The Modern Streetcar

[lotwyo]

The problem with streecars is that they are awfully slow, even when they have their own right-of-way... Subway systems are better, they go underground, don't interfere with surface and can zip fast through the city's deep tunnels.

[AmazinglyAgnostic]

@lotwyo When people see a set of tracks and overhead wires, they and developers come ...in flocks!

[wheelpsych94]

Arkansas should have these.

[ChampsElysees100]

I live in Los Angeles and after seeing this video I can only say it's so strange seeing White people taking public transportation.

[road2stamfordbridge]

@ChampsElysees100 HAHA! I live in Orange County and understand your point of view. Its a problem here in southern california. We dont have much of a public transportation system. I have been all over the world and have seen how mass transit is used, especially in europe, where everyone uses it, especially white people.

[timosha21]

trams are the future transportation and are the answer (or light rail) to today's congestion problems: there more enjoyable to ride than the subway...

[gatodecamapa]

Сesi ne udelaly to spatne!

[gatodecamapa]

Сesy ne udelaly to spatne!

[majordomus307]

My name is Václav David. I am from Czech republic (the streetcar vehicles too). In Czech republic we have many cities with a streetcars. My blog is mhd-vlak.tk

[Baron2yahoo]

You know where i'm from these are called trams.

[matthmatthmatth]

LOL Look at the faggot kid at 5:46 -- highwaters ????

[k0namiman]

@matthmatthmatth ZOMG! someone didn't dress EXACTLY LIKE YOU DO! It's a goddamned travesty and we must tell ALL OF THE INTERWEBS!

[jdgator95]

@matthmatthmatth wow, you sound like quite the jerk

[matthmatthmatth]

@jdgator95 Sorry, was that you in the video?

SACRED HEART OF JESUS .. HEAVEN FUCKIN FORBID I INSULT SOMEONE WEARIN' HIGHWATERS. FUCK OFF ORANGUTAN.

[Rightanglemusic]

Maybe I'm giving out alot of information, but these kind of trams will be great for atlanta, they're allready planning to build them.

[zaphodTK]

Way cool ;)

Only thing, what is is with that obnoxious screech, is it being caused by the electric motors? It kind of sounds like my broken dryer.

[Tubes12AX7k]

I'm all for the new streetcars, but I kind of wish they'd have some of the look of the older PCC cars.

[Streetcar1743]

In some cities and states, you can get a ticket for using a hand-held cellphone while driving. On the streetcar, you are sitting in a good seat and you can use your phone to handle your needs and NOT get in trouble. Coverage couid depend on if you are in a tunnel or also where you sit. Most streetcar routes take you to the heart of corporate complexes in addition to the connecting bus routes. The streetcar also takes you to lunch as seen at 4:46 in this video.

[Streetcar1743]

Yes. Streetcars are electric! Not all automobiles have been upgraded to environmentally standards yet. SUVs still pollute a lot. When the PCC came out in the middle to late 1930s, they were the first streetcars to handle handicapped passengers. No they did not have wheelchair lifts, but they did have good seats and they were quiet. When at all possible when traveling in a big city, we need ot quit being so dependalbe on private autos and start using public transportation.

[mustang6172]

@Streetcar1743 And that electricity comes from good old fashioned fossil fuels.

[Streetcar1743]

@mustang6172

LIES!!!! Your fantasyland is coming down!!!! You have to tell the truth!

[deafdirk]

So funny to see for me as a German (EU) Citizen, Americans uses Trams...is the Oil gone? :-))

These Scenes are use to us ever since.

[kooodeal]

@deafdirk This city was almost dead 4o years ago ,this is a rebirth,with Trolley cars.All at street level ,never up high or in the underground.

[GuiFigueiredoA]

The Portland Streetcars are really nice and green. It is actually important to push people not to use their cars as much as they do, and it helps the environment. I've never been to Portland, but this is certainly a place I would live in. With all it's culture, nightlife and green attitude.

[jeffsandychelsea]

light rail/street cars may just be "glorified buses on rails" like some people say, but they sure do a hell of a better job than buses for revitalizing urban areas and giving a convenient service to whatever city they're in.

