Metro Streetcar

Metro Streetcar
Two Metro streetcars pause at the HAM stop in June 2005
Overview
Type	Heritage streetcar
System	Rock Region Metro
Locale	Little Rock, Arkansas
Termini	North Little Rock (north) Presidential Library (south)
Stations	15
Daily ridership	340
Website	METRO Streetcar
Operation
Opened	November 1, 2004
Owner	Rock Region Metro
Operator(s)	Rock Region Metro
Rolling stock	5 cars
Technical
Line length	3.4 mi (5.5 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	600 V DC, overhead trolley wire
Route map Main at 7th Trolley barn Maple at 6th Main at 5th Maple at Broadway Verizon Plaza 120 Main Main Street Bridge over Arkansas River Main Street Bridge Blue Line to North Little Rock Markham at Scott West Markham at Spring President Clinton Ave. at Commerce 2nd at Spring 2nd at Scott no service after 5:45 pm Commerce at 3rd 3rd at Commerce Presidential Library/ Heifer Internatioinal This diagram: This diagram:

The Metro Streetcar, formerly known as the River Rail Streetcar, is a heritage streetcar system operating in Little Rock and North Little Rock in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It has operated since November 1, 2004. After the 2007 expansion of the system, the Metro Streetcar network is 3.4-mile (5.5 km). The Metro Streetcar is operated by Rock Region Metro.

By the 1890s, Little Rock, had begun to grow out into the countryside of Pulaski County, in large part, due to the construction of a street railway system. Similar to many other cities in the South after the Civil War, Little Rock’s lack of development attracted businessmen eager to take advantage of expected economic growth in real estate, banking, and other merchant ventures. Little Rock's first horsecar line (horse tramway) opened in 1876. Horsecars operated until 1895. Steam-powered streetcars operated between July 3, 1888, and 1889. The construction of street railways in the United States began to overlap with real estate and banking enterprises as the lines electrified in the late 1880s and early 1890s. Electric traction in Little Rock was introduced on December 23, 1891, after consolidation by a company formed to run the streetcar system exclusively. Eventually, that company was bought by Arkansas Power & Light. Electric streetcars operated until September 1, 1947, extending as far west as the city's Hillcrest and Stifft's Station neighborhoods.

What is now named the Metro Streetcar opened on November 1, 2004, as the River Rail Streetcar, operated by the Central Arkansas Transit Authority. Phase I consisted of a single 2.5-mile (4.0 km) long line that connects two cities, Little Rock and North Little Rock, situated on opposite sides of the Arkansas River.

The line carried 200,000 passengers in its first year of operation.

In January 2006, construction began on Phase II, which was a 0.9-mile (1.4 km) extension to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Heifer International headquarters. This section opened on February 16, 2007, with a ribbon cutting by Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines, Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, and North Little Rock Mayor Pat Hays. The extension increased the length of the line by about 33%, making the total mileage 3.4 miles (5.5 km).