Streetcars?...

GuestOmaha · Post by **GuestOmaha** » Fri May 08, 2009 9:17 am

I heard something interesting the other day...there's someone looking into getting a franchise from the city to build a streetcar system, and at least the first part would be up and running in like 2 years.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Fri May 08, 2009 9:42 am

I don't know how one would franchise a streetcar since it would be city run.

justnick · Post by **justnick** » Fri May 08, 2009 9:50 am

DTO Luv wrote:I don't know how one would franchise a streetcar since it would be city run.

Would a private company or something be able to pull it off? Maybe that's what they mean. (and how awesome that would be - wishful thinking)

GuestOmaha · Post by **GuestOmaha** » Fri May 08, 2009 9:58 am

not city run - a private company. Â The person I heard this from said it was looked at and with the 5 main routes, it would make a profit...and they wouldn't do that much in loans but actually raise money by selling equity in the company.

and personally, I would not mind for a private company to do it cuz then we wouldnt have to worry about the city or MAT screwing it up lol

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Fri May 08, 2009 10:04 am

I'll believe it when I see see it but it sounds highly unlikely to me. For a private company to put something in city owned property (the streets) it would take some sort of compromise of control and planning since putting in a streetcar, potentially without regards to what the city has already made plans for, might not work best.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Fri May 08, 2009 12:23 pm

I don't know, we used to have a privately held streetcar company in the city.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Fri May 08, 2009 12:45 pm

icejammer wrote:I don't know, we used to have a privately held streetcar company in the city.

True, not to say it couldn't happen again but I see a lot of challenges to that happening that would need to change.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Fri May 08, 2009 12:52 pm

The city could just grant easements in the right-of-ways for the streetcar tracks and utilities, much like they do for privately owned gas pipelines, fiber optic, cable TV, etc. There would be many details to work out, but it sounds doable to me. Interesting.

mchine731 · Post by **mchine731** » Fri May 08, 2009 9:18 pm

So a community owned private enterprise providing public benefiting goods? Â Sounds awesome! Â sign me up, the this is the best of two worlds. Â The public goods ran with a profit motif may work. Â a professional administration staff with stake in the "co-op"(which is what i thought of when i heard it). Â Sounds pretty cool. Â Again if true the cooperation between big business and city government. Â This has been a staple of Omaha i.e. MOFO development. Â

If true I would definitely buy in. Â Think if true shares rather than bonds were sold for the Qwest? Â Would you have bought in?

Don't think of it as a big business in the financing sense but just the business management.

RegisResident · Post by **RegisResident** » Fri May 08, 2009 10:20 pm

If private enterprise can put the street car in, I say do it- leave the city/gov't out of it. After seeing how MAT is operated, I think something privately owned is a great idea (and maybe it will actually make money).

Greg S · Post by **Greg S** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:16 pm

Can someone show me a privately owned Â street car in the US that is profitable? Â I can't even think of a private let alone one that is not subsidized.

Greg

Murz · Post by **Murz** » Sat May 09, 2009 1:21 pm

Greg S wrote:Can someone show me a privately owned Â street car in the US that is profitable? Â I can't even think of a private let alone one that is not subsidized.

Greg

This is not privately owned, but an interesting look and read

http://www.streetcar.org