Light rail in San Diego, California

San Diego, California has a light rail system, which until 2004 was known as the San Diego Trolley, because of the trolley-style German-built vehicles from Siemens-Duwag. The system is operated by the Metropolitan Transit System of San Diego. [1] The system began service in 1981, and was California's first modern light rail system, as well as the most successful in the state. It is, however, no longer the San Diego Trolley because in 2004, the MTS got new modern vehicles, and it is no longer named "the Trolley" anymore.

Blue Line

In 1981, the Blue Line opened along a railroad branch line between downtown San Diego and San Ysidro, just at the border with Tijuana, also going through Chula Vista. It only cost $86 million U.S. The line only needed to be upgraded, double tracked, electrified, and have stations put in. It also serves Old Town San Diego, the Mission Valley, and Qualcomm Stadium. An extension to connect with the Grossmont station on the Orange Line will open in 2005, which includes an underground station at San Diego State University.

Stops along the line include:

Grossmont Center (opening 2005) (connection with Orange Line)
70th Street (opening 2005)
Alvarado Hospital Medical Center (opening 2005)
San Diego State University Transit Center (opening 2005) (underground)
Grantville (opening 2005)
Mission San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium
Fenton Parkway
Rio Vista
Mission Valley Center
Hazard Center
Fashion Valley
Morena/Linda Vista
Old Town Transit Center (connection with San Diego Coaster)
Washington Street
Middletown
County Center/Little Italy
Santa Fe Depot (connection with San Diego Coaster)
America Plaza (connection with Orange Line; runs concurrent with Orange Line this far)
Civic Center
Fifth Avenue
City College
12th & Market
12th & Imperial (connection with Orange Line; runs concurrent with Orange Line this far)
Barrio Logan
Harborside
Pacific Fleet
8th Street
24th Street
Bayfront/E Street
H Street
Palomar Street
Palm Avenue
Iris Avenue
Beyer Boulevard
San Ysidro/Tijuana
Orange Line

The Orange Line is San Diego's second light rail line. Most of the line was built along former railroad right-of-way. The line goes between downtown San Diego and Santee, passing through Lemon Grove, La Mesa, and El Cajon. Stops include:

Santee Town Center
Weld Boulevard
Arnelle Avenue
El Cajon Transit Center
Amaya Drive
Grossmont Center (connection with Blue Line in effect 2005)
La Mesa Boulevard
Spring Street
Lemon Grove Depot
Massachussetts Avenue
Encanto/62nd Street
Euclid Avenue
47th Street
32nd and Commercial
25th and Commercial
12th & Imperial (connection with Orange Line; runs concurrent with Orange Line this far)
12th & Market
City College
Fifth Avenue
Civic Center
America Plaza (connection with Orange Line; runs concurrent with Orange Line this far)
Seaport Village
Convention Center
Gaslamp Quarter
12th and Imperial
Future extensions

Ultimately, one more trolley extension - the Mid-Coast LRT project - will be built by 2012. The line will leave from downtown to serve the Mission Bay and Clairmont Mesa neighborhoods. Ultimately, it may be extended to La Jolla and the University of California-San Diego.