Light rail is a mode of rail-based transport, usually urban in nature. When compared to heavy rail systems like commuter rail or rapid transit (subway), light rail systems are typically designed to carry fewer passengers and are capable of operating in mixed traffic (street running) or on routes that are not entirely grade-separated. Systems typically take one of four forms: the "first-generation" legacy systems, the "second-generation" modern light rail systems, streetcars, and hybrid rail systems (light rail with some commuter rail features). All of the systems use similar technologies, and some systems blur the lines between the different forms.
The United States, with its 27 systems (as counted by the Light Rail Transit Association), has a much larger number of "true" light rail systems (not including streetcar systems), by far, compared to any other country in the world (the next largest are Germany with 10 and Japan with 9).[1]
According to the American Public Transportation Association, of the roughly 30 cities with light rail systems in the United States, the light rail systems in six of them (Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), San Diego, and San Francisco) achieve more than 30 million unlinked passenger transits per year.[2]
History
From the mid-19th century onwards, horse-drawn trams (or horsecars) were used in cities around the world. The St. Charles Avenue Line of New Orleans' streetcar system is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world, beginning operation as a horse-drawn system in 1835.[3]
From the late 1880s onwards, electrically powered street railways became technically feasible following the invention of a trolley pole system of collecting current by American inventor Frank J. Sprague who installed the first successful electrified trolley system in Richmond, Virginia in 1888. They became popular because roads were then poorly surfaced, and before the invention of the internal combustion engine and the advent of motor-buses, they were the only practical means of public transport around cities.[4]
The streetcar systems constructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries typically only ran in single-car setups. Some rail lines experimented with multiple unit configurations, where streetcars were joined to make short trains, but this did not become common until later. When lines were built over longer distances (typically with a single track) before good roads were common, they were generally called interurban streetcars or radial railways in North America.
Historically, the rail gauge has had considerable variations, with a variety of gauges common in many early systems (e.g. the broad Pennsylvania trolley gauge, etc. used by New Orleans' streetcars and by the light rail systems in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). However, most modern second-generation light rail systems now operate on standard gauge rail.[5]
After World War II, six major cities in the United States (Boston, Newark, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco) continued to operate large first-generation streetcar systems, although most of them were later converted to modern light rail standards.[6] Toronto in Canada marks the other city in North America with a continuing first-generation streetcar system. Additionally, a seventh American city, Cleveland, maintained an interurban system (e.g. the Blue and Green Lines) equivalent to what is now "light rail", that opened before World War I, and which is still in operation to this day.[6]
When several of these cities upgraded to new technology (e.g. San Francisco, Newark, and Pittsburgh), they called it "light rail" to differentiate it from their existing streetcar systems since some continued to operate portions of both the old and new systems.
In the United States, most of the original first-generation streetcar systems were decommissioned from the 1950s onward through approximately 1970 as the usage of the automobile increased through government policy.
Although a few traditional streetcar or trolley systems still exist to this day the term "light rail" has come to mean a different type of rail system. Modern light rail technology has primarily German origins, since an attempt by Boeing Vertol to introduce a new American light rail vehicle was a technical failure. After World War II, the Germans retained their streetcar (Straßenbahn) networks and evolved them into model light rail systems (Stadtbahn).[5]
The renaissance of light rail in the United States began in 1981, when the first truly second-generation light rail system was inaugurated in the United States, the San Diego Trolley in California, which adopted use of the German Siemens-Duewag U2 light rail vehicle. (This was just three years after the first North American second-generation light rail system opened in the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta in 1978, and which used the same German Siemens-Duewag U2 vehicles as San Diego).[6] Other North American cities, particularly on the West Coast, began planning their own light rail systems in the 1980s.[7]
As of March 2020, there are a total of 53 operational light rail-type lines and systems (noting that some cities, such as Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle, have more than one light rail system) that offer regular year-round transit service in the United States: 26 modern light rail systems,[8] 14 modern streetcar systems, and 13 heritage streetcar systems (including the San Francisco cable car system).
