Charlotte, NC — Trolley Returns

Rail Transit Online – April 2008

Heritage streetcar operations between Atherton Mill and Ninth Street resumed on Apr. 20 after a shutdown lasting more than two years while light rail construction was underway in the Uptown district. Trolleys will initially run on weekends, with weekday service to be introduced in mid-May.

Service will be provided by three new Birney replicas supplied by Gomaco, operating alongside Blue Line LRVs during non-peak hours. Restored Charlotte trolley No. 85, built in 1928, will be sidelined because of fears it would be unsafe in a collision with an LRV.

Charlotte Area Transit System is operating the trolleys instead of volunteers from Charlotte Trolley Inc., a non-profit group, because CATS officials want to make certain there will be no disruption of Blue Line service. Streetcars make three special stops in addition to regular LRT stations. Set to open in December is a $1-million trolley museum in the South End that will probably house No. 85.

www.charlottetrolley.org