Lowell, Massachusetts
|
|
| The Seashore Trolley Museum's New
Orleans 966 operating in Lowell on June 19, 2003 along with Gomaco
replica 4131. No. 966 is in Lowell as part of an exhibit, On Track:
Transit in the American City in Lowell and Across America, as the
first offering of Seashore's planned branch the National Streetcar
Museum at Lowell. Click
here for
information about the exhibit. |
November, 2011: The long-running study to extend the heritage trolley
system in Lowell has reached a major milestone with the release of a study defining routes,
phasing, estimated finances, and benefits of the project. The project was sponsored by the Lowell Plan business association and
the Lowell National Historical Park. Key participants include the City of Lowell, the University
of Massachusetts, real estate developer Trinity Financial, the Seashore Trolley Museum, and the
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments. Click on the following link to access the report:
Lowell Trolley Study
The following news notes pertain to heritage trolley developments in Lowell:
July, 2007: Gallagher Connection Charette Report Released. The most
difficult infrastructure challenge in building the proposed extensions to the
trolley system is connecting the existing system to the Gallagher commuter rail
and bus terminal, from which MBTA commuter trains to Boston run. This report
outlines several alternatives to the route proposed in the 2003 study (see link
under January, 2003 below) and includes diagrams and cost estimate tables. Click
on the following link to access the report:
Gallagher Connection
Charette Report
January, 2003: Feasibility Study Released. The John A. Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center of Cambridge, MA released the final report of its
study of the feasibility for the expanded Lowell trolley system. Click on the
following link to access the report:
Historic Trolley Planning Study
Follow this link for an Overview of
Lowell's current heritage trolley line.
The following is a column from the Seashore Trolley Museum Dispatch
describing the planned collaboration between Lowell and the museum:
Long Range Possibility: Seashore in Lowell
The below is a project description of the proposed extension to the heritage
trolley line and branch museum:
Lowell Heritage Trolley Extension
Description
Below is an aerial image showing Lowell's current heritage trolley
line. Follow the Historic Planning Study link above to see a map of proposed
routes::
|
|
|
 |
| This view shows the Lowell National HIstoric Park's existing heritage trolley routes superimposed on an aerial view of the city. |
|
|
The following are images of heritage trolleys operating in Lowell:
|
|
|
 |
| Lowell open 1602 pauses in front of the Boott Mills, home to the National Park's operating looms. |
|
 |
| No. 1602 winds between a former mill storage building on the left manufacturing mill on the right, both now being redeveloped. |
|
 |
| A group of park visitors leaves open 1601 as they transition from trolley to canal boat for a continuation of their tour. |
|
 |
| All Lowell cars are double-ended, and all three end points of the T-shaped line are stub ends, such as this one. |
|
 |
| Replica Eastern Massachusetts open car 1601 at the Wannalancit Mills, the current end of line. |
|
|
|
 |
| Car 1601 waits at the end of line on reserved track at the Wannalancit Mills. |
|
 |
| Replica Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway car 4131 makes a rare winter appearance to host dignitaries evaluating the proposed trolley extension pla |
|
 |
| Another view of 4131 crossing the street in snow. |
|
|
In late 2002, the Lowell National Historic Park
implemented an innovative approach to adding accessibility to its replica cars
without altering there exterior appearance.
|
|
|
 |
| The remote control to operate the lift plugs into a socket inside the light fixture. A manual override panel is to the left. |
|
 |
| The operator plugs in the remote control after swinging the car's step out of the way. |
|
 |
| Using the remote control, the operator deploys the lift. |
|
 |
| Will Lavallee, the system designer, pulls out the bridge plates that will go from the car interior to the lift. |
|
 |
| Will demonstrates how one of the plates appears when deployed. A second would be placed closer to the camera. |
|
|
|
 |
| The upper flap on the lift will fold into the car and rest on top of the bridge plates. |
|
 |
| The lift fully extended, with the upper flap positioned where it would hit the bridge plates. |
|
 |
| A wheelchair tie down is beneath a longitudinal seat inside the car. |
|
 |
| Will demonstrates replacing the removable seat section. |
|
|
For more on the Lowell heritage trolley system click on:
|
