Page 2 of 2

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 03 Nov 2017 09:50
by muncien
With all that development going on up that way, there has to be a big increase in funds coming in... assuming assessors are doing their job right (which isn't always the case).

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 03 Nov 2017 12:29
by tanzoak
Right now they're using the money to support the Knox Complete Streets project. The MATA extension would be the next logical project (assuming they re-up the district this year). The PID gets $300k a year for a quite small area.

http://www.dallasecodev.org/429/Knox-Street-PID

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 03 Nov 2017 15:16
by joshua.dodd
I believe the funds are coming from federal grants. Since the MATA has taken federal grant money, there have been a lot of changes in the business now that it is under federal mandates. But, as I am aware, the Knox Henderson is going to happen.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 03 Nov 2017 16:00
by tanzoak
Mm as far as I know, there hasn't been any money put towards an extension yet, I don't think? There was a request to NCTCOG earlier this year for $1mil for a study, but I don't know what the status of that is.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 06 Nov 2017 01:51
by electricron
tanzoak wrote:Right now they're using the money to support the Knox Complete Streets project. The MATA extension would be the next logical project (assuming they re-up the district this year). The PID gets $300k a year for a quite small area.

A fair estimate of costs based on twice the MATA extension in downtown Dallas because a Kox extension would be twice as far, would be around $20 million,
Sources of data
https://dartdallas.dart.org/2015/05/04/ ... wn-access/
http://www.apta.com/resources/hottopics ... -Sheet.pdf
Yes, both web sites report nearly $10 million for just 0.65 (2/3rds) mile extension.
An extension loop to Knox up McKinney and down Cole will be at least 1.3 miles in length.
FYI
http://dallascityhall.com/government/ci ... tation.pdf

DART and NCTCOG provided the local match for the FTA funding. Do you think DART would provide more when they'll be asked to fund the Knox-Henderson subway station for this MATA expansion to meet?

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 06 Nov 2017 13:02
by cowboyeagle05
tanzoak wrote:Mm as far as I know, there hasn't been any money put towards an extension yet, I don't think? There was a request to NCTCOG earlier this year for $1mil for a study, but I don't know what the status of that is.


Yeah, that study was funded and all parties are in agreement that they will move the Knox extension along as funding can be gathered for it. MATA wants it, the city wants it and the NTCOG will contribute to its funding as well.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 09 Nov 2017 17:23
by lakewoodhobo
Image

Progress on ex-Toronto PCC #4614 per MATA's Facebook page.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 10 Nov 2017 14:43
by Cbdallas
Does anyone know what happened to EMMA I have not seen her run in a long while.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 10 Nov 2017 17:01
by northsouth
I vaguely recall hearing it had some electrical component fail a few months ago, can't remember where or when though. I'm just glad they're back to having enough operable cars to run three in regular service, instead of just two like they did for a while.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 15 Nov 2017 10:15
by Haretip
New track construction to connect new carban space in the M-Line tower. (Photo from MATA facebook).

Image

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 02:38
by joshua.dodd
Cbdallas wrote:Does anyone know what happened to EMMA I have not seen her run in a long while.


Emma's sitting in the barn. She often has trouble when she goes into service. Nothing has been done with her yet as workers are working on the ex Toronto car at the moment.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 02:40
by joshua.dodd
northsouth wrote:I vaguely recall hearing it had some electrical component fail a few months ago, can't remember where or when though. I'm just glad they're back to having enough operable cars to run three in regular service, instead of just two like they did for a while.


They will be running three cars by January. So far they have only been running two.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 13:58
by cowboyeagle05
Someone needs to make an identification card for the trolley cars. I've been on this forum since middle school and I still don't know the name of the streetcars matched with their appearance and or number. I think the only two I knew for a while was the Green Dragon and Rosie.

The new MATA website has this page now but no pictures...http://mata.org/cars/ Emma isnt even listed on there and I would love to be able to follow things a little easier when they do a social media post about a car every now and then.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 15:52
by Tivo_Kenevil
Don't they have their names on them?

