San Diego Trolley

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San Diego Trolley
A Green Line trolley at Convention Center station
Overview
OwnerSan Diego Metropolitan Transit System
LocaleSan Diego County, California, United States
Transit typeLight rail
Number of lines3 daily lines, 1 heritage line (limited service)[1]
Number of stations53[1]
Daily ridership117,700 (Q4 2019)[2]
Annual ridership38,047,300 (2019)[2]
HeadquartersJames R. Mills Building
1255 Imperial Avenue
San Diego, CA
WebsiteSan Diego Trolley
Operation
Began operationJuly 19, 1981; 42 years ago (1981-07-19)[1]
Operator(s)San Diego Trolley, Inc.
Number of vehicles128 light rail vehicles:[3]

3 historic vehicles:

Technical
System length53.5 mi (86.1 km)[1]
No. of tracks2 tracks[note 1]
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification600 V DC overhead catenary[3]
Top speed55 mph (89 km/h)[3]
System map

The San Diego Trolley (reporting mark SDTI) is a light rail system operating in the metropolitan area of San Diego. It is known colloquially as "The Trolley". The Trolley's operator, San Diego Trolley, Inc. (SDTI), is a subsidiary of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). The Trolley began service on July 26, 1981, making it the oldest of the second-generation light rail systems in the United States. The Trolley system serves 53 stations, comprises 53.5 miles (86.1 km) of route, three primary lines (Blue Line, Orange Line, and Green Line) that operate daily, and one heritage line (Silver Line) that operates on a circuit of downtown on select days. In 2019, the Trolley had the fifth highest ridership of light rail systems in the United States, with 38,047,300 annual rides, an average of 117,700 rides per weekday.[2]

History

Early history

Electric rail service in San Diego traces its roots back to 1891 when John D. Spreckels incorporated the San Diego Electric Railway.[4] San Diego's streetcar system had been replaced with buses in 1949, and by 1966 the local bus company, San Diego Transit, was facing a financial crisis and public takeover.

Planning for mass transit in the San Diego region began in 1966 under the auspices of the Comprehensive Planning Organization (CPO, now known as the San Diego Association of Governments, SANDAG), an intergovernmental agency of 13 cities and San Diego County.[5]

Over the next decade, the CPO researched various technologies were studied including improvements to local buses, express buses, heavy rail, light rail, and advanced technologies. The CPO also closely studied the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, then under construction. Ultimately, the early studies went nowhere due to disagreements between stakeholders and a lack of funding.

In 1975, the CPO published the Regional Transportation Plan which included 58-mile (93 km) intermediate capacity fixed guideway system (a untested technology at the time) at a cost of $1.5 billion.[6]

Metropolitan Transit Development Board

In the early 1970s, three state legislative acts would set the stage for the construction of mass transit in the San Diego region.

Transportation Development Act, signed by Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1971, earmarked 0.25 percent of the state sales tax for funding transportation projects, including mass transit. A 1974 amendment to Article 19 of the Constitution of California permitted the use of gas tax revenues, previously reserved for highway construction, for construction of rail systems. Finally, a 1975 law established the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB) with a clear mission: design, construct and operate a guideway transit system.[6] The entire process was assigned to MTDB to assure accountability.[6] The legislation was written and supported by State Senator James R. Mills, the President Pro Tem during this period and a strong transit advocate.[7]

The MTDB formally started operations on January 1, 1976. The MTDB's enabling legislation and principles adopted by the Board required the planning give added weight to systems that satisfy a number of criteria: priority consideration for technologies available and in use, a system that is capable of being brought into operation incrementally, and using rights-of-way owned by public entities to minimize construction costs.[6]

In December 1976, the MTDB launched its 18-month Guideway Planning Project to be held in two phases. Phase 1 involved the evaluation of potential corridors based on the CPO's 1975 Regional Transportation Plan and was guided by principles set by the MTDB board: the corridor should extend a long-distance and offer high-speed operation, the system should be at grade in a mostly exclusive right-of-way, capital costs should be low, and operating deficits should be minimized. Phase 1 studied over 100 miles of potential corridors with 45 miles of corridor recommended for further evaluation in Phase 2. At about the same time, a working paper presented an evaluation of four guideway technologies: light rail, two categories of heavy rail, and Automated Small Vehicle Transit.[6]

In August 1977, the MTDB board selected the South Bay region for the detailed Phase 2 study. There would be several potential corridors to consider, including along freeways (Interstate highways I-5, I-8 & I-805 and State Routes 94 & 16), along existing railroad rights-of-way, and arterial roads.

In October 1977 the board selected light rail as the lone guideway transit technology to be studied (it would also be compared to several all-bus alternatives). In making the decision to pursue light rail, the MTBD board said it best followed the principles it laid out as light rail can offer high-speed travel, the right-of-way is flexible, and construction costs can be low when at-grade construction is maximized.[6] The technology was new for the United States, but was well established in Germany.

Hurricane Kathleen

On September 10, 1976, nature intervened, setting off a chain of events that would help decide the corridor to be used.

Hurricane Kathleen destroyed parts of San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway (SD&AE) Desert Line, at the time owned by Southern Pacific (SP) railroad.[5] The SD&AE offered freight service between San Diego and points east with a line that traveled between Downtown San Diego, San Ysidro, Northern Mexico, and Imperial County before connecting with the rest of the SP system in Plaster City, California. The hurricane caused $1.3 million worth of damage to the line ($6.69 million adjusted for inflation), primarily in Imperial County, east of San Diego.[6] Freight service was suspended, and In light of the extensive damages, SP petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon the SD&AE on August 9, 1977.

The MTDB immediately began studying the SD&AE corridor between Downtown San Diego and the San Ysidro Port of Entry for joint use by electric light rail and freight trains. In June 1978, the MTDB found the entire joint-use project feasible.[6]

At the same time, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors became concerned about the potential loss of freight service on the SD&AE, which was seen as vital to the county's economic interests and the continued viability of San Diego as a deep-water port. The county commissioned its own study to examine using a portion of the SD&AE tracks for passenger service which would share the track with freight services, the motivation being the transit services could share the costs of maintaining the tracks. San Diego County proposed operating either commuter rail trains or self-powered diesel rail cars.

Implementation

The original San Diego Trolley alignment later named the "South Line" known today as the "Blue Line"

In 1978, the Interstate Commerce Commission denied the request to abandon the SD&AE, prompting Southern Pacific to offer the railroad for sale to anyone willing to maintain freight operations on the line. The MTDB stepped in and offered to buy the SD&AE for $18.1 million if the Southern Pacific fully repaired the hurricane-damaged line. The deal closed on August 20, 1979, with the final acquisition occurring on November 1, 1979.[8][6] The MTDB quickly secured a deal with the San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad to continue freight service along the line.

The purchase gave MTDB ownership two sections of right-of-way that could be used for mass transit: the SD&AE Main Line from Downtown San Diego to San Ysidro, and the SD&AE La Mesa Branch from Downtown San Diego to El Cajon.

With all the planning in place, construction of the 15.9-mile (25.6 km) "South Line" transit corridor (today's Blue Line) was able to begin just one month after acquisition in December 1979 and would be accomplished in two phases.[6]

The first phase of the project cost $86 million, which included the purchase of the SD&AE, 14 light rail vehicles, construction of a single-tracked electrified light rail line along the 14.2-mile (22.9 km) SD&AE Main Line and construction of a 1.7-mile (2.7 km) section of new street running tracks in Downtown San Diego.[6] To control costs, only minor rehabilitation was conducted on the SD&AE corridor, with the MTDB replacing about 40% of the ties, welding the jointed rail, constructing electric catenaries, and installing an absolute block signal system.

Funding for the project came entirely from Transportation Development Act state sales tax and local gas tax revenues. Federal funds were not actively sought due to the locally perceived notion that San Diego would not qualify due to low population densities, uncongested highways, and undefined corridors.[6]

San Diego Trolley in 1982, about six months after opening

In August 1980, the MTDB established San Diego Trolley, Inc. to operate and maintain the new light rail system and on July 26, 1981, service began. Trains operated every 20 minutes (timed to meet at four passing tracks on the single track sections) between 5 am and 9 pm and carried approximately 10,000 passengers a day.[4]

In light of the strong ridership, construction of the second phase was started almost immediately, which involved double-tracking the SD&AE corridor and purchasing 10 additional vehicles. Upon completion of double-tracking in February 1983, the total cost of the project was $116.6 million.[6]

Expansion

The San Diego Trolley added a second line on March 23, 1986 that shared the same Downtown tracks and traveled east to Euclid Avenue on the La Mesa Branch of the SD&AE. The new route was called then called the Euclid Line (today's Orange Line).[4][5] This line was extended to El Cajon by June 23, 1989, at which time it was renamed the East Line.[4] Service was expanded beyond the old SD&AE right-of-way when the line was extended further east to Santee on August 26, 1995.[4][5]

The East Line's Bayside Connection extension to the Convention Center and Gaslamp Quarter opened on June 30, 1990.[9] Later in the decade, the South Line was extended to the north, reaching Little Italy on July 2, 1992,[9] and Old Town on June 16, 1996.[5][9]

The system was further expanded with Mission Valley Line that opened on November 23, 1997, and extended tracks north from Old Town to the Fashion Valley Mall, the football stadium, and Mission San Diego de Alcalá. At that the same time, the South Line (which now traveled north of San Diego) and East Line of the system were renamed the Blue Line and the Orange Line, respectively.[4][5][9]

One of the system's most ambitious expansions, the Mission Valley East extension, opened on July 10, 2005. The Mission Valley East extension built the only underground station in the system at San Diego State University and inaugurated the third route in the San Diego Trolley system, the Green Line.[9] The line also featured the first low-floor trolley vehicles, that allow passengers to board without climbing stairs and allowed passengers using wheelchairs to use a small bridge plate instead of the slower lifts on the older trains. But, the new vehicles could only operate on the Green Line, forcing passengers heading between Mission Valley and Downtown San Diego to change trains in Old Town.

