Metro Streetcar

Metro Streetcar
Two Metro streetcars pause at the HAM stop in June 2005
Overview
Type	Heritage streetcar
System	Rock Region Metro
Locale	Little Rock, Arkansas
Termini	North Little Rock (north) Presidential Library (south)
Stations	15[1]
Daily ridership	340
Website	METRO Streetcar
Operation
Opened	November 1, 2004[2]
Owner	Rock Region Metro
Operator(s)	Rock Region Metro
Rolling stock	5 cars
Technical
Line length	3.4 mi (5.5 km)[1]
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	600 V DC, overhead trolley wire
Route map Legend Main St. at 7th Trolley barn Maple St. at 6th Main St. at 5th Maple St. at Broadway Verizon Plaza, 120 Main Main St. Bridge over Arkansas River Main Street Bridge stop Blue line only to North Little Rock Markham at Scott West Markham at Spring President Clinton Ave. at Commerce 2nd at Spring 2nd at Scott (Historic Arkansas Museum) Service to Presidential Library only until 5:45 pm Commerce at 3rd 3rd at Commerce Presidential Library/Heifer Intl.

The Metro Streetcar, formerly known as the River Rail Streetcar, is a heritage streetcar system operating in Little Rock and North Little Rock in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It has operated since November 1, 2004.^[2][3] After the 2007 expansion of the system, the Metro Streetcar network is 3.4-mile (5.5 km).^[1] The Metro Streetcar is operated by Rock Region Metro.

History

By the 1890s, Little Rock, had begun to grow out into the countryside of Pulaski County, in large part, due to the construction of a street railway system. Similar to many other cities in the South after the Civil War, Little Rock’s lack of development attracted businessmen eager to take advantage of expected economic growth in real estate, banking, and other merchant ventures. Little Rock's first horsecar line (horse tramway) opened in 1876. Horsecars operated until 1895. Steam-powered streetcars operated between July 3, 1888, and 1889. The construction of street railways in the United States began to overlap with real estate and banking enterprises as the lines electrified in the late 1880s and early 1890s. Electric traction in Little Rock was introduced on December 23, 1891, after consolidation by a company formed to run the streetcar system exclusively.^[4] Eventually, that company was bought by Arkansas Power & Light. Electric streetcars operated until September 1, 1947, extending as far west as the city's Hillcrest and Stifft's Station neighborhoods.

Streetcar crossing the Arkansas River

What is now named the Metro Streetcar opened on November 1, 2004, as the River Rail Streetcar, operated by the Central Arkansas Transit Authority.^[2][3] Phase I consisted of a single 2.5-mile (4.0 km) long line that connects two cities, Little Rock and North Little Rock, situated on opposite sides of the Arkansas River.

The line carried 200,000 passengers in its first year of operation.

In January 2006, construction began on Phase II, which was a 0.9-mile (1.4 km) extension to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Heifer International headquarters. This section opened on February 16, 2007, with a ribbon cutting by Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines, Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, and North Little Rock Mayor Pat Hays. The extension increased the length of the line by about 33%, making the total mileage 3.4 miles (5.5 km).

In 2015, the Central Arkansas Transit Authority changed its name to Rock Region Metro,^[5] and in line with this rebranding, the River Rail Streetcar was renamed the Metro Streetcar.

Expansion

Additional extensions to the system are under discussion, the most ambitious of which is a 2.5-mile (4 km) extension to Little Rock National Airport. If the expansion is completed, the status of the line could take a role in some form of light rail line, instead of its current role as a heritage trolley. It, among others in Savannah and Tampa are considered a hybrid form of transport known as "rapid streetcar".^[6] The expansion of the River Rail Streetcar line, turning it into a more effective rail rapid transit line, would be the first example of such a system in the United States.

Rolling stock

Metro Streetcar initially used three replica vintage electric trolleys. Two more streetcars were added as a part of the new Phase II extension. The design of these cars is generally similar to Birney-type streetcars used in Little Rock until after World War II. The original number series for those cars was 400–407. The present cars continue that number series, albeit 60 years later, with the current cars being numbered 408–412. All of the cars in the present fleet were manufactured by the Gomaco Trolley Company.

Stations

The trolley stops at many downtown attractions, from the Clinton Library to the historic River Market.^[1] The stops include the Marriott Hotel, Heifer Intl., and the Historic Arkansas Museum. Stations continue into the rapidly rejuvenating area of North Little Rock known as Argenta. Stops there include access to the USS Razorback (SS-394) WW II submarine, trolley barn, Verizon Arena, and the Dickey-Stephens Park (home of the Arkansas Travelers).

The stops are indicated with 10-foot (3.05 m)-tall black signs and yellow sidewalk "bumps" curbside with the system map posted at each stop. Trolleys cannot be hailed between stops.

Both stops and cars can be sponsored for a donation.

See also

• List of heritage railways

References

1. "River Rail Route Schedule [& Map]" (PDF) (pdf). Rock Region Metro. January 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
2. "Little Rock's River Rail electric streetcar system officially opens". Light Rail Now. November 3, 2004. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
3. "About - Facts". Rock Region Metro. 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
4. Patty, William Jordan (2003). "The Great Civic Improvement: The Journey Towards Electric Traction in Little Rock". Pulaski County Historical Review 51 (1): 2–16.
5. "Central Arkansas Transit Becomes Rock Region Metro". Central Arkansas Transit Authority/Rock Region Metro. August 11, 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
6. Lyndon Henry (February 2007). "Rapid Streetcar: Rescaling Design and Cost for More Affordable Light Rail Transit". Light Rail Now. Retrieved 2013-07-14.

External links

• Metro Streetcar on Rock Region Metro website