[PRCo] MATA

[Bob Rathke]

I'm told by the folks at MATA that they uncovered and used the original rail
on McKinney Avenue when the trolley system was reactivated in the late 80s.
However, by the late 1990s the pavement was in pretty bad shape, especially
in the area where most of the restaurants, apartment buildings and stores
are located, so a couple of years ago they totally replaced the pavement and
rail in that section.  This was a major construction project, and affected
street traffic and trolley service, even shutting it down for a while in
early 2000.

I was in Dallas in October, 2002 and rode the MATA trolleys on the new
extension to the north which ends in the middle of a street near the DART
subway station; they plan to install a turntable there which will allow
operation of the PCCs.  They also have plans to extend the southern end of
the line on a loop in city streets which are adjacent to the DART surface
lines.

MATA apparently is now getting assistance from DART, and so the trolley
rides are free.

Bob 1/3/02

-----------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 1:17 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Loop trackage


>
>
>
> A question concerning McKinney Ave. operation.  Is it really the original
> rail, or was it found necessary to eventually relay most of the track on
> McKinney Ave.???
>
> Just trying to recall a comment heard about ten years ago.  (which means
> it's not a primary source anyway, but second or third hand).
>
> John
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: "Bob Rathke" <bobrathke at attbi.com>
> >Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> >Subject: [PRCo] Loop trackage
> >Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 16:19:00 -0600
> >
> >The new issue of Trolley Fare states that PTM needs to fabricate rail for
> >the loop at the north end of the Museum line.  Did they consider
salvaging
> >loop trackwork from an abandoned trolley line in Pittsburgh, or were the
> >Arden requirements for a larger radius loop?  I suspect that it is easier
> >to fabricate a loop - even from old rail -  rather than trying to remove
> >and renew an old loop. The Route 5 loop still exists under the asphalt
> >pavement on Spring Hill, and the Route 1 loop may still be in place too.
> >
> >Trackage for the McKinney Ave. trolley line in Dallas was under the
> >pavement for about 30 years before it was put back into service.
> >
> >Have a Happy New Year!
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