Seattle's early era of streetcar service ceased just
before World War II. More than four decades later, a line was
established along the downtown waterfront, and then extended to the
International District. Many popular tourist locations were accessible
to the route. It ran vintage equipment from
Melbourne, Australia. Significant funding was spent to upgrade the line,
including installation of concrete ties. The Waterfront Streetcar has been out of service since
2005. The future of the 1.6 mile route remains unsettled; a new maintenance
facility has to be selected, funded and built before service can resume,
among other issues.
That line had a Metro route number of 99 (which substitute free bus service now
uses). This view from the summer of 1982 shows a car at the Broad Street
Terminal, the northern end of the line. That area has been
transformed by the Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Park, which is
what caused the line's demise. An
overpass for art viewers and others just enjoying the urban scene spans the
busy BNSF rails, closer to the camera, in this immediate vicinity. |
