Delmar Loop Trolley
Encyclopedia
The Delmar Loop Trolley is a 2.2 miles (3.5 km) planned heritage trolley
line that will serve the Delmar Loop
district in St. Louis, Missouri
and University City, Missouri
. The line will have about 9 stations and serve the Missouri History Museum
in Forest Park, Washington University in St. Louis
, two MetroLink stations; Forest Park-DeBaliviere
station and Delmar Loop
station, University City City Hall, and all the Delmar Loop attractions. The system will use seven replica-historic streetcar
s instead of earlier plans to use two Peter Witt-type streetcars
, because of the state law that requires transit vehicles to aid people with walking disabilities and other reasons, including to permit stops to be positioned on either side of the track (the streetcars will be able to load from either side). A grant of $25 million in Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) funding for the project was approved in July 2010, as part of the FTA's Urban Circulator Grant Program.
from 1927 to 1951. Later, PCC streetcar
s manufactured by the St. Louis Car Company
plied the streets until ultimately being shut down in the Great American streetcar scandal.
The Delmar Loop
originally got its name from the streetcar turnaround which occupied two oblong blocks on the north side of Delmar east from Kingsland Avenue. The loop was used by the Olive-Delmar line. The Creve Coeur line coming south up Kingsland also terminated at the Loop, with the cars backing into it from Kingsland. The loop originally was located adjacent to the Delmar Gardens amusement park, a vestige of which are Eastgate and Westgate avenues, located at the east and west gates of the park. Another streetcar line, the Kirkwood-Ferguson line, traveled north and south a few blocks east of the Loop. And a private line to what is now University City Hall extended west down Delmar.
When the streetcars were replaced with buses the Loop retained its name. Years later, the idea of bringing back streetcars found a champion in Joe Edwards
, the owner of Blueberry Hill
, The Pageant
, and a number of other Loop businesses. Edwards secured the purchase of two restored Peter Witt streetcars that once operated in Milan
, Italy
and has led the initiative for a new line in conjunction with Citizens for Modern Transit.
The two cars were parked along the route—one on Delmar by Commerce Bank, and the other at the History Museum. Not conforming to ADA
regulations, the cars will remain parked. The planned line will run with new handicapped-accessible streetcars.
at Trinity Avenue and Kingsland Street.
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
line that will serve the Delmar Loop
Delmar Loop
The Delmar Loop is an entertainment, cultural and restaurant district in University City, Missouri and the ajoining western edge of St. Louis, Missouri. Most of its attractions are located in the streetcar suburb of University City, but the area is expanding eastward into the Skinker-Debaliviere...
district in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and University City, Missouri
University City, Missouri
University City is an inner-ring suburb in St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 35,371 in 2010 census. The city was shaped by Washington University in St. Louis, whose campus abuts the city to the southeast....
. The line will have about 9 stations and serve the Missouri History Museum
Missouri History Museum
The Missouri History Museum is located in St. Louis, Missouri in Forest Park. The museum is operated by the Missouri Historical Society and was founded in 1866...
in Forest Park, Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
, two MetroLink stations; Forest Park-DeBaliviere
Forest Park-DeBaliviere (St. Louis Metrolink)
Forest Park-DeBaliviere is a St. Louis MetroLink subway station, located at the northeast corner of Forest Park Parkway and DeBaliviere Avenue in St. Louis. This station is located just to the north of Forest Park. Attractions in the park include the St. Louis Art Museum, St...
station and Delmar Loop
Delmar Loop (St. Louis Metrolink)
Delmar Loop is a St. Louis MetroLink Station. This station features 362 Park-Ride spaces. It is adjacent to the Delmar Loop entertainment district that straddles St. Louis and St. Louis County. Nearby attractions include the restored Tivoli Theater as well as the new Pageant Theater along with...
station, University City City Hall, and all the Delmar Loop attractions. The system will use seven replica-historic streetcar
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s instead of earlier plans to use two Peter Witt-type streetcars
Peter Witt streetcar
Peter Witt was a Cleveland Railway commissioner, who designed a model of streetcar known by his name, and used in many North American cities, most notably in Toronto and Cleveland.-Features:...
, because of the state law that requires transit vehicles to aid people with walking disabilities and other reasons, including to permit stops to be positioned on either side of the track (the streetcars will be able to load from either side). A grant of $25 million in Federal Transit Administration
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
(FTA) funding for the project was approved in July 2010, as part of the FTA's Urban Circulator Grant Program.
