Trams in Oranjestad

The Oranjestad Streetcar (Dutch: Tram van Oranjestad) is a single-track tram line in Oranjestad, the capital city of Aruba. It is owned and operated by Arubus, the national public transportation company.[2][3] It was built as a key component of a larger project to upgrade the main retail areas of the town, other aspects of which included pedestrianization of streets, planting of trees, installation of ornamental street lighting and resurfacing of streets and sidewalks.[4]

Oranjestad Streetcar
View of the track on Caya B. Croes, near Plaza Chipi Chipi
Overview
TypeTramway
LocaleOranjestad, Aruba
TerminiPort of Call (Oranjestad)[1]
Plaza Nicky (Oranjestad)[1]
Stations9[1]
Operation
Opened22 December 2012[2]
OwnerArubus
Operator(s)Arubus
Rolling stock4 trams
Technical
Line length1.9 km (1.2 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge[2]
Route map

schematic map
Eagle rail line
(-1960)
Depot
Port of Call
Rancho
Royal Plaza
Plaza Museu
Renaissance Mall
Plaza Chipi Chipi
(additional stop)
Plaza Bon Bini
Plaza Nicky
Sources: Tramz.COM
File:Map of Oranjestad Streetcar.png

History

The line is the first and so far the only passenger rail service on the island and the rest of the Dutch Caribbean, and the second of any kind, after an industrial branch that was closed in 1960. It was inaugurated on 22 December 2012, seven days after the arrival of the first single-deck car. Regular service started on 19 February 2013.[2] The second car, an open-top double-decker, was delivered in June 2013.[2] The heritage style streetcars were designed and manufactured by TIG/m Modern Street Railways in California, USA.

The line operates daily.[2] As of early 2016, service was operating from 9:00 to 17:00, with two cars in service after 11:00.[5]

Route

The line starts from a balloon loop near the Port of Call and serves the downtown area with a route along Schelpstraat, Havenstraat and Caya Betico Croes, the main road, which is open to pedestrians only. Between Rancho and Plaza Chipi Chipi, eastbound trams (towards Plaza Nicky) run via Schelpstraat, and westbound ones (towards Port of Call), run via Havenstraat. It ends at Plaza Nicky, with a stop also located on a loop.[1][6]

There are a total of 9 stops situated approximately 200 metres (660 ft) apart from each other. The depot is located between the stops at Port of Call and Rancho.

Station Notes
Port of Call Port, also named "Welcome Plaza", loop
Rancho Bus Terminal, tram depot
Plaza Museo Eastbound service,N1 Archaeological Museum
Royal Plaza Westbound serviceN2
Renaissance Mall Westbound serviceN2
Plaza Chipi Chipi Also named "Mango Plaza"
Caya Betico Croes Near Aruba Bank, additional stop, name not yet defined
Plaza Bon Bini 2 rail tracks before the station
Plaza Nicky Also named "Plaza Comercio", loop
N1Eastbound trams "Port–Plaza Nicky" only
N2Westbound trams "Plaza Nicky–Port" only

Rolling stock

The fleet is composed of 4 streetcars: 2 single-decker (green and orange) and 2 open-top double-decker (blue and red) cars. The vehicles, assembled by TIG/m in Chatsworth, USA,[7] use hydrail technology: they are powered by batteries augmented by hydrogen fuel cells.[2]

  • The blue open-top, double-decker trolley in 2016
  • "1265", the green single-decker trolley, near the port

See also

References
  1. Oranjestad Tramway map (tramz.com)
  2. Morrison, Allen "The Streetcars of Oranjestad, Aruba" (tramz.com)
  3. Arubus official website
  4. "Aruba tramway drives major street redevelopment" (July 2013). Tramways & Urban Transit, p. 279. UK: LRTA Publishing. ISSN 1460-8324.
  5. "Worldwide Review" [regular monthly news section] (May 2016). Tramways & Urban Transit, p. 190. UK: LRTA Publishing.
  6. Oranjestad Streetcar on OpenStreetMap
  7. White, Ronald D. (May 27, 2015). "Chatsworth trolley maker is going places". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-05-28.

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