"First-generation" legacy systems
The first-generation legacy systems are typically vestigial elements of sprawling streetcar systems that were decommissioned from the 1950s onward through approximately 1970 as automobile usage increased. These systems were spared that fate due to these systems having high ridership and typically some form of exclusive right of way.[6]
Many of these streetcar systems have been at least partly upgraded to more closely resemble the more modern second-generation light rail systems, while some continue to operate with few changes
Location | System | Year originally opened[9] | System length | Lines | Current type | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boston | MBTA Green Line | 1897 | 26.7 mi (43.0 km) | 4 | Light rail | While changes were made to the original 1897 Tremont Street subway in 1962 and 2004, and to some of the line routes over the years, and the Green Line's streetcar A branch was closed in 1969, both systems have run intact with mostly uninterrupted service since their opening dates. |
Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line | 1929 | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) | 1 | |||
Cleveland | Green Line / Blue Line | 1913 | 15.3 mi (24.6 km) | 2 | Light rail | Aside from line and station renovations in the early 1980s, and the Waterfront extension in 1996, these lines have operated essentially uninterrupted as light rail (interurbans) from their opening. |
Newark | Newark Light Rail | 1935 | 6.2 mi (10.0 km) | 2 | Light rail | Outside of a switch to modern vehicles in 2001 and extensions in 2002 and 2006, this line still operates essentially unchanged since the 1930s. |
New Orleans | New Orleans Streetcars | 1835 | 22.3 mi (35.9 km) | 4 | Heritage streetcar | The St. Charles Avenue Line is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world, beginning operation as a horse-drawn system in 1835; the line was electrified in 1893. Three additional lines built to more modern standards have been added since 1988. |
Philadelphia | SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines | 1906 | 19.8 mi (31.9 km) | 5 | Light rail / Streetcar | The subway–surface trolley lines began operation as a mixed subway/streetcar system in 1906, and have continued operation essentially unchanged since that time. |
SEPTA Routes 101 and 102 | 1906 | 11.9 mi (19.2 km) | 2 | Light rail / Streetcar | SEPTA Routes 101 & 102 (the Media-Sharon Lines) began operation as rail lines in mostly exclusive rights-of-way (light rail) in 1906, and have also operated mostly unchanged since then. | |
SEPTA Route 15 | 1859 | 8.4 mi (13.5 km) | 1 | Heritage streetcar | SEPTA Route 15 (the Girard Avenue Line) started as a horse car line, electrified in 1895. It was replaced with buses in 1992, but service on the line with heritage streetcars resumed in 2005. | |
Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Light Rail | 1903 | 26.2 mi (42.2 km) | 2 | Light rail | Began as a streetcar network, but was partially converted to light rail. By the 1970s, most routes were converted to bus, and the remaining streetcar lines (all of which still used the 1904 Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel) were converted to light rail. This included the construction of a new 1.1 miles (1.8 km) downtown tunnel. The converted system partially opened for service in 1984. |
San Francisco | Cable cars | 1878 | 5.2 mi (8.4 km) | 3 | Heritage cable car | World's last manually operated cable car system. Of the 23 lines established between 1873 and 1890, only three remain. While the cable cars are used to a certain extent by commuters, the vast majority of their seven million annual passengers are tourists. |
