First Look at the New Dallas Streetcar

Roy Appleton reports on the first look at the new Dallas streetcar, which will be track tested before an April 13 opening for the route connecting Union Station and Oak Cliff, near Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

"About half as long as the typical DART light rail car, the $4.5 million vehicle is one of two cars that will launch the downtown-Oak Cliff line," reports Appleton. "And they are ground-breakers: the first battery-powered streetcars built in the U.S."

The streetcar will run on electricity through an overhead wire, switching to battery power when running on the Houston Street Viaduct over the Trinity River.

Appleton also reports on the funding details for the system: "A $23 million federal stimulus grant that year brought the city, DART and the North Central Texas Council of Governments together as project partners. The city owns the line, DART will operate it and the council of governments has been the funding conduit." Appleton notes that the DART board recently voted to consider a contract to extend the line south to the Bishop Arts District. An extension east to the Omni Hotel has already been planned.