the cheaper system and roll the savings over into extending the line. If I had my druthers (whatever those are) I would create a trolley system that ran on tires (like the Metro in Paris) and off of an overhead wire - and I would run it from the Delmar Loop to the History Musem, down Lindell to the Chase - up to Euclid - back over to Delmar again and then back East down Delmar. That would truly link up the Loop and the West End, spur development down Delmar all the way up to Euclid (there are some great buildings up there) and hopefully merge the two neighborhoods into one big sprawling urban city.



I could see that line actually being used - and often - by people who use it because they actually need it to get where they have to go. Not just because it would be nifty to ride an olde timey street car line down Delmar.



I worry about this projectr because street cars seem like such a no brainer for this city - and I worry that a failure now will keep people away from adding more lines in the future. I say do it now and do it right. Show the city planners that street cars can make St. Louis a true urban area again. I think the line that I decsrivbed above would be a huge success .. and hopefully the other no brainer lines would follow: up and down grand, from the loft district to Lafayette and Soulard - hell maybe even linking up dogtwon Maplewood and U City.



anyway - thats what I would do.

Maybe Edwards' street car loop is intended to be the start of something bigger - it would certainly make sense.



A streetcar line on Grand would be perfect to connect both SLU campuses with the South Grand restaurants and shopping.