Coming to a DCA near you... The Big Red Car!

[bigwavedave]

Not to rain on anyones parade with the crowds at DCA I see somebig safty issues, and I am not sure they will ever be built.

[Steve DeGaetano]

As I've posted before, the cars could easily be scaled down.

And just a point of reference, the 500-class cars were actually "interurbans," not to be confused with street-running local cars, which were quite a bit smaller. The interurbans were used just as the name applies--as small trains that operated between cities and communities. As such, there were always quite a bit larger than run-of-the-mill "trolley" cars.

Certainly an interurban car could be scaled down and still look impressive. If you could scale down a PE car to, say, the size of a SF cable car, you'd be in business. You could also use a "Hollywood" car, scaled down. In fact, the Hollywood car was one of the types shown in the concept drawings.

A word about capacity: I don't see this being anything close to a high-capacity "E ticket" type attraction. They would just be ice diversions, much like the less-than-popular but just as charming horse drawn streetcars in DL (I've never seen anything approaching a line to board one but what do I know? I haven't been to DL in 7 months).

[EmeralineDragon]

Originally Posted by Steve DeGaetano

As I've posted before, the cars could easily be scaled down.

And if they asked, you could probably give them the exact dimensions, couldn't you?

Certainly an interurban car could be scaled down and still look impressive. If you could scale down a PE car to, say, the size of a SF cable car, you'd be in business. You could also use a "Hollywood" car, scaled down. In fact, the Hollywood car was one of the types shown in the concept drawings.

PE car? Hollywood car? (My Google Fu is weak. Though I did get a hit to a YouTube video called Red Car by: Hollywood Tower, the name of which amused me more than it ought.)

They would just be ice diversions, much like the less-than-popular but just as charming horse drawn streetcars in DL (I've never seen anything approaching a line to board one but what do I know? I haven't been to DL in 7 months).

Nope, still not popular. When I was there in early May, the most interest the horse drawn streetcars got was when the horse on-duty decided he was having a bad day, and had to be replaced half an hour after the park opened. And that was mostly guests wanting to pet the large, unrestrained replacement horse while the poor CM tried to get him properly fastened into position. Both the horse and the CM were quite nice about it.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Originally Posted by EmeralineDragon

PE car? Hollywood car? (My Google Fu is weak. Though I did get a hit to a YouTube video called Red Car by: Hollywood Tower, the name of which amused me more than it ought.)

The Pacific Electric Railway (PE for short) not only operated city and suburban service (local lines), but interurban lines as well--They even had a line out to Redlands. On these longer routes, over private rights or way (tracks), the larger cars would be used. Some even had bathrooms on board! Obviously DCA wouldn't need something that size.

For a while, the PE ran a series of newer cars, painted in cheery red and orange, up and down Hollywood Boulevard. These cars--smaller than the interurban Tech posted--were affectionaltely known as Hollywood cars. Here's what they looked like:


You can see that they are fairly low to the grownd, not even needing a platform for people to board. Obviously, this is a large vehicle too, and would still need to be scaled down. But it could be done.

[EmeralineDragon]

Ah, thank you! I really like the looks of the Hollywood car, too.

[techskip]

I honestly think the trolleys will be MORE popular then horse drawn... simply because of the mystique surrounding them. You also have a direct tie-in to the nostalgia of the So Cal public because MANY of those who rode "back in the old days" are still alive! I really think limiting the capacity due to track layout would be a huge mistake.

[JiminyCricketFan]

I think that they look great. This SHOULD have been the system that encircled DCA, with a detour right through the Hollywood street. This looks like a fun ride that I want to last more then a few minutes. It is too bad that the original designers of DCA were so short sighted. DCA needs a transportation system that moves people around the whole park. Red-Cars are a unique California thing that would have been a big hit when DCA opened. I am hoping that the great concept does not fall short because of a limited track.

[haunted_hottie]

This is a great idea and the street car looks gorgeous! I live in the Bay Area and every time I am up in San Francisco, I always try to take a street car.... they just look cool and it's lots of fun.

