Galveston Island Trolley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Galveston Island Trolley |
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| Overview | |
| Status | Service suspended. Resumption pending return of the restored trolleys |
| Owner | City of Galveston |
| Locale | Galveston, Texas |
| Stations | 22 |
| Service | |
| Type | Heritage streetcar |
| Services | 1 |
| Operator(s) | Island Transit |
| Depot(s) | Trolley Maintenance Facility |
| Rolling stock | 4 Miner Railcar replica-style trolleys |
| History | |
| Opened | July 23, 1988 |
| Closed | September 2008 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 6.8 miles (10.9 km) |
| Character | street-running |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Electrification | none |
The Galveston Island Trolley is a special kind of heritage streetcar system in Galveston, Texas, United States. It's like a moving museum that helps people get around. This system has 22 stations and covers about 6.8 miles (10.9 km) of track. Island Transit runs the trolley system.
However, the trolley has not been running since 2008. This was when Hurricane Ike hit Galveston. The storm badly damaged the five trolley cars and all the tracks. The good news is that the government, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Transit Administration, agreed to pay for the repairs.
In 2017, a plan was approved to fix three of the trolleys. This project cost $3.8 million. People hoped the trolleys would be ready by 2018, then 2019, and now 2021. As of November 2020, two fixed trolleys have returned to Galveston. But the system is still waiting to start running again.
Contents
How Did Galveston Get Its Trolleys?
Galveston has a long history with streetcars. The very first public transit system with rails started in 1867. Back then, mules pulled the cars!
In 1891, electric trolleys were introduced. These electric cars served the city until May 1938.
The Modern Trolley System
The Galveston Island Trolley, which is a heritage streetcar system, opened on July 23, 1988. Many experts helped create it. For example, Barry Goodman Associates helped with early designs and getting money. HNTB engineers designed the tracks and vehicles. Ochsner Associates designed the building where trolleys are fixed and the passenger shelters.
At first, the trolley connected the historic Strand District with the Seawall beach area. Tourists often used it to explore the city. In the 1990s, plans began to make the line longer.
Trolley Line Expansions
The trolley line was extended in 1995. A new part of the line opened on March 14, 2005. This new section went to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Many UTMB staff, students, and patients found this line very helpful.
What Are the Trolley Cars Like?
The Galveston Island Trolley cars look old-fashioned, like trolleys from a long time ago. But they are actually modern and use diesel-electric power. This means they don't need overhead wires to get power. Because of this, they are technically called streetcars, not trolleys, since they don't "troll" for power from wires above.
Trolley Fleet Details
The Galveston trolley system has four cars. All of them are the same model, but they are painted in different colors. Miner Railcar in Pennsylvania built these cars.
Each car can carry up to 80 passengers. This includes 40 people sitting and 40 people standing. The cars are designed to travel at about 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). Each car weighs around 63,000 pounds (28,576 kg). In 2005, all the cars were updated with air conditioning to keep passengers cool.
When Did the Trolley Operate?
The trolley service stopped in 2008 because of the damage from Hurricane Ike. Since then, special buses that look like trolleys have been used instead.
Before the hurricane, the trolley system ran every day. One car was used on weekdays, and two cars were used on weekends. It is hoped that three of the fixed trolleys will return to Galveston soon.
