Select Page

U.S. Streetcar Systems- California – San Pedro

Sacramento

Riverfront Streetcar

Began Operation: in planning

Route Miles: *

Stops: *

Org: Transit Agency + Non-Profit

Schedule: *

John Smatlak photo

In 1999, Sacramento Regional Transit purchased a beautifully restored trolley (PG&E 35) from the California Trolley & Railroad Corporation in San Jose. The car had been completely rebuilt in the late1980s as part of group of seven immaculately restored trolleys for operation in San Jose. Car 35 is operated on special occasions over a portion of the Light Rail system in the downtown area. Car 35 had returned to Sacramento once before, in 1991, coinciding with RailFair at the California State Railroad Museum.

Interest in establishing a permanent streetcar circulator system in California’s capitol city has been steadily building in recent years. The non-profit “Friends of Light Rail and Transit” group has been providing research and technical assistance as part of its mission to “promote community dialogue regarding pedestrian-friendly land use planning around light rail stations, expansion of Sacramento’s light rail and bus transit system, and reintroduction of historic trolley service”.

In 2006-7, the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento combined to carry out a streetcar feasibility study for a 2.2 mile route that would link the two cities. Building on the feasibility study, the two cities are now working on a detailed environmental analysis and additional community involvement. Full details are available on the Riverfront Streetcar website.

Car 35 7th St sm.JPG (131046 bytes) 

Car 35 Hotel Berry sm.JPG (115246 bytes) 

Car 35 en route sm.JPG (128352 bytes)

Car 35 side view sm.JPG (134241 bytes)

Car 35 in operation during the Capitol Area
Streetcar Summit, September 2005
LRV and car 35 downtown 2 sm.JPG (142078 bytes) LRV and car 35 downtown 3 sm.JPG (163818 bytes) Sacramento transit mall 1 sm.jpg (171723 bytes) Sacramento transit mall 2 sm.jpg (172217 bytes)
Car 35 in operation during the Capitol Area
Streetcar Summit, September 2005
Light Rail along the Downtown transit
mall
           
Sacramento street running 1 sm.jpg (162707 bytes) Sacramento street running 3 sm.JPG (151590 bytes) Sacramento LRT underpass sm.jpg (156452 bytes) Rail Yards extension 3 sm.JPG (87413 bytes)

 Like
streetcar, Light Rail can also be very flexible. These views
illustrate street running approaching the Downtown area. Tracks
are placed to one side of the street, one in an exclusive lane,
one in a shared lane with other traffic.  

Light
Rail alignments must sometimes squeeze into tight spaces in
urban areas.

The latest
extension brings Light Rail within sight of the historic Southern
Pacific  Sacramento Shops complex.

           
Rail Yards extension 2 sm .jpg (110007 bytes) Rail Yards extension 1 sm.jpg (120966 bytes) Sacramento track slab 1 sm.jpg (191999 bytes) Sacramento track slab 2 sm.jpg (156728 bytes)

Construction
views of the Green Line extension adjacent to the Railyards
project, Summer 2011. Portions of the former Southern Pacific
shops complex are to be developed as an expansion of the adjacent California State Railroad Museum.

Track slab construction details.
Sacramento provides an example of a system which does not use
girder rail for embedded track, using instead a formed concrete
flangeway, with a restraining rail installed on the inside rail in
curves.
       

News / Updates

November 2011- An article on NewsReview.com provides an update on planning for the Sacramento streetcar.

July 2010- West Sacramento did not receive the $25M in funding they had sought through the federal Urban Circulator grant program, but city officials say they will still continue their efforts to develop a streetcar line connecting Sacramento and West Sacramento. Full details are available in this Sacramento Bee article. The FTA website has a complete list of cities receiving grants under the Urban Circulator program.

November 2009- The Friends of Light Rail has relocated four historic streetcar carbodies to new indoor storage and workspace. The group hopes to restore some or all of the cars for future operation.

Trolley unloaded into B655 010 sm.jpg (126402 bytes) Trolley unloaded into B655 014 sm.jpg (118651 bytes)

The
historic cars are unloaded at their new facility. 

Friends
of Light Rail photo.


John Smatlak photos

October 2007- A proposed 2.2 mile streetcar link between West Sacramento and Sacramento continues to gather momentum. According to the City’s website “The Proposed Project would initiate streetcar service, using either replica or modern streetcars, in the public right-of-way connecting the West Sacramento Civic Center and Raley Field with Downtown Sacramento.” A recently released feasibility study has analyzed various route options and costs and the City is now moving forward with environmental review. Additional details are available on the project website Riverfront Streetcar.Com

September 2005- The Friends of Light Rail and Sacramento RTD will host the Capital Area Streetcar Summit in Sacramento on September 23. The summit will examine the effective use of streetcar systems in the US and also focus on options for the implementation of a system in Sacramento using Vintage Trolleys.