Trolley Renewal Project

A low-floor trolley operating on the Blue Line at Fifth Avenue station, rebuilt as part of the Trolley Renewal Project.

In the late 2000s, as parts of the San Diego Trolley approached 30 years old, the system was in need of an overhaul of its oldest facilities. Also, after the success of the low-floor trolley cars on the Green Line, the MTS wanted to operate similar vehicles on all lines.[10]

Officials secured $660 million in funding after the 2008 election as voters passed the TransNet half-cent local sales tax and two statewide transportation bond measures. The project also received funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and federal formula funds.[11]

The "Trolley Renewal Project" would entail several improvements. Each station would get larger shelters to provide more protection from sun and rain, new benches, and digital “next arrival” signs. Worn-out infrastructure was replaced as needed, including rails, ties, catenary wires, power lines and electrical substations.[10] The project also included a new signalling system that will allow two freight trains to operate at night, rather than one.[11]

To enable the switch to a low-floor light rail vehicle (LRV) fleet, platforms at 35 stations would need to be raised from either ground level or sidewalk level (4-inch (102 mm)) to 6-inch (152 mm). Stations also needed a new "safety edge tile" with a smooth surface in the center to allow wheelchair ramps to deploy (the existing safety tile would stop ramps from fully deploying). The other complication of the switch to low-floor LRVs was that the traditional Siemens S70, like those ordered for the Green Line, were over 90 feet (27 m) long, so a three-car train would not fit within Downtown San Diego's 240 feet (73 m) blocks.[10] The MTS teamed up with the Utah Transit Authority, which faced a similar problem with its system. The solution for both agencies was a specialized design Siemens called the S70 US ("Ultra Short") which retains the low-floor design, but would be the same length as the older high-floor vehicles (80 feet (24 m)).[11]

The MTS and SANDAG agreed to purchase a total of 65 vehicles, which would arrive between September 2011 and January 27, 2015.[10][12] However, there was not enough funding to replace all 123 high-floor cars at once. The decision was made to retire the original Siemens-Duewag U2 LRVs, and operate three-car trains with the new low-floor LRVs in the front and back, and an older high-floor Siemens SD-100 car in the middle.

In late 2010, work to rebuild the stations started at the Old Town Transit Center and worked south.[13][14] By September 2, 2012, work was completed on the Old Town and Bayshore lines, allowing for a realignment of service.[15][16] The Green Line was extended from its former western terminus in Old Town south to 12th & Imperial Transit Center's Bayside Terminal platform, while the Orange Line was truncated to Santa Fe Depot and the Blue Line to America Plaza.[17] Thee new alignment means all lines now pass through downtown and created a universal transfer point for all lines at 12th & Imperial Transit Center.

By January 9, 2013, all stations on the Orange Line had been rebuilt, allowing low-floor LRVs to begin service on a second line.[18] Rebuilding of the remaining stations (all on the Blue Line) was completed by January 27, 2015,[19] The project, including remaining station and track renovations, was completed in late 2015.[20]

Current service

San Diego Trolley
Santee
Gillespie Field
Arnele Avenue
El Cajon
Amaya Drive
Grossmont
70th Street
Alvarado Medical Center
SDSU
UTC
Grantville
Executive Drive
Mission San Diego
UC San Diego Health La Jolla
Stadium
UC San Diego Central Campus
Fenton Parkway
VA Medical Center
Rio Vista
Nobel Drive
Mission Valley Center
Balboa Avenue
Hazard Center
Clairemont Drive
Fashion Valley
Tecolote Road
Morena/Linda Vista
Amtrak San Diego International Airport (via Old Town Transit Center)
Old Town
Washington Street
San Diego International Airport (via Middletown station (San Diego Trolley)#Airport Connection)
Middletown
County Center/Little Italy
Amtrak San Diego International Airport (via Santa Fe Depot (San Diego))
Santa Fe Depot
San Diego International Airport (via America Plaza station)
America Plaza
La Mesa Boulevard
Courthouse
Spring Street
Civic Center
Lemon Grove Depot
Fifth Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue
closed
1986
San Diego Square
Encanto/62nd Street
San Diego International Airport (via City College station (San Diego))
City College
Euclid Avenue
Park & Market
47th Street
Seaport Village
32nd & Commercial
Convention Center
25th & Commercial
Gaslamp Quarter
12th & Imperial
Storage & Maintenance Yard
Barrio Logan
Harborside
Pacific Fleet
8th Street
24th Street
E Street
H Street
Palomar Street
Palm Avenue
Iris Avenue
Beyer Blvd.
San Ysidro
Key
Blue Line
Silver Line
Green Line
Multiple services
Orange Line

Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible

Lines

Trolley service operates on three daily lines: the Blue, Green, and Orange Lines, and travels through 53 stations and 53.5 total miles of double-track rail.[1] A fourth line, the heritage streetcar Silver Line, operates more limited weekday and weekend service, in a clockwise 'circle-loop' around downtown San Diego only.[21]

Line Opening[1] Length[1] Stations[1] End Points Operation
 Blue Line 1981 15.4 mi (24.8 km) 18 America Plaza
San Ysidro Transit Center
Daily
 Orange Line 1986 18.0 mi (29.0 km) 19 Courthouse
Arnele Avenue
Daily
 Green Line 2005 23.6 mi (38.0 km) 27 12th & Imperial Transit Center
Santee Town Center
Daily
 Silver Line 2011 2.7 mi (4.3 km) 9 Clockwise loop through
12th & Imperial Transit Center
and around downtown San Diego
Selected days

Stations

E Street Station of San Diego Trolley
San Diego Trolley interior

The San Diego Trolley system has 54 stations serving its four Trolley lines.[22]

Fourteen of the Trolley system's stations operate as transfer stations, which allow passengers to transfer between lines. There is one universal transfer point (i.e. allowing for transfers among all four lines) in the system in downtown San Diego: the 12th & Imperial Transit Center station. The adjacent Santa Fe Depot/America Plaza/Courthouse stations, which are within walking distance of each other, also allow for transfer among the four lines. Six Trolley stations are end-of-line stations. Of the 53 San Diego Trolley stations, 37 stations are within the city limits of San Diego, serving various neighborhoods in San Diego; the other 16 stations are located in the cities of Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, and Santee.

Most of the stations in the San Diego Trolley system are 'at-grade' stations. There are 8 aerial stations, mostly on the newer Green Line. There is just one Trolley station in the system that is underground – the SDSU Transit Center station – also on the Green Line.

About half of San Diego Trolley stations offer free park and ride lots.[23] Most Trolley stations offer connections to MTS bus lines.

Hours of operation

The San Diego Trolley's three main lines operate regular service between 5 am and midnight, seven days a week. Limited service on particular segments is provided before 5 am and after midnight, however; but there is no rail service between 2 am and 3:30 am.[24] During these hours when there is no passenger service, freight trains of the San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad operate on the trolley's right of way.

Service on the Blue Line operates every 15 minutes, seven days a week, with service every 7.5 minutes during weekday rush-hours; late-night service on this line runs every 30 minutes.[24] The Green and Orange Lines operate service every 15 minutes on Monday-Saturday mid-days, but every 30 minutes on weekend mornings, on Sundays, and during evenings.[24]

Fares and fare collection

The San Diego Trolley operates on a proof-of-payment system. Passengers must have proof of fare (ticket or pass) before boarding. Self-serve ticket-vending machines located at each station sell one-way paper tickets and passes (one day and monthly) on the Compass Card.

Roving transit enforcement personnel conduct random ticket inspections throughout the system. If customers are caught without a valid fare, they may be fined. Based on frequent security inspections, nearly 98% of the 37 million patrons have proper fares.[1]

One-way paper tickets are good for a single ride on the Trolley for up to two hours from the time of purchase. The ticket does not include a transfer to other routes.[25]

One-day and monthly passes are sold on the Compass Card, which costs $2. Passes allow passengers to transfer a number of different transit systems within San Diego County including the San Diego Trolley, MTS Bus, MTS Rapid buses, NCTD Breeze buses, and the NCTD Sprinter (a light rail line in North San Diego County). More expensive premium passes include access to the NCTD Coaster commuter rail line, MTS Rapid Express, and MTS Rural buses.

Compass cards can also hold a "wallet" of cash that allows passengers to deduct the cost of a ride without purchasing a pass.

The Compass Card card must be tapped on a Compass Card validator (located just outside the paid area of stations) when entering and transferring within the system in order to validate a pass or deduct the proper fare.

Ridership

As of the Fourth Quarter (Q4) of 2013, the average weekday ridership on the San Diego Trolley system was 119,800,[27] making it the fourth busiest Light rail system in the United States. Taking overall track length into consideration, the San Diego Trolley transported 2,239 daily passengers per route mile in Q4 2014, making it the twelfth busiest Light rail system on a per mile basis over this time period. Weekday ridership on the Trolley has been relatively high since Q3 2013 (see table at right).

In all of 2014, the San Diego Trolley provided 39,731,900 unlinked passenger transits according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).[27] MTS reported that there were 39,694,197 trips on the Trolley in Fiscal Year 2014 (FY 2014), a 34% increase over Fiscal Year 2013.[28] Of the Trolley's three lines, the Blue Line has the system's highest ridership with 15,094,878 riders during FY 2014, followed by the Green Line with 13,673,926 FY 2014 riders, and the Orange Line with 10,896,289 FY 2014 riders.[28] The Silver Line, operating only mid-days just four days a week (and with some service interruptions during the year), carried 29,104 passengers around the downtown loop in FY2014.