[subwaydude1234]

i wanna ride this so bad it looks cool

[granskare]

we saw similar streetcars in Tallinn Estonia in 1997.

[WRCExpert]

@granskare U saw them in Estonia.. Ofcourse, because these SC are made by ŠKODA Transportation in the Czech republic and most of their production goes to former Soviet union republic.. And all the trams in the Czech rep. (Prague, Brno) are made by Skoda, ČKD, Tatra ..

[tjftor]

Checkout my video Montreal Street Car Ride on my Channel, Thank you.

[jblanch3]

This is so cool. Makes me live I lived in a place like Portland, rather than a suburban hellhole like Long Island, where you're pretty much SOL if you don't own a private automobile.

[bnsfMAN93]

@jblanch3

Long island has the long island railroad, a MAJOR passenger system into NYC. Don't complain about it, you could live in Michigan or Wyoming or Kansas

[flinko100]

lol that`s gay

[lukebccb]

Why don't they show the LRVs of San Francisco where folks are packed-in shoulder to shoulder and where the cars are stopped forever between underground stations as too many cars are backed up and lined up trying to get to the terminal and where's the images of where, if you are unfortunate enough to be on the train at the time, when the teens get out of high school and get on the train in packs and there's a good chance you'll get assaulted by the pack.....

[SevcaCZ]

Czech streetcars in USA. Nice.

[TrainmasterCurt]

This is exactly what Winnipeg needs, a complete reversal of 1955, thank you Mayor Sharpe! Down with buses, future is LRT!

[GeGeMus12]

i have a question, how do these streetcars change lanes?

[strassenbahntk]

@GeGeMus12

Aes they are priority traffic, they don't need to change lanes, which would technically not be possible.

[caltrain2]

they dont

[Noch2Bier]

Interesting to see. Looks like European Cities and Traffic, or rather, like German downtown areas. (Not all European City areas look alike!).

Good beginning America, Keep it up!

[SpicyMelonGirl]

It has a European feel to it. It looks very good, but I don't like that annoying squeaky sound that the streetcar makes when it moves away. Does it make that sound to alert pedestrians that it is moving..??

[strassenbahntk]

@SpicyMelonGirl

This sound is produced by the electric traction and not avoidable. However, it isn't so much present anymore in the latest streetcar types and it is by most people felt to be way less annoying than e.g. deep bassed diesel bus sound.

[VBioreactorBydlo]

How come the German trams don't make that squeaky sound and go so quiet? :)

/watch?v=AkK80SPDxAE

And I'm traveling with Siemens trains occasionally - not a sign of that annoying sound.

[gururafiki]

@VBioreactorBydlo

Its so people can hear it coming. It's not as loud in real life as the video makes it seem, but because it is an annoying sound people do pay attention to it and don't step in its way.

[Tubes12AX7k]

@VBioreactorBydlo I've heard from one source that the older streetcars have solid axles without differentials so there is slipping of the outer wheel on turns. With many newer streetcars, there are split axles or independent wheels, which reduces squeaks, but this is a lot more expensive.

[danielday36]

i hate to ask, but is there a similar video when it comes to BRT. Now don't get me wrong, I want this in San Antonio, but with the screwed up individuals called politicians in San Antonio, TX operating my transit system, I have to see what the alternative will be like. LOL Oh by the way a great video, ends the controversy when it comes to whats better, buses or Streetcars.

[bmp713]

A couple of these streetcars would go great with all the development in Oakland.

[Shelbytown123]

Wow, this needs updated! The new trains are wooooonderful!

[1lifealex]

Atlanta is another city looking at streetcars.

[SolForceJxn2]

Tucson, Arizona (which is where I live), as well as a few other US cities, is following Portland's idea of a modern effective streetcar line. I want these all over US downtowns. I really need to go to Portland just to ride the streetcar.

[timosha21]

the streetcar is know as the "tram" around the world... just like soccer is known as "football"

[trainlova12]

do they have horns?

[alehuj]

The ones in Toronto have a horn.

[sega31098]

For some reason the beeps when the doors close remind me of waiting in line in McDonalds.

[sega31098]

Also, that beep should be used on the MAX Light Rail.

