Streetcar on track even if trains look empty

Some are confused on how to pay. Others think it should be free. And through it all the South Lake Union Streetcar line is doing exactly what the City of Seattle expected it would do by this point - move 1000+ people per day. More riders are anticipated as the weather gets better and as the streetcar becomes more of a neighborhood fixture.

One interesting point about this line. While never meant to cover the whole ride, a streetcar fare covers more than twice as much of the operating costs as a bus fare.

West Seattle Weighs In on Streetcar Service

View Map of West Seattle

Some folks in West Seattle have given up on ever seeing streetcar service return. Sad to think that streetcars could be gone entirely from the area, since historically West Seattle had them and thrived with them in place.

The big sticking point is that a streetcar system would have to go over "the Low Bridge" from the east. That bridge can sometimes be open to ships for an hour. Long time, when you're keeping a transit schedule. This is probably why extending service back to West Seattle is low on the priority list, because of costs to the area and logistics at the bridge.

As gas gets more expensive, the trolleys of Seattle's old days are looking better and better!

Opinion Piece on Rail Service in Central Puget Sound

Think it's new and modern to concoct huge over-arching transportation plans for the Central Puget Sound? Think again. Ross Anderson wrote this Opinion Piece on rail transit in Seattle; aside from discussing Seattle's streetcar future, he also reminds us that the region has a long history of "forward-thinking consultants" and lavishly grand schemes to advance the lifestyle of King County. Think transit tunnel under Lake Washington, huge civic centers, and all of Mercer Island turned into a city park....in 1912.

There is also a long history of people voting down those plans, and ultimately choosing the cheapest alternative available at the time. So in a way the message is "we want mobility now, but we don't want to pay for it."

Seattle Streetcar Advocates Promoting More Lines

©2007 Mike Bjork

As mentioned yesterday, Seattle City Council heard reports from transportation officials about the pros, cons, and costs of street cars and electric buses.

Today the news reports that Seattle Streetcar Alliance is ready to promote the addition of more lines throughout the city. Not surprisingly, the routes mimic the lines that Seattle had prior to World War 2. It just goes to show the city was onto a good thing back then. Could be a good thing once again given enough support and funding, which the SSA is looking for now.

Seattle Weighs Streetcars vs. Trolley Buses

Funny to think that for the future of Seattle surface transportation, technology with roots in the late 1800s is being compared to technology that is not much younger. Streetcars and Electric Trolley buses were in a shootout last night at the city council meeting after the city's department of transportation presented reports on which parts of Seattle would be best served by either one.

Up front, the costs for electric buses are lower, but the report stated that the system doesn't last as long as a streetcar system or light rail line - which both cost more per mile. Then there's the thing that nobody wants to mention here, because it's a heartstring argument: data indicates streetcars bring in ridership better than buses, even if the overall costs are higher.

Streetcars in Vancouver WA?

Streetcars of the past in Hazel Dell's future?

Even parts of Vancouver WA are thinking of putting track in the ground! A lot of people come to the same conclusion: you can have utilitarian transportation options like more buses, but streetcars bring interest back to a community. It's noted, tried, true, and tested.

Bring `em on!

Seattle ponders addition of more streetcar lines

More talk of more trolleys? This is getting good!

Seattle ponders addition of more streetcar lines

Everett Streetcar Proposed

City of Everett is looking into an idea to put in actual streetcars on a line serviced by trolley-styled busses:

HeraldNet: Everett streetcar could work, but would be spendy

While the construction would be expensive, research in the article shows that it turns out to be a good investment in the future for the areas surrounding trolley lines. Both Tacoma and Seattle have seen upticks in development and ridership in neighborhoods around the rails.

Everett is just now discussing the opportunity; we'll be watching this closely.

Local News | New streetcar suffers power glitch | Seattle Times Newspaper

First ball-bearings and now glitches!

Local News | New streetcar suffers power glitch | Seattle Times Newspaper

Someday we'll all look back at this and laugh...

Police investigate streetcar sabotage attempt

Man, the thing just started running and someone sabotages the tracks!

Police investigate streetcar sabotage attempt

While some of the comments are off-color, the Sound Off regarding this article has some funny points.

South Lake Union Streetcar rolls today

Throught activist griping, through bad acronyms, and through a neighborhood that is slowly changing from blue to white collar - the South Lake Union Streetcar finally gets rolling today!

Look for the big red cars from the Czech Republic to get underway at 12:12pm.

Seattle Streetcar Timeline

This is a wonderful piece of research that I want to share with you, and it goes back 120 years!

A funny bit in the timeline shows voters rejecting a plan to replace trolleys with busses, only to have the plan go forward anyway without a vote (sound familiar in our political history around here?).

Seattle Streetcar Timeline

One family's Seattle streetcar heritage

Great human-interest story involving the South Lake Union Streetcar, and three generations of rail history.

One family's Seattle streetcar heritage

Streetcars: Old Idea, New Century

The South Lake Union Streetcar got a balanced write-up in the Seattle Times this morning. There are hopes - like I mentioned in a previous post - that this 1.3 mile line will morph into a city-wide system.

Just like Seattle had prior to 1941. What goes around comes around.

Local News South Lake Union streetcar on the past track Seattle Times Newspaper

Ride the WHAT?

And this trolley line isn't even in service yet!

The South Lake Union Streetcar wasn't always called that; beforehand "Trolley" was used in place of "Streetcar." That made for a very unfortunate acronym - S.L.U.T. Not that SLUS is any better, but hey at least it isn't derogatory!

As a side note, a couple of regular joes are being overwhelmed with t-shirt orders for their special apparel