Letter to the Editor: Bring trolley back ...hide the wires

I sent a letter to the editor in response to the buzz around Tacoma about starting a streetcar/trolley project. As I wrote, I'm all for it, just hide the wires. Here's my letter:

I understand the need for a solid public transit infrastructure here in Tacoma. I also think having a trolley running around town would be a charming way to do so. But, please, can we do it without the ugly overhead wires?
There are too many lines dangling above our heads in this city as it is and I'd hate to see the skies in some of our most beautiful districts marred by ugly wiring.
I know electrified rails are dangerous but why not put the connections under a covered power rail or something? I refuse to believe that in over 100 years of trolley history no one has thought of a good way to do it without overhead wires.
Tacoma’s not the "wired" city anymore so, if this is going to happen, let's get creative and do this right.

Link to the letter [pdf]

Turns out there are ways to hide the wires as Jamie pointed out to me in a comment on his site. Here's some info on a ground-level power supply. Let's make sure to let the folks over at Tacoma Streetcar know (possibly at their June 8 meeting?) that we don't want more ugly wires over our heads but instead a clean solution.

Comments (6) | To Top

6/7/2006 @ 9:33am

You know, that idea should work. It would take a little more engineering than your generic trolley system, and perhaps a little bit more money, but I'll admit that you're right. With light rail we spend hundreds of millions of dollars to relocate utilities underground and yet we then put up large power lines for the cars.

I'll add this to my report for Julie.

by Chris Karnes

6/7/2006 @ 9:37am

I also figure that any system will costs so many million anyway that the extra to keep things clean looking couldn't hurt the value for the city.

Seems like the ground-level power supply link above mentioned problems with drainage. I'm sure that could happen here but putting a slope that peaks at the powered rail could help tremendously.

I hope to make it to the streetcar meeting tomorrow night!

by KevinFreitas

6/7/2006 @ 9:55am

The wikipedia article also links to another article for "conduit current collection", where the power supply is 18 inches beneath the surface in a vault, with the opposite polarity rails 12 inches apart...again, no street level problems.

I also found some mention of a NiMH battery system used in Nice, France. I have no idea how far a streetcar could travel on a battery charge, but I suppose if it got a boost at each stop this might be a possibility...

In the end, I think the streetcar is a good idea even with overhead wires, but we are definitely raising questions at the right time by looking into other options now.

by jamie

6/7/2006 @ 12:11pm

Two things: a) I actually rather like the wires. I am not sure why, but I find them charming. Habit, perhaps? However, I do sympathize with those who think it's a bother, and it ought to be worth the money for the city to solve this another way. I mean, if they can build a printer in x10000 scale...
b) I sent you an email - if you got it, sorry, not wanting to nag, just wanted to tell you in case my inability to write subject lines got it stuck in a spam filter somewhere.

by Anna

6/7/2006 @ 1:34pm

I'll double check, Anna, thanks. Yeah, I guess there's plenty of overhead wires with some of the streetcars in Europe. It's worth a shot getting rid of them before they even lay down an inch of track here.

6/8/2006 @ 7:28am

I'm sorry Anna but finding wires charming is weird. Not trying to be offensive. All one has to do is walk down any Tacoma alley and look at a power pole to see 10-30 various wires dangling from them. This city has enough ugly areas (I know they are working on it) and if they decided to go above ground with the troley wires I would oppose every move of the project. The leaders that run this city need to get a clue. If it came to either having a trolley with above ground wires or not having one at all I would vote to not have one. My tax dollars won't support above ground wires.

by Steve

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Wed. June 7, 2006, 07:28am PDT