Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Inclined toward history
When you think of American cities with truly historic transit woven deeply into the fabric of the town, you think of San Francisco or course, for its cable cars and the F-line, and New Orleans with its St. Charles streetcar line. But there's another example: Pittsburgh, with its 'inclined planes' and its PCC heritage... (more)
Lisbon, Portugal: As good as it gets
Welcome to a storied city by the sea, built on many hills, once devastated by a colossal earthquake, burned by fire, yet risen from the ashes to reclaim its vibrancy and uniqueness, including, today, a wonderful vintage streetcar operation. Welcome to Lisbon... (more)
Melbourne, Australia: W's all over
Simply put, Melbourne, Australia has the greatest tramway system in the English-speaking world, and third-largest as well. Its fleet of 500+ trams travel on 29 routes over 245 route kilometers (152 miles). While the system has been extensively modernized over the last twenty years, it still has a sizable fleet of 1950s-era historic trams operating on a few dedicated routes... (more)
New Orleans, Louisiana: Desire and heartbreak
At the very moment that a valuable piece of New Orleans’ history arrived in San Francisco on August 29, that historic city was being pummeled by Hurricane Katrina, with devastating results. Of course, the human tragedy was paramount in New Orleans, but in a sad and bizarre coincidence, both the oldest and newest streetcar lines in America—on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street—were being flooded by breached levees even as Muni was taking delivery of its second Streetcar Named Desire for its vintage fleet... (more)
Charlotte, North Carolina: Charlotte's web
Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina, finds itself enmeshed in a web of conflicting interests when it comes to streetcars. The people who brought vintage streetcars back to Charlotte may end up being victims of their own success. Streetcars came to Charlotte in 1891 and were essential to the city’s development... (more)
Portland, Oregon: 3-D streetcars
Those who believe San Francisco has the most different kinds of streetcars should take a look north—630 miles north to Portland. That Oregon city combines light rail vehicles with heritage trolleys, similar to San Francisco, but it adds a third dimension: the first new modern streetcar line to open in decades, and it is a big success... (more)
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