According to figures from APTA, previous to 2014, the San Diego Trolley achieved the highest level of ridership in 2007, when there were 36,386,100 unlinked passenger transits on the system over that entire year.[30] The Trolley system's highest average weekday ridership of 124,300 was achieved in Q3 2007[35] – this corresponded to 2,323 passengers per route mile daily.

Future

Mid-Coast Trolley extension project

SANDAG is currently working on construction of an extension of the Blue Line[36] from the Old Town Transit Center 11 miles (17.7 km) to the University City community, which will serve major activity and employment centers such as the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) campus and University Towne Centre (UTC) shopping center.[37][38] This is part of the "Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project".[39] Construction began in October 2016,[40] and the Mid-Coast extension is slated to be completed and in operation by November 2021.[41]

After the Mid-Coast Trolley extension project is completed, the Blue Line will be extended north from its current northern terminus at America Plaza to run through five existing stations (up to and including the Old Town Transit Center) and nine new trolley stations: Tecolote Road, Clairemont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, VA Medical Center, UCSD West/Pepper Canyon, UCSD East/Voigt Drive, Executive Drive, and UTC. The northern terminal station, UTC, will be part of the University Towne Center transit center, near Westfield UTC in the University City/UCSD area.[37]

Proposed Balboa Park streetcar line

MTS began work in March 2011 on a study to evaluate the feasibility of reconnecting Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo and Downtown San Diego through a fixed-guideway, electrified streetcar line – the final study on the subject was published in October 2012.[42] The project study corridor runs between the City College Trolley Station area, and Balboa Park in the vicinity of the San Diego Zoo.[43] An alignment similar to the proposed one was last served by a streetcar system in 1949 on lines 7 (Park Boulevard-University Avenue to East San Diego) & 11 (Park Boulevard-Adams Avenue to Kensington).[44] The Committee evaluated what types of streetcars to use for this proposed line, the possible options including the recently ordered 57 Ultra Short 2011 S70s in the "Modern Streetcar" category, and the restored PCC Streetcars from the Downtown Silver Line in the "Vintage Streetcar" category.[45][46] The major construction issue was how to cross I-5 without having to reconstruct the entire bridge. The estimated cost for construction of this line was $68.2 million, with each trolley car estimated to cost between $850,000 (for a restored PCC trolley car) to $3.6 million (for a modern trolley car). Four cars are anticipated for service on this line. No funding sources were identified. No further action on this proposal has taken place since the October 2012 release of the study.

Proposed airport extension

One of the biggest gaps in the San Diego Trolley system is the lack of a connection to the San Diego International Airport.[47] The MTS says the extension presents engineering challenges and would be costly, but the agency's polls and outreach show the extension is one of the most desired projects among the public. Over the years there have been several proposals, with the most serious coming as part of the proposed "Elevate SD 2020" transit tax. That project would have created a new line that connected the airport to both the 12th & Imperial Transit Center and the Old Town Transit Center with a wye spur between the Middletown and Little Italy stations.[48] In April 2020, MTS decided not to pursue the transit tax ballot initiative.[49] However, an extension of the trolley to the airport is included as an alternative proposal as part of SANDAG's Central Mobility Hub project for the airport, which is in the Draft Environmental Impact Report phase as of 2021.[50][51]

A dedicated local bus line (Route 992) currently provides a connection between the airport terminals and downtown. There is also the "TROLLEY → TERMINAL" shuttle service, which takes passengers from the terminals to within 900 feet (270 m) of the Middletown station.[52]

Proposed Purple Line

The Purple Line is a proposed San Diego Trolley line that would run from San Ysidro Transit Center at the United States–Mexico border to Kearny Mesa with a possible extension to Carmel Valley. It would run along, or close to I-805 and I-15.

In April 2011, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) released a draft of its 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, which was approved by the SANDAG Board of Directors on October 28, 2011. An inland Trolley line from San Ysidro to Kearny Mesa, though not yet called the Purple Line, was included in the plan.[53][54][55]

In April 2019, the MTS approved the final version of a November ballot initiative to increase the countywide sales tax by a half-cent to fund future transit plans and specifically mentions the proposed Purple Line.[56] In April 2020, MTS decided not to pursue the transit tax ballot initiative.[49]

Fleet

The San Diego Trolley operates with an all-Siemens fleet of light-rail vehicles (LRVs).

