I was looking at You Tube and there is "a lot" of information on one of the newest streetcar systems and that is El Paso Texas. Here is a small border zone city that ran Air ELectric PCC Streetcars up into the 70's, abandoned them and put those PCCs in a field to "sleep" for many years. Then a group of people in El Paso decided that the city needed something to spark economic development. Several years ago, they got together and decided a nice new streetcar system would kick start there economy. So---these ingenious people got together and woke up those streetcars and sent them off to Brookville Equipment Company (builder of New Streetcars, etc) in Brookville, Pennsylvania. And low and behold -- about October, El Paso started testing a new PCC Air Electric Streetcar. Today, they have a small fleet of these beautiful cars operating on a double loop in El Paso. Although these cars look like old Air Electric PCCs, they are really some of the finest streetcars to be made. They have Air Conditioning, Wheel Chair Lifts, Turn Signals, and WiFi. They are quiet and non-polluting. Each streetcar is painted in the various schemes of the old PCC Streetcars. The mayor is just beaming about the streetcar -- Keep watching You Tube for more Information on The New El Paso Streetcar. El Paso joins other cities in the South that have streetcar systems --e.g. Tampa, Florida, New Orleans, Charlotte, North Carolina, San Diego, Dallas and Houston.
Also, other Cities that have Light Rail and Streetcars are coming on line. Los Angeles is putting back practically every rail line that Pacific Electric abandoned. Los Angeles has a few nifty subway lines too. California is one of the most aspiring states with new transit systems such as Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento and of course San Francisco has it all (Streetcars, Light Rail/Light Rail Subway, Trolley Buses, Buses. Cable Cars, Cal Trains and BART).
Going North of California, Portland, Oregon has a State of the Art Transit System consisting of Light Rail Lines, Streetcar Lines. and even a Diesel Rail Car Line. Take a walk over the only Transit Bridge in the World, The Tilikum Crossing Bridge for the People. No cars or motorcycles allowed on this bridge---only transit vehicles and people.
Seattle Washington has a new Streetcar System plus a very nice Light Rail System. They have a large Electric Trolley Bus System. They even have an old Monorail left over from the Worlds Fair.
Salt Like City, Utah has a streetcar and various light rail lines.
In Texas, Dallas and Houston have ever expanding Light Rail Systems. How about the McKinney Ave Heritage streetcar line in Dallas plus a short new battery operated streetcar in Dallas.
Miami, Florida has a nice Light Rail Line.
Baltimore, Norfolk, Charlotte and Roanoke have Light Rail Lines
How about New Orleans with there ever expanding Streetcar Lines including the Oldest Streetcar Line in the USA -- the Saint Charles Streetcar -- using Perle Thomas Streetcars built in the early 1900s.
Milwaukee, Oklahoma, and Cincinnati have new Streetcar/Light Rail Lines or are about to open them.
Cleveland has a Light Rail Streetcar Type Line along with an East / West Heavy Electric Rail Line.
Don't forget Detroit where all the automobiles use to be made -- they now have a new Streetcar Line.
Kansas City has a new Streetcar Line (very successful) which uses the exact cars that Cincinnati Streetcar has.
Check out Denver, Colorado--really moving on up with there state of the art Light Rail Lines
Minneapolis has a spectacular Blue Line that goes to Mall of America and they have added a second line to St Paul known as the Green Line (Minneapolis is a city to watch because they are planning more lines)
Chicago -- One of the finest Subway-Elevated Lines in the USA (Metra). Besides they have commuter railroads going North, South and East. Have you ever ridden The Chicago South Shore Light Rail Line?
Kenosha, Wisconsin -- A small heritage type PCC Streetcar Line that has promise in the near future to expand.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -- a city that you could ride everywhere on a Streetcar has only 2 Light Rail Lines left, and the promises to the citizens of Pittsburgh of the North, East, and West Electric Rail Lines never happened.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -- a city that you could ride everywhere on a Streetcar has One Token PCC Streetcar line, about 5 subway-surface streetcar lines and 2 Light Rail Lines plus the Lindenwald Light Rail Line over the River into New Jersey. Yes, they have a few Electric Trolley Bus Lines.
Boston, Massachusetts: Several Subway/Surface Lines, and a large Streetcar/Subway Line (and for the first time in years, they are expanding the Green Line Streetcar/Subway--North of Lechmere). Plus several very nice Electric Trolley Bus Lines. Don't forget the so called "High Speed" Mattapan-Ashmont PCC Streetcar Line. They have some push pull commuter diesel trains.
Dayton, Ohio -- a city that has been waiting for years to get there new "NexGen Electric Trolley Buses".
New York -- what can I say -- that is my kind of town --- with a tremendous Subway System. Oh yes, every once in a while someone proposes a new Streetcar System but it never happens!
New Jersey -- few Light Rail Lines and subways that cross into New York.
Don't forget Amtrak of California and the various Light Rail Diesel Trains running from San Diego to San Francisco. Do you think they will ever get the West Coast Corridor Built?
Added 7/29/2019--The Cal-Trains System is being electrified South out of San Francisco. (Yeah). They do not have enough money to completely electrify it -- but what they are doing might just be a start for bigger and better happenings for electric rail transport on the West Coast.
Added on 12/15/18 -- I forgot to give credit that St Louis will have a new streetcar line also. And rightfully so, St Louis is famous for the most active streetcar company in the entire world -- THE SAINT LOUIS CAR COMPANY -- builder of many many streetcars and at least 5,000 PCC Streetcars both Air and All ELectric. The second great builder of PCC Streetcars was Pullman. Pullman built PCC streetcars for Boston, Baltimore and Pittsburgh (perhaps others). And today there is a company in Brookville, PA that builds Modern Streetcars and will remodel or build you a completely new streetcars -- they are known as Brookville Equipment Company.
How about the various Arab Countries, and Israel is going to expand there Jerusalem Light Rail Transit.
Yes, light rail, streetcars, trolley buses, and the like are certainly alive in the USA. Also check out our neighbors in Foreign Countries such as France, Germany, India, Ireland, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, etc. Oh yes, of all people I forgot, England and the United Kingdom are just booming with new Electric Rail Transportation Systems. Don't forget the LONDON TUBES. --"Mind the Gap".
I know I must of missed someone, but just go to You Tube and type in a country that has Trams (Streetcars), Subways, Light Rail --- you will be amazed at the mass electric/diesel transportation systems going on in foreign countries.
The largest streetcar system in the World is Melbourne, Australia and coming right behind them is Prague in the Czech Republic.
You can see many of these Trams, Streetcar Systems and Light Rail on You Tube. Please support You Tube.
Sincerely yours railbear601
