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> From the Archives: Hello Trolley! The San Diego Trolley hit the rails 40 years ago
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> sandiego </author/sandiego/>16 hours ago
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> Forty years ago this week, people first San Diego Trolley <//www.sdmts.com/schedules-real-time-maps-and-routes/trolley> Take the 16-mile line between downtown and the San Isidro border. After the inauguration on July 19, electric trams went into normal operation on July 26, 1981.
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> From San Diego Union, Monday, July 20, 1981:
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> Gala Ceremony Celebrate San Diego Trolley
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> Daniel C. Carson
> San Diego Union Staff Writer
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> At yesterday’s colorful international grand opening ceremony, Mayor Wilson welcomed the completion of the San Diego Trolley as the cheapest mass transit system of its type built in the United States in 40 years.
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> State Transport Director Adriana Janturco, who called the light rail transit line between downtown San Diego and the border a “pioneering effort,” said at a news conference that she would help the state fund the extension of the line. “It’s pretty optimistic,” he said. In East County.
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> However, in a later interview, Gianturco said that San Diegan must also contribute financially to the expansion of the light rail route when federal subsidies are reduced and state funding for mass transit projects is limited. He said he might have to. She said that providing transportation is the responsibility of federal and state agencies as well as local governments.
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> The hot sun brightened yesterday’s festival and attracted a crowd of politicians, local and suburban media, railroad enthusiasts and tourists on the afternoon of a free excursion to the US-Mexico border with speech, music and trolleys. At several locations along the 16-mile route through South Bay, spectators stared at the fast-moving red car and waved.
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> San Diego Union, July 20, 1981, p. A-3.
> (San Diego Union)
> Among the officials who attended yesterday’s ceremony was Hector Luteros, director of tourism in Baja California, representing Governor Roberto de la Madrid who did not attend. Mayor of Tijuana Roberto Andrade Salazar; Secretary of State of Business and Transport Linschenk. Congressman Wadie Deddeh, D-Chula Vista; Senji Ellis, State, R-San Diego.
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> The list of senior officials includes county overseer Tom Hamilton, San Diego City Councilors Lucy Kiria and Leon Williams, Lemon Grove Councilor Robert Burns and Chula Vista Mayor Will Hyde, all of whom are Metropolitan Transportation. I am a member of the development committee. Within 30 months, MTDB built a $ 85.8 million light rail system, enabling regular service launch on July 26th.
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> Especially absent from the podium in front of the city were State Senator Jim Mills, D-San Diego, who is the author of many of the state laws that made the project possible. Mills himself is a rail enthusiast and seems to still have a feud with MTDB over the name of the line. I don’t think this is preferable because rail systems that run on overhead lines are not technically “trolleys.”
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> During the short speech that began the grand opening, Wilson called Mills’ absence unfortunate. “He deserves to be here because he deserves a great deal of credit for this project,” said the mayor.
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> He also honored past and present MTDB Chairs Judith Bauer and former San Diego Councilor Maureen O’Connor. “They are small, but don’t be fooled,” he said, referring to their efforts to realize the project and keep it on time and on budget.
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> Wilson, wearing a tie with a trolley and a “hello trolley” button, told the audience that it was ironic that the West German trolley car returning to Southern California was painted red. The last trolley, which disappeared in 1961 from normal operation in Southern California operated by the Pacific Electric Railway in Los Angeles, was commonly known as the “Red Car.”
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> “This was a very good idea many years ago,” Wilson said. It’s a good idea that time has come again. “
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> From the Archives: Hello Trolley! The San Diego Trolley hit the rails 40 years ago Source link <//www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/local-history/story/2021-07-20/from-the-archives-hello-trolley-the-san-diego-trolley-hit-the-rails-40-years-ago>From the Archives: Hello Trolley! The San Diego Trolley hit the rails 40 years ago