The return of streetcars to San Diego….more to come.

On August 27, streetcar No. 529 started weekend service on a clockwise loop called the Silver Line around downtown, using the San Diego Trolley tracks. The streetcar itself, No. 529, is an ex-Muni car, bought secondhand from St. Louis Public Service in 1957 and retired in 1982.
The car has been retrofitted to conform with modern requirements, the fare — $2, seniors pay $1.

The Art Deco-style vehicle once traversed the streets of San Francisco and is one of six that the MTS plans to eventually restore. It was “a rusty shell” when discovered in 2003 in South Lake Tahoe and has been turned into “a great beauty,” MTS Chief Executive Officer Paul Jablonski said.

For six years, volunteer and rail experts spent more than 3,000 hours and $850,000 to meticulously restore the vintage streetcar, which is called PCC 529.

San Diego Vintage Trolley, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and operation of historic streetcars in San Diego. The organization is directed by board members associated with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, funded by grants and donations, and restoration is performed primarily by authorized volunteers. SDVT currently has five 1946/1947-vintage streetcars, three of which are presently undergoing restoration. SDVT and San Diego Electric Railway Association (d.b.a. San Diego Electric Railway and known as SDERA) have an agreement to work together towards a goal of bringing Presidents Class Car (PCC) streetcars to downtown San Diego. SDERA members have volunteered to work on the three cars currently under restoration at the MTS yard and are learning valuable skills to help us restore some of our own equipment. SDVT is planning to run the refurbished cars on in the ” Centre City Loop” as the Silver Line

 

I love riding on the old street cars in San Francisco, and hope one day they will bring tourists and locals up the hill to Balboa Park and Hillcrest. San Diego Transit Link

Here is great link on the historic streetcars that run along Market Street towards Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.    SF Streetcars

Click this link for US and other cities with streetcars.

Silver Line Route Downtown San Diego