The streetcar is one of the modes of public transportation that is having a major comeback. Streetcars are a temporary electric train that travels across the roadway. Some operate by connecting to an overhead electric cable. Although they were popular in the early 1900s across the US the popularity of streetcars declined by midcentury. After 2000, the streetcar experienced an emergence in the US and there were a myriad of cities planning and building new streetcar networks. The definition of streetcars is a bit hazy, especially when compared with light rail. The American Public Transportation Association, an international trade organization defines streetcars as a type of light rail. But, it's not always that straightforward. It's possible to mix and match the ones you build in cities. Whenever you are looking a full report on streetcar, click over here. In general the term streetcar refers to a train that is a train that is made into streets, which means it travels alongside cars for much of its journey. This is a photograph of a streetcar within Portland's system. Streetcars are different from light rail trains which tend to have their own tracks, set aside from the road. Below is a photograph of the Minneapolis lightrail that is operated on tracks set aside from the road. Certain light rail systems mix on-road tracks and tracks that are separate from cars. Streetcars also make more stops, and cover less distance altogether with frequent stops. Streetcars are also shorter single-vehicle trains. Light rail trains are often many cars long and travel a greater distance with smaller stops than streetcars. Light rail and streetcars both have different purposes. Streetcars are smaller and are able to move people out of suburbs. Light rail generally more extensive, while streetcars can be used to move people around busy areas in a city. Light rail is, in fact, not lighter than dark. It's lighter than heavy. Rail systems with heavy weights can hold more people than light rail systems and they are the ones that most urban commuters know. Here's an example of one of the subways in New York City. What's the story behind streetcars?In the early 1800s, horse-drawn streetcars were popular across a number of cities. New York City is home to the first streetcar drawn by horses that runs on the rails of the road. It opened in 1832. South Bend, Indiana claims to be the first electric streetcar in the United States. Its line opened in 1882. According to Smithsonian Institution records, streetcars were popular in America in the early 1900s. They covered over 45,000 miles and carried millions of passengers by 1917. However, popularity has declined and is now the issue of much debate. Some have suggested that automakers systematically destroyed electric mass public transportation. In 1974, the Senate held hearings on this, and Senate counsel Bradford Snell testified that GM caused the demise of electric public transit in 45 cities. This tale is sometimes called the "streetcar conspiracy." The conspiracy is believed to have inspired a plot in the 1988 film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" Judge Doom, played by Christopher Lloyd, is the antagonist in the film. He invests in Los Angeles' streetcar system so that cars can take over. The story of the conspiracy is retold many times in news articles as well as an 1996 PBS documentary.
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