Silver Line (San Diego Trolley)

Silver Line
Car 529 at Convention Center station (March 2014).
Overview
StatusOperating holidays
OwnerMetropolitan Transit System
LocaleSan Diego, California
Termini12th & Imperial
Stations9
WebsiteSan Diego Vintage Trolley
Service
TypeHeritage streetcar
SystemSan Diego Trolley
Operator(s)San Diego Trolley, Inc.
Rolling stock
Ridership2,098 (FY 2022)[4]
History
OpenedAugust 27, 2011 (2011-08-27)[5]
Technical
Line length2.7 mi (4.3 km)[6]
Number of tracksTravels on only 1 track of 2
CharacterUnidirectional clockwise at-grade loop around Downtown San Diego
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 600 V DC
Operating speed45 mph (72 km/h) (max)[7]
Route map
Silver Line highlighted in Silver
proposed extension
to Balboa Park
Zoo Place
Prado
Naval Medical Center
Presidents Way
I-5 (1961).svg I-5
San Diego High School
Park Boulevard
 
Fifth Avenue
City College San Diego International Airport (via City College station (San Diego))
Civic Center
Park & Market
San Diego International Airport (via America Plaza station) America Plaza
12th & Imperial
Seaport Village
Storage &
Maintenance Yard
Convention Center
Gaslamp Quarter
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible

The Silver Line is a 2.7-mile (4.3 km) heritage streetcar line operated by the San Diego Trolley, an operating division of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). It currently operates the "downtown loop"; a circle of tracks around downtown San Diego, and is operated using renovated historic vehicles. The line is one of five lines in the trolley system, sharing tracks with other lines; the other four lines are the Blue, Orange, Green, and Copper lines.

History

The Silver Line is the fourth line in the San Diego Trolley system as well as the first circular route, with service beginning in 2011. Planning for the Silver Line dates back to the early 1990s, upon the completion of the Downtown Loop, consideration was given to providing a downtown trolley service that circles around the loop. MTS (then MTDB) originally considered using three Vienna Class N1 cars formerly used on the Stadtbahn in the Austrian city of Vienna, but their age and limited power proved incompatible with the present trolley system, and renovations to make them so were considered unfeasible.[8]

Eventually, in 2005, MTS would settle on using PCC streetcars, which were formerly used by the San Diego Electric Railway, San Diego's former transit service, in the 1930s and 40s. Between 2005 and 2010, MTS acquired six PCC streetcars formerly used in San Francisco and Philadelphia, and would partner with the San Diego historic streetcar society,[9] a non-profit organization developed to educate the public of the history of the San Diego Electric Railway, to help restore these streetcars for use on the eventual line.[1]

In early 2011 the first of these streetcars, Car 529, was completed and the inauguration of the Silver Line was held on August 27, 2011.[5][10] Restoring this car for use in the trolley system required over 3,000 volunteer hours and $850,000 in donations.[11] For the first two weeks of the vintage trolley's run, riders who boarded at 12th & Imperial Transit Center received "commemorative tickets" to use for boarding the trolley.[6][10] Due to the limited amount of streetcars, initial service for the line was limited to weekends and holidays every 30 minutes between the hours of 10 am to 2 pm. On December 20, 2011, service was expanded to Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm as well as weekends and holidays from 11 am to 3:30 pm. It was expected that more service hours would be added upon the completion of additional streetcars.[10]

In 2015, the line was renamed the SDG&E Silver Line after San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) provided a grant to help restore streetcar number 530. However, this is no longer the case. The utility company also sponsors a 3rd-grade history curriculum that includes free rides on the line.[2]

From April 12, 2020, until July 2021, all Silver line operations were suspended after five bus operators ended up testing positive for COVID-19.[12][13] The Silver Line returned for public service on Saturdays and Sundays on July 3, 2021 after more than a year of non-operation.[14][15]

Operations

Due to the limited amount of streetcars, service for the line as of January 2024 only operates every hour on select holidays from 9:07 am (pull out) and 5:07 pm (pull in).[14]

Ridership

Due to its limited days and hours of operation, and due to some service interruptions throughout 2014, the Silver Line transported just 29,104 riders during FY 2014.[16] In FY 2015, 32,944 riders rode the Silver Line according to the MTS.[17]

Stations

See also: List of San Diego Trolley stations

As the heritage PCC streetcars are single-ended, the Silver Line operates one-way in a clockwise-only rotation around downtown San Diego.[6][18]

Station Location Connections[19]
12th & Imperial East Village, San Diego
Gaslamp Quarter Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego  Green Line
Convention Center Marina, San Diego  Green Line
Seaport Village Marina, San Diego
America Plaza Core, San Diego
Civic Center Core, San Diego  Blue Line and  Orange Line
Fifth Avenue Core, San Diego
City College East Village, San Diego
Park & Market East Village, San Diego

Rolling stock

The Silver Line began service in August 2011 with one operational heritage 1946 Presidents Conference Committee (PCC) streetcar, Car #529.[7][9] The vehicle had pantograph current collection equipment added, as the overhead power lines that MTS operates are not compatible with trolley poles that the PCC streetcars were originally equipped with. The car retained its trolley poles, however, for visual effect.