Muni Metro | 1912 | 35.7 mi (57.5 km) | 7 | Light rail / Streetcar | Began as a streetcar network, but was partially converted to light rail. While most of San Francisco's original streetcar lines had been converted to buses, five lines with dedicated rights-of-way could not be converted. The streetcars were partially converted to light rail in 1980, sending the lines into the Market Street subway. The lines still operate as streetcars on surface streets. The T Third Street and S Shuttle lines added later are true light rail. | |
E Embarcadero / F Market & Wharves | 1982 | 7.7 mi (12.4 km) | 2 | Heritage streetcar | Established in 1982 during a closure of the cable car system for refurbishment, to provide an alternative tourist attraction. Streetcars operated on the Market Street tracks recently abandoned by the streetcar lines that became the Muni Metro. Service proved popular and was retained and expanded. |
"Second-generation" modern systems
The second-generation of modern light rail systems began in 1981 with the San Diego Trolley, which ushered in several systems that generally feature large multi-car trains that travel larger distances, and make fewer stops, on exclusive rights-of-way.[10][11] These systems were inspired by the German Stadtbahn (English: city rail) systems.[5]
City/Area served | State | System | Year opened | System length | Stations | Lines | Year last expanded | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baltimore | Maryland | Baltimore Light Rail | 1992 | 33 mi (53 km) | 33 | 3 | 2006 | [12] |
Buffalo | New York | Buffalo Metro Rail | 1984 | 6.4 mi (10.3 km) | 14 | 1 | 1986 | [13] |
Charlotte | North Carolina | LYNX Blue Line | 2007 | 19.3 mi (31.1 km) | 26 | 1 | 2018 | [14][15] |
Dallas | Texas | Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) | 1996 | 93 mi (150 km) | 64 | 4 | 2016 | [16][17][18] |
Denver | Colorado | RTD Light Rail | 1994 | 60.1 mi (96.7 km) | 57 | 6 | 2019 | [19][20][21] |
Houston | Texas | METRORail | 2004 | 22.7 mi (36.5 km) | 39 | 3 | 2017 | [22][23][24][25] |
Jersey City | New Jersey | Hudson–Bergen Light Rail (NJ Transit)[note 1] | 2000 | 17 mi (27 km) | 24 | 3 | 2011 | [26][27] |
Los Angeles | California | Metro Rail A, C, E, & K lines[note 1] | 1990 | 94.4 mi (151.9 km) | 87 | 4 | 2023 | [28] |
Minneapolis–Saint Paul | Minnesota | Metro: Blue & Green lines | 2004 | 21.8 mi (35.1 km) | 37 | 2 | 2014 | [29][30] |
Norfolk | Virginia | The Tide | 2011 | 7.4 mi (11.9 km) | 11 | 1 | — | [31][32] |
Phoenix | Arizona | Valley Metro Rail | 2008 | 28 mi (45 km) | 38 | 1 | 2019 | [33] |
Portland | Oregon | MAX Light Rail | 1986 | 60 mi (97 km) | 97 | 5 | 2015 | [34][35] |
Sacramento | California | Sacramento RT Light Rail | 1987 | 42.9 mi (69.0 km) | 53 | 3 | 2015 | [36] |
St. Louis | Missouri and Illinois | MetroLink | 1993 | 46 mi (74 km) | 37 | 2 | 2006 | [37][38] |
Salt Lake City | Utah | TRAX | 1999 | 44.8 mi (72.1 km) | 51 | 3 | 2013 | [39][40] |
San Diego | California | San Diego Trolley | 1981 | 65 mi (105 km) | 62 | 4 | 2021 | [41] |
San Jose | California | VTA light rail | 1987 | 42.2 mi (67.9 km) | 62 | 3 | 2005 | [42][43] |
Seattle | Washington | 1 Line (Link light rail) | 2009 | 24.65 mi (39.67 km) | 19 | 1 | 2021 | [44] |
Tacoma | Washington | T Line (Link light rail) | 2003 | 4.0 mi (6.4 km) | 12 | 1 | 2023 | [45] |
Streetcar systems
The modern streetcar era started in 2001 with the Portland Streetcar, which inspired several other systems that generally feature smaller single-car trains that travel on short routes, with frequent stops, in lanes that are shared with automobile traffic (street running). There are also some heritage streetcar lines, which operate in the same manner using vintage vehicles or historic vehicle replicas, which have been built before and after the modern streetcar movement.
