It looks like people are using it so it’s not a complete failure. But it really needs to be extended to Benning Rd and west to the K Street Transitway as originally proposed for it to be truly useful.
The street car was part of an ambitious re make of the network similar to what happened in Portland. Would be cool to mention that it was failed in the history part.
Which seems unusual to me because while the Portland Streetcar is okay I don't think it's that key to transportation there. I have a video about it where I call it a solution in search of a problem.
Well, as bad and serving no real purpose as that Streetcar is, it's not the worst! I would vote for the one in Cincinnati, Ohio as the worst and most pointless one there is! As much as I love rail, I actually voted against that one! It only goes a total of like a 2 or 3 mile square block! Its in a sketchy part of the city and really does nothing! It doesn't take go the college or the Reds stadium! It serves NO PURPOSE! At least yours had a decent view!
There were plans to make the platform closer to the station 🚉 as they had a restoration project for the bridge as well. So far base on this video they haven’t started yet.
this would be if like the B branch was entirely street running and ended at kenmore, but not kenmore station, rather a tiny platform under landsdowne station
Harsh! Apart form the Union Station stop, the infrastructure on this team line isn't sos bad. It just needs to be retrofitted with priority at lights and a prohibition for other vehicles to enter its right if way.
There needs to be a race to see if it’s quicker reach RFK Stadium using the Streetcar or 2-3 lines of the Metro Rail from Union Station to Stadium-Armory.
You two kids need to be more grateful for what you have. Very unprofessional of you two. At least it's a service that you can use to get from one place to another.
I took this back in 2022, i sat in the same seats as y'all and I wondered why it was so slow. I do like the press to open doors (feels so European). I used that bike-share to go to Potomac Ave station, its a mostly nice ride.
Construction of this streetcar line cost $200 million and the annual cost to operate is $8 million. How many would ride this if there was a fare charged? BTW - Striking labor unions were the biggest factor in the demise of America's streetcar systems. Not many are brave enough to mention the streetcar strikes.
Fares can be low if theres taxes to support most of the operating cost, yes fares are generally not ideal but if it is under $3 then ridership isnt impacted that much. Most transit systems in the us use it and it works good enough.Granted, here it should just stay the way it is since changing fares would make things worse.
The biggest factor for streetcars being replaced in the U.S. was politics! Labor strikes were just the biggest excuse! Bus lines were struck as well but the government didn't ban them!
I assume you are calling this the worst because it is the one where you live. others have commented that the one where they live is the worst. the truth is the one where I live is the worst!. JK there are so many street cars in the us from different era's any many of them have failed to live up to promises because land use. most city's refuse to get rid of parking. when they build their street cars. I hope you have the opportunity to travel and experience truly terrible streetcars. Memphis, Kenosha, St louis.
Don't whine too much, after all, there is windowed end viewing that unfortunately many systems don't have any longer, it's FREE and most of all - and MOST important, it is ELECTRIC! Better than the environmentally unfriendly stinky old diesel buses!
It looks like people are using it so it’s not a complete failure. But it really needs to be extended to Benning Rd and west to the K Street Transitway as originally proposed for it to be truly useful.
Vox has a great video about the streetcar. As usual there’s a bus and it goes farther and busy.
The street car was part of an ambitious re make of the network similar to what happened in Portland. Would be cool to mention that it was failed in the history part.
I really, this was modeled off Portland? I thought only the stock was from Portland.
@@honajtransitwell a lot of systems wanted to be like it but Portland has TOD which many didnt
Which seems unusual to me because while the Portland Streetcar is okay I don't think it's that key to transportation there. I have a video about it where I call it a solution in search of a problem.
2/10 is harsh for the station. It had seats, clear informational maps, with both a convenience store and porta pods nearby. 12 min frequency
i agree, i gave it a 5!
Well, as bad and serving no real purpose as that Streetcar is, it's not the worst! I would vote for the one in Cincinnati, Ohio as the worst and most pointless one there is! As much as I love rail, I actually voted against that one! It only goes a total of like a 2 or 3 mile square block! Its in a sketchy part of the city and really does nothing! It doesn't take go the college or the Reds stadium! It serves NO PURPOSE! At least yours had a decent view!
Also doesn’t even go to Union Terminal for Amtrak passengers
What I find bad here is the ridiculous transfer between the Metro and the streetcar. That can’t be good for ridership at all.
There were plans to make the platform closer to the station 🚉 as they had a restoration project for the bridge as well. So far base on this video they haven’t started yet.
Thanks bro the help with navigation I’m really incompetent when it comes to navigation I go on vibes mostly, would’ve gotten on the next greyhound
even the B branch is better.
this would be if like the B branch was entirely street running and ended at kenmore, but not kenmore station, rather a tiny platform under landsdowne station
Harsh! Apart form the Union Station stop, the infrastructure on this team line isn't sos bad. It just needs to be retrofitted with priority at lights and a prohibition for other vehicles to enter its right if way.
yeah, TSP and dedicated lanes would completely solve it, although it would still be less useful than the buses-unless it got extended on both ends
I live in DC. Still live in DC. Streetcar extension is long overdue and they haven’t even started construction yet.😤😤
At least I went to the opening.
This train reminds me of the green line! What about you?
Which green line there’s many
assuming you mean the MBTA green line, no, that is so much better than this
Changed. I agree
There needs to be a race to see if it’s quicker reach RFK Stadium using the Streetcar or 2-3 lines of the Metro Rail from Union Station to Stadium-Armory.
You two kids need to be more grateful for what you have. Very unprofessional of you two. At least it's a service that you can use to get from one place to another.
but it is extremely funny to mock it for being bad :)
I took this back in 2022, i sat in the same seats as y'all and I wondered why it was so slow. I do like the press to open doors (feels so European). I used that bike-share to go to Potomac Ave station, its a mostly nice ride.
Excellent as per usual young man. 🚋
Construction of this streetcar line cost $200 million and the annual cost to operate is $8 million. How many would ride this if there was a fare charged? BTW - Striking labor unions were the biggest factor in the demise of America's streetcar systems. Not many are brave enough to mention the streetcar strikes.
Fares can be low if theres taxes to support most of the operating cost, yes fares are generally not ideal but if it is under $3 then ridership isnt impacted that much. Most transit systems in the us use it and it works good enough.Granted, here it should just stay the way it is since changing fares would make things worse.
really? only $200M? thats crazy high but for america it's very low
@thatrandomguy8124 this line would get zero people if it charged a fare
The biggest factor for streetcars being replaced in the U.S. was politics! Labor strikes were just the biggest excuse! Bus lines were struck as well but the government didn't ban them!
I lived in DC for 2 years and I did not know the streetcar existed until my last days
Excellent video, great background information!
I assume you are calling this the worst because it is the one where you live. others have commented that the one where they live is the worst. the truth is the one where I live is the worst!. JK there are so many street cars in the us from different era's any many of them have failed to live up to promises because land use. most city's refuse to get rid of parking. when they build their street cars. I hope you have the opportunity to travel and experience truly terrible streetcars. Memphis, Kenosha, St louis.
I actually live in NYC, this is just a really horrible streetcar! The US tends to build pretty bad streetcars in general though, that is true
Don't whine too much, after all, there is windowed end viewing that unfortunately many systems don't have any longer, it's FREE and most of all - and MOST important, it is ELECTRIC! Better than the environmentally unfriendly stinky old diesel buses!
ok but it is still very bad