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California Streetcar Systems |
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| San Jose |
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| Valley Transportation Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Began Operation: 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miles of Line: 4.5 * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations: 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Org: transit agency + non-profit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Schedule: daily, seasonal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| photo: John Smatlak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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San
Jose operates vintage trolleys over the downtown portion of its light rail
system using an immaculately maintained fleet of four trolleys, which
includes two San
Jose natives. The native San Jose trolleys were painstakingly restored from
carbodies found in use as homes in the local area. Rounding out the active roster are a
car from Melbourne, Australia, and a Milan, Italy car converted by San
Jose for double-end operation. The
vintage cars are currently used daily from early April through early
October. One car circulates through the route every 45 minutes, intermixed
with LRV traffic. Regular VTA fares are charged on the historic trolleys
(ticket machines at stations).
The vintage cars are owned by a local non-profit organization which was formed in 1982 as the California Trolley Corporation, for the purpose of acquiring and restoring vintage trolley cars. The Santa Clara Transit District in turn leases completed trolley cars from the Trolley corporation at a nominal $1 per year. As a condition of the lease, the vintage cars are maintained by VTA at a dedicated shop that is part of the Light Rail Service Facility located at Younger St. In 1999, car 124 was removed from the vintage trolley lineup, and is now at nearby Kelley Park, where it remains in operation. In 1999, SJTC also sold car 129 for $450,000 to Sacramento Regional Transit for use in special operations, as well as a possible future vintage trolley line.
The Kelley Park Trolley The story of San Jose's vintage trolley operation is closely intertwined with that of the Kelley Park Trolley. Located a mile southeast of downtown, the Kelley Park Trolley came into being as a result of the downtown vintage trolley project, with which it remains closely allied. That operation required a restoration facility and test track for the reconstruction and testing of cars, and the Kelley Park Trolley was created to fill this need. In 1994, the Kelley Park Trolley became part of the California Trolley & Railroad Corporation, a new non-profit which has combined the trolley with a local railway preservation group to form a comprehensive regional railway museum.
The Kelley Park Trolley operates through the grounds of the remarkable San Jose Historical Museum in Kelley Park The park is open daily except Monday, and the Trolley Barn is open Thursday-Sunday. Kelley Park is a beautifully landscaped 14 acre site, recreating an historic town setting complete with paved streets lined with relocated and replica buildings. It provides a truly remarkable backdrop for the trolleys, and a visit is highly recommended!
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August
2009- The