City/Area served | State | System | Year opened | System length | Stops | Lines | Year last expanded | System type | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlanta | Georgia | Atlanta Streetcar[note 2] | 2014 | 2.7 mi (4.3 km) | 12 | 1 | — | Modern | [46] |
Charlotte | North Carolina | CityLYNX Gold Line | 2015 | 4 mi (6.4 km) | 17 | 1 | 2021 | Modern | [47][48] |
Cincinnati | Ohio | Connector | 2016 | 3.6 mi (5.8 km) | 18 | 1 | — | Modern | [49][50] |
Dallas | Texas | Dallas Streetcar | 2015 | 2.45 mi (3.94 km) | 6 | 1 | 2016 | Modern | [16][17][18] |
McKinney Avenue Transit Authority | 1989 | 4.6 mi (7.4 km) | 40 | 1 | 2015 | Heritage | [51][52][53] | ||
Detroit | Michigan | QLine | 2017 | 3.3 mi (5.3 km) | 20 | 1 | — | Modern | [54] |
El Paso | Texas | El Paso Streetcar | 2018 | 4.8 mi (8 km) | 27 | 1 | — | Heritage | [55] |
Kansas City | Missouri | KC Streetcar | 2016 | 2 mi (3.2 km) | 16 | 1 | — | Modern | [56][57] |
Kenosha | Wisconsin | Kenosha Streetcar | 2000 | 2 mi (3.2 km) | 17 | 1 | — | Heritage | |
Little Rock | Arkansas | Metro Streetcar | 2004 | 3.4 mi (5.5 km) | 15 | 1 | 2007 | Heritage | [58][59] |
Memphis | Tennessee | MATA Trolley | 1993 | 6.3 mi (10.1 km) | 25 | 3 | 2021 | Heritage | [60][61][62] |
Milwaukee | Wisconsin | The Hop | 2018 | 2.5 mi (4 km) | 21 | 2 | 2023 | Modern | |
Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City Streetcar | 2018 | 4.6 mi (7.4 km) | 22 | 2 | — | Modern | [63] |
Portland | Oregon | Portland Streetcar | 2001 | 7.35 mi (11.83 km) | 76 | 2 | 2015 | Modern | [64][65] |
St. Louis | Missouri | Loop Trolley | 2018 | 2.2 mi (3.5 km) | 10 | 1 | — | Heritage | [66] |
Salt Lake City | Utah | S Line | 2013 | 2 mi (3.2 km) | 7 | 1 | — | Modern | |
Seattle | Washington | Seattle Streetcar | 2007 | 3.8 mi (6.1 km) | 17 | 2 | 2016 | Modern | [67][68][69][70] |
Tampa | Florida | TECO Line Streetcar | 2002 | 2.7 mi (4.3 km) | 11 | 1 | 2010 | Heritage | [71][72] |
Tempe | Arizona | Tempe Streetcar | 2022 | 3 mi (4.8 km) | 14 | 1 | — | Modern | [73] |
Tucson | Arizona | Sun Link | 2014 | 3.9 mi (6.3 km) | 22 | 1 | — | Modern | [74] |
Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | DC Streetcar | 2016 | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) | 8 | 1 | — | Modern | [75][76] |
"Hybrid rail" systems
Hybrid rail systems, routes operating on the national rail network which don't operate with commuter rail characteristics, were introduced in 2004 with New Jersey's River Line. Hybrid rail systems operate vehicles which do not meet Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines, usually (but not always) small multiple unit railcars like a light rail system, but like commuter rail, they are typically powered by diesel engines over tracks which may be shared with freight trains (which typically only operate overnight, when passenger service has stopped).[77] Unlike most commuter rail systems which only operate during the weekday peak travel periods, hybrid rail systems operate all-day, every day, but typically at longer headways than light rail.