[WRCExpert]

Something abt producer of this streetcar: youtube com/watch?v=tC2S_FSCbKg

[LMB222]

Disclosure needed: WRCExpert is Czech.

[rail64]

The PCC of 60 years ago, with the correct sandwich wheels, was much quieter, and very very fast. NO rumble like we hear in this vid, and as I have experienced.

[cimmerianpraetor]

I have been using these for many years as passanger in Olomouc, and didn't hear any rumble. Possibly bad maintanance?

[mikemmlj]

We now have commuter rail in Albuquerque and the Mayor wants to put in streetcars, this video is a great selling point for them!

[MrNinjaMittens]

really...

[tyronewright64]

streetcars are becoming really popular

[Matujtutujka]

Only 1 line - in Prague (Capital town of CZ) are 26 day lines and 9 night lines -> good luck in evolution

[Matujtutujka]

This is "Made in Czech Republic" - Europe.

Producer: Škoda, Plzeň (Pilsen)

Sign: Škoda 10T

Built 7 streetcars for Portland (USA) and 3 streetcars for Tacoma (USA)

Vyrobené v České Republice, Evropa

Výrobce: Škoda, Plzeň

Označení: Škoda 10T

Vyrobeno 7 vozů pro Portland (Spojené státy Americké) a 3 vozy pro Tacomu (-//-)

[Cubbies27]

Support the Cincinnati Streetcar!!!!!

[schlepinsky]

I loved Portland. It's my home town. However, the transp resources have been horribly managed for 20 years. Too much $ was diverted to low ROI projects like this. 90% folks still commute in cars, even in PDX. It's time we stopped denying it. How much fuel has been wasted all these years due to congestion at i5 S. at Delta Park? Or I5 exit north to 84 E? Or in pm gridlock on 26 E. at 185th, and on and on... We need to make smarter use of our $ and fix the glaring transp problems first.

[Tubes12AX7k]

schlepinsky, what that really means is that we need to fix our zoning problems, land use problems, and dependence on cars.

[adderbrain5]

yes they definately create a greater sense of place than the bus.

[adderbrain5]

In many cities those who ride the bus are usually poor minorites. It is interesting to me that the streetcar has an appeal to all people seemingly regardless of class or race. In fact i see few minorities in this video at all. Could just be portland demographics i really dont know

[WestFloridaRepublic]

Autos generate storage, maneuvering space problems. Their noise, pollution and other negative externalities generate anti-density zoning spreading towns out even more creating a dog chasing its tail problem. * The end of legal segregation in the U.S. meant Whites started to use private vehicles to avoid the integrated equipment. * High quality street cars/light rail that allow some privacy and facilitate use of laptops, cell phones electronic multi-tasking may lure busy people out of their cars.

[adderbrain5]

some good points.

[LMB222]

"In many cities those who ride the bus are usually poor minorities." - you must be referring to "the best country in the world" only. All over the world lawyers, surgeons and even prime ministers take public transport to work.

It's, of course, a way better than in "the best country in the world".

[dnlr]

In many *US cities* you mean... it's not the case at all in Europe and other parts of the world. But then again, people there usually don't see public transportation as a whole as a thing for so-called lower classes, poor people, and/or minorities. They also pay like $7+/gallon of gasoline.

[1flygeo]

I wish the trolleys here in Philadelphia were this cool!

[reluctantpopstar]

If anyone's worried about patriotic considerations, automobiles were NOT invented in the USA, but streetcars WERE.

Let's start building streetcars again!

[Streetcar1743]

@reluctantpopstar

Well there were some automobiles that were built in the USA. You have to tell the truth. Don't go the route of a psychic. They lie too much.

[GemnPDX]

@reluctantpopstar Agreed.

[BartLCY10]

@reluctantpopstar No they were not. Even the name "streetcar" comes from a word brought by German immigrants:"Strassenbahn" which roughly translates to "street rail". First so called streetcars, in Europe trams, were built in United Kingdom

[auntyv]

Trimet just announced two more express lines will be added to the westside lightrail lines coming from the suburbs into downtown Portland. This should increase ridership and lessen the amount of cars coming downtown. It doesn't make sense to drive into downtown anymore - light rail is so much easier and with the streetcar and Fareless square - getting around downtown on foot is easy.

