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The United States has 27 systems, as counted by the Light Rail Transit Association, not including streetcar systems. Six of them (, , , Portland (Oregon), , and ) achieve more than 30 million unlinked passenger transits per year.

Light-rail systems are typically designed to carry fewer passengers than heavy-rail systems like or (subway). They can operate in mixed traffic () or on routes that are not entirely grade-separated.

They typically take one of four forms: "first-generation" legacy systems, "second-generation" modern light-rail systems, , and hybrid rail systems (light rail with some commuter-rail features). All use similar technologies, and some systems blur the lines between the different forms.

History
From the mid-19th century onwards, horse-drawn trams (or ) were used in cities around the world. The St. Charles Avenue Line of New Orleans' streetcar system is the oldest continuously operating system in the world, beginning operation as a horse-drawn system in 1835.

In the late 1880s, electrically powered street railways became technically feasible with the invention of a trolley pole system of collecting current. American inventor Frank J. Sprague installed the first successful electrified trolley system in Richmond, Virginia, in 1888. Before the invention of the internal combustion engine and the advent of motor-buses, they were the only practical means of public transport around cities.

The streetcar systems constructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries typically ran single-car setups. Some rail lines experimented with multiple-unit configurations, joining streetcars to make short trains, but this did not become common until later. When lines were built over longer distances (typically with a single track) before good roads were common, they were generally called streetcars or radial railways in North America.

Historically, the rail gauge has had considerable variations, with a variety of gauges common in many early systems (e.g. the broad Pennsylvania trolley gauge, etc. used by New Orleans' streetcars and by the light rail systems in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). However, most modern second-generation light rail systems now operate on rail.

After World War II, six major cities in the United States (Boston, Newark, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco) continued to operate large first-generation streetcar systems, although most of them were later converted to modern light rail standards. Toronto in Canada marks the other city in North America with a continuing first-generation streetcar system. Additionally, a seventh American city, Cleveland, maintained an interurban system (e.g. the Blue and Green Lines) equivalent to what is now "light rail", that opened before World War I, and which is still in operation to this day.

When several of these cities upgraded to new technology (e.g. San Francisco, Newark, and Pittsburgh), they called it "light rail" to differentiate it from their existing streetcar systems since some continued to operate portions of both the old and new systems.

In the United States, most of the original first-generation streetcar systems were decommissioned from the 1950s onward through approximately 1970 as the usage of the automobile increased through government policy.

Although a few traditional streetcar or trolley systems still exist to this day the term "light rail" has come to mean a different type of rail system. Modern light rail technology has primarily German origins, since an attempt by Boeing Vertol to introduce a new American light rail vehicle was a technical failure. After World War II, the Germans retained their streetcar (Straßenbahn) networks and evolved them into model light rail systems ().

The renaissance of light rail in the United States began in 1981, when the first truly second-generation light rail system was inaugurated in the United States, the San Diego Trolley in California, which adopted use of the German Siemens-Duewag U2 light rail vehicle. (This was just three years after the first North American second-generation light rail system opened in the Canadian city of , in 1978, and which used the same German Siemens-Duewag U2 vehicles as San Diego). Other North American cities, particularly on the West Coast, began planning their own light rail systems in the 1980s.

, there are a total of 53 operational light rail-type lines and systems (noting that some cities, such as Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle, have more than one light rail system) that offer regular year-round transit service in the United States: 26 modern light rail systems, 14 modern streetcar systems, and 13 heritage streetcar systems (including the San Francisco cable car system).

"First-generation" legacy systems
First-generation systems are typically remaining lines of sprawling streetcar systems decommissioned between the 1950s and about 1970. These lines were generally preserved because of their high ridership and some exclusive right of way. Many have been at least partly upgraded to more closely resemble the more modern second-generation systems.

