Why Is The DC Streetcar 

I think the negative public perception of the H Street streetcar has put stigma on streetcars in general in DC, preventing the future expansion of streetcars, and blocking the one thing to make the streetcar actually good. Which is a shame, because streetcars can be amazing if done right.

The DC Streetcar is to me a symptom of modern American cities feigning an interest in rail-based public transport, but creating it in such a minimal way, that it is ultimately a useless gadget doing more harm than good. There are countless such tiny lines springing up all over the US that have very limited potential and low ridership. Such a service is no better than an express bus, or maybe even a regular bus. If you want to do a surface streetcar, commit to it and build big. A tiny, two-mile, straight line or a downtown loop isn't going to make much of a difference and I think actually hurts the reputation of rail transport more than it does good, with it being then viewed as expensive, slow, under-utilised and useless for any substantial journeys.

Building trolley or light rail lines that do not go where people want to go is not a good place to spend transit capital dollars. If the line gets built and then people do not use it only makes it harder to get more lines or as you stated getting more dollars to expand the line to provide a more meaningful destination. Planers must insist that the line gets built only if there is a reasonable chance for meaningful ridership.

As planned, the H-Benning streetcar was intended to be extended west of WUS (Washington Union Station) near the western extreme of K-Street NW near Whitehurst Pkwy. As such, the concept was to connect a special redevelopment district ─ the H-Street NE / Benning Rd Corridor ─ to the Georgetown district, with some dedicated pathway along K-St, thereby creating a fixed-guideway cross-town line. The primary issue is in garnering the massive needed funding, as well as in dealing with political pushback and NIMBYs along that route extension. Without that much longer western leg, the H-Benning streetcar line is basically a mere transit toy. I rode it several times in 2018. Another issue is that its connection with WUS is very inconvenient, due to the extended distance between the Hopscotch Bridge (H-St bridge) streetcar termination and the WUS concourse ─ pretty much a good walk. The proposed Benning Rod extension to the Metro will help connect the line on the east (past Oklahoma Ave. and across the Anacostia River) to the WMATA rapid transit network, but as is stands now, the streetcar start-up project has remained mostly stillborn, except for a 2+mile "demonstration" (as it were). Otherwise, the line serves only riders local to the H-Benning corridor. Without the western extension in full or in part (as with a more recent proposal), I just don't foresee the line every attaining its full potential ─ not even close.

It was supposed to be MUCH larger, but then some people blocked it.

Considering how long it took them to get this short line up and running, their grand vision of 35 miles of line would take around 150 years to realize.

I remember DC streetcars 70 years ago. Capitol Transit. DC Transit. All over the city.

I literally live down the street from that thing. I barely ride it as it is. DC was supposed to have streetcars throughout the city but they canned the Georgetown extension and going forward with the less needed eastern expansion to Benning (M) station.

I would like to think if DC built more street car lines there would be less hate for the H Street line. Maybe not. I also find the argument that the H Street line only serves H Street as....interesting.

The non-connection to Union Station is a disgrace. I think any engineer, architect, etc., who designs a transit project should have to walk through a full-size mockup of the facility with a couple of suitcases and two children under 8 years old. If that had been done with the DC streetcar, they may have worked harder to find a way to get the line to go into the station itself. That would allow for connections with Amtrak, MARC, VRE and the Metro Red Line. Putting people off the car on a stupid bridge that's exposed to the weather is asinine.

I quite enjoyed riding the DC Streetcar end to end. It was the first time I had ridden a streetcar.

Hearing Caleb use the term ragequit was delightfully unexpected. It’s hard for me to even imagine what that would look like coming from one of the least rageful and most patient creators on youtube lmao

been to DC a lot and never knew it had a streetcar! ill def check it out soon!

DC streetcars still ran when I was a kid. Loved getting it at Chevy Chase to go into town. Those under street pickup shoes for power were a treat.

Thank you for bringing us this very interesting video presentation, it is a shame that the streetcar isn't quite as good as it could be but these facilities do have great potential and one hopes that it could be extended further out where it could gain greater patronage. The streetcars where I live are having an extension built and is due to open for public use in Spring of next year, the part that is presently in use is immensely popular. Of course these systems have great environmental credentials.

2:12 Ethiopic Restaurant is fantastic btw!

Nothing like Toronto ❤ we kept most of our network

American streetcars tend to be let down by a lack of strong priority at traffic signals. Just permitting greater priority at signals for late streetcars would go a long way towards making the lines more attractive, by allowing them to tighten up the schedules. As it stands, they don't really demonstrate any of the inherent advantages of streetcars compared to buses.

I believe the streetcar is going to be extended across the bridge, when they rehabilitate it, to meet with the blue line.

The issue is they put the streetcar in the right lane in an area where Uber drivers and food pickups mean people park with their hazards there. If DC had put it in the left lane or, better, given it its own lane, the streetcar would probably be booming and they'd be mocking up plans to add more. Instead, its slower than walking due to long stops and having to follow traffic.

I would like to ride this!

Hopefully the Georgetown line does materialize one of these days, I have hope!

i wonder if there’s a streetcar network that is both modern and as efficient like the legacy streetcar networks?

This is by far the worst designed line, middle of a bridge to no where, didn’t even go far enough to link with the metro. Plus the cars (I’ve worked on them) are some of the most thrown together thing ever! With that being said, no one can deni what it has brought to the community, The areas along the line have increased in price and is coming back. (New building, restraints, stores, ex) This is what rail transportation does. No matter how it’s set it. It’ll bring something to a community with opportunity.

have you been to the Connecticut trolley museum?

Answer: why not True answer: they built it with good bones so they could extend it and become based and transit pilled

I’m only p!ssed they should’ve built the original lines instead of just h st, also would hate it if the streetcar beside what it is now, doesn’t become a loop around the city like many others that have made their streetcar lanes look like a downtown transit way that doesn’t even connect curtain neighborhoods. Only downtown regions. Regardless, they need to take notes from Europe. They have potential, BUT anything made in the states isn’t well thought out, but I can dream though.

The question is: How is the DC Streetcar?

The problem with modern "streetcars" in America is that they are used to gentrify older areas by offering a retro-futuristic version of America that barely existed for a few years and... nothing more. They aren't built as suburban to downtown commuter lines like they should... And they aren't used as BRT replacements like they should... Or even pre-metro style half-hearted attempts at full mass transit... It's a sad jack of all trades master of none prospect really... And it's not the trains fault... Just the planners of the systems that aren't entirely honest about their intentions... Still it looks cool and all! ;-)

First?

People took one look at the disruption of business and traffic and wanted no parts of it. Similar to when the green line was being built in the 80’s. Folks and new transplants weren’t here to see how businesses were impacted and crashed during that construction. So the NIMBYs won’t let that service be great. It was supposed to go from Union Station to Minnesota Ave/Deanwood area which is largely void of public transportation and could use it to revitalize that corridor between deanwood and Ft DuPont.

Metrobus X2 >>>> Dc Streetcar😂

Wearing a mask out in the open like that? Really? Have we learnt nothing over the past 2 years?

I like the street car but definitely needs expansion in both directions.