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Nice picture of trolley with overhead electric wires. BTW who knew that companies dedicated to making shoulder pads existed?

Washington, D.C. street car track construction, circa take a guess. This was the underground center cable drive system. And most likely the ones in light rail proponents dreams. No nasty overhead wires, trolleys having the right of way over autos, no emissions, etc.

I grew up riding on District trolleys. As a kid I loved them. Nicest way to travel in the city in early fifties. The ride down North Capitol street to Union Station was under an arch of big old trees with just glimpse of the sky, Made in the shade.

What could be nicer? Well as a kid I was unaware of the underground cable ways that were necessary for the system to work. As shown in the photo below, there was quite a bit of construction underground. A major reason the system never really expanded beyond pre-war limits. Too darn expensive when laborers were making less than fifty dollars a week, with about $2 or $2.50 in deductions. Not to mention, that while under construction it involved detouring almost all vehicular traffic during the post war housing boom extending outward from the city center.

Driving was no fun in the rain or snow, trying to brake on the slick rails, same with turns. Lots of small accidents and some major ones, of course due to the tracks.

Works in Disney Land, real world, not so much. Tourists there expect to pay through the nose and do.