Trams in Oranjestad

The Oranjestad Streetcar (; Papiamento: Tranvia 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.Morrison, Allen "The Streetcars of Oranjestad, Aruba" (tramz.com)Arubus official website 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."Aruba tramway drives major street redevelopment" (July 2013). Tramways & Urban Transit, p. 279. UK: LRTA Publishing. .

History The line is the first and so far the only passenger rail service on the island and the rest of the Dutch Caribbean. Three industrial railways had been constructed on the island, but have all closed. 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. The second car, an open-top double-decker, was delivered in June 2013. The heritage style streetcars were designed and manufactured by TIG/m Modern Street Railways in California, USA.

The line operates daily. , service was operating from 9:00 to 17:00, with two cars in service after 11:00."Worldwide Review" [regular monthly news section] (May 2016). Tramways & Urban Transit, p. 190. UK: LRTA Publishing.

Route The line starts from a balloon loop near the Port of Call Marketplace 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 Welcome Plaza), run via Havenstraat. It ends at Plaza Nicky, with a stop also located on a loop.Oranjestad Tramway map (tramz.com)Oranjestad Streetcar on OpenStreetMap

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

Station Notes Welcome Plaza PortPort of CallMorning service stop, touring bus station Rancho Oranjestad Bus Terminal, tram depot Plaza Museo Eastbound service, Archaeological Museum Royal Plaza Westbound service Renaissance Mall Westbound service, Renaissance Mall Plaza Chipi Chipi/Mango Plaza Also named "Mango Plaza" Caya Betico Croes/Watertoren Near Aruba Bank, additional stop, name not yet defined, sometimes called Watertoren Plaza Bon Bini 2 rail tracks before the station Plaza Nicky/Plaza Comercio Also named "Plaza Comercio", loop

Rolling stock The fleet comprises four streetcars () or trams (), of which two are single-deck (green and orange) and two are open-top double-deck (blue and red). They were designed and built by TIG/m Modern Street Railways in Chatsworth, USA, to use hybrid/electric technology: they do not take their power from external sources such as overhead wires when running but are self-powered by lithium batteries augmented by hydrogen fuel cells. Power consumption is reduced by regenerative braking.

Gallery

Trams in Oranjestad

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