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 16:23
by cowboyeagle05
Some do yes. If you google a few they show up like Rosie and the Green Dragon but since the names are pretty commonplace on the forum on this thread I would appreciate a cheat sheet for referencing when some of you go back and forth like everyone is in on the joke. Like what the name of the metal one the most contemporary one they have been using? I think it's from Belgium or something.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 17:04
by Haretip
Image

The metal contemporary car is Emma or 7169 and is from Belgium. Usually wrapped in a beer advertisement and currently not in service due to a faulty relay. Check this page for car pictures, numbers and names:

http://www.mata.org/aboutus.html

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 17:12
by Tivo_Kenevil
I know the wrapping helps with cost. But that really kills the charm from these beautiful cars

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 18:07
by electricron
Here’s their names with links to their photos.
The Crescent Rose or Rosie (Car 122)
http://mata.org/wp-content/uploads/2017 ... 60-674.jpg
The Green Dragon (Car 186)
http://www.uptowndallas.net/assets/UDI- ... rolley.jpg
Matilda (Car 369)
http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/6 ... 331763.jpg
Putlina (Car 636)
http://www.jtbell.net/transit/images/Da ... Place2.jpg
Betty (Car 754)
http://www.sustainablecitynews.com/wp-c ... .21.23.jpg
Emma (Car 7169)
http://www.sustainablecitynews.com/wp-c ... G_1675.jpg
PCC from Toronto (Car 4614) Has it a name yet?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOJVNJJUMAAFBav.jpg

As for wrappings, only the steel body cars have them that i'm aware of, and that leaves just Emma as being wrapped today. The PCC car will have a steel body, so it will probably get wrapped soon after it's running on the line. Vinyl wrappings don't stick to wood well, thankfully.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 19:18
by northsouth
electricron wrote:PCC from Toronto (Car 4614) Has it a name yet?


From an old comment on the MATA Facebook page, " 612 will be named Margaret, after Margaret Crow, for Trammell Crow's gracious funding support in 612's rebuild." Seems likely to me that they'll transfer the name to 4614.

joshua.dodd wrote:So far they have only been running two.

Huh, a few weeks ago I checked the tracker and they had three cars running. Oh well.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 Nov 2017 23:09
by joshua.dodd
Yeah, the third one was Emma. But she had a malfunction and has been in the barn. She should be running Friday.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 17 Nov 2017 15:04
by Cbdallas
Can't wait to see here again and ride. I somehow never got to ride Emma never was in rotation when I was waiting at the stop.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 28 Nov 2018 11:21
by lakewoodhobo
#4614 making its maiden voyage. Never thought I'd see the Toronto PCC restored.

Screen Shot 2018-11-28 at 11.19.12 AM.jpg

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 28 Nov 2018 11:25
by tamtagon
What's up with the extension to Knox?

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 28 Nov 2018 12:26
by Tivo_Kenevil
I wish modern street cars had better design. The PCC streetcars look so much better, I think because of the use of straight lines.. The modern streetcar in Dallas and in other cities, the Brookville Liberty model, look like Zingers Pastries.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 28 Nov 2018 12:27
by flyswatter
That's one sweet looking car. Looks like a freaking tank too. How big is it compared to Matilda?

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 28 Nov 2018 16:44
by cowboyeagle05
Supposedly the ride is smoother on these PCC cars and it looks like the capacity for connecting lots of rider to Klyde Warren will be a lot better considering ever since the park opened MATA ridership has increased.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 28 Nov 2018 18:46
by Haretip
369 Specs:
• Built: 1913
• Length: 47'10.4"
• Width: 7'6"
• Height: 10'5.6"
• Weight: 21 tons
• Motor: Four MV101 40-horsepower, 600-volt DC motors (

4614
• Built: 1951
• Length: 46'6"
• Width: 8'4"
• Height: 10'3"
• Weight: 19 tons
• Motor: Four WH 1432J 55 horsepower DC motors (220 total HP)

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 30 Jan 2019 10:51
by lakewoodhobo
Posted on the Park District Facebook page, although I'm sure the photo came from MATA.

Image

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 30 Jan 2019 11:29
by LongonBigD
I am digging those white sidewalls!

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 30 Jan 2019 14:59
by Cbdallas
Have not been inside yet but have seen it on the go and it is a beauty. We need more of these and the extension to Knox.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 30 Jan 2019 16:18
by dfwcre8tive
Cbdallas wrote:Have not been inside yet but have seen it on the go and it is a beauty. We need more of these and the extension to Knox.


And need some double-ended cars painted in the Dallas PCC livery (like this one in San Francisco that I see nearly every day).

Image

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 10:39
by art_suckz
My god... I've been waiting for this for soooo long. This makes me happier than D2... cotton belt, platform extensions, 3 car DART trains and the Modern streetcar combined. The only thing I'd get more excited about is the DAL-HOU Shinkansen.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 12:23
by Tivo_Kenevil
What is up with the Mats extension?