History
St. Louis ran Peter Witt-type streetcarsPeter Witt streetcar
Peter Witt was a Cleveland Railway commissioner, who designed a model of streetcar known by his name, and used in many North American cities, most notably in Toronto and Cleveland.-Features:...
from 1927 to 1951. Later, PCC streetcar
PCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
s manufactured by the St. Louis Car Company
St. Louis Car Company
The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
plied the streets until ultimately being shut down in the Great American streetcar scandal.
The Delmar Loop
Delmar Loop
The Delmar Loop is an entertainment, cultural and restaurant district in University City, Missouri and the ajoining western edge of St. Louis, Missouri. Most of its attractions are located in the streetcar suburb of University City, but the area is expanding eastward into the Skinker-Debaliviere...
originally got its name from the streetcar turnaround which occupied two oblong blocks on the north side of Delmar east from Kingsland Avenue. The loop was used by the Olive-Delmar line. The Creve Coeur line coming south up Kingsland also terminated at the Loop, with the cars backing into it from Kingsland. The loop originally was located adjacent to the Delmar Gardens amusement park, a vestige of which are Eastgate and Westgate avenues, located at the east and west gates of the park. Another streetcar line, the Kirkwood-Ferguson line, traveled north and south a few blocks east of the Loop. And a private line to what is now University City Hall extended west down Delmar.
When the streetcars were replaced with buses the Loop retained its name. Years later, the idea of bringing back streetcars found a champion in Joe Edwards
Joe Edwards (St. Louis)
Joe Edwards is a St. Louis, Missouri and University City, Missouri, businessman, community figure, and civic leader notable for his contributions to the Delmar Loop area of both cities...
, the owner of Blueberry Hill
Blueberry Hill (restaurant)
Blueberry Hill is a restaurant and bar located in the Delmar Loop neighborhood in University City, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Legendary performer Chuck Berry performs there for one hour on a single Wednesday each month, downstairs in the Duck Room....
, The Pageant
The Pageant
The Pageant, sometimes called The Pageant Concert NightClub, is a music venue in the Delmar Loop district, located on the western edge of Saint Louis, Missouri, just east of the University City half of the loop area....
, and a number of other Loop businesses. Edwards secured the purchase of two restored Peter Witt streetcars that once operated in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and has led the initiative for a new line in conjunction with Citizens for Modern Transit.
The two cars were parked along the route—one on Delmar by Commerce Bank, and the other at the History Museum. Not conforming to ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
regulations, the cars will remain parked. The planned line will run with new handicapped-accessible streetcars.
Proposed route
The route will loop around the Missouri History Museum. It will then run north on DeBaliviere Avenue in St. Louis. It will then turn west on Delmar Boulevard to the Delmar Station and cross the St. Louis City/County Boundary to University City to serve the Delmar Loop. A possible site for the west end terminus is a roundabout (traffic circle)Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
at Trinity Avenue and Kingsland Street.
Proposed stations
- Missouri History MuseumMissouri History MuseumThe Missouri History Museum is located in St. Louis, Missouri in Forest Park. The museum is operated by the Missouri Historical Society and was founded in 1866...
- Forest Park Metro
- Crossroads College Preparatory School
- Laurel & Delmar
- Delmar MetroLink Station
- PageantThe PageantThe Pageant, sometimes called The Pageant Concert NightClub, is a music venue in the Delmar Loop district, located on the western edge of Saint Louis, Missouri, just east of the University City half of the loop area....
- Market
- TivoliTivoli Theatre (St. Louis)The Tivoli Theatre is currently a three screen movie theater located in the Delmar Loop area of University City, Missouri. It opened on May 24, 1924, as a large, single screen theater with streetcar service in the middle of Delmar Boulevard bringing people to the theater from nearby residential...
- Trinity/Kingsland
See also
- Streetcars in St. LouisStreetcars in St. LouisStreetcars in St. Louis, Missouri operated as part of the transportation network of St. Louis from the middle of the 19th century through the early 1960s. During the first forty years of the streetcar in the city, a variety of private companies operated several dozen lines; from the turn of the...
- Streetcars in North AmericaStreetcars in North AmericaElectric streetcars—trams outside North America—once were the chief mode of public transit in scores of North American cities. Most municipal systems were dismantled in the mid-20th century....
- St. Charles City StreetcarSt. Charles City StreetcarThe St. Charles City Streetcar is a proposed new heritage streetcar line to be built connecting the New Town, Missouri residential development to the nearby city of St. Charles. This is a joint effort between Whittaker Builders, Inc, and the City of St. Charles and St. Charles Area Transit...
- St. Louis Metrolink