(Ed. Note: The above photo shows an electric powered trolley in Tucson, clearly in the current era.)
On Tuesday of this week in this post:
http://othersideofbrunswick.blogspot.com/2014/03/brunswick-musical-is-msmt-paying.html
we posted these words:
Questions for Brunswick’s Elite & Beautiful:
- Which makes more sense for Brunswick and the earth: using a full sized SUV for personal transportation, or a Prius, a bicycle, or walking?
- Which makes more sense for Brunswick and the earth: using Ford Crown Vic or Chevy Caprice land cruisers as taxis, or small, highly efficient, LNG powered Ford Transports?
- Which makes more sense for Brunswick and the earth: transporting 10-50 people between Brunswick and Portland, or Brunswick and Boston in a 4,250 hp diesel powered transporter on a limited access thorofare, or a 325 hp diesel transporter on a full access thorofare?
- Which answers to the above ‘send the right message about Brunswick?’
We have our guesses as to how elite and beautiful Brunswick attitude leaders come down on these questions, and we’re pretty sure not a one of them will see the cognitive dissonance in their discordant answers.
These questions got us pondering further questions, such as:
- Which makes more sense for Brunswick and the earth: an electric powered trolley with no carbon footprint, or a fossil fuel powered Brunswick Taxi fleet?
Once again, we can’t help but wonder how Brunswick’s Elite & Beautiful people would answer this question. And how the town’s attitude formation central committee would receive such an innovative and remarkably growth oriented economic stimulus idea?
You’re probably thinking we’ve gone off the rails and lost our clapper. That’s a fair reaction, but as it turns out, a totally misguided one.
Feast your eyes on this:
This is a current day zero carbon footprint trolley in Memphis, a tourist mecca if there ever was one. You can read about it here: http://www.matatransit.com/services/trolleys/ You’ll see this passage on the web site:
MATA’s vintage trolley rail system has become a part of downtown Memphis culture and is a tourist attraction all on its own. The year 2013 will mark the trolley’s 20-year milestone since the Main Street line first graced the mall and began transporting millions through the heart of the city.
How could Brunswick’s movers and shakers not embrace such a gracious, environmentally conscious idea? Think of the history, the charm, the tourist appeal! Think of the name we could make for ourselves! Cape Brunswick? You betcha!
And the switch from Brunswick Taxi to Brunswick Trolley would be consistent with our leader’s commitment to Downeaster Passenger Service as far more desirable and appealing than riding a yucky old bus.
Not only that; think of the inherent ‘traffic calming’ features of the trolley and its infrastructure. And the pedestrian safety improvements as the coach announces its approach with that romantic and soothing clang, clang, clang.
Hot damn! This is an idea whose time has come, and it would confirm and reinforce Brunswick’s long term commitment to passenger rail travel.
We can smell the cleaner air already.
Bye, bye, Mr. Taxi!
Hello, Mr. Trolley!
But that’s not all we have in mind. For longer range planning, we’d like to see the Downtown Master Plan set a goal to move forward in this direction:
All the advantages of the electric powered trolley, plus free bio-solid materials for nourishing town plantings. And even greater traffic calming abilities!
Plus it gives us another idea for a new musical that MSMT could produce and debut. How’s this for a name: Geldings and Mares. We see it based on a game of dice, with lovable gamblers and beautiful ‘goyels.’
We’ve even got an idea for a song that starts off with “I got the horse right here, his name is Josh Revere……” The chorus could be ‘might do, might do.’
The muse is in! Get excited, oh little town of perfection.
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