Trams (Streetcar) in Cincinnati, Ohio 2022

The Cincinnati Bell Connector, previously known as the Cincinnati Streetcar, is a streetcar system in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. The system opened to passengers on September 9, 2016. The streetcar operates on a 3.6-mile (5.8 km) loop from The Banks, Great American Ball Park, and Smale Riverfront Park through Downtown Cincinnati and north to Findlay Market in the northern edge of the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Future extensions have been proposed to the Uptown area, home to the University of Cincinnati, the regional hospitals on Pill Hill, and the Cincinnati Zoo; and to Northern Kentucky.
Due to the cost, and lack of distance, the project faced opposition on several occasions after being first proposed in 2007. Challenges included ballot initiatives to stop the project in 2009 and 2011, opposition from members of Cincinnati City Council, Governor John Kasich, and Mayor John Cranley (elected in 2013). However, both of the anti-rail ballot initiatives were rejected by voters, and a pro-streetcar majority was elected to City Council in 2011, allowing the project to move forward. Naming rights to the system were purchased by Cincinnati Bell in a $3.4 million, 10-year deal in August 2016. During the COVID-19 pandemic, fares were suspended and eventually eliminated ~Wikipedia
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[@oddityscrash]

I’m from Cincinnati and I love railfanning the connector! Great video

[@scottyerkes1867]

This system should be expanded. Cincinnati also has a subway tunnel that never saw completion. Thanks Tim for posting this video.😀😀

[@nixcails]

Cincinnati needs a metro/regional rail connection to Covington and Dayton to make use of the subway tunnels. A decent electrified system like Denver's would be great.

[@scottyerkes1867]

@@nixcails Absolutely!!! Thanks for your input😀

[@timosha21]

Surprised that there is no commuter rail connection between Dayton and Cinci since they are decent sized cities!

[@scottyerkes1867]

@@timosha21 You are correct.

[@williamerazo3921]

@@nixcails it needs expansion

[@merccadoosis8847]

What a great system - not only does it operate in the business district, it offers residential service as well. And it is FARE FREE! Fabulous!!

[@JawBoneChronicles]

What a fabulous waste of taxpayer money.

[@merccadoosis8847]

@@JawBoneChronicles We briefly had FREE fare here in the Twin Cities. This resulted in increased ridership, promoted consumerism as people took more trips for shopping, and increased local transportation to amusements. All the increased activity increased tax revenues so that the free fares were largely recaptured.

[@lowellleber1722]

@@merccadoosis8847 Well the operation costs, let alone the free fares, have yet to be recouped here in Cincy. This streetcar does not serve enough areas for anyone other than immediate locals to rely on it over automobiles.

[@merccadoosis8847]

@@lowellleber1722 Is there any plan to expand the service?

[@cardenasr.2898]

Quite empty but not surprising given the short length of the circuit and it seems it's the only line. Should be extended to reach more potential riders or make branches from that main route.

[@ethanbarnett1747]

Typically during the summer ridership picks up, especially on days when there’s a concert downtown or there’s a sporting event happening. There have been talks of expanding it to Uptown (which was supposed to be part of the initial route) but nothing has been set as 2022. Uptown and downtown have always been separate neighborhoods that don’t necessarily overlap. Most people who live downtown don’t really have a reason to go up to Clifton and vice versa. If people want to expand the streetcar there has to be enough demand put in place for things to be put in motion. With the number of apartment buildings being built downtown and the updates in infrastructure, the Steetcar would be able to serve more people, thus creating demand. Additionally significant changes need to be made on the expanded route. For example, The city would need to time traffic lights so that the street car would not have to stop at a red light like a car or bus would have to. Timing lights would shorten ride time and this make the system more efficient. Expansion can be done, it just has to be done in a way that guarantees more efficient operations, lower ride times, and higher ridership.

[@timosha21]

The traffic lights are certainly not Traffic Signal Priority - shame! The tweak in them could make a massive difference in speed...

