Historic Trolleys Almost Scrapped

24 June 2009 - 10:00am

St. Joseph, Missouri, facing low ridership on its historic trolleys, put them in storage. Five years later, the city is unsure what to do with their non-working streetcars.

Last year, someone offered to buy the vehicles for $25,000 apiece, but the city declined the bid. A decision was made last week to ensure that the trolleys will stay in St. Joseph for future use, but it is still unclear what will happen next.

"“If the city doesn’t intend to use them in the next 10 years, sell them. If they will be used, let’s get them out of the transit system,” City Manager Vince Capell told council members.

The city currently lacks the money required to put the two vehicles and their high-mileage diesel engines in working order after almost five years in storage."

Source: St. Joseph News, June 23, 2009
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Short of erasing existing political and jurisdictional boundaries, citizens and officials need to develop the capacity to work across boundaries according to the "problem-sheds" of the land and water issues we face in the 21st century.