In March 2014, MTS took possession of a second 1946 Presidents Conference Committee (PCC) streetcar, destined to join the Silver Line fleet as Car #530.[20][21] Restoration work on this trolley car, aided by a grant from San Diego Gas & Electric, took one year, and Car #530 entered service on the Silver Line on March 2, 2015, as part of the centennial celebrations for Balboa Park.[2]

The first San Diego Trolley vehicle, Siemens–Duewag U2 unit 1001, has also been restored for use on the Silver Line. It was unveiled on July 11, 2019.[3]

Legend
Color Key
In service Stored Scrapped Preserved
Image Fleet number Model Built Heritage Tenure on SDTI Status
Current Silver Line trolleys
529 PCC streetcar 1946 Ex-MUNI 1122, nee-SLPS 1716[22] 2011-present On the roster
530 Ex-Rockhill Trolley Museum, nee-Baltimore Streetcar Museum, nee-PSCT/TNJ/NJT 10, nee-TCRT 329[23] 2015-present
1001 Siemens-Duewag U2[24] 1980 First car of the San Diego Trolley 1981-2015; 2019-present
Unused trolleys
6888 Vienna Class N-1 1954 ex-Vienna Stadtbahn NH 6888, NH 6890, and NH 6891, nee- 2882, 2950 and 2951 1992-2005 Donated to the San Diego Electric Railway Association in 2005[25]
6890
6891
530 PCC streetcar 1945 ex-MUNI 1123, nee-SLPS 1728. Not restored; used for parts for cars 529 and 530;[26] subsequently scrapped.[27]
531 1946 ex-MUNI 1170, nee-SLPS 1777 2006-2013 Donated to the San Diego Electric Railway Association in 2013, now numbered "SDER 539".[28]
532 1948 Ex-PTC/SEPTA 2186[29] Not restored. It was renumbered to 531 in around 2014[30] as part of unimplemented plans to restore it.[31] It has since been scrapped.[27]
533 1947 Ex-PTC/SEPTA 2785 Used as spare parts car;[32][33] currently extant.[27]

Additional streetcars

MTS had longer-term plans to restore an additional five PCC streetcars to expand heritage streetcar service operations. Car #531, a former SEPTA PCC manufactured in 1948, has also been funded for restoration at the MTS PCC shop, but has not made its debut on the line yet. It is yet to be announced if these streetcars will be restored for service operations.[1]

Future

Main article: San Diego Trolley § Future

One of the future proposals for trolley expansion is to potentially extend the Silver Line from Downtown up towards Balboa Park and the Uptown communities.[34] MTS began work in March 2011 on a study to evaluate the feasibility of reconnecting Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo and Downtown San Diego through a fixed-guideway, electrified 1.5-mile (2.4 km) streetcar line.[35] The project study corridor runs between the City College Trolley Station area, and Balboa Park, in the vicinity of the San Diego Zoo.[36] An alignment similar to the proposed one was last served by a streetcar system in 1949 on Line 7 (Park Boulevard-University Avenue to East San Diego) & Line 11 (Park Boulevard-Adams Avenue to Kensington).[37][38][39]

In October 2012, MTS released a study to evaluate the feasibility of reconnecting Balboa Park and downtown San Diego via an electrified streetcar corridor. The main issue is crossing the I-5 highway. There is insufficient space between the north-south lanes of Park Boulevard to insert two tracks, and the existing structure is not strong enough to bear the weight of a full LRV were the line extended further north into the high-traffic Hillcrest area. So, there are significant construction/cost/expansion concerns.[35]