[@KevinFields777]

@@ethanbarnett1747 Expanding the network into UC and Xavier would be useful IMO. But expanding to UC would also mean Norwood's roads would be rebuilt, which it's certainly needed for the last decade!

[@ethanbarnett1788]

I’d expand to Clifton first and see if there’s a demand for Norwood. Streetcars are useful if they’re done right

[@gaymoder]

beautiful system. cincinnati is by far one of the most underrated cities in the rust belt and gets too much bad press

[@JawBoneChronicles]

Bad press ? AKA, the news. There are many good reasons for it. Thankfully the Ferris Wheel idea was scrapped. Cincinnati could be a true Queen City if the politicians would concentrate on the city as a Whole, instead of focusing on their individual special interests.

[@KevinFields777]

@@JawBoneChronicles The observation wheel wasn't scrapped by the city. You can thank the pandemic and the economic downturn for that. SkyWheel was massively popular for the year and a half that it was there. It fit in quite well with the downtown skyline.

[@roberthuron9160]

Back in the days of yore,there were two systems operating Cincinnati Street Railway,and Green Lines,and they overlapped in downtown! The CSR,and the Green Lines,besides being broad Guage,were distinct by using double wire overhead,and really odd operating practices,but that's for another time! Add to that,Cincinnati had/has a subway,that was built,but never used,and the current line,just may parallel the right of way! Oh,yes,the Green Lines provided service to Kentucky,over the Roebling Bridge,to Fort Wright,and other points! Lots of history,and mostly,now unknown!! Thanks for your efforts and time 😇😇😇😇😇😇🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋

[@luislaplume8261]

In Havana,Cuba where I and my late parents were born also had a double overhead trolley wire system to make sure there was no break with the current when the thunderstorms came thru in summer. It ended around 1950.

[@een_schildpad]

This looks so awesome! I kinda want to make a visit to Cincinnati after watching ❤️

[@tunneltrain96]

I rode this system recently (I have a few clips), and I gotta say, the new art liveries look very nice compared to the normal ones. Plus since it was the first time I rode a streetcar of any kind, I didn't really expect it to move so quickly!

[@KenanTurkiye]

Interesting, don't you all enjoy railroad trams, trains etc are just so cool take a ride in my ''transportation'' folder, (folder 2 in playlists) :)

[@amfm889]

I enjoy your use of "B-roll" footage in these videos, showing short views of the city other than just the transit.

[@luislaplume8261]

What a smooth clean ride! 😊

[@thexavier456]

I went to Cincinnati and rode it this past weekend!

[@christophergreen2895]

Looking forward to riding this tram. I am a lover this type of transport see you in May Cincinnati

[@RudolphManor]

It would be nice if they fund enough money to build the tracks to reach Uptown too. 💯

[@kenvincarnell5396]

I lived there for a number of years off and on the citizens were absolutely upset about this project because it really didn't go anywhere but tourists and the ilk love it! Just talk to the natives and they will tell you the money was spent and not any of it for the people that need it and the city still has a real bad homeless problem but still are continuing to build lots of overpriced apartments, condos and such.

[@KevinFields777]

After BLINK 2019 showed just how popular the streetcar could be when it's fare-free, the city moved to permanently make it free after the pandemic hit. That's made it more useful. Doesn't address all of the city's issues, but I think that moved helped people to stop stressing out about it.

[@MrPeerum]

🚊nice beautyful trams to see,compliments!😊

[@luislaplume8261]

The light rail vehicles in Jersey City, N.J are larger and have more comfortable seats. They are known as the Hudson Bergern Light Rail System.

[@Distress.]

Cna they do something about the metal screatch?

[@sjokomelk]

I was about to ask if those are CAF Urbos trams when I saw the headlights. But then I looked it up, and yes, they are Urbos. 😀

[@08641]

Now Cincinnati looks like an European city with its streetcar. For the environment it'll be good too.

