Trams in Oranjestad
| Oranjestad Streetcar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
View of the track on Caya B. Croes, near Plaza Chipi Chipi | |||
| Overview | |||
| Type | Tramway | ||
| Locale | Oranjestad, Aruba | ||
| Termini |
Port of Call (Oranjestad)[1] Plaza Nicky (Oranjestad)[1] | ||
| Stations | 9[1] | ||
| Operation | |||
| Opened | 22 December 2012[2] | ||
| Owner | Arubus | ||
| Operator(s) | Arubus | ||
| Rolling stock | 4 trams | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 2.7 km (1.7 mi) | ||
| No. of tracks | Single track | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)[2] | ||
| |||
The Oranjestad Streetcar (Dutch: Tram van Oranjestad) is a single-track tram line in Oranjestad, the capital city of Aruba. It is owned and operated by Arubus, the national public transportation company.[2][3]
The line is the first and so far the only passenger rail service on the island and the rest of the former Netherlands Antilles, and the second of any kind, after an industrial branch that was closed in 1960. It was inaugurated on 22 December 2012, seven days after the arrival of the first single-deck car. Regular service started on 19 February 2013.[2]
Route
The line starts from a balloon loop near the Port of Call and serves the downtown area with a route along Schelpstraat, Havenstraat and Caya Betico Croes, the main road, which is open to pedestrians only. Between Rancho and Plaza Chipi Chipi, eastbound trams (towards Plaza Nicky) run via Schelpstraat, and westbound ones (towards Port of Call), run via Havenstraat. It ends at Plaza Nicky, with a stop also located on a loop.[1][4]
There are a total of 9 stops situated approximately 200 meters apart from each other. The depot is located between the stops at Port of Call and Rancho.
| Station | Notes |
|---|---|
| Port of Call |  Port, also named "Welcome Plaza", loop |
| Rancho |   Bus Terminal, tram depot |
| Plaza Museo | Eastbound service,N1 Archaeological Museum |
| Royal Plaza | Westbound serviceN2 |
| Renaissance Mall | Westbound serviceN2 |
| Plaza Chipi Chipi | Also named "Mango Plaza" |
| Caya Betico Croes | Near Aruba Bank, additional stop, name not yet defined |
| Plaza Bon Bini | 2 rail tracks before the station |
| Plaza Nicky | Also named "Plaza Comercio", loop |
- N1Eastbound trains "Port–Plaza Nicky" only
- N2Westbound trains "Plaza Nicky–Port" only
Rolling stock
The fleet is composed of 4 streetcars: 2 single-decker (green and orange) and 2 open-top double-decker (blue and orange) cars. The vehicles, assembled by TIG/m in Chatsworth, California,[5] use hydrail technology: they are powered by batteries augmented by hydrogen fuel cells.[2]
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See also
- Transport in Aruba
- Rail transport in Aruba
- Queen Beatrix International Airport
- List of town tramway systems in North America
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Trams in Oranjestad. |
Coordinates: 12°31′12.3″N 70°02′13.2″W / 12.520083°N 70.037000°W