City/Area served | State | System | Year opened | System length | Stations | Lines | Year last expanded | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austin | Texas | Capital MetroRail | 2010 | 32 mi (51 km) | 9 | 1 | — | [78] |
Contra Costa County | California | eBART | 2018 | 10.1 mi (16.3 km) | 3 | 1 | — | [79] |
Camden–Trenton | New Jersey | River Line | 2004 | 34 mi (55 km) | 20 | 1 | — | [26][80] |
Denton County | Texas | A-train | 2011 | 21 mi (34 km) | 6 | 1 | — | [81] |
Fort Worth | Texas | TEXRail | 2019 | 27.2 mi (43.8 km) | 9 | 1 | — | [82] |
North San Diego County | California | Sprinter | 2008 | 22 mi (35 km) | 15 | 1 | — | [83] |
Systems under construction
The following table lists entirely new light rail, streetcar, or hybrid rail systems under construction.[84] Systems that are in the planning stages but not yet under construction (e.g. Glassboro–Camden Line, and the Austin Capital MetroRail Project Connect system), are not listed; expansions of existing systems are also not listed here.
City/Area served | State | System/Line | Planned opening | System length | System type | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orange County | California | OC Streetcar | 2025 | 4.1 mi (7 km) | Streetcar | [85][86][87][88] |
Dallas | Texas | Silver Line | 2025–2026 | 26 mi (42 km) | Hybrid rail | |
Omaha | Nebraska | Omaha Streetcar | 2026–2027 | 3.0 mi (4.8 km) | Streetcar | |
Montgomery and Prince George's Counties | Maryland | Purple Line | 2027 | 16.2 mi (26.1 km) | Light rail | [89][90] |
See also
- List of United States light rail systems by ridership
- List of rail transit systems in the United States
- Light rail in North America
- Streetcars in North America
- Public Transportation in San Diego
- Light rail in New Jersey
- Transportation in Dallas, Texas
- Transportation in Houston
- Transportation in Portland, Oregon
- Transportation in San Francisco
- Transportation in Salt Lake City
- Transportation of St. Louis, Missouri
- Rail transit in metropolitan Denver
- Rail transit in Boston
- Transportation in San Jose, California
- Transportation in Hudson Country, New Jersey
- Rail transit in Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Transportation in New York City
Notes
- 1 2 This system also has a heavy rail rapid transit/metro portion (see List of metro systems), and connections to a commuter rail system; the figures and statistics presented here represent the light rail portion of the system only.
- ↑ This system also has a heavy rail rapid transit/metro portion (see List of metro systems); the figures and statistics presented here represent the light rail portion of the system only.
References
- ↑ Taplin, Michael (April 2018). "A world of trams and urban transit". lrta.org. Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA). Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2018" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association (APTA). April 12, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
- ↑ "About the RTA". New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ↑ Taplin, Michael (1998). "The History of Tramways and Evolution of Light Rail". Light Rail Transit Association. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
- 1 2 3 Bottoms, Glen (2000). Continuing Developments in Light Rail Transit in Western Europe (PDF). 9th Annual Light Rail Transit Conference, Portland, Oregon: Light Rail Transit Association. Retrieved January 2, 2007.
{{cite conference}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - 1 2 3 4 "This Is Light Rail Transit" (PDF). Transportation Research Board. pp. 7–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
- ↑ Gough, William (April 14, 1983). "West turning to commuter rail lines". The Seattle Times. p. A22.
- ↑ Johnson, Matt (January 12, 2015). "See America's light rail and streetcars at the same scale". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ↑ Demery, Leroy W. Jr. (October 25, 2010). "U.S. Urban Rail Transit Lines Opened From 1980: Appendix". publictransit.us. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ↑ Walker, Jarrett (March 26, 2010). "Streetcars vs Light Rail ... Is There a Difference?". Human Transit. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ↑ Malouff, Dan (January 31, 2019). "Is that a streetcar or light rail? Here's how to tell the difference". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ↑ "Visitors Ride Guide" (PDF). mta.maryland.gov. Maryland Transit Administration. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Metro Rail 7 Day Timetable" (PDF). NTFA-Metro. July 2, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
- ↑ "LYNX Home". Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). Retrieved August 7, 2013.