When the system opened in 1981, the agency purchased a fleet of 71 high-floor Siemens–Duewag U2 vehicles, originally designed for and used by the Frankfurt U-Bahn. At the time, no purpose-built LRVs were being manufactured for the North American market, so the model was adapted for use by San Diego and other transit systems in Canada. The vehicles were built in West Germany, with some assistance from a Siemens facility in Florin, California, a suburb of Sacramento. These cars were withdrawn from service between 2010 and 2015. Eleven of the U2 cars were sold to the new Metrotranvía Mendoza in Mendoza, Argentina in 2010,[57] 29 were retired after the Orange Line was converted in early 2013, [1] and the rest were retired after the Blue Line was converted in January 2015.[58] Six U2 cars have been preserved: car 1001 was retained by MTS for use on the Silver Line,[59] cars 1003 and 1008 were donated to the Southern California Railway Museum,[60] cars 1017 and 1018 were donated to the Western Railway Museum,[61] and car 1019 was donated to the Rockhill Trolley Museum.[62]

In 1995, the San Diego Trolley purchased a fleet of 52 high-floor Siemens SD-100 vehicles, an evolution of the U2, but redesigned for the North American market. Starting with this order, all of San Diego's future LRVs would be built in California at the Florin factory.

Starting in 2005, San Diego started shifting to a low-floor fleet. The design of the Siemens S70 vehicles required that stations be designed with slightly higher platforms, so the 11 car fleet could only operate on the newly constructed Green Line.[9] The other limitation of the S70 fleet was that they were about 9.34 feet (2.85 m) longer than the SD-100 vehicles, which would make three-car trains longer than a single block in Downtown San Diego.[12]

In 2009, San Diego ordered a fleet of 65 specialized Siemens S70 US ("Ultra Short") vehicles, which retain the low-floor design but would be the same length as the SD-100 vehicles. In 2016, San Diego ordered an additional 45 specialized LRVs, this time the Siemens S700 US, which has a redesigned center section, with longitudinal seating (passengers facing the aisle) instead of the S70's more traditional seating with passengers sitting four-across, facing forward or back, with an aisle in between. This change, was made to eliminate a seating layout that had been criticized as cramped and ease the movement of passengers within that section.[63][64]

The San Diego Trolley ordered an additional 25 S700 US vehicles in 2019, scheduled for delivery by the end of 2021.[65]

Current rail fleet

Image Model Fleet Numbers (Qty.) First Purchase Entered Service Notes
San Diego Trolley fleet
Siemens SD-100 2001–2052 (52) 1993 1995 Retirement set for early 2022
Siemens S70 3001–3011 (11) 2004 July 2005 First low-floor trolley cars
Siemens S70 US 4001–4065 (65) 2009 January 2012
Siemens S700 US 5001–5045 (45) 2016 April 2019 5045 dedicated to late CEO Paul Jablonski
Silver Line heritage fleet
PCC 529 August 2011 Painted in a San Diego Electric Railway livery

Number is a continuation beyond 528, the last original streetcar

530 March 2015 Painted in a San Diego Electric Railway livery

Unveiled in 2015 for the Centennial of Panama–California Exposition

Siemens-Duewag U2 1001 1979 July 2019 First vehicle purchased for the San Diego Trolley

Specifications

Below are the technical specifications of the system's five different fleet series of light rail vehicles:.[3][66]

Specification Siemens–Duewag U2 Siemens SD-100 Siemens S70 Siemens S70 US Siemens S700 US
Manufacturer Duewag (with assistance from Siemens; Düsseldorf, West Germany and Florin, California) Siemens (Florin, California)
Type Double-ended articulated car, 6 axle, multiple-unit operation to 5 cars
Height
(top of car to rail)
12.4 feet (3,780 mm)
Center Aisle Floor Height 39 inches (991 mm) 15 inches (381 mm)
Width (exterior) 8.7 feet (2,652 mm)
Length (end to end) 76 feet (23.165 m) 76.71 feet (23.381 m) 88.5 feet (26.975 m) 79.2 feet (24.140 m)
Length
(over coupler faces)
79.67 feet (24.283 m) 81.36 feet (24.799 m) 90.7 feet (27.645 m) 81.4 feet (24.811 m)
Weight (empty) 77,161 pounds (35,000 kg) 89,000 pounds (40,370 kg) 97,900 pounds (44,407 kg) 96,000 pounds (43,545 kg)
Car Body Lightweight welded steel, fiberglass operator cab and articulation covers Low alloy high tensile steel and composite materials
Interior Vinyl-covered foam bench seats (fire-resistant), rubber flooring, simulated wood paneling Vinyl-covered foam individual seats (fire-resistant), rubber flooring, color-coordinated paneling
Wheels Steel with acoustic dampening
Braking Full dynamic braking from top speed down to 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h) with traction motors acting as generators, fades when speed reduced to approx. 12–3 miles per hour (0.8–4.8 km/h). Friction braking completes the stop.
Ventilation Roof-mounted air conditioning units, ventilation hatches on windows Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system integrated into cars
Speed 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h) maximum 55 miles per hour (88.5 km/h) maximum 65 miles per hour (104.6 km/h) maximum (design)
55 miles per hour (88.5 km/h) limit (operational)
Overhead Traction Power 600 V DC
Operating Power Requirements 500 kW to accelerate from a stationary position, 150 kW needed to maintain speed 550 kW to accelerate from a stationary position, 165 kW needed to maintain speed 550 kW to accelerate from a stationary position, 130 kW to maintain speed.
Passenger Capacity[3][66] Seated: 64 (wheelchair areas no longer used)
Commute: 96
Special Events: 150
Seated: 68 (56 with 4 wheelchairs)
Commute: 104
Special Events: 200
Seated: 60 (52 with 4 wheelchairs)
Commute: 102
Special Events: 150
Seated: 58 (50 with 4 wheelchairs)
Commute: 102
Special Events: 150
Doors – 8 per car Low-level stair boarding through double-folding doors, individually activated by passenger pushing button after locks released by operator, one door blocked by wheelchair lift Low-level stair boarding through double-folding doors, opened by operator and/or individually activated by passenger pushing button after locks released by operator, one door blocked by wheelchair lift Low-floor level boarding through sliding doors, opened by operator and/or individually activated by passenger pushing button after locks released by operator Low-floor level boarding through sliding doors, opened by operator
Door Safety System Includes photo-electric cells and sensitive door leaf edges, weight sensor on lower step. Photo-electric cells and sensitive door leaf edges.
Wheelchair access Wheelchair lift located at one dedicated door at the vehicle's "A" end. (No longer used) Bridge plates/ramps on center doors.

