US Streetcar Systems to Scale

[fflint]

Via Greater Greater Washington, US streetcar systems, built or under construction, all to scale:


source

Philadelphia in the house!

[eleven=11]

that streetcar map is pretty good
is the DC washington open yet??

[TWAK]

Sacramento will be here soon! initial route is pretty nice

[Jasonhouse]

Now we need combined cost and ridership.

[Busy Bee]

I'd like to see proposedon there as well.

[M II A II R II K]

And this all includes routes with their own ROW and mixed traffic routes.

[kilbride102]

^i would wager that philadelphia's was twice as large 70 years ago

[M II A II R II K]

Too bad they can't update their streetcars more often. Can't believe they're still using PCCs. I last rode one of those 24 years ago, and I probably caught the last one left in service.

[Beedok]

Can we get some foreign cities? (Of course then there's probably going to be debates about LRT vs streetcar definitions)

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by M II A II R II K

Too bad they can't update their streetcars more often. Can't believe they're still using PCCs. I last rode one of those 24 years ago, and I probably caught the last one left in service.

Completely refurbished and modernised PCCs were reentered into service when the 15 Girard line was reactivated a few years back --- and where partly reintroduced for novelty/sentimental purposes. The vast majority of the surface trolley fleet are the Kawasaki K cars from the early 80s. While it's been known and desired for quite some time that Septa needs to upgrade its fleet with up to date rolling stock, it should also be known that Toronto is just now introducing modern low floor articulated streetcars and has been operating a trolley fleet of similar vintage and technology as Philadelphia up until this point. Good things take funding and Septa doesn't have much of that.

[animatedmartian]

Man, I thought many cities would have had much more extensive routes. At least the cities without heavy transit systems. But I'm sure most of these will be expanded in the future.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by kilbride102

^i would wager that philadelphia's was twice as large 70 years ago

philadelphia? a map of the usa would be an impenetrable spiderweb until 1936-50. how pathetic this map is compared to what was. at the rate these systems are being rebuilt it will take 1000yrs to get back to something like that ever again.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

philadelphia? a map of the usa would be an impenetrable spiderweb until 1936-50. how pathetic this map is compared to what was. at the rate these systems are being rebuilt it will take 1000yrs to get back to something like that ever again.

I totally agree, most of the routes are so puny that they look like toy railway circuits.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Can we get some foreign cities? (Of course then there's probably going to be debates about LRT vs streetcar definitions)

Please do make a map to scale of foreign cities' streetcar systems!

[mousquet]

^ That would be quite a mission. I wouldn't try it when it comes to Paris alone.

As most on here probably noticed yet, that more accurate distinction between light rail and streetcar by popular definitions is a North American habit. Over here, it's just all commonly called "tramway". That's why it would be a little confusing to not find any Boston line on the graph by French habits, for instance. But in fact, I find the nomenclature widespread in America better. The more accurate, the better. That said, I don't think it would even be really helpful in France as I'm not sure we have any so called streetcar line anywhere in the country. It's all been bigger LRT lines for the local custom and needs. Obviously, it's still much harder to give up on one's car in most US cities.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by mousquet

As most on here probably noticed yet, that more accurate distinction between light rail and streetcar by popular definitions is a North American habit. Over here, it's just all commonly called "tramway".

Why not distinguish between them elsewhere? I'll admit the vehicles can look very similar at times. But there is often a significant difference in how they operate. Streetcar rarely exceed 45 mph speeds while light rail trains often reach 65 mph speeds. Streetcar stops are usually no more than 3 blocks apart (900 feet, 300 meters) while light rail stations usually average between 1/2 mile to 1 mile apart (1 km to 1.5 km). The differences in speed alone explains why light rail systems are often called rapid transit while streetcars aren't. There's significant differences worthy of two classifications.

[mousquet]

^ Well yes, I couldn't agree more. That's just about what I said, right? I also meant streetcar and light rail made sense in the US, but would still be hardly understood in my country since tramway just basically means light rail over here. As far as I know, we've got no streetcar yet, or no more left, I should say. Maybe some smaller towns that could afford it should build some modern yet, but I really can't tell whether it would make sense.

As an example, I think so far, the smallest community in France to enjoy a tram is that of Aubagne, a community of 104k. They've got some smaller vehicles like this in Aubagne.



Even though vehicles are shorter than the usual stuff, they run on their dedicated lanes. So they're some light rail system. Also, Aubagne is close enough to Marseille to be soon a part of the Marseille metro area, which will change the way their public projects are funded to some extent. And probably their scale too.

Of course, I know mass transit still has to be firmly promoted in the cores of the US metro areas, so you guys can make more room for more people, more neat development and more concentrated, more dense and wider wealth. That's what urban nerds are all about on here. So keep on advertising.

[Centropolis]

nm

[Cirrus]

Here's Toronto:


Twitter user @adamvv


And here's Melbourne:


Twitter user @bok_

[Beedok]

Melbourne is quite extensive. I've also surprised just how little Philadelphia looks vs. Toronto.