A scene on a heritage railway. An ex-[[British Railways
4MT 2-6-4T tank engine takes on water at
Bishops Lydeard station on the
West Somerset Railway,
Somerset,
England.]]
A
heritage railway or a
preserved railway is a term used, especially in
Great Britain, for a railway which is run as a
tourist attraction and is usually but not always run by volunteers, and seeks to re-create railway scenes of the past. They may be operated in concert with area
museums (particularly
transport museums).
Historic heavy rail
Heritage railways are usually railway lines which were once run as proper commercial railways, but were later no longer needed, or were closed down, and were taken over or re-opened by volunteers.
Typically a heritage railway will use steam
locomotives and old-fashioned rolling stock to create a period atmosphere.
There are a large number of heritage railways in the
United Kingdom due to the closure of lines in the
1960s under the
Beeching Axe, and British people's liking for railways.
Heritage railways often have limited service, only operating at times when volunteers are available to run the trains. However, some lines operate in regular service and provide a valuable transportation option to the community while also attracting tourists.
Heritage streetcars
A related development that is becoming popular in the
United States is the
heritage streetcar. In many cities, historic streetcar (tram) lines are being put in place alongside modern
light rail systems. Proponents claim that using a simple, reliable form of transit from 50 or 100 years ago can bring history to life for 21st century Americans. Additionally, many heritage streetcar lines turn out to be much more economical than their modern counterparts, often with installations that go in at a fraction of the cost of newer lines. However, there are trade-offs: such systems often lack
handicapped access, for example.
Systems are operating successfully in over 20 U.S. cities, and are in planning or construction stages in 40 more. Heritage streetcar systems currently operating in
Memphis, Tennessee,
Tampa, Florida and
New Orleans, Louisiana are among the larger; a heritage line was recently completed in
Charlotte, North Carolina and will become an integral part of the city's new transit system.
In 1947, playwright
Tennessee Williams brought long-term fame to the streetcars of New Orleans when
A Streetcar Named Desire opened on Broadway. He won the
Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play in 1948.
A Streetcar Named Desire was made into a movie starring
Marlon Brando in 1951.
Over 50 years later, the revival of streetcar operations in New Orleans is credited by many to the worldwide fame gained by its streetcars made by the
Perley A. Thomas Car Works. These cars were operating on the system's Desire route in the 1947 play and later movie of the same name. Some of the original Perley Thomas cars have been carefully restored locally and continue to operate in 2004. New Orleans' St. Charles streetcar line is a
National Historic Landmark.
In San Francisco, parts of the
cable car and streetcar system are heritage lines, although they are also functioning parts of the city's transit system. The cable cars are a National Historic Landmark - with the New Orleans streetcars, the only such landmarks that move.
The
Hong Kong Tramways in
Hong Kong is also considered a
heritage of Hong Kong.
See also
External links
Category:Passenger equipment
Category:Tram transport
Category:Vehicles
de:Museumseisenbahn
nl:Toeristische spoorweg
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