WHAT A GEORGETOWN TO GLEN ECHO STREETCAR MIGHT LOOK LIKE

This week's news that the DC streetcar will be extended from Union Station out to Georgetown has fueled speculation about the possibility of it one day reaching Glen Echo.

In recent days, Montgomery County Councilmembers Hans Riemer (who has also advocated having DC streetcars cross into Maryland) and Craig Rice have correctly noted the incompatibility of the proposed BRT system boondoggle with the county's current fiscal situation.

It's clear there simply is neither the revenue, nor the debt capacity, to build the pie in the sky, by and by, BRT network.

This is the time to focus on projects that will actually qualify for federal funds, and which can be built with private investment capital.

Such projects include something as simple as a new parking lot at the Boyds MARC station.  I'm rarely in agreement with developers, but I think there is a lot more potential in the MARC system than we are giving credit to these days.  I was at the council hearing for the bill regarding the issue of development near MARC stations, and Councilmember Riemer spoke correctly on that issue, as well.  To have housing right at a station, while improving MARC service, could certainly take some cars off the road during rush hours, if not during the rest of the day.  In Boyds, you have people who want to ride MARC, but there isn't enough parking.  We should have applied for stimulus money for that project.  That was a missed opportunity.

The Rockville Freeway is a larger project that fits the federal funding/private funding criteria.  This 50-year-old master plan highway, that today would connect exploding employment and residential centers in White Flint and Columbia, would carry more commuters per day than the entire proposed BRT system.  That is a key qualification for federal funding.

Finally, a streetcar line from Georgetown to Glen Echo would qualify, as well.  As I mentioned yesterday, the old streetcar right-of-way is still there, and is already entirely separated from automobile traffic.  This means that the Glen Echo streetcar will literally travel faster than a car making the same trip out MacArthur Boulevard, with red lights and a speed camera-enforced 25 MPH speed limit on that road.

Beyond that huge incentive for ridership - actually reducing your commute time - the Glen Echo right-of-way allows stops to serve major employment centers at Sibley Hospital (currently unserved by rail transit) and, most importantly, the future intelligence campus at the former Geospatial Intelligence Agency site on Sangamore Road.  As you know, there has been a controversy over parking garages there.  Apparently, no one realized the old streetcar right-of-way was the answer!

With the federal government needing to move its employees to and from that campus, they have real, practical reasons to help fund a Glen Echo streetcar.  The speed of the streetcar - possibly the fastest in the nation, on its own right-of-way that is already paid for, no demolitions necessary - is the second major selling point for Uncle Sam.

When you add in the potential partnership with DC, and their plans to build their next streetcar routes with private partnerships, a Glen Echo streetcar project is even more fiscally viable.

If Montgomery County were to share streetcars with DDOT, they might look like this:

Photo: United Streetcar, LLC/Oregon Iron Works

This is the USA-built streetcar DDOT is purchasing from Oregon Iron Works, which kindly sent me this photo to share with you.

Oh, and by the way, the Glen Echo right-of-way allows double-tracking, as the original DC Transit operated two tracks.  So it is all set for that contemporary "must" for rail transit engineers.  The original electrical poles and wires are still in place, and still operating.  All that is needed is to clear the brush from some sections, and install the overhead catenary, and we are back in business.

With no Metro route serving this corridor, a streetcar line makes abundant good sense, as Rick Perry would say, from both a transportation and fiscal standpoint.  It would not cause "sprawl," because it travels through some of the most dense residential neighborhoods in the DC area.  Neighborhoods currently underserved by transit.  Not to mention that a Park-and-Ride lot could be built right off the Beltway near the old Cabin John streetcar turnaround, for even greater ridership.

This is such a great concept, and worked so well in the past, I'm surprised no one is taking action on it.

DC STREETCAR INCHING TOWARD GEORGETOWN ...AND THEN TO GLEN ECHO?

More exciting streetcar news from Washington, DC:   Mayor Vincent Gray and DDOT are actively pursuing a future streetcar line that replicates a famous one, Union Station to Georgetown.

One question is whether or not the route will travel along M Street.

The important point for those of us out here in Bethesda, is for the streetcar to climb the hill up to Prospect Street from M Street.

