News Release

Release date: Jan. 10, 2002

Metro Transit rolls out the first of 100 new trolley buses; purchase designed to save $20 million

For more than 60 years, trolley buses traveling on electric wires have been the backbone of transit service in Seattle. Starting Friday, the trolleys of the 21st century begin serving King County Metro Transit passengers.

"I am pleased to announce that the first several of 100 new trolleys are going into service for our passengers as soon as tomorrow morning," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Not only do we have new buses, but we purchased them in such a way that will save the King County taxpayers $20 million."

Sims called the new trolleys the "ultimate recycling project."

Metro purchased new 40-foot trolley buses but without any drive trains. Instead, the existing electric propulsion equipment from the current trolley fleet is being removed, rebuilt and then installed into the new trolley coaches along with upgraded electronics.

That saves Metro about $200,000 per coach, or $20 million for the entire purchase.

Metro General Manager Rick Walsh said much of the current fleet of trolleys went into service in 1979, and the coaches are ready to be retired. Yet, the trolley motors are electric, and well-maintained electric motors last for a long time. Metro's waterfront streetcars still have their original electric motors, and they were built more than 70 years ago.

The newly purchased trolley coaches and the rebuilt motors are being shipped to the Atlantic bus base in Seattle, where Metro employees are assembling the components into completed trolley buses.

"In the new trolleys, everything the customer sees and experiences will be brand new," said Walsh.

Even the color scheme will be new for some riders. The 23-year-old trolleys have Metro's old white-yellow-brown paint scheme. But the new vehicles are painted in the bright blue-green-gold colors of Metro's newer buses.

"Trolley riders need to read destination signs and route numbers carefully for the next few months," said Walsh. "Don't let these new buses pass you by just because they are a different color than you are used to."

Walsh said the new trolleys will be more reliable because of their new electronics and new pole technology that will allow them to stay better connected to the overhead wires.

Sims said another advantage of the trolleys is that they run on electricity instead of diesel, for most -- or the entire -- route.

"This innovative project continues King County's commitment to local air quality," said Sims, "because when the trolleys are running on the wire, they are zero-emission vehicles."

They will be put into service at a rate of one or two trolleys a week. All 100 new vehicles should be on the road by the end of the year.

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