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 07 Feb 2019 18:32
by cowboyeagle05
Its probably tied in with delays on the Knox Complete street project. I think the Trolley extension would be a part of the conversion project of converting Cole and Mckinney to two-way streets which was only recently approved for some funding. Please though anyone feel free to correct me where I am wrong.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 19 Feb 2019 15:27
by lakewoodhobo
Seen today. Wow, this thing is massive.

IMG_6255.jpg

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 15:24
by Cbdallas
I am loving this new car and the extra capacity it adds to the system. Hope to some day see this car cross Knox street with the expansion.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 24 Feb 2019 14:17
by cowboyeagle05
These new old cars are great for making MATA a more useful transportation system for Uptown. The smaller cars were cute and a great love but these new old metal streetcars will add capacity and still hold the historical attractiveness that MATA has been able to capitalize on.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 13 May 2020 10:34
by dzh
Just a fun thing, no real update or news:

By the Trader Joe’s on Cole, they’re tearing up the street and you can see the old streetcar rails. What I would give to see streetcars on that part of Cole lol

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 16 May 2020 12:11
by cowboyeagle05
^Well its in the plans to bring it that far eventually. MATA and the city want to go to Knox.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 30 Jan 2023 23:49
by dfwcre8tive
Six ex-Dallas PCC cars are available for sale by the Seashore Trolley Museum.

https://trolleymuseum.org/wp-content/up ... ochure.pdf

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 31 Jan 2023 12:05
by Cbdallas
Somebody get out there checkbook and lets get these and expand our system. How cool to have original Dallas cars on our lines again. If I win Powerball tomorrow night I am doing this!

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 31 Jan 2023 19:55
by northsouth
They actually did buy an old Dallas PCC in 2009. After sitting in temporary storage at the Illinois Railway Museum for a few years, they finally got it down here to start restoring it, only to find that the decades of winter road salt it had dealt with in Boston had caused extensive underframe damage. It was decided it was too far gone to restore, so they had to scrap it and moved on to restore one of the two ex-Toronto cars they bought in the mid-90s that had been sitting around over at the DART yard since then, and successfully restored it to service as car 4614 Margaret.

While I understand why they made the decision they did, I still really wish we had one of the Dallas PCCs restored and running down here. If I won the lottery, my ultimate plan would be start a whole Electric Railway Museum of Texas. I'd get a bunch of the Dallas PCCs, maybe get the 400-series car that went directly from Dallas Railway & Terminal Co. to the Seashore Trolley Museum, get the two surviving Texas Electric Railway locomotives, get the TE interurban that someone restored but converted to diesel and convert it back to electric, track down any other survivors of Texas based traction that survived but needs a good/better home, take a few of DART's cars when they get retired, and if they didn't get scrapped of the locomotives that TXU used at their two East Texas powerplants that private electrified trackage to move coal from the mines/other railways to the plants.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 17 Mar 2023 08:54
by MC_ScattCat
I spoke with someone on the council running for reelection the other night. Apparently DART is in the early works of working on a way to fund/plan connecting the the streetcar system through downtown.

My personal opinion is they need two streetcar lines. One Trinity Groves/Sylvan 30 area to Lowest Greenville and one from The Zoo up through Bishop Arts, Uptown to Knox. Both would go through downtown and complement the DART lines and busses. Also, most of the new apartments and entertainment areas (minus Deep Ellum) would be easily reached without using a car in these congested and hard to park areas.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 17 Mar 2023 09:52
by R1070
East Quarter/Farmers Market through Deep Ellum would be a great connection as well.

Eventually seeing something connect Oak Lawn would be awesome.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 20 Oct 2023 10:57
by Tnexster
Streetcar through downtown Dallas may fill new transportation needs
Project that links the M-Line Trolley to the Bishop Arts streetcar is a generational investment.

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/edit ... ion-needs/

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 22 Oct 2023 14:21
by Hannibal Lecter
Of course there is absolutely no evidence that there's a demand for this, and substantial evidence to the contrary (Hello, Hop-A-Bus).

But hey, it's only the taxpayer's money.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 24 Oct 2023 10:13
by R1070
I do think tourists and non-downtown residents are more likely to hop on a streetcar than a bus since there's tracks and a defined destination. Having more connectivity in the central city through downtown and the adjacent neighborhoods would be nice. I'd take a streetcar around town if it was available. I don't like the bus system here.

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 24 Oct 2023 13:27
by tamtagon
I like taking the trolley

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Posted: 24 Oct 2023 14:12
by dallaz
We already have two streetcar lines. Connecting them is the only way we'll truly make them useful as a complete system. I think it can be successful if done right. Destinations on it are already popular like Bishop Arts, KWP, West Village, etc. KC's streetcar is a model that Dallas should follow.