Charles Street Trolley

{{Short description|Proposed streetcar line in Baltimore, Maryland}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox rail line

|name = Charles Street Trolley

|image =

|image_width =

|caption =

|type = Streetcar

|system =

|status = Proposed

|locale = Baltimore, Maryland

|start =

|end =

|stations =

|routes =

|daily_ridership =

|open =

|close =

|owner =

|operator =

|character =

|stock =

|linelength =

|tracklength =

|tracks =

|gauge =

|electrification =

|speed =

|elevation =

|map = {{Charles Street Trolley|inline=yes}}

|map_state = collapsed

}}

The Charles Street Trolley is a proposed streetcar line running through northern portions of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Kittelson & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm hired by trolley advocates, estimates that the line would be likely to carry 2.5 million riders per year.{{cite news|url=http://www.gbc.org/Media%20Clips/June%202009/06-2009-Urbanite.pdf|title=A Streetcar Named Conspire|work=Urbanite Baltimore|date=June 2009|author=Michael Anft|accessdate=June 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725004713/http://www.gbc.org/Media%20Clips/June%202009/06-2009-Urbanite.pdf|archive-date=July 25, 2014|url-status=dead}}

The proposal is backed by a public-private group known as the Charles Street Development Corporation.{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2012/02/04/the-interview-robin-budish-community-organizer-for-baltimore-streetcar-campaign/|title=The Interview: Robin Budish, community organizer for Baltimore Streetcar Campaign|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=February 4, 2012|author=Lorraine Mirabella}} A second group, known as Friends of the Trolley is also backing the project; it was reported in November 2011 that FotT had hired a community organizer.{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/news/ph-ms-trolley-1103-20111101,0,7884902.story|title=Charles Street trolley supporters hire community organizer|work=The Baltimore Sun|author=Lauren Budik|date=November 1, 2011}} As envisioned, the line would probably use modern, low-floor light rail cars, but the use of newly-built replica-vintage rail cars is an alternative also being considered.{{cite web|title=The Charles Street Trolley Frequently Asked Questions|date=December 2008|publisher=Charles StreetTrolley Corp.|format=PDF|url=http://www.charlesstreet.org/trolley/pdfs/FAQ.pdf|accessdate=February 5, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725161436/http://www.charlesstreet.org/trolley/pdfs/FAQ.pdf|archivedate=July 25, 2011}}

A website for what appears to be a third group—the Baltimore Streetcar Campaign—is also active in advocating for a Charles Street trolley plan.

Certain portions of the proposed routing would be similar to that covered by the Maryland Transit Administration's proposed Yellow Line. {{As of|2012}}, the proposed alignment also overlaps significantly with a proposed extension of the Charm City Circulator.{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-city-streetcar-20121001,0,1130253.story|work=The Baltimore Sun|title=Competing visions of mass transit for the Charles St. corridor|author=Candy Thomson|date=October 1, 2012}}

While the proposed trolley is not a project of the MTA, the two groups have expressed a willingness to work together on certain elements of a transit plan for the area involved.