[senatorxbox360dude]

About these expansions, are these on the MAX or streetcar?

[auntyv]

From what the news said - they will have two more trains running during the morning commute hours - much needed - because by the time you reach Beaverton - the MAX is crowded.

[dpjaexp]

Everyone bemoans the state of the American auto industry and the price of oil. When will people ask themselves where the American railcar and locomotive manufacturing industries are? Auto manufacturing plants could be retooled into rail equipment manufacturing hubs. I apologize to cmfsharp and everyone else in advance for my rant, but there's no reason Americans couldn't reinvent a rail manufacturing sector on a par with Canada, Germany, France or Japan. That would create loads of jobs!!!

[adderbrain5]

indeed it would. As a matter of fact every 1 billion reallocated from highway to transit spending creates 7000...it takes 15 lanes of highway to compete with one rail line, freight rail is 50x more efficient than trucking the list goes on.

[dpjaexp]

As a matter of national security and as part of the war on terror, we then need to find out where the nexus between the Teamsters, the mob, big Auto, big Oil, trucking, concrete/paving and local governments is. Once that is situated and destroyed, we will have electrified metropolitan and national rail services on a par with Europe's or Japan's. It's the only way to make our economy viable in the 21st Century. Never in the history of our country have so many been held down by so few!

[dpjaexp]

The question remains, however: will the American people have the guts to hand the racist, classist far right and its allies in big auto, big oil and corrupt local administrations across America the crushing defeat they deserve in the next round of elections? Will enough moderate, concerned, socially progressive Republicans and Independents join with enough center-right and center left Democrats and Greens to tip the scales in the favor of environmentally sustainable domestic and foreign policy?

[LMB222]

It depends on the price of oil ;)

[dpjaexp]

That kind of societal shift will absolutely save our soldiers and alter the selfish, environmentally unsustainable paradigm in which we live. Conservatives are always talking about returning to the good old days. In matters of human logistics and social harmony, bringing streetcars back to our towns and cities is one of the quickest, most ethical, least costly ways to do just that.

[dpjaexp]

I wasn't talking about construction jobs at all. It's about how to convey the most people, the fastest, most efficient, comfortable way through densely populated areas. It's about the nexus between community and small business. cmfsharp, I'm talking about citizens switching off cable TV, getting off their duffs, physically walking down to the street corner (it's good for the heart), then taking a streetcar to meet their friends, face to face for a pizza downtown. In a city or town, reborn.

[quinnsans]

That's a great reply to @cmfsharp who needs cable tv & food delivery (that's what bikes are for, if you're still into getting your food handed to you) you can walk outside see your neighbors. It produces a better quality of life and a nicer community.

[dpjaexp]

Streetcar fleets have a far longer lifespan than either trolley or hybrid buses and carry more passengers, more comfortably. Boston, San Francisco and Philly (not to mention Kenosha, Wisconsin) and other places are running completely refurbished, handicapped-accessible 50 year old PCC streetcars. In my opinion, the greatest, most heinous job-creation scam at taxpayers' expense remains road construction and maintenance which has bled our citizens to death for the auto industry and big oil.

[Tubes12AX7k]

The "PCC II" trolleys being used Philadelphia (updated, refurbished PCC's) are great: air conditioning, cloth seats, new paint, but still the classic style of the older PCCs.  For the PCC, it seems that they've saved the best for last.

[senatorxbox360dude]

what company runs it?

[WRCExpert]

Dont know what comp. runs it but I kno 4 sure its a Czech tram

[chrisintegra]

Its quiet and better for environment and you can sneek in the back for free. I love it.

[RadiumZ1]

No 1 pays...

[onsrhooms]

how do you pay

[joahsays]

i absolutly hate the Max/Trimet.

[adelgado75]

Why?

[joahsays]

Mostly because where the Max goes, crime follows. It is so bad, the police (well the one cop that I know) call it the 'CrimeTram'

[tonyt73]

Wonderful! I look forward to our turn with Modern Light and Full Rail in Kansas City, Missouri! One day baby!!! :D

[bigcity233]

Great video! -- Here in Northern NJ, we're seeing NJ Transit investing in light rail lines in Hudson, Essex and Bergen counties. The light rail/trolley lines are much nicer than buses.  Too bad they dismantled the original lines in the late 40's.

