Comments on: Streetcars Are Making a Comeback, Thanks Largely to Obama

By: common sense

common sense — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 18:53:00 +0000

People who favor street cars have even admitted that they are too good and elitist to take public transit and sit with the common people. The growth of Portland was not due to the streetcar, but favorable tax breaks for those in the areas effected by the street car. We are building one in the city where I live at the cost of $120 million for 4.5 miles of track. And the area effected has been in a building boom for the past two years without the assistance of streetcar. And what about the operating costs. Unfortunately we have a generation of people that are spoiled and think money grows on trees.

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:06:36 +0000

i hope the same

By: Uncle Bill

Uncle Bill — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 07:27:28 +0000

The Red Cars from Dallas came to Boston in the late 1960s or maybe earlier. They were the double-enders and were on the Huntington Line (E) that went to Arborway.

BTW: I sure hope GM does not get a role in building the trolleys, given GM’s criminal efforts to destroy the trolley systems we had from 1920 to 1950.

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:02:04 +0000

Gino, you seem to be inadvertently touching on a couple of key points: 1) the ‘inflexibility’ of streetcar lines is exactly what drives investment and thus property and sales tax income — maybe rather than ‘inflexibility’ it is the ‘permanence’ of these lines that is the investment driver; 2) yes, it is a development tool as much as (or more than) anything, and Portland’s excellent, attractive development patterns of the last couple decades is one of the major reasons why it is considered one of the best US cities to live in (in contrast to Atlanta, say, which was in a very similar place as Portland years ago but chose a completely different path).

By: jim

jim — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:59:20 +0000

I hope that President Obama is able to build a network of rail transportation and create a clean and efficient way for americans to get around our urban centers. However, my fear is that some states like the one I live in (Florida) are so backwards that even if the federal money is there, they won’t build it or if they do, will build it in the wrong place and doom the project before it starts. An example is the new proposal from Amtrak to run on the old F.E.C. tracks from Jax to Miami which has not had passenger service since ’68. Hard to believe two cities that size with a common rail line had no service for 40 years. Everything was on track and the money was there but just today I read there not sure how the money will be used and also logistical problems with station placement could delay the project further. Typical! Also, google TRI-RAIL and read about all the finance problems they have to deal with, and this a commuter line that has been a winner even with political hacks who have tried to destroy it.

By: Gino

Gino — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:58:57 +0000

So, the bus network, which can utilize any street and where buses and routes can be shifted to make most efficient use of available buses and accommodate the most riders is to be replaced by inflexible street car routes. There’s a reason streetcars were replaced the minute buses showed up and it had nothing to do with Ford and lots to do with the speed and flexibility of buses and their routes.

And some of you are grateful because those mean old rules about requiring “moderate” cost effectiveness are being replaced by “low” or “no” cost effectiveness. Brilliant.

The article should have mentioned Portland’s controversial land use rules- which may have had a little more to do with development than street cars.

By: Sven

Sven — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:07:43 +0000

I love electric vehicles directly connected to the grid. But this is 2010, can’t we find a better way to do it? Google SkyTran. That should be the future.

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:56:22 +0000

@a: they may not be “cost effective” in a limited, transportation sense. but they often generate much more private investment and resulting property tax income than other modes of transport. in Portland, the revenue to cost ratio was about 4:1 (if i remember that correctly…)

By: Tony Green

Tony Green — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 07:32:09 +0000

The featured picture shows streetcars from Toronto, Ontario.

By: Dior

Dior — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 06:55:02 +0000

This is a good thing. I hope it continues. Streetcars are one of the best forms of transportation.

By: a

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:17:48 +0000

Wow so street cars were fun to ride The real question is are they cost effective or will this be another government subsidised program that cost tax payers money Maybe Bush didn’t offer the money becasue they aren’t cost effective I have riden street cars they are fun but not the best transportation over the miles

By: George Heid

George Heid — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:11:46 +0000

I live in Pittsburgh, a city that had one of the largest street car networks. Like many major cities in the USA, these companies were bought up by big automobile, gasoline or tire manufactures. I believe, in Pittsburgh, it was the Philadelphia Company (Philco) a division of Ford Motor Company.

In the mid to late 1930’s the PCC (Presidential Conference Commission) Cars were designed and built to last 100 years. Yet the “Un-Holy Trinity” began scraping the trolley cars shortly after buying them.

It’s a crime and shame that such “free-enterprise” scandals are so easily put on our society. But now, we have to do the right thing. Our cities have inefficient and un-sustainable transit systems to ignore the classic Street Car. I’m all for Street Cars to make a real strong comeback throughout the United States.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:50:48 +0000

These are really great fror sprawling urban areas and should do well, but where do they get the right of ways that taken many years ago ? Are they not just being brought to our attention ? Ain’t nothin’ new here ……..Just media hype ………

By: BETTY GREEN NELSON

BETTY GREEN NELSON — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 01:52:36 +0000

I’ve been preaching STREETCARS for over 50 years. The worse things city govts ever did was fall for the BUS COMPANIES bill of goods. Anybody could get just about anywhere cheap. In St.Petersburg,Fl. thecar ran down the middle of the street on rails set inthe paving and they were smooth. The cars were much lighter in weight than todays monsters.They didn,t have engines.The power line was overhead(electrical)with a rod on top of car that rode the wire providing electricity.I personally think electrical is better than polluting,heavy bulky DIESELS SPITTIN’ POLLUTION gulping up petroleum. JUST MY OPINION.

By: Randy

Randy — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:25:29 +0000

Yes, this is good and glad to see this coming back. Many cities had a good reliable street rail transportation system throughout the latter half of the 19th and well into the 20th centuries. Two thumbs up!

By: David A. Budka

David A. Budka — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:19:43 +0000

The only trouble is much of the U.S. is still powered by coal-fired power plants. Most of the historic street car and interurban railroads were powered by such stations. The Pacific Northwest and California have numerous hydroelectric dams to power streetcars. However, Chicago and its Metra and South Shore commuter lines are powered by coal-fired plants. Most of Amtrak’s northeast corridor electrification is powered by coal-fired or oil-fired power plants. Wind power is still in its infancy.

By: DonR

DonR — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:14:01 +0000

I can remember as a small boy in Dallas we rode the “red car” as it was known back then. They were electric, quiet and only cost a nickel to ride. Life was so much more fun and we interacted with our neighbors and family. Too bad today’s young folks

can only play electronic games and don’t get the joy

of climbing a tree, swinging from a tire swing or playing hide n’ seek with a kissin’ cousin. So much fun when found she found ya.

By: I like the idea about streecars when i was young we had them and it was fun riding them

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:07:01 +0000

Stree cars made life slower and not so hectic