That will connect the streetcar to a possible future extension to Glen Echo.  After turning left on Prospect towards Georgetown University, the streetcar would gain access to the original - and still existing - right of way that goes all the way to Cabin John.

A streetcar traveling between Georgetown and Glen Echo would be the fastest trolley line in the region, if not the nation.  That's because the entire right of way, with the exception of a few blocks in a residential Palisades neighborhood, is off-road.  Separated from auto traffic, the streetcar will be faster than a car, a clear advantage for commuters that will ensure boosted ridership.

The Georgetown to Glen Echo streetcar is an idea whose time has come... again!

GLEN ECHO PARK, NPS: THEY'RE WITH "STUPID" ON STREETCAR GIVEAWAY

CURSORY SALE PROCESS RAISES

QUESTIONS ABOUT GSA PROPERTY

REMOVAL PROCEDURE,

PARTNERSHIP BOARD INVOLVEMENT

The Glen Echo streetcar story made The Washington Post yesterday.  And as I predicted Friday, we are going to learn more and more about this fiasco as time goes on.

My scoop that the General Services Administration tried to sell the People's Streetcar on eBay was solid.  Try as they might, Glen Echo and the National Park Service have to admit it happened.  And fortunately, the evidence was presented here on this blog for all to examine.

One new bit of information to come out of John Kelly's column, is that there was in fact a monetary sale made, by the GSA to General Machine.

But it was a "stupid" price, according to Ken Rinehart, CEO of General Machine.  The clear interpretation in this context, is that it was a joke of a low price.  A giveaway, essentially.  Surprising, given the GSA's eBay demand of $30,000 minimum.

This raises questions about the whole sale process.

I am not an expert on GSA "property removal" procedure.  Whatever it consists of, was it followed in this case?  And if it was, is it flawed?  Because if the GSA handled all government property sales this way, wouldn't it have cost the country a fortune in lost sales revenue?

First of all, when the streetcar issue came up, what involvement did the Glen Echo Partnership Board have in this debate?  Who concluded that sending the streetcar off for scrap was an acceptable option?

Second, should NPS have to solicit at least three estimates for the restoration cost for the streetcar before making a final decision?

Third, once the mystery decisionmaker(s) decided to give up on the car, what were the GSA guidelines for the sale process?

One would think that the selling of government property would first invilve establishing the market value of the property.

If the GSA placed an overpriced listing on eBay, and then gave up and sold it for a "stupid" price, that would almost certainly indicate that the GSA did not bother to determine the market price of this particular piece of government property.  Is that legal?  Again, if such a casual process is truly legal and standard practice, how much did such underselling cost the American people last year?

Consider that Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys and the San Diego Vintage Trolley Line wanted to assist in raising restoration funds and/or adopting the streetcar.  Instead, the NPS bypassed that opportunity 3 years ago, and placed the car - which belonged to you, me and every other American - into private, for-profit hands.  And, according to Rinehart's interview with Kelly, those non-profits will now have to pay him a "price" in order to adopt the streetcar.

Wow.  Do you realize what happened there?

A couple other of points:  We, the People owned this car, and were never alerted or consulted about the pending sale to private hands.  Sunshine laws, anyone?

And ultimately, what was the idea in allowing the car to decline in the first place?  Why should the streetcar and its supporters get a raw deal, if park stewards willfully neglected this piece of public property they were given responsibility for?

How come we haven't heard word one from Glen Echo's appointed board on this matter?

It's all quite troubling.  You can't blame Rinehart in the least in this situation.

When NPS says it would like to acquire a "real" Glen Echo trolley (yeah, there are a lot of those around.  Hee Haw.), you first have to laugh.

But this debacle is more serious then that  The fact is that, while I'd definitely like the DC area to acquire any DC streetcar it can, the SEPTA car was actually more valuable - having been refurbished in 1985, it was in great running condition when it arrived at Glen Echo.  The GSA rated its interior 89 out of 100 on eBay (which totally contradicts the NPS claim of expensive interior renovation being necessary).  It had all new wiring.

In short, the car we lost could actually have been brought to life and run.

That's worth way more than a "stupid" price.

As a result, we lost our streetcar, and the American people lost the difference between the "stupid" price and the true market price (there being such, since both San Diego and San Francisco restore and operate PCC streetcars just like this).

