A modern solution for mobility

The crucial component for the Peachtree Corridor is a modern streetcar, one that quickly and easily moves people short distances. The Peachtree Corridor Partnership published a case statement on the streetcar to share with those who attend the public meetings in January. Download the case statement (PDF 400k)

Also, here are some frequently asked questions about the streetcar proposed for the Peachtree Corridor.

What exactly is a streetcar?
A streetcar can be broadly defined as any vehicle running on rails in city streets. For our purposes, a streetcar is an electrically powered vehicle operating on rails in a mixed traffic street lane.

Why is a streetcar better for Peachtree than buses?
Streetcars function as a short transit shuttle or connector, in contrast to the longer-distance commuter services typically provided by bus operations. The modern streetcar has many positive features that buses sometimes lack – a smooth and comfortable riding experience, reliability, and the lack of emissions and noise. A streetcar on Peachtree would not necessarily be a replacement of the existing bus service. However, it would eliminate the need for more buses and possibly allow for re-routing some existing bus routes to focus on trips to and from the corridor instead of within the corridor.

What other cities have streetcars?
Almost fifty U.S. cites have existing, planned, or proposed streetcar systems. Cities with operational streetcar systems are Dallas, Little Rock, Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland, Tampa, San Francisco and Seattle. Cities with planned streetcars systems include Albuquerque, Madison, Charlotte, Miami, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C.

Streetcars are having a “Renaissance” in the U.S., but they have been a common form of transportation in Europe and other cities in the world for years. Should the streetcar be built along the entire Peachtree Corridor, it would have no comparable system in terms of length and projected ridership in the U.S.

What is a typical streetcar trip length?
Streetcar trips range from a couple blocks to a couple miles, comparing to the average trip length for commuter rail, which ranges from 20 to 23 miles; light rail at 4.4 miles; and bus rapid transit, which is between 4 to 6 miles.

Will fares be charged?
All but one of the eleven streetcar systems researched charge fares for their streetcar systems, so it would be in line with systems in other cities to charge fares here in Atlanta.

How much will fares be?
Fares for streetcar systems researched range from $0.25 to $5.00 for a one-way trip, with an average fare of $1.70. This is in line with the current MARTA fare of $1.75 for one-way travel. The exact fare would be set based on estimated streetcar ridership and the availability of other funding sources and revenue to offset the capital, operations, and maintenance costs of the streetcar system.

Will there be a "free fare zone?"
Free fare zones are segments of the systems in which patrons can ride for free. A large portion of Portland’s streetcar system operates in a free fare zone, in which there is no charge for riders who only travel within the “Fareless Square.” The decision to have a free fare zone for the Peachtree Streetcar should be based on a number of factors, including the anticipated revenue generated from fares, and how many of the stops will be in the free fare zone.

How far does a person need to walk to get to a stop?
A person would never have to walk more than a couple blocks to get to a stop. The proposed stops for the Peachtree Streetcar are approximately one-quarter mile, or 1,320 feet, apart. The proposed stop locations are close to major destinations in the corridor, and have been identified in areas where redevelopment may occur to provide the possibility of obtaining more right-of-way for stations.

What are the typical waiting times, or headways for the streetcar?
Typical headways for existing streetcar systems are every 10-15 minutes during weekdays and Saturdays. Streetcars would likely run slower, arriving every 15-20 minutes, during off-peak times (early morning before 9:00 a.m. and late night after 5:00 p.m.) and Sundays.

What will the streetcar stops/stations look like?
A typical station requires nine feet of right-of-way and four feet for a bike lane, in addition to the sidewalk. Stations consist of a raised concrete platform, shelter, and basic amenities such as a bench, lighting, trash receptacle, and passenger information. Stations can also include a real-time information system and ticket vending machines.

How are streetcars powered?
All current streetcar projects in the U.S. are powered by direct electrical contact with an overhead wire. This is called an overhead contact system (OCS). With OCS, one or more wires are situated 16 to 25 feet above the rail tracks. The overhead contact wire is powered from substations, which convert commercial power to power in the lines.

Streetcars stop using friction brakes, where a pad or brake shoe is applied to the tread of the wheel. Typically one person is needed to operate, regulate the speed, control the doors, and ensure safe operation of the streetcar.

Are streetcars noisy?
Electric powered streetcars are not as noisy as fuel powered vehicles. It is not expected that noise from the streetcar will impact residents and businesses along the Peachtree Corridor.  Portland’s modern streetcar is not noisy. More than 95 percent of Portland residents and business owners surveyed along the streetcar route relayed no noise impact from the streetcar.