[dpjaexp]

The rebirth of the streetcar in the form of light rail transit is long overdue. It's a question of social mobility, economic opportunity and justice for people of all races, creeds and abilities. Save our soldiers: take public transportation. Get vocal and don't be afraid to offend Big Oil. Big Oil has no problem offending us, and they're doing it in the name of the extreme right.

[cmfsharp]

trolley buses and hybrid buses can do it cheaper. light rail is just a job-creation scam at taxpayers' expense. do you think we'll ever see someone use light rail tracks to install your windows, hook up your cable TV or deliver pizza?

the money's better spent on education; that's how to achieve "social mobility, economic opportunity and justice for people of all races, creeds and abilities." light rail-construction jobs won't "save our soldiers."

[dpjaexp]

The overwhelming number of American citizens are in favor of electric light rail, subways, and commuter networks, as well as high-speed interurban services. The economic and social benefits are indisputable and well documented. Electric intercity rail travel was pioneered in the US by the Milwaukee Road, which had electrified over 600 miles of its own lines into the Rockies and ran them off hydroelectric power...in the early 1900's!

[dpjaexp]

Putting American urban and intercity rail infrastructure funding on an even footing with road funding is the only way to preserve our nation's environmental and economic viability. Incidentally, in every American city, a careful examination of the who, what and why of how streetcars were removed from American cities will reveal a concerted attempt by the extreme right to cordon off and isolate communities by race and class, especially in the south.

[dpjaexp]

When new roads are built, Big Oil and Big Auto benefit directly from taxpayer subsidy to the tune of billions of dollars a year, nationwide. Roadways are not expected to 'make a profit': they are a means to an end. Yet the American people subsidize them without a second thought. The most heartbreaking 'subsidy' of all: Americans sending their kids to die in wars for oil that doesn't even belong to us.

[kemar911]

yo we need that in toronto with some real A/C and more room

[psucarrierae]

We have a bigger version, too. It's called the Max. It's basically the same thing but has many more cars, runs more often (and later) and goes to parts of town farther out, not just the downtown area, like the streetcar. It's temp. controlled too, very comfortable most of the time.

[autumnbowler]

I just think the private ones are better quality, offer more choices, more competion, less waste and are more fair, because only people who use them have to pay.

There are many ways to get funding for things. Parks could be free for children, but charge adults. Or not charge at all, except for sports leagues. They could have classes in the park house to raise money. Or have a store that sells picnic lunches. The free market is creative and solves problems efficiently

[autumnbowler]

So tonight I asked my buddy who works for the Chicago Transit Authority his opinion on streetcars. He said the power wires are expensive to maintain, and that you still have to deal with traffic crossing streets and stuff. He's more in favor of elevated trains and busses, maybe elec. busses.

[autumnbowler]

Well, I'm obviously of a more libertarian bent, and we can disagree on this. But I think that at the very least it's always a good idea to have a healthy debate on the mix of public vs private goods. We shouldn't assume that some can only be provided by the government. There are public and private campgrounds, transportation, recreation, medical, informational whatever, and each has its plusses and minuses.

[autumnbowler]

I agree the government shouldn't pour money into subsidizing car travel either. Free markets.

I don't know why the parks shouldn't be able to charge. Charge to use the pool, or sports leagues, or entry. Privitize the parks also. If things have value, people who use them will pay. Why should I pay for a park I don't visit?

[autumnbowler]

Why is it absurd? Here in Chicago we have 7 elevated train lines. They were started by private companies way back, and ran a profit. Then the government took them over, and they lost money every year after that.

How come the post office loses money every year, but UPS, FedEx and DHL don't? Is mail service essentially unprofitable? no!

[cmfsharp]

Nice job on the revisionist history.

1) The El lines in Chicago ran a profit for a very short while and went bankrupt, hence the now-public ownership.

2) The US Postal Service was self-supporting until the late 1990s, mostly because the Internet was becoming very popular. Package delivery is still profitable; door-to-door delivery is what's expensive.

