Congratulations, San Diego!
August 19, 2011
This week, they publicly unveiled San Diego’s new PCC streetcar. Here’s a video clip.
On August 27, the streetcar will start weekend service on a clockwise loop called the Silver Line around downtown, using the San Diego Trolley (light rail) tracks (that’s why it has to have that pantograph). The streetcar itself, No. 529, is an ex-Muni car, bought secondhand from St. Louis Public Service in 1957 and retired in 1982. (And yes, you sharp-eared ones, the TV reporter did make a mistake: confusing the year PCCs last ran in San Diego, 1949, with the year No. 529 was built, 1946.
Here’s an online story about the streetcar’s roll out in San Diego.
Congratulations to Harry Mathis, the driving force behind this initiative, project manager Dave Slater, and the whole team at San Diego Vintage Trolley for turning their dream into reality.
By the way, they’ve got five more PCCs awaiting restoration and hope to grow the service as resources allow, perhaps fulfilling Harry Mathis’ dream of restoring PCC service to Balboa Park, the most famous San Diego PCC destination.
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