Aren’t overhead wires ugly?
Overhead wires do not create as much “visual pollution” as one may expect. Visual impact of overhead contact systems is usually minimized with careful design of the wires system and support poles.

Power can be supplied by a single electrified wire, involving much less overhead “hardware” than is seen with electric trolleybus systems or light rail transit.  Because the Peachtree streetcar corridor is among buildings and landscape, the overhead wires will blend into the streetscape. They can be hidden by landscaping and the tree canopy along the roadway. Another opportunity to minimize visual impact of OCS components is through joint use with other roadside hardware, such as streetlight poles, sign posts, or other utility poles.

Where will poles and substations be located, and how will they interface will the streetscape?
Poles are typically located between the roadway and sidewalk. Streetscape interference from poles can be minimized by design options that depend on the pole and its location. In many cases the pole can have a shared use with other utility poles. Sometimes a pole may not be needed at all. Along the Portland Streetcar route, wires are attached to bridges or buildings when possible. In other instances, poles can actually enhance the streetscape. They can include signage and be decorative. In some cities, the poles are forms of public art.

Substations do not interfere with the streetscape because they can be located as far as 300 feet from the streetcar route. The substation network for the Portland Streetcar includes smaller, more frequent substations than light rail systems typically have; the substations fit in an area no bigger than about two parking spaces and are “tucked away” within the buildings and surrounding infrastructure.

How do the overhead contact wires interface with trees?
Streetcar overhead wires and trees co-exist in many streetcar systems. Cities have established maintenance programs for tree trimming to prevent trees from falling on power lines. Another option is to adjust the planting zone requirements along the streetcar route so that new trees are set further back from the roadway, on the other side of the sidewalk. Some large stately trees, such as some oak species, are able to attain a large canopy when they mature that will be high enough (higher than 30 feet) to not interfere with the streetcar power lines.

Is ground-level electric propulsion viable to consider?
The only streetcar systems currently using ground level electric power are located in France. Innorail is a technology that makes ground level power safe for on-street use. Ground-level power consists of a live “third” rail either between or beside the tracks. Third Rail is commonly used for off-street heavy rail transit such as MARTA, where pedestrians are not near the live rail. The electric “third” rail in Innorail systems is divided in 27-foot active segments separated by 10-foot insulated segments. The active segments are shorter than the length of a streetcar vehicle. They only become electrified when they receive a signal from a vehicle above it, so the rail is only live when it is safely covered by a vehicle. This allows safe implementation of a ground level power source where pedestrians and bicyclists interact with the streetcar rails.

What happens during power outages?
Other cities with streetcar systems have established emergency plans to deal with power blackouts. Service is occasionally disrupted, but it is usually very temporary. Streetcar vehicles are equipped with auxiliary batteries to provide enough backup power to allow them to move short distances to get out of the way during a longer power outage. There are usually tow trucks housed at the maintenance facility that can move streetcar vehicles.

Do streetcars interfere with emergency vehicles?
In some cities with streetcar systems, fire vehicles are equipped with necessary access to streetcar substations where fire personnel can shut off the power in the vicinity of the emergency. Attempts should be made by emergency vehicles to avoid interference with overhead wires, though they can be easily repaired if any damages occur.

Streetcar vehicles are equipped with battery backup units, which are designed to supply enough power to move a streetcar vehicle about 100 feet. Even during a power outage, a streetcar vehicle can move out of the way during an emergency situation, so approaching emergency vehicles would not be blocked by a streetcar.

Will the system be able to handle Atlanta weather?
Weather has not been a major issue in other cities. Wind and ice loading are taken into account when the overhead power system is designed. Portland uses the preventive measure of running the streetcars constantly when there is a chance of ice in the service area to be sure the wire is free of any ice build up. There has only been one instance since the Portland Streetcar System began operation when weather disrupted streetcar service. This occurred when a severe ice storm impacted the track bed and frozen ice blocked the tracks. Based on experience in other cities and comparison with Atlanta’s climate, it is not expected that our weather would inhibit streetcar operation.

What are the vehicle options for the Peachtree Streetcar?
Streetcar vehicles fall into three categories: restored vintage, “heritage” replica, or modern. The restored vintage vehicle is an original preserved vehicle. The “heritage” replica vehicle is a new vehicle with a design resembling traditional vehicles usually from 1900-1950. Modern style vehicles resemble sleek European trams, and can have a more custom design.