[autumnbowler]

So what's your point? Why did the el go bankrupt? The tough part of that biz is the initial outlay. They built the whole system, but haven't built one more mile since. Why can't the post office raise its rates? If a cheaper or better alternative is out there, why not use that instead? Why subsize failure?

[cmfsharp]

It's not always that simple. Do some research on Personal Rapid Transit to see what I mean.

[lukebccb]

Wow, you've really got your cause&effect really ass backwards.

The private Els went into the red would've and gone out of business and the El lines shut down but everyone KNEW that the Els were a *NECESSARY UTILITY* so thus government was FORCED to take over and operate the Els otherwise the Loop would grind to a halt whatwith massive numbers of cars would flood into downtown with no trains to bring people there.

[metrovick001]

Portland trams & street cars a fairly efficient by European standards (I got to sample them this year). For a small city it really has a very good system. Come to Dublin some time & you'll see what I mean!!

[autumnbowler]

Right now the city restricts the number of taxis, and charges them a ton of money and so fares are outrageous. They limit competition, when we need more competition. For longer trips, often hiring a limo is cheaper! What sense does that make?

[autumnbowler]

So the ghost trains are really about keeping politicians in business. If you can run something as a private company, and pay your own bills, by all means do so. What I would do is stop the crazy restrictions on taxi drivers. Let a thousand private companies fill the gap, and blanket the company looking for a fare.

[autumnbowler]

I guess the streetcar solves that problem, but at the expense of making the rest of the traffic slower. Also, the city loses a ton of money running busses and trains to neighborhoods that don't use them, because it would be political suicide to cut off anyone's access.

[autumnbowler]

I live in Chicago and depending on who you ask we have the best or the worst public transportation. They are doing some good things, like their website lets you see when busses arrive and plan your trip for you with times and stuff, and they're putting gps in all the vehicles so you can see when they're arriving and all that. But busses are slow when traffic is slow.

[autumnbowler]

Light rails lines lose money because enough people don't use them. Not trying to be a pessimist, but it doesn't seem feasible. Sure, you can soak the taxpayers and build something like this so people FEEl better, and can say "look at how PROGRESSIVE" my city is, but I don't think it really solves the problem.

[autumnbowler]

What's the big deal? It's like a big bus, but and instead of sharing a lane with cars, it removes a lane for rail use instead. How is removing two lanes of traffic going to speed things up? And if running busses isn't profitable, and running trains isn't profitable, why will this be profitable?

[dpjaexp]

Public transportation is not about turning a profit - it's about getting the most people from A to B in the fastest, most efficient, environmentally sane way. You don't drive a car to profit anyone but the auto industry and Big Oil. Cars have all kinds of things inside of them that constantly break down and cost the average American thousands of dollars to maintain, to say nothing of car insurance.

[dpjaexp]

Then there is the matter of gasoline prices which will only continue to climb higher and higher.  I think your rhetoric has a lot more to do with the fact that you simply do not want to share a vehicle with others going in the same direction.

[dpjaexp]

Like millions of Americans, you're happy in your air-conditioned mobile living room, with its lighted beverage holders, TV, stereo system and AC. We're just saying that we're sick and tired of sending our soldiers to the deserts of Arabia to die for that paradigm. We want the options that our forefathers had available to them and which were destroyed by Big Auto and Big Oil. We want diversified transit infrastructure on a par with what the Europeans and Japanese enjoy.

[adelgado75]

The last thing the automobile industry wants is to have people using more mass transit and less driving.

[Gnickk]

How is it that roads "can be used by a lot more people"? It takes a lot more space to put a thousand cars on a road than to put ten streetcars with the same number of passengers.

I think you should read your Jane Jacobs, stanbernadino.

[kato2k7]

tinyurl . com / 2fyoqm

(remove spaces)

a picture says more than 1000 words?

(or in words: the same group of people in front either need the streetcar to the left, or all the cars behind them for their regular transport needs)

[PerryPlanet]

Another good example is the "Packing Pavement" photos from Tampa, which you can see at swt . org / share / bguard . html (be sure to remove the spaces)

[kato2k7]

This car in particular seems rather small, compared to average modern streetcars in Europe (which can go to capacities of like 100 seated + 130 standing per car, with similar sized to light rail cars). From the comparably low passenger numbers, and the slow speed of that car, it seems to fit there quite well though.

