Is It a Streetcar named “Desire” or just a “Desired” streetcar ?
September 16th, 2007 categories: Local San Diego News You Can Use, San Diego Real Estate
Are Streetcars making a resurgence in American Cities?
From the 1200 lines that existed in the US in the 1920s to just 5 lines remaining in the 1970s, have you ever wondered why they just disappeared?
There are probably lots of possible reasons but a significant answer may occur to you more easily if I mentioned the words, rubber, petroleum products and steel. Oh, did I forget to mention the automobile industry?
Before you jump to any conclusion and make the assumption that people would rather drive their own cars than to use one of these sometimes noisy and bell clanging alternatives, there is one more point to mention.
The new sleek designs from Europe may be the inspiration for new designs here in the US that will provide efficiency, luxury and convenience throughout the urban centers.
The old electric cars of the bygone years provided over 15 billion rides a year back then and were many of the same lines that were bought out. Prey tell who would have bought out these popular lines and then dismantled them?
For an answer, lets go back to 3 of the products I mentioned earlier. Gasoline, oil and tires. See, that wasnt so hard.
Seems we are now ready once again to consider to the tune of many more dollars than our cities have as total operating budgets, these new engines of urban development.
It also seems our urban centers around the US need a bit of rejuvinating and what better way than to provide people movers to replace the resplendent automobile clogging our city streets and polluting the air.
If you live in one of the 60 or so cities in some stage of streetcar planning or development, you may soon have the pleasure of riding one of these streetcars no longer named Desire but more simply just Desired.
City planners across the US are preparing for the demographic shift back to cities by people who long for the the interaction missing in our suburbs and would enjoy the convenience of getting around inside the urban core they will soon call Home.
Our old rail right of way for the RED Cars is now a jogging path.
William,
Make way for the new! Many cities around the country have kight rail, trains, and subways. Why not a new mode of public transportation?
William,
Make way for the new! Many cities around the country have light rail, trains, and subways. Why not a new mode of public transportation?
William:
You make a “textbook” case for light rail. People who use it love the opportunity to relax, read or just collect their thoughts while commuting to or from work.
It sure beats growling in the traffic!
There’s been talk about the streetcar making an appearance in Miami and I really think it would be an amazing idea….the way they do things here it will be another 20 years.