The Whitehorse Waterfront Trolley was a
heritage streetcar service in
Whitehorse,
Yukon, Canada.
[
][
]
The line used a single reconditioned
trolley
Trolley may refer to:
Vehicles and components
* Tram, or trolley or streetcar, a rail vehicle that runs on tramway tracks
* Trolleybus, or trolley, an electric bus drawing power from overhead wires using trolley poles
** Trolleytruck, a trolleyb ...
which carried tourists along Whitehorse's waterfront along the
Yukon River. It ran from the Rotary Peace Park, located on the south end of the
city centre
A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...
, up to the Roundhouse.
The trolley was first put into operation in 2000. The electricity to power its electric motors comes not from
overhead trolley wires, but instead from a
diesel generator. The car ran each year from July to September.
Car 531 details
The car originally served the
trolley/streetcar system of Lisbon, Portugal, from 1925 to 1978. In 1978 it was sold by
CCFL to a railway museum in
Duluth. In 1999 it was sold to Whitehorse and restored by
Historic Railway Restoration
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
of
Arlington, WA
Arlington is a city in northern Snohomish County, Washington, United States, part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The city lies on the Stillaguamish River in the western foothills of the Cascade Range, adjacent to the city of Marysville. It i ...
.
The trolley is a
narrow gauge vehicle, and ran on the track built for the
White Pass and Yukon Route. It has a capacity of 24 passengers.
[ This single- truck (4-]wheel
A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle Bearing (mechanical), bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the Simple machine, six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction wi ...
s on 2-axle
An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearing ...
s), double-ended trolley car
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
was previously owned by Lake Superior Railroad Museum
The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Duluth, Minnesota, United States.
Opened in 1973, the museum focuses on railroading in the Lake Superior region. It is housed in the restored Duluth Union Depot complex.
The museum al ...
, which still owns sister car 530, and both cars were originally used by '' Companhia de Carris de Ferro de Lisboa (Carris)'' in Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, Portugal.
Stations
* Spook Creek (Not in use in 2018)
* Jarvis Street (Not in use in 2018)
* Library and Cultural Centre (Request only) (Not in use in 2018)
* Trolley Roundhouse
* White Pass
* Visitor Information Centre
* Rotary Park
Until 2018, it ran daily from noon until four o'clock. A complete trip, viewing all stations, took approximately 15 minutes. The car is stored in a roundhouse/train shed at 1127 First Avenue (end of Wood Street).
Cancellation of service
While repairs to the track aimed to have service resumed by mid-summer 2018, it was announced the trolley would not operate in the 2018 season. In April 2018, the Yukon Government announced they would cease funding the trolley due to its financial burden. Shortly after, in June 2019, track infrastructure was still deteriorating and considered a hazard. One month later, near the end of July 2019, tracks in several areas were lifted.
See also
* List of heritage railways in Canada
* Generator car
References
External links
Whitehorse Waterfront Trolley
at ExploreNorth. September 2000.
{{Heritage Streetcars
Heritage railways in Yukon
Heritage streetcar systems
Transport in Whitehorse
Streetcars in Canada
3 ft gauge railways in Canada
Railway services introduced in 2000
Railway services discontinued in 2018
Railway lines closed in 2019
J. G. Brill Company