10 Things You Need To Know About Metropolis Connector

Metropolis, BR. July 2nd, 2014.

DashTransit's Metropolis Connector set begin service on Friday July 4th.

With the 61 City Circle Trolley line of Metropolis Transit tipping it's hat off to the new Metropolis Connector TRT Line, it not hard to imagine what might come of this. Currently, the new service will replace the 61 trolley with a sightseer trolley with frequent headways and less stops labeling it "Trolley Rapid Transit". This also bring the age of color coded lines. The Blue & Light Blue Loops will take over the current 61 running pattern, as well as the new Red Loop from Downtown Metropolis to House Park set to begin July 20th. Here are the 10 will's and won'ts of Metropolis Connector:

A PCC-II Trolley being redecaled into Metropolis Connector.

• Metropolis Connector WILL run every 15 Minutes in off-hours, every 7 during rush hour. 
• Metropolis Connector WILL run weekends and overnights with 20 Minute headways. 
• Metropolis Connector WILL serve every major attraction in the city. 
• Metropolis Connector WILL run the newest trolleys in Metropolis. The PCC-II and Siemens S70 LRV.
• Metropolis Connector WILL have free transfers to Metropolis Transit Bus, Trolley, Subway or Elevated Railway. 
• Metropolis Connector WILL NOT be called the 61. The will be two loop in each direction. The Clockwise Light Blue Loop and Counter-Clockwise Blue Loop as well as the Red Loop opening in late July. 
• Metropolis Connector WILL NOT look like Metropolis Transit trolleys, they will have their own distinctive paint scheme. 
• Metropolis Connector WILL NOT accept TideCard Tickets or be on Metropolis Transit fare plan. One way with a transfer (upon request) will be only $1 Dollar . Transfers accepted from Metropolis Transit and DashTransit. 
• Metropolis Connector WILL NOT be anything like it's former 61 counterpart.
• Metropolis Connector WILL NOT disappoint you. 

Brand New Siemens S70 Trolleys decaled for Metropolis Connector.

The Connector is set to begin at 5:30 AM on July 4th, 2014. Schedules are already available at various trolley loops and information centers. There is also a special offer in the Metropolis Times for $45 Family Ticket for unlimited ride for the rest of the Summer (Labor Day). This offer is going rather fast for frequent commuters of today's 61 Line. The last 61 trolley will operate at 11:45 PM, July 3rd 2014.

Bus Rapid Transit? Try Trolley Rapid Transit for Metropolis Connector

Metropolis, BR. June 27th 204

Metropolis Connector will be the US's first ever Trolley Rapid Transit Line (TRT)

The 61's haphazard path around Metropolis Island has always seem to be a faster way to tour the city then taking normal trolley lines or even just the 65 elevated who just about covers most of the island but at the same time it needs improvement. Metropolis Transit and DashTransit Service as well as The State of Bridgerissa are coming together this summer to bring faster and more reliable service to the 61 Line in the form of Metropolis Connector.

It has been outline headways will increase as well service hours and branch to House Park. That's only the surface. Among bringing 15 Min service to off-peak hours, and increasing rush hour service to every 6 minutes, there are also more changes to come.

Rebuilt as of 2010-2011, PCC Trolley will run on the Metropolis Connector.

• Renaming both directions of the 61 to recognizable colors. 61 Blue Loop runs Counter-Clockwise, 61 Light Blue Loop will run Clockwise. 61 Red Loop will run to House Park via Ballerman Blvd.
• 61 Red Loop will run only Fridays,Saturdays,Sundays & Major Holidays Only. 15 minute headways all times. 
• New Automatic Announcements that will call out sights instead of street corners. Transfers will still be announced. 
• All new equipment. Either a brand new Siemens S70 Trolley or a 2011 Rebuilt PCC Trolley. 
• Cleaner environment that will be maintained by DashTransit Service

Metropolis Transit proudly calls it a Trolley Rapid Transit Line. Why? It stops farther apart the normal trolleys and will only stop near landmarks. It will bring people off the crowded 65 elevated which is running full trains almost at all times. It will run like water during rush hour. It will move and attract more tourist to ditch cabs and ride the trolley. Furthermore, it will connect all of the attractions Metropolis has to offer in one convenient ride.

Brand New Trolleys Are Now "Subway" Certified.

Metropolis, BR. April 24th 2014.

A Newly "Subway Certified" Trolley Passes FOSAL Park On A Test Run.

It's been over a year since the first three section low floor trolley cars from Siemens came and now their are 17 of them in service for the 21, 56, 61 & 67 Lines. All of those lines are slow running surface line who doesn't need to see hi-speeds due to their openness to traffic, but Metropolis Transit General Manager, Nicholette Casey says the cars cost way too much to stay confined to the slow moving Westside and Downtown routes. The biggest problem was the face that they could not exceed 32 MPH because of the small wheels and weak motors the trolleys were delivered with cannot handle higher speed. A similar problem also hit the Siemens built P2000 cars that current run on the S2 Westside Line.

The fleet was recently taken out of service completely over the weekend to be retrofitted with a brand new T-3 traction motor and larger 24 inch wheel as opposed to the 21 inch wheels the trolleys carry now. The larger motor and wheels does not affect the ride height so the wheelchair ramp can pop out in the same record-breaking 33 seconds as before. The passengers push-to-open door control have also been fixed so that during high-volume periods the operator can open all doors. Originally the only way the door opened were by passenger pressing the button even in high-volume periods. Being the first trolley in the fleet that can do that, alot of passengers and tourist were unaware of how the trolley works. Metropolis in the future is looking to completely phase out the push-to-open concept citing the experiment is failing miserably.

"Subway Certified" Siemens Trolley enter the Trolley Subway. 

These cars are now certified to run at speeds of 55 MPH, which keeps to current code of all other trolleys in the system. They also now have chopper control on the engines to allow smoother stopping and less wear on the brakes. This means trolley will be able to stop from 55 MPH to 0 in a space of only 100 feet! The new certified trolley will soon be reassigned to other routes around the city and once the entire order in completed in 2015, the German Duwag trolleys will retired completely.