MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It was the great Tina Turner who sung “Rolling on the River,” and that is exactly what MATA is hoping to do if a new modern trolley begins rolling on the tracks along the Madison line.
It was last year in April when Mia Harvey with MATA said the trolley arrived from San Diego. After a nearly 2,000 mile journey and a year later, the 105-passenger light-rail vehicle is being put to the test.
“We are looking to see if it integrates well with the current line we have now,” Harvey said. “We have a lot of visitors, and we have a lot of Memphians who love to see the trolleys, so they are excited to see that we are beginning the process to implement the trolleys back on the Madison Avenue as well.”
This comes after the service was suspended in 2014 on the Main, Madison and Riverfront lines after two trolleys caught fire. The Main Street line was again operational in 2018.
As for the Madison line, the buses that were designed similar to a trolley have taken over the route, but that soon can change.
“Again, this is a very long process, to see if we can have it integrated into service,” Harvey said.
A full evaluation started Sunday to ensure the existing infrastructure will support this new addition. It is a mix of the modern with the history of trolleys in the Bluff City. It is also an intricate process, but it is one that is necessary in order to make sure this trolley meets both state and federal regulations.
“There’s a lot that goes into the process in order to bring it into service,” Harvey said.
MATA is on track to once again resuming service for its Madison line with hopes that things will be rolling for good.
There is no set date on when the Madison line would become operational as it all depends on if the new trolley is compatible with the current infrastructure.