Thought I have to agree about the overhead lines mucking up the view... Rubber tires would have to happen as you couldn't have an electrified track. Great idea Techskip!

[MagicWDI]

Originally Posted by techskip

The Shuttle technique would limit the trolley to two cars, if they prove popular then the wait will be rather painful... which is why I had suggested a loop making it easier to add/subtract cars as needed.

So where are they putting the roundhouse?
Currently the San Pedro ones are stored in a large tent, but they hope to eventually build a proper warehouse area for them. They have 2 500's and a 1000 which is an original.

From my understanding the maintenance/storage warehouse will be just off the west side of the waiting area for the Hyperion Theater.

[PragmaticIdealist]

I, personally, hope that the Hollywood cars make their way to D.C.A. since none of them are operating now, except for a few at the Orange Empire Railway Museum and along the waterfront in San Francisco, I think.

The plot of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was built around the Pacific Electric Red Cars. And, the Hollywood cars looked so evocative in that film, especially in the sunset.

[Uncle Bob]

I think these will be great, it will bring life and motion that DCA needs. Steve, I really like the idea of different types of trollys, I hope they do that. I also wanted to note that the wires really are not that imposing, like I said, I drive past them everyday, and they really are not obtrusive. If anything they add to the city feel and the genuine feel of the area and wont be bad IMO.

[Bruce Bergman]

Techskip: If you want a real family excursion, bundle the kids in the car and head out to Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris - check the web link for hours and prices and special events, they do a Thomas The Tank Engine visit annually in November...

June 14 - 15 is going to be a 'get all of them out we can' type day, with everything that can run running.

They have operating restored and open for inspection cars from all the major eras, including the Hollywood cars Steve posted above and other styles that are meant for street-level loading and unloading without a platform. And during their Railfair they'll even take you down in the work pit UNDER the cars and show you how they work, in as much detail as you can stand. (Hard hats supplied.)

I'll bet the main reason San Pedro specified the Interurban 500 series cars is they are working from that old line - which was originally a mixed use Trolley and Freight line that was retained for freight after the trolleys stopped running. And OERM has running examples of the electric freight locomoptives they would have used to run the freight in and out, during the early morning, late morning and afternoon commuter lulls and late evening.

If they put up a passenger platform next to mixed use tracks it has to meet with the current Federal Railway Administration clearance guidelines, or any locomotive or freight car that goes by would hit the platform. That's hard on the train cars, and not too good on the platform either.

Without a platform, they would have had to mount wheelchair lifts to the trolley cars. Practical, but totally blows the period theme.

Disney could spend the big bucks to integrate a 'hidden' WC lift into the cars that would disappear when not in use - they have the ones where the boarding staircase folds flat and turns into the lift platform.

--<< Bruce >>--

Almost missed this, it had already scrolled onto Page Two.

[techskip]

adding motion yes, but more so placing Hollywood within a specific time period and adding substantially to a more immersive theme.

[drb]

How about a Birney Safety Car? The PE used those as well, and they're a whole lot smaller.

[pianoman13]

Originally Posted by techskip

I would hope that at some point pictures like these would grace TR's from inside the park, but until then I thought I would share these... taken at San Pedro Memorial Weekend.

Now the reason I posted this here was to demonstrate several things. San Pedro requested exact replicas of the 500 series. These cars, while small by trolley standards, are HUGE. The station platforms are about 5ft up... So scale at DCA would likely be a problem. The 500's also do not hold a lot of people, so again, scale is an issue. However that said, there is an INCREDIBLE amount of detail in these trolleys, from woodwork to period machinery. The reason the seats have a handle on the side is that they are reversible. Not to plug... but I would gladly consider a Micechat meet to ride these trolleys, except aside from the ride there is not a whole lot to do in San Pedro!

If done properly, the DCA trolley will be enjoyed by kids, and the kid in all of us. My little ones LOVED this ride, and I teared up thinking of the stories my Grandpa used to tell me about his rides when he was their age!

ooohhh! aaaaaahhh!, I'm mezmorized ...seriously

Those look fantastic! I'm hoping for something as beautiful as these or even more. Love all the details, kind of reminds me of the interior of the Lillybelle...