Streetcars, For Our Economy and Our Planet

Outside of a few quaint enclaves, like San Francisco, the idea of street cars brings to mind sepia toned nostalgia.  But the Department of Transportation is looking to that nostalgic past for ideas for the future.  A well used steetcar system would go a long way to reducing traffic in metropolitan area, and in so doing significantly reduce a city’s carbon foot print.

Further, building these streetcar systems, form laying the rails to building the cars, will create jobs.  And the federal government is pushing to have is all be American made.

The U.S. Department of Transportation hosted a roundtable discussion yesterday in Washington with transportation, manufacturing and steel industry leaders to discuss a plan for producing steel streetcar rails in the United States.

“The Obama Administration is committed to putting Americans back to work making the products our nation needs to compete,” said Secretary Ray LaHood. “We want U.S. manufacturers to supply the rails for U.S. streetcars and today’s meeting was a first step toward making this a reality.”

Deputy Secretary John Porcari, who led the meeting, said he hopes that yesterday’s meeting will help determine the potential market size for steel rails and the level of interest among manufacturers, as well as identify obstacles that need to be addressed.

“The Federal Transit Administration is making major investments in streetcars as they’ve made a real comeback in many cities,” Administrator Rogoff said. “It only makes sense that the rail they ride on is stamped ‘Made in the U.S.A.,’ because with the ingenuity of the American workforce and industry, we can do it right here at home.”