- ↑ "LYNX Blue Line Extension Service Update". City of Charlotte Government.
- 1 2 "DART.org – DART History". Dallas Area Rapid Transit. 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- 1 2 "Facts about Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)". Dallas Area Rapid Transit. February 8, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
- 1 2 Chiquillo, Julieta (October 24, 2016). "Students, workers try new commutes as DART takes rail line to UNT Dallas". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ↑ "RTD – Facts & Figures – Central Corridor Light Rail Line". Regional Transportation District. January 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ↑ "Facts and Figures". Regional Transportation District. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ↑ Rubino, Joe (May 15, 2019). "RTD's newest line in southeast Denver metro will power development for years to come". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
- ↑ "METRO About Us". Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, Texas. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ↑ "FY2012 Business Plan & Budget" (PDF). Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, Texas. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 18, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ↑ "METRORail Rider Guide" (PDF). Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, Texas. December 22, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ↑ Rivas, Elissa (January 11, 2017). "METRORail Green Line opens Wednesday morning". ABC13 Houston.
- 1 2 "NJ Transit Facts At a Glance Fiscal Year 2014" (PDF). NJ Transit. March 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ↑ "Hudson-Bergen – Light Rail" (PDF). NJ Transit. March 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Metro – Facts at a Glance". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). November 18, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
- ↑ "METRO Blue Line – Facts About Trains and Construction". Metro Transit. 2013. Archived from the original on February 14, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ↑ "Metro Green Line Fact Sheet". Metropolitan Council. 2014. Archived from the original on June 12, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ↑ "Light Rail Service to Begin August 19, 2011". Hampton Roads Transit. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ↑ "The Tide – Hampton Roads Transit". Hampton Roads Transit. 2013. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
- ↑ "Rail System Fact Sheet". Valley Metro. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ↑ "Gov. Brown, U.S. Reps. join hundreds for Inaugural Ride as part of MAX Orange Line Grand Opening". September 12, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- ↑ "MAX Light Rail". TriMet. 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Sacramento Regional Transit District: Fact Sheet" (PDF). Sacramento Regional Transit District. May 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ "History – The 1990s – MetroLink". Bi-State Development Agency (Metro). 2010. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Procurement Information". Bi-State Development Agency (Metro). 2010. Archived from the original on August 18, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Front Lines 2015 Map" (PDF). Utah Transit Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
- ↑ "TRAX and FrontRunner Map". Utah Transit Authority. April 2013. Archived from the original (pdf) on June 20, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ↑ "About MTS | San Diego Metropolitan". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. San Diego, California. November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ↑ "VTA Facts: Light Rail System Overview" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). November 14, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Light Rail Service – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority". Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ↑ "1 Line – Northgate – Angle Lake". SoundTransit. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
- ↑ "Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension is Now Open!". Sound Transit. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ↑ "A Better Way to Get Around". Atlanta Streetcar. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
- ↑ Bruno, Joe (April 30, 2021). "Beleaguered Charlotte streetcar project now projected to open by August". WSOC-TV. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ↑ "CityLYNX Gold Line". Charlotte Area Transit System. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ↑ Coolidge, Sharon (September 9, 2016). "It's a go: Streetcar finally opens". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
- ↑ "Design & Route". City of Cincinnati. 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
- ↑ Appleton, Roy (April 14, 2015). "Downtown-Oak Cliff streetcar debuts with speeches, curious riders". The Dallas Morning News. p. 1B. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Dallas Streetcar". Dallas Area Rapid Transit. 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
- ↑ "Expanded Bishop Arts District Streetcar Service Begins". KTVT. August 29, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
- ↑ "About M-1 Rail". M-1 Rail. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
- ↑ "El Paso streetcar project on schedule, on budget". KTSM. October 6, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Kansas City is on the MOVE with the KC Streetcar". KCStreetcar.org. KC Downtown Streetcar. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ↑ Horsley, Lynn (May 6, 2016). "After years of planning, setbacks, hard work, KC celebrates streetcar grand opening". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ↑ "River Rail – Central Arkansas Transit Authority". Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA). Archived from the original on September 2, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ↑ "River Rail System Map" (png). Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA). 2013. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ "MATA – Memphis Area Transit Authority – Trolley History". Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA). 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ↑ "MATA – Memphis Area Transit Authority – Trolley Map". Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA). 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ↑ "South Main shop owners ready for new trolley station to open this weekend". WREG.com. February 24, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ↑ "Oklahoma City Streetcar – EMBARK". embarkok.com.