[@LeipzigerDiego]

The tram is operated by Transdev, which is based in Berlin? 😅 The tram looks similar to Nordhausen (Germany)👍

[@nixcails]

Isn't Transdev a French multinational? Based in Issy Le Molineaux in the Ile de France (Greater Paris Region) en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transdev

[@DreamscapeSYN]

3:17 1178 arrives and simply says one thing: “honk” Let’s not forget the single hönk from 1179 at 10:37

[@MrPeerum]

😅see the tramways also in Amsterdam en Utrecht in the NL. have a nice weekend en,,,proost🍻🍻🍻👍👍👍

[@alexandr_pavlovich40]

Город выглядит пустынным. Где все жители города?!??

[@jsea1967]

In their cars. No one takes the Cincinatti trams since they don’t go anywhere

[@alexnewberg6795]

A lot of people still haven’t come back to the office since covid, the population is growing though

[@0c7ober7]

Do you know what street the thumbnail was taken?

[@timosha21]

Race and Liberty Street I believe

[@YanuarNandaPratama]

Nice video guys

[@hark4e78]

Down to The Banks and to Findlay Market; who is that serving???

[@denniswebb7473]

People who wish they lived in Seattle.

[@germanball6671]

Do many people use this tram?

[@namgreb9063]

I rode it to a Reds game last week from Findlay Market. I would say it was at 80 percent capacity but it was a weekend with a couple different events going on.

[@MrPeerum]

😅cooool,like on Randstad rail in Den Haag.NL. toppie!!!😅greetz:🍐Peer.

[@Jlingoa]

Quite empty, both the trams and the city😓

[@user-qh6nf2ev9s]

they have daily shootings right steps from downtown, so I don't blame the people for not wanting to be caught up in crossfire

[@0c7ober7]

Yup , it's sad 2 otr has such great filming locations and Pendleton the west end etc all the beautiful architecture but the chrime is nasty in those areas very high risk not worth being in those places to do anything nowadays.

[@paulstewart2251]

This has to be a Sunday or holiday. Because Cincinnati has way more foot traffic than this video

[@timosha21]

Every video of mine has a date - literally check out the first second of the video...

[@paulstewart2251]

@@timosha21 ok a Sunday like I said. Monday was still covid season lol. But Cincinnati usually has more people walking around than that. But you did amazing work showing our streetcar and city

[@timosha21]

@@paulstewart2251 Love Cincinatti especially Over the Rhine neighborhood

[@MrPeerum]

see the you tube site from: HTM 5000.the biggest tram system in the Netherlands. in trafic is the tram number 1.dont forget that so not,tram hits trafic. greetz:🍐Peer.

[@johnneumann2329]

Great to see 100% low floor trams in the US

[@edisonz2006]

Vanity project

[@The_PaleHorseman]

What a waste of tax money. I was reading that these particular cars have to be serviced by a company out of Europe and that the maintenance cost is insanely high for these cars and complicated.

[@qjtvaddict]

And useless

[@mg3226]

benefits will be exponentially reaped with each expansion. connecting more communities will increase usability. can't just look at current utilization (which is very high, by the way, compared with years past). Apr '22 was streetcar's best month, and it currently has the highest utilization vs. pre-pandemic compared to any of America's streetcars. Follow Brad Thomas on Twitter he posts about streetcar data.

[@KevinFields777]

@@mg3226 Yes, highest utilization vs. pre-pandemic. Also, it's now free where it was not free pre-pandemic. It was never going to be useful or profitable as originally intended, but as a free circulator during ball games and downtown events, it wonderfully fills that role well. But there's no talk of expanding it, which IMO is a shame. But right now Metro can't even keep enough drivers to take the buses where they need to go. Cincinnati has some work to do.

[@jimerwin4535]

HOW 🤔MANY OF YOU VOTED FOR FETTERWOMEN ???

[@timosha21]

I don't get it...The comment