The Milwaukee streetcar, The Hop, ran its first test today in downtown Milwaukee.
The streetcar vehicle, which is the first of five vehicles to arrive in Milwaukee, took to the tracks on West St. Paul Avenue and drove east and west for one hour between North Plankinton Avenue and North 4th Street. The vehicle will undergo a total 621 miles of testing along the two-block strip. Testing along the entire route is set to begin in June.
The Hop welcomed its first 40-ton, 67-foot, vehicle to the city on March 26 after a 600-mile trip, via flatbed truck, from its Brookville, Penn.-based manufacturer Brookville Equipment Corp. One streetcar vehicle will arrive in Milwaukee each month until August.
Today’s test received enthusiasm from some passersby as pedestrians pointed and hollered, and drivers honked their horns. Test officials from the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works monitored the vehicle, and directed traffic at the intersection of St. Paul Avenue and 4th Street.
When it is not operating, the vehicle is stored in its operations and maintenance facility, located on N. Fourth Street. The Hop must undergo 1,000 hours of testing before it opens to the public this fall.