- ↑ "Streetcar History | Portland Streetcar". Portland Streetcar, Inc. 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ↑ Vincent, John M. (September 8, 2015). "Routes, fares change with expanded streetcar service". Portland Tribune. p. A3. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ↑ "STL Loop Trolley". STL Loop Trolley. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ↑ "South Lake Union Streetcar". Seattle Streetcar. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
- ↑ "First Hill StreetCar Construction – Frequently Asked Questions". Seattle Streetcar. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
- ↑ "Streetcar Routes". Seattle Streetcar. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
- ↑ Lindblom, Mike (January 22, 2016). "Seattle's First Hill Streetcar to open Saturday with free rides". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ↑ "TECO Line Streetcar System – Streetcar System". TECOline Streetcar System. 2012. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Downtown Network Map" (PDF). Hillsborough Area Transit Authority (HART). February 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Streetcar is now open in Tempe" (Press release). Valley Metro. May 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ↑ "Why do we need a streetcar? – The streetcar route". Sun Link Tucson Streetcar. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ↑ Laris, Michael (February 27, 2016). "D.C. streetcar makes its first voyages on H Street. 'Is it really happening?'". Washington Post. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
- ↑ "DC Streetcar – H/Benning". District Department of Transportation (DDOT). 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
- ↑ "National Transit Database (NTD) Glossary | FTA". Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ↑ "Fast Facts". Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ↑ "BART to Antioch: East Contra Costa BART Extension". Bay Area Rapid Transit. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- ↑ "River Line – Light Rail" (PDF). NJ Transit. March 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Denton's new A-train cars may help expand regional rail". January 30, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ↑ "TEXRail calls off Saturday's planned debut after signal issue stalls federal clearance". January 5, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ↑ "Sprinter Hybrid Rail". North County Transit District (NCTD). Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ↑ "APTA Streetcar and Heritage Trolley Site – Future Systems". American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Retrieved January 11, 2014.
- ↑ Fry, Hannah (July 7, 2021). "After decades of fighting and freeways, Orange County is finally getting a streetcar". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ↑ Staggs, Brooke (March 10, 2021). "Some Republicans in Congress oppose federal money for OC Streetcar". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ↑ "OCTA celebrates 30 years keeping Orange County moving" (Press release). Mass Transit. June 30, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ↑ Robinson, Alicia (January 5, 2021). "Busy year ahead in Orange County transportation construction". Orange County Register. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- ↑ Shaver, Katherine (January 26, 2022). "Md. board approves $3.4 billion contract to complete Purple Line". The Washington Post.
- ↑ Metcalf, Andrew (August 28, 2017). "Officials Break Ground on Long-Awaited Purple Line Project; Construction Immediately Starts". Bethesda Magazine.
External links
- American Public Transit Association (APTA)
- Table of Light Rail Transit Agencies in the United States (from APTA)
- Federal Transit Administration (U.S.)
- Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the U.S. National Research Council
- Commuter Rail, Light Rail & Rail Transit News
- Light Rail Central photos & news
- A movie of Armour's electric trolley, circa 1897 from Library of Congress