MBTAMBTA Green Line1857 4While changes were made to the original 1897 Tremont Street subway in 1962 and 2004, and to some of the line routes over the years, and the Green Line's streetcar A branch was closed in 1969, both systems have run intact with mostly uninterrupted service since their opening dates.
1929 1
Greater Cleveland RTAGreen Line / Blue Line1913 2Light railAside from line and station renovations in the early 1980s, and the Waterfront extension in 1996, these lines have operated essentially uninterrupted as light rail () from their opening.
NewarkNewark Light Rail1862 2Light railOutside of a switch to modern vehicles in 2001 and extensions in 2002 and 2006, this line still operates essentially unchanged since the 1930s.
New Orleans RTANew Orleans Streetcars1835 4Heritage streetcarThe St. Charles Avenue Line is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world, beginning operation as a horse-drawn system in 1835; the line was electrified in 1893. Three additional lines built to more modern standards have been added since 1988.
SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines1859 5Light rail / The subway–surface trolley lines began operation as a mixed subway/streetcar system in 1906, and have continued operation essentially unchanged since that time.
Media–Sharon Hill Line1906 2Light rail / StreetcarSEPTA Routes 101 & 102 (the Media-Sharon Lines) began operation as rail lines in mostly exclusive rights-of-way (light rail) in 1906, and have also operated mostly unchanged since then.
SEPTA Route 151859 1Heritage streetcarSEPTA Route 15 (the Girard Avenue Line) started as a horse car line, electrified in 1895. It was replaced with buses in 1992, but service on the line with heritage streetcars resumed in 2005.
Pittsburgh Regional TransitPittsburgh Light Rail1859 2Light railBegan as a streetcar network, but was partially converted to light rail. By the 1970s, most routes were converted to bus, and the remaining streetcar lines (all of which still used the 1904 Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel) were converted to light rail. This included the construction of a new downtown tunnel. The converted system partially opened for service in 1984.
MUNICable cars1878 3Heritage cable carWorld's last manually operated cable car system. Of the 23 lines established between 1873 and 1890, only three remain. While the cable cars are used to a certain extent by commuters, the vast majority of their seven million annual passengers are tourists.
1860 7Light rail / StreetcarBegan as a streetcar network, but was partially converted to light rail. While most of San Francisco's original streetcar lines had been converted to buses, five lines with dedicated rights-of-way could not be converted. The streetcars were partially converted to light rail in 1980, sending the lines into the Market Street subway. The lines still operate as streetcars on surface streets. The T Third Street and lines added later are true light rail.
/1982 2Heritage streetcarEstablished in 1982 during a closure of the cable car system for refurbishment, to provide an alternative tourist attraction. Streetcars operated on the Market Street tracks recently abandoned by the streetcar lines that became the Muni Metro. Service proved popular and was retained and expanded.

"Second-generation" modern systems
Inspired by the German (English: city rail) systems, the second generation of modern light rail systems generally have large multi-car trains that travel larger distances, make fewer stops, and run at least partly on exclusive rights-of-way. The first was the San Diego Trolley, which opened in 1981.

MarylandBaltimore Light Rail1992 3332006
BuffaloNew YorkBuffalo Metro Rail1984 1411986
CharlotteNorth CarolinaLYNX Blue Line2007 2612018
TexasDallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)1996 6442016
ColoradoRTD Light Rail1994 5762019

Texas2004 3932017
New JerseyHudson–Bergen Light Rail ()This system also has a /metro portion (see List of metro systems), and connections to a system; the figures and statistics presented here represent the portion of the system only.2000 2432011
CaliforniaMetro Rail A, C, E, & K lines1990 8842025
Minneapolis–Saint PaulMinnesotaMetro: Blue & Green lines2004 3722014
NorfolkVirginiaThe Tide2011 111—
PhoenixArizonaValley Metro Rail2008 4112024
PortlandOregonMAX Light Rail1986 9752015
CaliforniaSacRT light rail1987 5332015
St. LouisMissouri and IllinoisMetroLink1993 3722006
Salt Lake CityUtahTRAX1999 5132013
CaliforniaSan Diego Trolley1981 6242021
San JoseCaliforniaVTA light rail1987 6232005
WashingtonLink light rail2009 2722025
WashingtonT Line (Link light rail)2003 1212023

Streetcar systems
Modern streetcar systems generally have smaller single-car trains that travel on short routes with frequent stops in lanes that are shared with automobile traffic (street running). The first was the Portland Streetcar, which opened in 2001. Some are heritage streetcar lines, which run vintage or historic-replica vehicles.

