by Harvey Hylton
Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) Completes It's 5-Year Effort to Modernize and Expand the Dayton Electric Trolley Bus (ETB) System
On August 20th, 2000, The MVRTA's long-running program to refurbish, renew, and expand the Dayton ETB system came to completion with the opening of four new trolley route extensions into the East, West, and NorthWest Hubs. Previously, in 1996 the East Third Street line (1-E) was extended 1.6 route-miles up to Mt. Crest, while in 1999 a new 2.6 route-mile line (3-W) was placed into operation into the Townview area. Both of these long ETB routes replaced diesel busses. Also, by September of 1999 all 57 ETI/SKODA trolleys were in revenue service, completely replacing the 22-year-old Flyer fleet. MVRTA now has the newest ETB fleet in North America. Two new rectifier substations, Wyoming and Fairgreen, are now operational. Over ten percent of the overhead support poles (Traction standards to our British friends) have been replaced, and this work continues. Over 80% of cross-spans, trolley wire, and special work were scheduled for renewal; almost 75% is now completed. Work continues to replace the decrepit power feeder cables. All of the old power-on/power-off trolley switches have been replaced with UNITRAK inductively-controlled devices that are commanded from the coaches' turn-signal system. These major milestones being met indicate that the Dayton ETB system is not only alive and well, but has expanded as well. W.W. "Bill" Owen would approve.
Some interesting historical connections come to mind as the latest group of extensions go into service:
*No trolley had run around the lake on route 8 since April 27th, 1993, when the former loop was dismantled to accommodate construction of a new US 35 bridge diagonally across the lake. A "temporary" loop was installed off-street at Bowie and Lakeview, adjacent to the Southeast corner of the lake. The Bowie loop has now become permanent, as it is needed for the trips made during the pulse/line-up operation at night and on Sundays. Pulse trips do not go beyond Bowie to the Westown Hub, but instead make a quick reversal there before heading back to the switch at McArthur and into the Nicholas Road branch of this route. Weekday trolleys alternate, with Westown Hub runs terminating at the Salem/Fairgreen loop, while ETB's from Nicholas Road are operated over the new Salem/Denlinger extension to the Northwest Hub. On Saturday, day runs are made from Hub to Hub--one long trolley route! The new 8-W extension has two-way overhead along the South side of the lake, on Lakeside Drive. Ironically, as ETB's running up and down Gettysburg on their way to/from Westown Hub, they pass by the now-abandoned (3/24/87) VA Home loop used by old Route 2 ETB's (and railcars until 1947). Incidentally, the Westown Hub sits on top of the old Roxy movie theatre location.
*On the East side, the Fauver loop of route 3 is now just a short-turning.
The first People's Railway Company ETB's started using Fauver
on August 18th, 1940, just 2 days short of 60 years ago. The Fauver
loop does provide a nice place to set a substation. (Fauver sub
powers routes 3, 4, & 7 in the east end).
*It is not true that the Eastown catenary arches were borrowed from Henry Ford's old DT&I electrification. Nor are they part of a Texas-sized croquet wicket. They are unique to the MVRTA.
*Some nifty maps, photographs, and other details can be found on the internet:
Map(1999): Dayton
Map 1999
" (2000): Dayton
Map 2000 (shows extensions)
The Trolley Bus Web
Site
This page last updated 30 AU 2000
