Trolleybuses in Seattle
Encyclopedia
The Seattle trolleybus
system forms part of the public transportation network serving Seattle, in the state of Washington, United States
. Opened on April 28, 1940, it presently comprises 14 lines, and is operated with 159 trolleybuses by the King County Metro, commonly known as Metro.
Of the five trolleybus systems currently operating in the U.S., the Seattle system is the second largest (by ridership, number of routes and fleet size), after the San Francisco system
.
The following list of Seattle trolleybus lines reflects the February 2011 service changes:
Route 70 is currently "dieselized" for three years, because of the Mercer Street reconstruction. Route 7 also provides a Night Owl service.
The Metro trolleybus fleet presently comprises two types, one of them conventional length (40 feet (12.2 m)) buses and the other articulated bus
es.
In 2001–03, Metro acquired 100 new conventional length trolleys using new Gillig
Phantom shells, to replace its 109 AM General
trolleys. The drive train of the AMG coaches was retained with new electronics, saving approximately $200,000 per coach.
Metro later rebuilt 59 of the 236 now retired dual-mode
Breda articulated "tunnel buses", converting them to electric-only operation and refurbishing them to replace aging MAN articulated trolleybuses. The rebuild included new Vossloh-Kiepe current-collection equipment, new interior upholstery, a completely new driver's compartment, and new LED
destination sign
s.
s, known locally as "bases", is used to store and maintain trolleybuses: Atlantic Base, which is situated at 1555 Airport Way S., Seattle.
Atlantic, Central, and Ryerson Bases are located close together near Safeco Field south of downtown Seattle and are known as the Central Campus.
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
system forms part of the public transportation network serving Seattle, in the state of Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Opened on April 28, 1940, it presently comprises 14 lines, and is operated with 159 trolleybuses by the King County Metro, commonly known as Metro.
Of the five trolleybus systems currently operating in the U.S., the Seattle system is the second largest (by ridership, number of routes and fleet size), after the San Francisco system
Trolleybuses in San Francisco
The San Francisco trolleybus system forms part of the public transportation network serving San Francisco, in the state of California, United States...
.
Lines
| Route No. | Off-Peak | Sat | Sun | Start | Via | End | Continues as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Seattle | Belltown, Seattle Center West, Queen Anne | Kinnear | 36 | |||
| 2 | Madrona | Central District, First Hill, Downtown Seattle, Belltown, Seattle Center West | West Queen Anne | 13 (Select Trips from Madrona) | |||
| 3 | Madrona | Central District, First Hill, Downtown Seattle, Belltown, Seattle Center East | North Queen Anne | 13 (Select Trips from Madrona) | |||
| 4 | Judkins Park | Central District, First Hill, Downtown Seattle, Belltown, Seattle Center East | East Queen Anne | 13 (Select trips from Judkins Park) | |||
| 7 | Downtown Seattle | International District, Mount Baker Transit Center, Rainier Valley, Columbia City | Rainier Beach | 49 (select trips) | |||
| 10 | Capitol Hill | 15th Ave E, Group Health Hospital, Seattle Central Community College | Downtown Seattle | 12 | |||
| 12 | Interlaken Park | 19th Ave E, Capitol Hill, Central District, First Hill, Seattle University | Downtown Seattle | 10 | |||
| 13 | Downtown Seattle | Belltown, Seattle Center West, Queen Anne | Seattle Pacific University | 2/3 | |||
| 14 | Summit | Capitol Hill, Downtown Seattle, International District, Central District, Mount Baker Transit Center | Mount Baker | ||||
| 36 | Downtown Seattle | Pacific Medical Center, Beacon Hill, Jefferson Park, VA Hospital | Othello Station | 1 | |||
| 43 | Downtown Seattle | Capitol Hill, Group Health Hospital, Central District, Montlake, UW Campus | University District | 44 (select trips) | |||
| 44 | Government Locks Signed as "Ballard" |
Ballard, Wallingford, University District, UW Campus | Montlake | 43 (select trips) | |||
| 49 | University District | Capitol Hill, Broadway, Seattle Central Community College | Downtown Seattle | 7 (select trips) | |||
| 70 | Downtown Seattle | Fairview Ave N, Eastlake | University District | 7 (select trips) |
Route 70 is currently "dieselized" for three years, because of the Mercer Street reconstruction. Route 7 also provides a Night Owl service.
Current fleet
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
es.
In 2001–03, Metro acquired 100 new conventional length trolleys using new Gillig
Gillig
Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:...
Phantom shells, to replace its 109 AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
trolleys. The drive train of the AMG coaches was retained with new electronics, saving approximately $200,000 per coach.
Metro later rebuilt 59 of the 236 now retired dual-mode
Dual-mode bus
A dual-mode bus is a bus that can run independently on power from two different sources, typically electricity from overhead lines or batteries, alternated with conventional fossil fuel ....
Breda articulated "tunnel buses", converting them to electric-only operation and refurbishing them to replace aging MAN articulated trolleybuses. The rebuild included new Vossloh-Kiepe current-collection equipment, new interior upholstery, a completely new driver's compartment, and new LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
destination sign
Destination sign
A destination sign or destination indicator is a sign mounted on the front or side of a public transport vehicle, such as a bus, tram/streetcar or light rail vehicle, that displays the vehicle's route number and destination, or the route's number and name on transit systems using route names...
s.
| Fleet numbers | Quantity | Manufacturer | Electrical equipment |
Model No. | Configuration | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4100–4199 | 100 | Gillig Gillig Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:... |
GE General Electric General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States... /Alstom Alstom Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are... |
Phantom Gillig Phantom The Gillig Phantom was a transit bus produced by the Gillig Corporation in Hayward, California. The Phantom was first introduced in late 1980 and, with the exception of a small number of buses built in a three-year-long joint venture with Neoplan from 1977 to 1979, was Gillig's first transit bus... /ETB |
Conventional | 2001–2003 |
| 4200–4258 | 59 | Breda Società Italiana Ernesto Breda Società Italiana Ernesto Breda, more usually referred to simply as Breda was an Italian mechanical manufacturing company founded by Ernesto Breda in Milan in 1886. The firm originally manufactured locomotives and other railway machinery, but later branched out into armaments and aircraft. In 1962,... |
AEG AEG Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau.... /Westinghouse |
Original: ADPB 350 (ADPB = articulated dual-power bus). After conversion to electric-only: unknown |
Articulated | 1990–91 (converted 2004–2007) |
Depot
Only one of Metro's seven bus garageBus garage
A bus garage or bus depot is a building where buses are stored and maintained. In many conurbations, bus garages are on the site of former car barns or tram sheds, where Streetcars or Trams were stored, and the operation transferred to buses...
s, known locally as "bases", is used to store and maintain trolleybuses: Atlantic Base, which is situated at 1555 Airport Way S., Seattle.
Atlantic, Central, and Ryerson Bases are located close together near Safeco Field south of downtown Seattle and are known as the Central Campus.