The vehicle type for Peachtree has not been determined, but a “heritage” replica or modern style vehicle is recommended. They have reliability and durability of a new vehicle, meet current ADA requirements, have new power systems, and are not limited in available quantity.

Where will Atlanta acquire vehicles, and who manufactures them?
Vintage restored vehicles can be difficult to obtain due to a limited amount in existence, but there are companies in the U.S. with extensive experience in streetcar vehicle restoration. Cities such as Portland, Little Rock, Charlotte, and New Orleans use heritage replica vehicles that are typically more readily available than vintage restored vehicles. U.S. companies that manufacture replica vehicles include Gomaco Company and Brookville Equipment Corporation.

At this time, only three U.S. cities (Portland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.) use modern vehicles. The vehicles were manufactured by Inekon and Skoda in the Czech Republic. A growing U.S. market for streetcar vehicles is anticipated, and the Oregon Iron Works Company has already constructed a prototype modern vehicle for Portland. United Streetcar, LLC (a subsidiary of Oregon Iron Works, Inc.) and Skoda have partnered and could start producing vehicles in the U.S. for Portland as early as 2008.

Will the vehicles be ADA compliant?
All three categories of vehicles can be made ADA compliant. Traditional style vehicles have higher floors, and they typically must include lift systems. Modern style vehicles have low floors, so they can achieve ADA complaint “level-boarding” by simply providing a ramp from the vehicle to the curb at stations.

How will fares be collected?
If charged, fares should be collected using smart card media/technology and equipment. This technology can expedite fare payment and vehicle boarding times, provides increased convenience, and is useful for more complicated fare structures, such as distance-based or zonal-based.

Will there be integration with MARTA’s Breeze system?
If fares are charged, it is recommended that consistent technology (Breeze system technology) be used for compatibility and easier integration with MARTA’s system.

How will the integration be accomplished?
Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc., supplies Breeze equipment to MARTA. They are currently working on integrating the express buses, as well as Cobb and Gwinnett County Transit buses to the Breeze system. Breeze ticket vending machines can be located outside at streetcar stations if they are equipped with rain protection.

Where will ticket vending machines be?
Ticket vending machines (TVMs) can be either at stations or on vehicles. The location has not been determined at this time. At-station ticket vending machines expedite boarding but they require additional equipment to protect machines from weather and provide security measures.

On-board TVMs eliminate additional investment and security needs at stations and minimize design and cost. They enable boarding without the collection of fares at the door, but usually require the use of an honor system, in which fare inspectors randomly verifying compliance.

Can ticket vending machines be located outside?
Ticket vending machines can be located outside. Many machines are designed to handle mist and light spray. Direct spray, however, should be avoided by installing a simple ceiling overhang on the machine.

Ticket Vending Machines can be equipped with security measures similar to ATMs, and all machines in a network can be “on-line” and monitored by the manufacturer. This ensures prompt maintenance and replacement in the event of a malfunction or other problem.

Will there be electronic tracking/information boards?
Real-time information systems are present in many streetcar systems. Studies have shown that when these systems were present, passengers said they believed their waiting time shortened, and the majority of passengers said they felt as though service reliability had improved. In addition to information boards, arrival information can be received via phone, internet, and wireless web devices via GPS systems, such as NextBus. Tracking equipment is recommended, but it has not been determined which additional amenities will be included.

Are stations ADA compliant?
Streetcar vehicles typically have movable bridgeplates (ramps) between the car floor and the station platform. Bridgeplates deploy automatically from the streetcar vehicle at a station. The platform area itself will be a continuous, unobstructed area and the sidewalk will remain accessible. At least one sign at the entrance should contain raised/brailed characters for blind passengers.

What is the size and cost of the maintenance facility?
The size of the maintenance facility depends largely on the number of streetcars in the system. The site size generally ranges from one to three acres. The facility must include parking, an external yard for vehicle storage, and a building. Buildings are typically two stories, consisting of a ground floor maintenance bay and second floor offices.

Research of other cities indicates a cost range of $3 million to over $20 million for the maintenance facility. The cost depends on many factors such as property acquisition, the amount of additional track construction necessary, and construction cost for the facility itself.

Where would the maintenance facility/facilities be located?
A maintenance facility that would serve the portions of the Peachtree Streetcar route in Downtown, the Circulator loop, and Midtown would likely be located underneath the I-75/85 bridge at Edgewood and Auburn Avenues. For later system additions, an additional facility would be necessary to serve the northern segments. Potential locations for this facility have not been determined