Speaking of trolleys...

[Jolly]

Why not an emphasis on trolley systems in urban environments? They're non-polluting and pretty efficient.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_streetcar_system

[Mik]

We got one here a few years ago. It loses money hand over fist, does not do what was intended and is sparsely used.

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/streetcar/assets/File/Reports/072019report.pdf

[jon-nyc]

They used to be much more common here. I’m pretty sure they were mostly killed by lobbying from GM, and replaced with busses.

[George K]

They are our standard way of getting around town in New Orleans. Fantastic system. Portland also has a pretty extensive streetcar system.

However, I can't comment on the profitability of either of those.

[jon-nyc]

@jon-nyc said in Speaking of trolleys...:

They used to be much more common here. I’m pretty sure they were mostly killed by lobbying from GM, and replaced with busses.

“ So, what happened to the streetcar system? A pointed assault from car-makers, which bought up the lines and got rid of them to promote cars and buses. A shell company owned by GM, Standard Oil, and Firestone Tires was responsible for the ploy, as Brooklyn Historic Railway Association explains, a perfect trifecta of companies that had very good reason to want buses, not streetcars, serving the city. The company was “ultimately found guilty of criminal conspiracy to destroy the American streetcar system,” the BHRA writes. “Unfortunately, the damage had already been done; by the time of the verdict (the 1950s), most of America’s trolleys were gone.””

[jon-nyc]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspiracy

[Mik]

Qanon Jon.

[brenda]

When we stayed in Budapest for three weeks, we used their transit system to go everywhere. We never needed to rent a car. Bus to tram to train, we used it all. We even used the train system to visit other towns in the area. It was very well used by the locals, and it ran day and night, with short wait times for the next one to arrive.

[jon-nyc]

Eastern Europe has great streetcars. So does Austria. Berlin too.

[brenda]

@jon-nyc said in Speaking of trolleys...:

Eastern Europe has great streetcars. So does Austria. Berlin too.

Ayup. We used train to go from Munich to Vienna, then street cars all over Vienna.

[brenda]

In Budapest, they were still using some Soviet-era trams and trains while we were there. It was sort of surreal to ride in those, knowing the history and how darn old they were.

[jon-nyc]

Me too, but then I was there 20 years ago. Only a decade after Soviet times.

[taiwan_girl]

I dont think any public transport system pays for itself, especially in the US.

I remember reading somewhere that maybe Hong Kong and Singapore were actually making a profit. But other than that, not sure if any can.

But I agree with others above, streetcars are cool! Almost got ran by one in Amsterdam!! My fault, but what a way to go. LOL

[jon-nyc]

When we were in Amsterdam almost 4 years ago we rode the trams all the time. My son wanted to make a point to ride each of their 15 or so lines. Toward the end of our stay he and I made a superfluous trip around the city just to hit the last couple of lines that we hadn’t had occasion to take. #8yearolds