Central Arkansas Transit (http://www.cat.org) received a new streetcar April 6, 2006 from Gomaco in Ida Grove, Iowa, the fourth in its roster. Here are some photos of it (No. 411) arriving in North Little Rock, Arkansas via special flatbed truck and in the trolley barn on Arpil 6.

Also, on April 9, a Sunday, I rode another trolley around the entire system and posted pictures along the way so you can see how the current 2 1/2 mile loop looks. After I did that, I walked along the route of newly laid extension of the streetcar tracks all the way to the Clinton Presidential Center and Park and Heifer International. This will add 3/4 mile to the entire system and is supposed to open in the Fall of this year (2006). Most of those new tracks are now in place and I understand that they are waiting on a special crossover to connect to the current system at Commerce and Second Streets.  No overhead wires are in place yet either.

To view photos of the current entire loop plus the extension tracks, go here:

http://www.trainweather.com/streetcarride040906.html
or: http://tinyurl.com/qforx

If you want to email me, click on:




Coming off Interstate 30 toward the trolley barn April 6, 2006 about 9 a.m. (Courtesy Central Arkansas Transit)


Special tracks were on the flatbed so all they had to do was roll it off. (Courtesy Central Arkansas Transit)


A Gomaco truck. (Photo by Ken Ziegenbein, as are all that follow)


Inside the trolley barn. (Ken Ziegenbein photo)






Inside the new streetcar. Note lights in the center of the ceiling and air conditioning vents on the sides. The photo to follow shows the inside of a current operating streetcar, which was bought in 2004.


Note lighs on the sides in the older trolleys (this was taken on April 9 with a full house). Also see how the air conditioning vents are in the center as opposed to the new car, which has the vents on the sides.



The controller on the new streetcar is state of the art electonics. Note the difference in this controller compared with one on the older cars below.


This controller on the older cars has the notches that the operator pulls and turns to accelerate.  You can hear the clicks as they turn it.


The new streetcar controls.


The 'old' streetcar controls.

Again, to view photos of the current loop plus the extension tracks, go here:

http://www.trainweather.com/streetcarride040906.html

If you want to email me, click on: