In another step to alleviate our transportation woes — and help keep our city on the green path — the Seattle Department of Transportation reports that it is successfully testing the first battery-powered streetcar on First Hill.
In a blog post, the SDOT updates us on how it’s going, the crews testing the sky-blue streetcars along a route of about 2.5 miles from Capitol Hill to Pioneer Square.
The cars work with a rechargeable battery system, called OESS (On-Board Energy Storage System). The batteries recharge whenever the streetcar brakes, and on the outbound trip from Pioneer Square to Cap Hill, powered by overhead wires, according to the SDOT.
According to the Stranger’s SLOG, “The long-delayed streetcar performed its first testing run on Capitol Hill yesterday…The streetcar was supposed to open in early 2014; now it’s expected to begin operating this summer.”
The SDOT states that it “expects all of the cars to be ready for service by the end of June,” according to the Seattle Streetcar site. The system will include Capitol Hill, First Hill, Yesler Terrace, Central Area, International District and Pioneer Square.
Follow all the streetcar magic on its Twitter account, its latest posting below:
Did you see #TheStreetcar on Broadway last night? Low speed test completed as we continue startup prep pic.twitter.com/RhSdJ8NFNk
— Seattle Streetcar (@TheStreetcar) May 19, 2015
