Prototype streetcar being evaluated for use in Dallas

One of the streetcars being considered by the City of Dallas took a test drive on DART Rail tracks March 8, transporting DART officials and news media between Akard, Victory and Baylor University Medical Center stations.

The ameriTRAM™ prototype is manufactured by Kinkisharyo, the maker of DART's light rail vehicles. The ameriTRAM™ is electric and is powered by either overhead catenary, like DART Rail, or on-board lithium-ion batteries. The vehicle can travel up to five miles on a full charge. It is 100% low floor and fully accessible. DART is working as a technical advisor with the City of Dallas on a number of streetcar projects, including the planned connection to Oak Cliff, a connection with the McKinney Avenue Trolley and a future downtown streetcar network.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• DART
• Dallas
• Streetcars
• ameriTRAM™
• Kinkisharyo

[Beardsley1000]

will DART be replacing the SLRV's

[DARTDallas]

@Beardsley1000 No, DART is not replacing SLRVs.

[Beardsley1000]

is this going to replace the old SLRV's?

[DARTDallas]

@Beardsley1000 No, this type of vehicle would not replace SLRVs. The ameriTRAM™ is one of the streetcars being considered by the City of Dallas. It took a test drive on DART Rail tracks.

[thesupercheeseman]

>U< they look so cute!

[Lukelr]

These look much better than the ones DART uses now. Better colors too.

[Pyroechidna1]

@elmstreetdallas A 30-minute headway on a 2 mile long route? I hope not, because I might as well walk if that's the case.

[nmgt1048]

I rode on a battery powered streetcar in Los Angeles in sept. 2009 at their Farmers market. It was a green double decker ,open at the top.A good use for battery cars like these will be cars running off trolley wire and using battery operation in sections that have no overhead wire for safety or appearance reasons

[rantanamo]

@unkonshus DART's funding has nothing to do with how education is funded. This is DART and its funded by member cities, not Dallas County.

There would be two routes.  One that you mention, which is a very busy bus route. The other is from the Arts District area, up McKinney Ave through Uptown to the West Village. Both will be very busy popular routes. I'm guessing you think a better use of funding is to constantly build and maintain more freeways that constantly get more crowded?

[Beardsley1000]

unkonshus i was just thinking that they were replacing it cuz it kind of looks like the SLRV's they have right now and i am not a peabrain

[unkonshus]

Consider this... waste of money. How bout just give that money to the Disd teachers. Who is budgeting this damn town? Im no rocket scientist, but anybody with a peabrain can figure out its "different" purpose than SLRV is one that will not pay off in such short order. The route is Oak cliff to Methodist hospital? Perfect, just use this million dollar money pit to transport the crime victims to the hospital. I will NEVER live in Dallas county!