Bottom line:  What did they know, and when did they know it?

GLEN ECHO STREETCAR HAULED AWAY WITHOUT PUBLIC NOTICE!

1947 PCC SEPTA CAR GONE FOR

GOOD, THANKS TO... THE GSA?!

EXCLUSIVE DETAILS YOU WON'T
FIND ANYWHERE ELSE!

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Glen Echo Park is a ruin and shell of its former self.  Only a handful of powerful symbols remain of its past glory, such as the famous carousel.  What a shock it was yesterday to find out another such symbol has been stolen away:  the 1947 PCC Streetcar, from its place of honor at the gate to the park.

No public announcement was made regarding the trolley by either the Glen Echo board or the National Park Service.  As a fan of just about anything on rails, I am a streetcar buff.  My favorite streetcar is the DC Transit PCC.   I had actually planned to take some pictures and video of the PCC at Glen Echo in the near future for this very reason - that it might suddenly be taken away.

Imagine my horror when Justin Fidler tweeted a photo yesterday morning, showing the old PCC being spirited out of town.  Apparently, Glen Echo thought they could do this quietly, and by the time people noticed, it would be gone.  Fortunately, they were caught in the act on camera.

Now, I have to note that this is not the tragedy it would have been if the car had actually been an original DC Transit PCC.  This car was a veteran of Philadelphia's SEPTA system - which has its own rich history (score yourself bonus points if you know what a "flying coffin" is on the Main Line).

That said...  Once I received word of this legal heist of the People's Streetcar, I was immediately on the case.  Within minutes, I had dashed off an email to Glen Echo Park.  In addition to asking for an explanation of yesterday's events, I reminded them that Glen Echo - the town and the park - only exist because of the streetcar.  To remove the only prominent symbol of that legacy is outrageous.  

Strangely, even though I emailed them long before the close of business, I received no response from Glen Echo.  When I wrote the lettter, I still had some hope that the streetcar was going to be refurbished.  It had been left to rust by Glen Echo and NPS, which was shameful.

But as my investigation continued, that hope was dashed.

I knew it was a 1947 SEPTA PCC, so I started searching on the internet.  Alas, I found a bulletin board discussion from last week with bad news:  Apparently, the smart NPS ranger who arranged for Glen Echo to acquire the car is no longer at the park.  Push has come to shove, apparently, and the streetcar was determined expendable.

Yet, Glen Echo never alerted the community.  Certainly, there are enough streetcar enthusiasts in the DC area to raise funds to give the old PCC a new coat of paint.  Yet, they did not engage them.  They made no public effort to keep it there.

Here's the best (or worst) part:

The GSA - yes, that GSA - tried to sell our Glen Echo streetcar on Ebay.  Ebay!

Stay classy, GSA.  Just don't stay at any more Vegas resorts at taxpayer expense.

Apparently, the GSA drives a much harder bargain when they're selling, than when they're buying conferences and handbags.  Their asking price was $30,000.  Now, I'm a huge streetcar fan, but not an expert on them.  Even I know that $30,000 is way above the real price of a '47 PCC.  In fact, some of the more knowledgable folks on the internet say they can go for $250-$5000 these days.

In the message board discussion, one person asserted the PCC was operational when Glen Echo acquired it.  Its current operational status is unknown.  I know the rust has been increasing over time.

Anyway, the Ebay auction failed to draw a buyer.

Then we jump to yesterday's haulaway.  So what happened?

Well, it turns out the NPS decided to ignore my email yesterday, and tried to give the exclusive to, at a minimum, The Gazette.  The Gazette is now reporting that exclusive given to it by NPS,  stating that the streetcar was sold to General Machine and Tool Company of Cheverly.

This kind of thing happens sometimes, particularly with government stories.  They will shut out a blogger like me, and give a corporate media outlet (or outlets) an exclusive.  My guess is they think the coverage will be favorable, if the media outlet knows they'll get scoops in the future.  I don't know why they didn't respond; that's just a guess on my part.

But when somebody disses me, I don't get discouraged; I get energized and work harder.

And that's how I got the exclusive details and links above.  As you may have noticed, the details I uncovered are not quite as flattering to Glen Echo and NPS.  I don't think they wanted you to know they tried to peddle our streetcar on Ebay!

