15 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Houston, TX Chronicle, 1/14/12:

Galveston’s iconic trolley cars, which have been on blocks since Hurricane Ike, could be slated for a comeback, the Galveston County Daily News is reporting.

Here is the rest of the story.

New Orleans got its iconic streetcars running again after Katrina, so it's entirely possible for Galveston to do the same.

[Sloan]

"Cahill said if the trolleys do not return to the island the city could consider filling the tracks." It's not just filling in the tracks. There would be major costs for demolishing stations and servicing facilities. No, the city is better off fixing the Miner cars, and—IMHO—converting motive power to CNG from diesel. Sloan

[Sloan]

The diesel-powered vintage trolley service at Galveston has not operated for more than 4-1/4 years since infrastructure was damaged by Hurricane Ike and city leaders are undecided whether to restore it, the Galveston Daily News site reports. Officials said the replica trolleys were more quaint relics than reliable sources of transportation.

http://www.heritaget...estonNews01.htm

[Sloan]

According to galvestondailynews.com, more than four years have elapsed since diesel powered trolleys carried people between the seawall and The Strand. For years before, the condition of the cars and the track had been declining, but it took salt water inundation from Hurricane Ike to close the system.

Source mentioned in article requires subscription.

http://www.heritaget...estonNews02.htm

[Sloan]

From Galveston Daily News via O Scale Trolley Modelers

 

 

By JOHN WAYNE FERGUSON 

 

GALVESTON — A decision to bring back the city’s rail trolley system could be made in the next month.

The city has been informed by the Federal Transit Administration that it has “failed to make reasonable progress” on restoring the trolley system. 

As a result, the administration has threatened to revoke millions of dollars in grant money awarded to the city in 2010.

 

In a letter sent Jan. 5, the transit administration wrote that grants would remain open if the city could provide evidence the trolley project is active.

The letter effectively forces the city council to make a decision on the return of the rail trolley.

Transportation consultant Barry Goodman told the council Thursday that the city had the information and funds ready to begin a trolley revitalization project

“We believe that we can repair these trolleys and bring them back to modern-day standards,” Goodman said.

“This system can be operated efficiently and affordably.”

In 2010, the city received a $1.96 million grant to repair the trolley tracks. 

The city also has $1.82 million in federal disaster recovery funding to repair trolley vehicles damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008.

The council was not ready Thursday to issue a decision, however.

Some council members, including Craig Brown and Ralph McMorris, said they supported the trolley’s return.

“I’m a very big believer that the rail trolleys are important to Galveston,” Brown said. “I have no doubts that they would be an asset to not only the locals, but to the tourists.”

District 4 Councilman Norman Pappous said he did not favor the project and cited statistics showing the program had been far exceeding its operating budget.

“I can’t vote to put forward District 4 tax money to a program that has been tried and failed,” Pappous said

Goodman said problems that had caused the deficits — poor management and failing equipment — would be addressed in a restored system. 

The city does not anticipate that the trolleys would earn a profit, and details about how operating costs would be paid have not been fully proposed.

Choosing to let the grants go would not eliminate costs for the city, officials said.

If the trolley project were abandoned, the city would still need to pay an estimated $2 million to rip up the tracks, officials said.

Abandoning the project could also cause the transit administration to seek reimbursement of money used to re-establish the city’s trolleys in the 1980s and more recently to expand the line to Pier 21 and the University of Texas Medical Branch Campus. 

The grants were contingent on the trolley system operating for an amount of time that has not yet passed.

Goodman told the council the city might have to repay up to $7.3 million to the federal and state governments if the trolleys were abandoned.

He said a waiver could be sought for the repayment costs. Giving up on the project could also hurt the city’s chances of receiving future transit grants, he said.

The council took no vote on trolley issue Thursday, but will likely offer direction at its first meeting in February, which on Feb. 5.

 

Edited by Sloan, 13 January 2015 - 09:00 AM.

[KevinKorell]

Note that the first item in this thread was  from January 2013, so the 4-1/4 years is now 6-1/4 years.  Certainly rebuilding and reinstating the trolley service could have taken place by now if they really wanted to. There may be some fear that the next hurricane, and there will be one someday, would just re-damage what was replaced.

 

And if their vintage rolling stock is anything like the fleet in Memphis, then they will have to consider making them travel-worthy once more.

[Sloan]

 

 

 Streetcar Named Desire?

Today, there’s talk of returning the 80-passenger, heritage streetcars to service on Galveston streets. Next month, Galveston County Council is expected to decide whether to restore the trolley project or scrap it altogether, along with the federal dollars that accompany it.

http://www.on-track-...44&hl=galveston

[Sloan]

 

 

Trolleys may return to Galveston

 

City Council members leaning toward favorable vote on plan to revive streetcar line in Galveston

http://www.houstonch...ton-6101882.php

[Sloan]

 

 

Galveston in Homestretch on Hurricane Ike Recovery Projects

Next week, the city plans to begin the demolition of a police storage room. A new room for storing evidence from police investigations will be built at a greater height in order to protect evidence against flooding. Work is set to begin later this month on the renovation of two fire stations. Simsen said that after those are completed, the city's FEMA projects will be down to only the most "meddlesome" issues, including the restoration of the city's trolley system.

http://www.nbcdfw.co...-327244031.html

 

"Meddlesome issue[s]"?  Aw c'mon.   Bring back the trolleys to attract tourist dollars and re-development grants.  

 

Sloan

[Sloan]

Well it's about time!  

 

 

 

Galveston City Council approves contract to resume trolleys

GALVESTON, Texas - Steel-wheeled trolleys will make their long-awaited return to the streets of Galveston later this year, but first, they need to make a pit stop in Ida Grove, Iowa.

 

http://www.click2hou...resume-trolleys