This study was the first step in the process of constructing such a project. An initial timeline offered in the study for the project's completion was 5 years.[35] Since October 2012, no further action has been taken.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Discovering Old PCCs". San Diego Vintage Trolley, Inc. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Restored Trolley from 1946 Makes Public Debut on Silver Line". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. March 2, 2015. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "First Ever Trolley Goes Back into Service". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. July 12, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  4. ^ "San Diego Metropolitan Transit System POLICY 42 PERFORMANCE MONITORING REPORT" (PDF). MTS. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Vintage trolley rolling out; 1949 all over again". The San Diego Union-Tribune. August 17, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  6. ^ a b c "Route Map and Fares". sdvintagetrolley.com. San Diego Vintage Trolley, Inc. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Metropolitan Transit System PCC Light Rail Vehicle" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. February 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  8. ^ P. Allen Copeland. "San Diego and the PCC Streetcar" (PDF). San Diego Vintage Trolley, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  9. ^ a b "San Diego Vintage Trolley Website". San Diego Vintage Trolley, Inc. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  10. ^ a b c "MTS Unveils Vintage Trolley and Silver Line for Service to Public on Saturday, August 27th!". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. August 25, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  11. ^ "News Releases". San Diego Vintage Trolley, Inc. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  12. ^ Matt Boone (April 10, 2020). "MTS drivers call out sick en mass[sic] after 5 test positive for COVID-19". 10News. Scripps Broadcast Group. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  13. ^ "San Diego Trolley Coronavirus Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Vintage Trolley". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Jacob Mandel [@TallDarknJewish] (July 1, 2021). "Tram car SAN DIEGO: The @sdmts Silver Line returns just in time for the holiday weekend! The Downtown Loop begins service this Saturday (7/3) from 12th & Imperial Station, departing every 30 minutes" (Tweet). Retrieved July 3, 2021 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "MTS Announces a Record 95 Million Passengers Rode the Bus and Trolley in FY 2014". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. August 19, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  17. ^ "MTS Announces Consecutive Years of Record Ridership With Nearly 97 million Passengers in FY 2015". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. October 1, 2015. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  18. ^ "San Diego Vintage Trolley – The "Silver Line"". sdera.org. San Diego Electric Railway Association. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  19. ^ "Regional Transit Map" (PDF) (Map). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. October 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  20. ^ "MTS Takes Delivery of Historic Vintage Trolley PCC #530". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. March 2, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  21. ^ Dwane Brown (March 3, 2015). "San Diego MTS Working To Restore Vintage Trolley Car For Silver Line Service". KPBS. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  22. ^ "San Diego Vintage Trolley 529". www.bera.org. Branford Electric Railway Association. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  23. ^ "San Diego Vintage Trolley 530". www.bera.org. Branford Electric Railway Association. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  24. ^ "San Diego Vintage Trolley 530". www.bera.org. Branford Electric Railway Association. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  25. ^ "Vienna Cars - Part 2 - San Diego Electric Railway Association". www.sdera.org. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  26. ^ Mueller, Kevin (September 29, 2016). "San Diego - Car on leeft is ex-St Louis - MUNI PCC numbered 530 being stripped for parts. On the right is ex Twin Cities ex Newark PCC 530 September 29, 2016 (4)". Flickr. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  27. ^ a b c Hicks, Frank (August 28, 2024). "Preserved Traction: The San Diego Heritage Fleet Contracts". Preserved Traction. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  28. ^ "San Francisco Municipal Railway 1170". www.bera.org. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  29. ^ "Pictures of SDTI 532". rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  30. ^ Hicks, Frank (September 20, 2017). "Preserved Traction: San Diego PCC update". Preserved Traction. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  31. ^ "Timepoints Volume 130" (PDF). Rapid Transit Press. July–September 2016. p. 13. Retrieved July 31, 2025. Work has begun on San Diego Vintage Trolley PCC 531 which will be the third and final PCC rebuilt for the Silver Line which operates in Downtown San Diego. Car 531 began life as SEPTA 2186 and has been stripped to bare metal for the restoration. Crews expect to have the car completed by late 2017. 531 joins SDVT 529, ex-MUNI 1122, and 530, ex-New Jersey Transit 10. SDVTA also has former SEPTA 2785 and MUNI 1123 which will be used as parts to keep the other PCCs operational.
  32. ^ "Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 2785". www.bera.org. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  33. ^ Mueller, Kevin (September 29, 2016). "San Diego - Ex - SEPTA 2785 parts car for San Diego PCC 531 - September 29, 2016". Flickr. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  34. ^ "Trolley madness". San Diego Uptown News. December 20, 2010. Archived from the original on November 19, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  35. ^ a b c "MTS City/Park Streetcar Feasibility Study". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. October 9, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  36. ^ "MTS Streetcar Proposed Alignment Map". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Archived from the original (gif) on May 11, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  37. ^ "Steering Committee Presentation & Discussion" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. April 5, 2011. p. 3. Retrieved July 6, 2011 – via sdmts.com/inside-mts-current-projects/streetcar-feasibility-study.
  38. ^ "STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING No. 2 PRESENTATION" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2011 – via sdmts.com/inside-mts-current-projects/streetcar-feasibility-study.
  39. ^ "Steering Committee Presentation & Discussion No. 3 Presentation" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Retrieved December 17, 2011 – via sdmts.com/inside-mts-current-projects/streetcar-feasibility-study.
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