Cities rediscover allure of streetcars

[jpak]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-01-08-streetcars_x.htm

The streetcars that rumbled and clanged through many American cities from the late 1800s until World War II helped shape neighborhoods. More than a half-century later, streetcars are coming back and reviving the same neighborhoods they helped create.

Several cities have resurrected the streetcar tradition and about three dozen others plan to — from Tucson, and Birmingham, Ala., to Miami and Trenton, N.J.

This return to the past is less about satisfying a sense of nostalgia than about enticing developers and people to old industrial areas and faded neighborhoods. As cities experience a much-publicized urban renaissance, streetcars have become another draw for investment in housing, stores and restaurants.

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"The return of the streetcars is not really happening for new reasons but for the same reasons," says Michael English, vice president of Tampa Historic Streetcar, which operates along 2.5 miles connecting downtown, the fashionable loft and entertainment Channelside district and historic Ybor City. The city had a 54-mile system until 1946. The new line opened in 2002 and condominiums have been sprouting up along the way since.

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[villager]

1. plus, when gas runs out, they'll be the only way to get around a city...

suburbs oughtta start worrying.

Of course, I'm in one. Sigh.

[BOSSHOG]

2. The streetcars in New Orleans

are quite charming and there are plans to expand their areas of service. They are used by locals to commute in the city and are seen by many as a tourist attraction. And when compared to the noisy busses in town, they are almost invisible.

[Ezlivin]

3. My dad, a Florida "Cracker", rode the streetcars in Tampa

I grew up in Tampa and Dad would take us downtown and show us where the tracks used to be, where the streetcars ran and what the city looked like.

Tampa is so different now than it was when I was growing up it is amazing. I go back every five years for my high school reunion and the changes are always startling.

[wakeme2008]

4. I moved there in the early 70s and now

am moving to California - mid state. Tampa is just too big and low paying... I make almost double my hourly rate in Roanoke that I can in Tampa...

[ramapo]

5. Our loss

Streetcars & light rail once criss-crossed the North Jersey suburbs. Here and there you can still find a right-of-way or hunk of track still embedded in the street. It all got ripped out in favor of the bus and car. It would cost zillions to ever replace what was here 75-100 years ago. Crazy....

There are some new light rail systems springing up but implementation takes forever and is too limited to make any real impact on the awful traffic.

[jpak]

7. In 1920, Maine had 535 miles of electric train (trolley) track

Even rural areas had trolley service.

I'd settle for half that today...

[Captain Hilts]

6. Toronto/Moscow: They're clean and quiet. LOVE 'em. nt

[EC]

8. Here in Kenosha, the mayor

took alot of heat to get those streetcars...they are empty most of the time...except for the free rides to drunks or ferrying usage between parking lots and restaurants or during festivals in the summer...

[Dean Martin]

9. dumbest thing they ever did.......

.......was tear out the tracks and get rid of the streetcars. Indy has them until the early 50s. I think the last one stopped running 3 or 4 years before I was born. Everyone was crazy about the stupid car. Yeah I said stupid car. I'm not crazy about cars. I drive because it's absolutely necessary. I don't like to drive. I'd give anything for Indy to have street cars and trains and subways.

[EC]

10. we tore them out and made an open mall

when that actually decreased retail traffic, they had to redo the streets and put in new track....

[Dean Martin]

11. Indy sucks

Well all the morons want to do here is put in ONE rail to Fishers so the rich soccer moms MIGHT want to take a train to downtown Indy. And even if they started on it now, it won't be ready for 20 years. Unless we've completely run out of oil in 20 years, I can't see people in Fishers getting rid of their Lexuses and BMWs to ride the train. The people that really need the trains as usual are being neglected and ignored.