| Kenosha Streetcars | |
|---|---|
A PCC streetcar touring HarborPark. |
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| Info | |
| Locale | Kenosha, Wisconsin |
| Transit type | Streetcar |
| Number of lines | 1 |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | June 17, 2000[1] |
| Operator(s) | Kenosha Transit |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Electrification | Overhead lines, 600 V DC |
Streetcars have been running in Kenosha, Wisconsin for more than 100 years through a variety of companies and routes.
Contents |
The Kenosha Electric Railway (KERy) was a street railway serving the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA, from February 3, 1903, through February 14, 1932. Although it had several owners, the original name was used throughout its history and is still unofficially attached to the current streetcar line in Kenosha. In 1932 the Kenosha system was converted to electric trolley buses, making Kenosha an early user of these vehicles for all transit operations (both Ipswich and Darlington in the UK converted entirely to trolley buses in 1926). Kenosha also utilized color-coding for transit routes, a more common practice in horsecar days but used by Glasgow on its electric cars from the beginning.[2]
At the turn of the 21st century, Kenosha constructed a modern electric streetcar system utilizing historic PCC streetcars in coordination with the HarborPark development on the shores of Lake Michigan. The line has become a model project studied by urban planners worldwide, and is used by thirty percent of visitors to Kenosha.
Installation of the tram track sub-base was completed in the autumn of 1998 and utilized crushed concrete from the foundations of the 1870-era Simmons Bedding Company/American Motors Corporation office and plant buildings east of Fifth Avenue. As the new streets in HarborPark were completed in the fall of 1999, crews installed new 115-pound-per-yard (57 kg/m) continuously welded rail streetcar track over modern concrete ties (except for standard wooden ties under grade crossings). Electric overhead line construction for 600-volt direct current was completed in April 2000 and energized by a modern solid state substation.
Kenosha's five historic 'Red Rocket' PCC A15-class streetcars were built in Montreal for the Toronto Transit Commission in 1951 by Canada Car and Foundry under license from the St. Louis Car Company, and were remanufactured and rebodied from the windows down in 1991. Each Kenosha car is painted in a unique livery representing an historic North American transit system that also operated PCC streetcars. The first of Kenosha's streetcars was 4610 'Toronto' (originally 4541), delivered on May 4, 2000. The four other cities and systems thereby represented include Chicago Surface Lines 4606 'Green Hornet', Pittsburgh Railways Company 4609 'Pittsburgh', Johnstown Traction Company 4615 'Johnstown', and Cincinnati Street Railways 4616 'Cincinnati'.
The ceremonial dedication of the streetcar line and the new Transit Center was held on June 17, 2000, and the memorial ribbon was broken at 11 a.m. by 4610 'Toronto', piloted by Richard Lindgren who had been a motorman for the original Kenosha Electric Railway (KERy) in 1932.
Public rides began immediately after the opening ceremony. Regularly scheduled service started two days later, on Monday morning, June 19, 2000.[1]
In addition to its utilitarian purpose, the streetcar system (along with Metra service) has played a major role in the downtown's transit-oriented development (TOD) and immediately became one of Kenosha's top tourist attractions. In December 2005, the City Council voted to study expansion of the current two-mile downtown route (which currently carries over 63,000 passengers yearly) to the city's southwest and through the Uptown business district.
Kenosha's HarborPark Plan, which is served by the streetcar line, comprises over four hundred upscale urban housing units and retail, commercial, restaurant and recreational facilities. The streetcar circulator project demonstrates the feasibility of reintroducing zero-emission electric transit into midwest cities and the application of special short-haul transit applications.
In 2010, the Kenosha Streetcar Society marked the 10th anniversary of the return of streetcar service to Kenosha with a celebration on June 19, 2010. The society facilitated the creation of celebratory banners, and donated commemorative transfers that were handed out to passengers to mark this significant milestone.[3]
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