Galveston Island Trolley

Galveston Island Trolley is a heritage streetcar in Galveston, Texas. As in late 2006, the total network length was 6.8 miles (10.9 km). There are 22 stations. The Galveston Island Trolley is operated by Island Transit.

History

Galveston has had streetcars before. The first urban rail public transit system was introduced in 1867. The cars were pulled by mules. In 1891 electric trolleys were introduced. They remained in service till May 1938.

Galveston Island Trolley, a heritage streetcar system, was opened on 23 July 1988. Barry Goodman Associates (now the Goodman Corporation) was a key consultant in the creation of the Trolley, leading the early design studies and helping to secure funding. The project was designed by HNTB, engineers, who were responsible for all aspects of track and vehicle design; Ochsner Associates, architects, were responsible for the maintenance facility and the passenger shelter (on 20th Street).

Initially the Galveston Island Trolley connected the historic Strand District on the north side of Galveston Island with the Seawall beach area. It was mainly used by tourists. In the 1990s planning for an extension of the line began. The new branch to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) opened on 14 March 2005. This line is popular among UTMB staff, students and patients.Fact|date=June 2008

Rolling stock

The Galveston Island Trolley cars look like vintage electric trolleys, but actually they are modern build and diesel-electric powered. Therefore there are no overhead wires in Galveston. This means that the vehicles are not rightfully referred to as "trolleys," since they do not "troll" for power from overhead wires, but they are "streetcars."

There are four cars. All of them are technically identical, though they are painted in different colors. The cars were built by Miner Railcar, Pennsylvania.

Each car can accommodate 80 passengers: 40 sitting and 40 standing. Cars are designed for an operational speed of 25 mph. Each car weighs 63,000 lb (29 Mg). In 2005 all cars were equipped with air conditioning.

Hours of operation

The Trolley operates seven days a week from after 10 a.m. to before 6 p.m. On weekdays it runs every 40 minutes on one trolley and on weekends every 20 minutes on two trolleys.

List of trolley stops (North to South)

*Market and Eighth Street (Northern Terminus)
*Eleventh Street and Mechanic
*The Strand and Thirteenth Street
*The Strand and Sixteenth Street
*The Strand and Eighteenth Street"There is a Trolley Loop in this segment due based on original terminus"Southbound loop only:
*The Strand and Twenty-first Street
*University of Texas Medical Branch (1700 Strand)
*The Strand and Twenty-third Street
*Twenty-fifth Street at The Strand in front of Galveston Railroad MuseumNorthbound loop only:
*Mechanic at Twenty-fourth Street
*Twenty-third Street/Tremont at Post Office
*Twenty-first Street/Moody at Post Office
*Island Transit Bus Terminal (Twentieth Street past Post Office)"Trolley Loop Segment Ends"
*Twenty-fifth Street at Market
*Twenty-fifth Street at Church
*Twenty-fifth Street at Sealy
*Twenty-fifth Street at Avenue L
*Twenty-fifth Street at Avenue N
*Twenty-fifth Street at Avenue P"One way loop clockwise"
*Avenue P between Twenty-fourth and Twenty-third Streets
*Avenue P and Twenty-first Street
*Seawall Boulevard and Avenue Q past Twenty-first Street
*Seawall Boulevard between Twenty-fourth and Twenty-third Streets
*Seawall Boulevard and Twenty-fifth Street (Southern Terminus)

Sources

* [http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Galveston/]
* [http://www.islandtransit.net/ Island Transit official site]
*The book: "Trams 2007" by B.A. Schenk and M.R. Van Den Toorn. Alk publishings, Netherlands, ISBN 90 6013 466 4 (book in Dutch)
* [http://www.railwaypreservation.com/vintagetrolley/galveston.htm North American Vintage Trolley Systems]