GeorgiaAtlanta StreetcarThis system also has a /metro portion (see List of metro systems); the figures and statistics presented here represent the portion of the system only.2014 121—Modern
CharlotteNorth CarolinaCityLYNX Gold Line2015 1712021Modern
OhioConnector2016 181—Modern
Texas2015 612016Modern
1989 4012015Heritage
Michigan2017 201—Modern
TexasEl Paso Streetcar2018 271—Heritage
Missouri2016 161—Modern
WisconsinKenosha Streetcar2000 171—Heritage
Arkansas2004 1512007Heritage
MemphisTennessee1993 2532021Heritage
WisconsinThe Hop2018 2122023Modern
OklahomaOklahoma City Streetcar2018 222—Modern
PortlandOregonPortland Streetcar2001 7622015Modern
St. LouisMissouri2018 101—Heritage
Salt Lake CityUtahS Line2013 71—Modern
WashingtonSeattle Streetcar2007 1722016Modern
FloridaTECO Line Streetcar2002 1112010Heritage
TempeArizonaValley Metro Streetcar2022 141—Modern
Arizona2014 221—Modern
Washington, D.C.District of Columbia2016 81—Modern

"" systems
systems, routes operating on the national rail network which do not operate with commuter rail characteristics, were introduced in 2004 with New Jersey's River Line. Hybrid rail systems operate vehicles which do not meet Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines, usually (but not always) small multiple unit railcars like a light rail system, but like commuter rail, they are typically powered by diesel engines over tracks which may be shared with freight trains (which typically only operate overnight, when passenger service has stopped). Unlike most commuter rail systems which only operate during the weekday peak travel periods, hybrid rail systems operate all-day, every day, but typically at longer headways than light rail.
Camden–Trenton, U.S.River Line2004 21DMULight rail
Escondido–Oceanside, U.S.Sprinter2008 15DMUHybrid Rail
Denton–Carrollton, U.S.A-train2011 5DMUCommuter rail
AustinTexas, U.S.2010 9DMUCommuter rail (hybrid)
Santa Rosa–LarkspurCalifornia, U.S.SMART2017 12DMUCommuter rail (hybrid)
Eastern Contra Costa CountyCalifornia, U.S.2018 2DMUCommuter rail (hybrid)
Fort Worth–DFW AirportTexas, U.S.2019 9DMUCommuter rail (hybrid)
Redlands–San BernardinoCalifornia, U.S.Arrow2022 5DMU/Commuter rail (hybrid)
Beaverton–Wilsonville, U.S.WES Commuter Rail2009 5DMUCommuter rail (hybrid)

Systems under construction
The following table lists entirely new light rail, streetcar, or hybrid rail systems under construction. Systems that are in the planning stages but not yet under construction (e.g. Glassboro–Camden Line, Interborough Express, and the Austin system), are not listed; expansions of existing systems are also not listed here.

Orange County2026 Streetcar
Tarrant, Dallas, and Collin countiesSilver Line2026 Hybrid rail
Omaha2027 Streetcar
Montgomery and Prince George's countiesPurple Line2027 Light rail

See also
  • List of United States light rail systems by ridership
  • List of rail transit systems in the United States
  • List of hybrid rail systems in North America
  • List of streetcar systems in the United States
  • Light rail in North America
  • Streetcars in North America
  • Public Transportation in San Diego
  • Light rail in New Jersey
  • Transportation in Dallas, Texas
  • Transportation in Houston
  • Transportation in Portland, Oregon
  • Transportation in San Francisco
  • Transportation in Salt Lake City
  • Transportation of St. Louis, Missouri
  • Rail transit in metropolitan Denver
  • Rail transit in Boston
  • Transportation in San Jose, California
  • Transportation in Hudson County, New Jersey
  • Rail transit in Kenosha, Wisconsin
  • Transportation in New York City

Notes
External links

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