Furthermore, the Gazette printed the NPS assertion that it would cost $100,000 to refurbish the streetcar.  That sounds pretty exaggerated to me, considering the car's Ebay listing says the interior is 89% in good shape.  And that it basically needs a rust treatment and paint job for display purposes.  $100,000?  Please.

Even worse, the Gazette didn't fact check the NPS claim that the agency had made "failed attempts to raise money" to keep the streetcar.  I've been right here in Bethesda all along.  If I had heard the word "streetcar," believe me, I would have noticed it!  I challenge NPS to produce the local newspaper article(s) and/or advertisement(s) asking for donations to restore the trolley.  I think we'll be waiting a good, long time for NPS to produce those.  Forever, most likely.

It's pretty sad when a government agency funded by the taxpayer can't answer a highly relevant email from a taxpayer by the close of business.  It says something about their regard for the public.  And that's one of the reasons Glen Echo Park continues to be an underperforming resource, when it was - and could again be - a national treasure providing enjoyment for the masses.

What a statement, when NPS sells off a streetcar, when Glen Echo was created by and for the streetcar!  It's absolutely absurd, and the public had a right to know.  We the public owned that trolley, and we should be notified of its sale in advance.  And once again, our elected officials failed to intervene, just as they have with the wacky choice for the new Bethesda Post Office.

The sale of this streetcar is the last straw in Glen Echo's long decline, as far as I'm concerned.  This is a turning point, if we in the community can make our voices heard.

Frankly, today I want to start a serious, public conversation on the future of Glen Echo Park and the importance of the streetcar line that extended to it from Georgetown.  The fact that Glen Echo, the NPS and the GSA would just sell one of the only historic symbols at the park, is just the latest example of intentional decline there.

Glen Echo Park is a wasted resource, refashioned as a niche arts and crafts spot with appeal to a very narrow audience.  And that was an intentional devolution by the community and the powers that be.

What I've wondered for years is, why can't Glen Echo Park be restored to glory?   Not as a Six Flags, but in its original dimensions, with accurate replicas of its historic attractions.  The spectacular roller coaster.  The bumper cars.  The Crystal Pool.  The Tunnel of Love.  And so many more.

A place of the sort we don't have in Montgomery County, and frankly, anywhere in the immediate DC area.  A place where families can go, or where a young person can take a date.

And a potential revenue source, if Montgomery County were to buy the park, perhaps in a public-private partnership.  Clearly the current stewards have little interest in the park's massively-undertapped potential.

All of the drive-in theaters, miniature golf courses, and nearly all of the bowling alleys are gone.  For all the talk about making the county appealing to young people, and reducing long automobile trips, we insist on sending them elsewhere for most entertainment.

The critical piece of the restoration of Glen Echo Park would be the restoration of the Glen Echo (Cabin John) streetcar line.  Believe it or not, the right-of-way is still there from Prospect Street and Georgetown University, through the elite bastion of The Palisades, and out through the woods to Glen Echo.  Parts of the trestle remain.  And, of course, DC is launching a streetcar system.  The potential to cooperate on a Glen Echo route is there.  (Although, wouldn't it be great to run a couple of restored PCCs on the route, instead of those red toaster ovens DC is planning to use?  The PCC has something they don't: character and style.  I'm hoping the next set of USA-built cars DC is buying will have a better exterior design).

I haven't met a senior citizen yet who doesn't have fond memories of the old Glen Echo Park, and of the streetcar ride there several described as "more exciting than the rides in the park."

When you consider those memories of Glen Echo and a similar park at Chevy Chase Lake, you realize that the plans put forward by developers today suggest a future less engaging than the past.  Which should be a red flag that our planning is going in the wrong direction.

Was there some point that drive-in movies, miniature golf and amusement parks stopped being fun?  Of course not.  So why did our great-grandparents have more fun things to do in Montgomery County than we do today?  If that isn't a devolution, what is?  Not surprisingly, developers had a big part in this coming about.

But we have the power to change this.

And one small first start, is to bring a PCC streetcar back to the gates of Glen Echo.   Let's hope the GSA's streetcar profits aren't going to their next Vegas getaway.