[LMB222]

This is a modern European tram.

[JawnagePut]

It's actually a tram in Portland,Oregon If you read the side on the tram as it pulls away from the stop it says 'Portland Streetcar'..

[WRCExpert]

Made in Czech republic by Skoda in Plzeň (Pilsen). Great, czech beer by Pilsen Urquell and trams from Pilsen are known in the U.S. :))

[BurningtunaDC]

Dobry Den! Pilsen Urquell is known in the US. Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada beers are however unknown in the Czech Republic.

[NewYorkCity212]

i used to live in Portland.... and i never used the streetcar.... but it doesn't look that much different from the MAX light rail trains.

[stanbernadino]

It's fine with me as long as I don't have to pay for it, taxes are already too damn much here in Oregon without having to pay for this. The people who use these things should be the ones paying for it.

[artistmac]

I guarantee you, if all the people on this streetcar were driving instead, it would be gridlock. And you'd really be crabby.

By your logic, the people who use urban public transportation shouldn't have to pay for the upkeep of suburban roads. But we do.

[stanbernadino]

It's not my fault how the tax system is set up. Since the vast majority of people get to work driving a car, the government needs to come up with a way to relieve congestion with better freeway systems, more roads, etc.

[rubenc83]

Buildings more roads and freeways/expressways only relieves congestion temporarily. Eventually those new roads will get congested and once again people they'll be saying "more roads more roads!". Public transportation with tranist station within walking distance of where people work and live is the solution.

[stanbernadino]

So it's either more roads (which can be used by a lot more people) or more public transportation. Both are very expensive, but most people use roads, NOT public transit. They need to figure out how to make the road/freeway systems more efficient and haul more people. (ex get rid of those stupid carpooling only lanes) and make the speed limits higher. Like I said I don't have a problem with public trans. as long as I don't have to pay for it.

[Capn0Awesorne]

Kinda like SIM City. Oh wait, they don't have streetcars, I think. Not sure. Do you know Ruben?

[reluctantpopstar]

We may be building one like this in Los Angeles. SInce Los Angeles we've put in light rail lines (3) and subway lines (2). We could use a true streetcar in certain dense areas (downtown, Hollywood, Century City, Warner Center) to compliment our light rail which acts as an "interurban." Light rail trains are much bigger than this streetcar. I know you have light rail in Portland as well, so you know the difference.

[dontmakemesing]

Streetcars in Toronto are nothing like this! Our fleet is about 30 years old... boy, do we need to update!

[jjarzu]

ROCHESTER LETS GO LIGHT RAIL WOOO

[screamingmimes]

C'mon Cincinnati! We can do it!

[irksomelogic]

Great video! The streetcar looks fantastic! I can't wait till the politicians in Vancouver get their act together and begin building our proposed Downtown Streetcar (modeled after Portland's!)

[WRCExpert]

Nice CZECH tram, looks really fantastic and modern.

[mm318]

It's funny, how Seattle, so "progressive", is finally bringing back the streetcar they so gratuitously leveled so long ago! Oh, well; I'm happy.

Also, it's funny how the "light rail" of Tacoma is essentially a street car alone, as it is just like this, with even the same carriage design

[meesalikeu]

seattle is seen as far more "precious" than "progressive."

[jjarzu]

Nice video,I live in Rochester,ny where there is a regional light rail proposed.If possible we hope the light rail can use the abandoned subway in the downtown area.I wish i could be like you guys and say im going to be riding this in the next five years but the downtown subway has not been used in nearly fifty years.The subway will need to be completly renovated.

[mjsax2390]

Cincinnati just announced today that it is seriously considering a streetcar to move people around downtown! Can't wait to ride the real thing in a few years!

[PerryPlanet]

Thank you for posting this. I live in Albuquerque, where the city is considering putting in a modern streetcar of our own. With no rail system(other than the commuter train) here, having this footage is great, so that we know exactly how this transportation works.

Thanks again!

[znapzz]

Transport of the future, every city in the world should go green by building tramway systems.