In addition to the aforementioned vehicles, two heritage Presidents Conference Committee (PCC) streetcars from 1946 operate on the Silver Line.

  • Car 529 has been operating on the Silver Line since its opening in 2011.[67]
  • Car 530 has been operating on the Silver Line since March 2015.[68]

An order was placed in mid-2019 for 25 more S700 light rail vehicles, in addition to the 45 S700s ordered in 2016[69] and delivered in 2018–2020.

Floor plans

Below are the floor plans of the system's five different models of light rail vehicle, comparing the various sizes and interior layouts:[3][66]

Floor plan
  • Siemens–Duewag U2
  • Car nos.: 1001–1071 (71 units)
  • All retired except 1001 which remains in heritage fleet
  • First purchase: 1979
  • Siemens SD-100
  • Car nos.: 2001–2052 (52 units)
  • First purchase: 1993
  • Siemens S70
  • Car nos.: 3001–3011 (11 units)
  • First purchase: 2004
  • Siemens S70 US ("Ultra Short")
  • Car nos.: 4001–4065 (65 units)
  • First purchase: 2009
File:S70 US LRV Drawing.png
  • Siemens S700 US ("Ultra Short")
  • Car nos.: 5001–5045 (45 units)
  • First purchase: 2018
File:S700 US LRV Drawing.png

