FAQ Lists Nth America
David McLoughlin
North American transit lists
NORTH AMERICAN CITIES WITH SUBWAYS/RAPID TRANSIT, STREETCARS AND
ELECTRIC TROLLEYBUSES.
Which North American cities Have Light Rail/ Streetcars?
(Including year of opening. In the case of long-established systems,
the opening date is for the original horse, steam, cable or other
motive-powered system which preceded but formed the basis of the
present electric system. In the case of light rail systems opened
since the 1970s, often in cities which once had streetcars, the
opening date is the date the new system opened.)
UNITED STATES
Baltimore, Maryland (Central Light Rail) 1992
Boston, Massachusetts (Light Rail; ex streetcar) Green Line (1888,
first electric streetcar on Beacon Street, now the Cleveland Circle
branch of the Green Line). Ashmont-Mattapan Red line (1929), an
isolated line on private right-of-way still using PCC streetcars. In
addition, Boston’s Green Line Tremont Street subway is the oldest rail
subway in North America, opened 1897 and still in use.
Buffalo, New York, Light Rail 1984
Cleveland, Ohio, Light Rail (Shaker Heights; ex-streetcar technology)
1920
Dallas, Texas, light rail 1996.
Fort Worth, Texas; light rail (Tandy subway, ex-Washington DC
streetcars) 1963.
Denver, Colorado, light rail 1994.
Hudson Bergen Light Rail Transit System, New Jersey (April 2000). Cars
similar to those used on this line will shortly replace the PCCs used
on the Newark subway].
Los Angeles, California, Light Rail (Blue and Green Lines)1990.
New Orleans, Louisiana , streetcar (St. Charles line) 1835,
Riverfront line (1988), Canal (re-opening of former, long-closed line,
under construction). The only traditional (ie, pre-PCC) streetcar
system operating on a long-established route (St Charles) in a modern
US city.
Newark, New Jersey; light rail (City Subway, PCC streetcars) 1935.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, streetcars (five subway-surface routes);
(two suburban lines) Media/Sharon Hill (1858/1892). (Plus the
Norristown third-rail light-rail line.) Three Philadelphia
streetcar-only routes are suspended (since 1991) but are supposed to
be reinstated pending sufficient funds and new cars. One, route 15
Girard, has been approved (1997) for reopening (by 2001) but still
awaits track reconstruction and purchase of new cars. Another
suspended street running-only line, route 23 Chestnut Hill, was the
longest remaining streetcar route in North America until its 1991
suspension.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: light rail 1859/1891 (via South Hills
tunnel, former streetcar lines to Library). Sole survivors of the vast
(until 1964) Pittsburgh Railways streetcar system.
Portland, Oregon ; Light Rail (MAX) 1986; streetcar (under
construction).
Sacramento, California; Light Rail 1987
Saint Louis, Missouri-Illinois ; Light Rail (Metro Link) 1993;
Salt Lake City, Utah; Light Rail (TRAX) [1999]
San Diego, California, Light Rail 1981
San Francisco, California: Streetcars [light rail in city subway]
(Muni Metro) 1860/1897; Cable cars 1873. Muni now operates seven
streetcar routes; J Church; K Ingleside; L Taraval; M Ocean View; N
Judah, F Market and the Embarcadero extension of the N line opened in
1997 as an extension of the Market subway to the Caltrain station,
which has operated as an extension of the N Judah line since 1998. In
March 2000, the F- Market was extended from the old Transbay Terminal
to run down Market Street to the Ferry Building and on to Fisherman’s
Wharf. Muni also operates 350-plus trolleybuses, the largest
trolleybus fleet in North America, and has around 270 new Skoda
vehicles on order to replace the Flyers of the mid-1970s.
San Jose, California; Light Rail 1987.
Seattle, Washington; Waterfront Streetcar.
CANADA
Calgary, Alberta; light rail (1981)
Edmonton, Alberta, light rail (1978)
Toronto, Ontario , streetcars. (The first electric streetcars ran in
1892, but Toronto had horse cars since 1861)
MEXICO
Guadalajara, light rail (1989)
Mexico City, light rail (former Xochimilco streetcar line)
Monterrey, light rail (1991)
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How many cities in North America have trolley buses (sometimes known
as "trackless trolleys") ?
(With year of opening)
UNITED STATES
San Francisco, California (1935)
Seattle, Washington (1940)
Boston (Cambridge), Massachusetts (1936)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1923)
Dayton. Ohio (1933)
CANADA
Vancouver, British Columbia (1948)
Edmonton, Alberta (1939)
MEXICO
Mexico City (1952)
Guadalajara (1977)
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Which North American cities have heavy-rapid
transit/subways/metros/elevated/ systems?
CANADA
Montreal, 4 lines (1966)
Toronto, 2 lines of heavy subway (1954), Scarborough intermediate
rapid transit line (1985)
Vancouver (SkyTrain; automated metro) (1986)
MEXICO
Mexico City, 8 lines (1969)
UNITED STATES
Atlanta, 2 lines (1979)
Baltimore, 1 line (1983)
Boston, 3 lines (1901)
Chicago, 6 lines (1892)
Cleveland, 1 line (1955)
Los Angeles, 1 line (1993)
Miami, 1 line (1984)
New York, 25 lines (1904) (World’s largest subway system)
Philadelphia, 3 lines (1908)
San Francisco (BART), 4 lines, (1972)
Washington DC, 5 lines (1976)