U.S. Streetcar Systems

John Smatlak - RPR Consulting

New York Streetcar Systems

Not all vintage trolley proposals are successful. Sometimes local politics present obstacles to implementation. The Brooklyn Heritage Trolley Project provides an interesting case study. An enthusiastic non-profit organization was able to acquire vehicles, track and related equipment, but was unable to successfully complete the transition into a working trolley line. In 2003 they pulled the plug and the project lay dormant into 2010. During this time a new heritage trolley project emerged. Read more in the "Updates" below. The original project summary remains in the next few paragraphs, although this into is now out-of-date.

The non-profit Brooklyn Historic Railway Association (BHRA) is pursuing construction of a downtown historic trolley loop, to be operated using restored PCC cars. In 1998-99,  the group created a 3/8 mile "demonstrator" line on private property in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn.  This initial line, which is located adjacent to an historic 1870 warehouse pier, has allowed BHRA to conduct occasional operations as the group lobbies to extend the line into the streets of Brooklyn.  

In 2000, permission was received from the City of New York to extend the line another 1/2 mile, and the NYC DOT served as a sponsor to obtain ISTEA funding for the extension. A Federal allocation of $209,970 has been obtained, along with a $52,493 local match. BHRA is to provide additional materials and volunteer labor, for a total project cost of $328,463. BHRA hopes to begin construction of the additional trackage in the Fall of 2001. Future plans include extending the line a total of about 1.5 miles into Downtown Brooklyn and through the 1844 Atlantic Avenue Tunnel.  

BHRA already owns a variety of rolling stock. To begin, there's an 1897 single truck car from Oslo, Norway, and three picture window PCCs from Boston. In March 2001, BHRA purchased a dozen PCCs from the City of Buffalo, who had in turn acquired the cars some years ago from Cleveland for use on a possible low-cost line extension. These cars are currently in storage at the Brooklyn Navy Yard (Ed. note: these cars have been scrapped)