Streetcars in Tacoma, Washington facts for kids
Streetcars were a super important way for people to get around in Tacoma, Washington, a long time ago. They were used from the late 1800s until 1938. These streetcars, along with bigger trains called interurbans, helped people travel all over Tacoma and the wider Puget Sound region.
In 1938, buses took over from the last streetcars. But guess what? Streetcar-like travel came back to Tacoma in 2003! That's when the Tacoma Link opened. It's a modern light rail line that's about 4 miles long and runs through Downtown Tacoma. There are even plans to make this system bigger and maybe build a new heritage streetcar system that looks like the old ones.
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A Look Back: Tacoma's Streetcar Story
About a hundred years ago, Tacoma had a huge train system for public travel, just like many other cities in America. The very first two streetcar lines in Tacoma were built in 1888. They ran along Pacific Avenue and Tacoma Avenue. At first, horses pulled these yellow streetcars!
These first lines were very popular right away, carrying many passengers. Because they were so successful, they were quickly made longer. From these first few lines, many more started to appear. They all spread out from Downtown Tacoma into the areas around it. This helped new houses and businesses grow in those areas.
How Big the System Grew
By around 1912, Tacoma was very proud of its streetcar system. It had 125 miles of streetcar tracks, and most of them used electricity. There were almost 30 different streetcar lines! Tacoma also had an electric interurban train that connected it all the way to Seattle.
Tacoma even had a simple cable car loop. This line helped people get up Tacoma's very steep hills. It made it easier to connect different parts of Downtown Tacoma.
Challenges and Changes
The streetcar lines faced many problems during their 50 years of operation. There were times when companies bought each other out, or when businesses had money troubles. There were also worker strikes and one very sad accident. On a rainy day in July 1900, a trolley went off its tracks and fell into a deep ditch.
At its busiest, the Tacoma Railway and Power Company carried about 30 million passengers in one year! That's a huge number, even more than the modern Pierce Transit carries today.
The End of an Era
Over time, more and more roads were built, and personal cars and taxis became very popular. This made it hard for the trolleys to operate. When a big road called US 99 was finished, the number of people traveling between Tacoma and Seattle by electric Interurban trains dropped by almost 40%. This was a sign that the streetcar era was coming to an end.
The very last streetcars in Tacoma ran on June 11, 1938. It was a special day for the city, with a public holiday and even a dance. Brand new buses with rubber tires replaced the streetcars. These buses could move more easily through the growing traffic in downtown. However, the bus system also had problems later on. Eventually, the City of Tacoma took it over, and it became what we now know as Pierce Transit.
Streetcars Return!
In the mid-1990s, the Puget Sound region started having more and more traffic problems. People voted to approve a plan called Sound Move. This plan created Sound Transit, which helps with transportation in three counties. One of the main projects for the Tacoma area was the Tacoma Link light rail line. This new line has brought back a lot of interest in streetcars in Tacoma!
T Line (Tacoma Link): Modern Rail
The T Line (which used to be called Tacoma Link) is a modern light rail line. It's about 4 miles long and runs in downtown Tacoma and nearby areas. The line started in 2003. Its main job was to help people who parked their cars get to the downtown area. In September 2023, the T Line was made longer! It now goes to Saint Joseph Hospital, passing through the Stadium and Hilltop neighborhoods.
Heritage Streetcar: A Look to the Past and Future
Some people in Tacoma are working to create a new heritage streetcar system. This system would look like the old streetcars and would connect with the modern Tacoma Link. However, it would run separately. The idea is for this system to serve Downtown Tacoma, Portland Avenue, 6th Avenue, North Downtown, and the Stadium District. In 2008, a group from the Tacoma City Council looked at a study about this idea and thought it was possible.