See also

Notes

  1. ^ There is a single track section of the Green Line at its eastern terminus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "San Diego Trolley, Inc. Fact Sheet" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. February 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2021 – via http://www.sdmts.com/about-mts. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2019" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 27, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020 – via https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/transit-statistics/ridership-report/ridership-report-archives/. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f "San Diego Trolley Light Rail Vehicles" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. February 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015 – via http://www.sdmts.com/about-mts. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f "MTS Historical Timeline". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Copeland, P. Allen (2002). California trolleys in color. Scotch Plains, NJ: Morning Sun Books. p. 27. ISBN 1-58248-076-1. OCLC 52471706.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Euritt, Mark A.; Hoffman, M. Allen; Walton, C. Michael (August 1994). The Decision Process for Implementing Fixed-Guideway Systems (PDF) (Report). The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved April 12, 2021.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Wilkens, John (April 3, 2021). "James Mills, state legislator who championed public transit, historic preservation, dies at 93". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  8. ^ Gargrove, Dorian (September 10, 2014). "Crazy Train". San Diego Reader. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
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  12. ^ a b Cook, Morgan (August 24, 2015). "Trolley posteriors raise downtown ire". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved April 12, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Robert J. Hawkins (September 22, 2010). "Construction Begins To Upgrade SD Trolley - $620M Project To Include New Track, Stations Along Blue, Orange Lines". KGTV ABC10 San Diego. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  14. ^ "Several Blue Line trolley stops to close this weekend". The San Diego Union Tribune. October 27, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
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  18. ^ "Trolley Renewal Breakthrough: New Low-Floor Trolleys Now Operate on the Orange Line!" (Press release). September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
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  21. ^ "Vintage Trolley". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
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  26. ^ "Ridership Record Archives". American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Retrieved December 18, 2014. Click on a link to get the Ridership Report for each Quarter from Q1 1996 onwards.
  27. ^ a b c d "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter and End-of-Year 2014" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association (APTA). March 3, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015 – via http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Pages/RidershipArchives.aspx. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  28. ^ a b "MTS Announces a Record 95 Million Passengers Rode the Bus and Trolley in FY 2014". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. August 19, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014 – via http://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts-media-center/news-releases. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  29. ^ "APTA – Ridership Report Archives". American Public Transportation Association's (APTA). 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  30. ^ a b "APTA – 2007 Q4 Ridership Report" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association's (APTA). 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  31. ^ "2017 APTA Fact Book" (PDF).
  32. ^ a b "2019 APTA Fact Book" (PDF).
  33. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2018" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. April 12, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2021 – via https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/transit-statistics/ridership-report/ridership-report-archives/. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  34. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2020" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  35. ^ "APTA – 2007 Q3 Ridership Report" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association's (APTA). 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  36. ^ "Mid-Coast Trolley gets key federal approval". U-T San Diego. September 16, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  37. ^ a b "Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project". SANDAG. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
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  39. ^ "Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project Fact Sheet" (PDF). SANDAG. February 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  40. ^ Stafford, Audra (March 29, 2019). "$2.17B Mid-Coast Trolley Project Reaches Milestone: It's Halfway Finished". NBC 7 San Diego. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  41. ^ Frausto, Elizabeth (February 11, 2021). "MTS workshop details bus route changes coming with new trolley extension". La Jolla Light. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  42. ^ "MTS City/Park Streetcar Feasibility Study". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. October 9, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  43. ^ "MTS Streetcar Proposed Alignment Map". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Archived from the original (gif) on May 11, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  44. ^ "Steering Committee Presentation & Discussion" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. April 5, 2011. p. 3. Retrieved July 6, 2011 – via http://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts-current-projects/streetcar-feasibility-study. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  45. ^ "Steering Committee Presentation & Discussion No. 3 Presentation" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Retrieved December 17, 2011 – via http://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts-current-projects/streetcar-feasibility-study. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  46. ^ "STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING No. 2 PRESENTATION" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2011 – via http://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts-current-projects/streetcar-feasibility-study. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  47. ^ "Airport Trolley". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. September 27, 2020. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  48. ^ "Elevate 2020 SD Draft Scenarios" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. December 12, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  49. ^ a b Keatts, Andrew (April 16, 2020). "It's Official: MTS Won't Pursue Transit Tax in 2020". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved April 6, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  50. ^ "SANDAG seeks public comment on central mobility hub project by May 28". KUSI-TV. April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  51. ^ "Central Mobility Hub". SANDAG. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  52. ^ "Public Transportation". San Diego International Airport. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  53. ^ "2050 Regional Transportation Plan – Chapter 6 – Systems Development: Offering More Travel Choices" (PDF). SANDAG. October 28, 2011. pp. 6–15–6–18 & 6–33. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  54. ^ Ojeda, Artie (October 28, 2011). "SANDAG Approves Transportation Plan". NBC San Diego (KNSD). Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  55. ^ "PROJECTS :: San Diego's Regional Planning Agency". SANDAG. October 28, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  56. ^ "First Reading: Regional Transportation Commission Ordinance No. RTC-CO-2017-01" (PDF). San Diego Association of Governments. June 24, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  57. ^ "San Diego U2 Trolleys successfully operate in Argentina". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. March 9, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2015 – via http://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts-media-center/news-releases. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  58. ^ Bowen, Douglas John (January 30, 2015). "MTS adds S70 LRVs to San Diego Blue Line". Railway Age. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  59. ^ "First Ever Trolley Goes Back into Service". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (Press release). July 12, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  60. ^ "Other Electric Railways Roster". Southern California Railway Museum. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  61. ^ "Light Rail Cars Roster Collection". Western Railway Museum. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  62. ^ "San Diego Trolley #1019". Rockhill Trolley Museum. June 29, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  63. ^ Burroughs, David (April 19, 2019). "San Diego unveils new-generation Siemens LRVs". International Railway Journal. ISSN 0744-5326. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  64. ^ Emerson Smith, Joshua (April 17, 2019). "MTS rolls out newly designed trolley cars this weekend". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  65. ^ "San Diego selects Siemens S700 light rail vehicles". Railway Gazette International. August 1, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  66. ^ a b c "San Diego Trolley, Inc. Light Rail Vehicles" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  67. ^ "PCC Light Rail Vehicle" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. February 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2014 – via http://www.sdmts.com/about-mts. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  68. ^ "Restored Trolley from 1946 Makes Public Debut on Silver Line". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. March 2, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  69. ^ "San Diego selects Siemens S700 light rail vehicles". Railway Gazette International. August 1, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2021.

Sources

  • Gena Holle, The San Diego Trolley, Interurban Press (1995); "Guideway Planning Project Final Report"
  • MTDB (1978); "Report on Feasibility of Using Existing SD&AE ROW for Commuter Service"
  • San Diego County (1978); MTDB publicity materials including "San Diego Trolley, Inc. Summary" (1997), MTDB Progress Report 1976–1986; Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, San Diego & Arizona Railway.

External links

KML is from Wikidata