Main Street Line (MATA Trolley)

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Main Street Line
MATA trolley stop Civic Center Plaza Memphis TN.jpg
The Civic Center Plaza station with its clock tower.
Overview
StatusOperational
LocaleMemphis, Tennessee, United States
TerminiButler Avenue
North End Terminal
Stations14
Service
TypeHeritage streetcar
SystemMATA Trolley
Operator(s)Memphis Area Transit Authority
Technical
Line length2.0 mi (3.2 km)
Track length3.7 mi (6.0 km)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
ElectrificationOverhead lines
Route map

Legend
Maintenance Facility
Riverfront Loop
 North End Terminal Bus interchange
Overton
I-40
 Convention Center
Civic Center Plaza
Jefferson Street
Court
Madison Avenue Line
 Madison
Union
Peabody Place
Beale Street
Dr. M.L. King Jr.
Huling
Butler
Riverfront Loop
 Central Station
Amtrak
This diagram:
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The Main Street Line is a line of the Memphis Area Transit Authority trolley system. It began operations in 1993, becoming the first streetcar line to operate in Memphis since 1947.[1] It runs for about 2 mi (3.2 km) along Main Street, with 14 stops in Downtown Memphis. The Main Street Line is concurrent with the Riverfront Loop for almost all of its length.[2]

Route description[]

The Main Street Line begins in the South Main Arts District at Butler Avenue. From here it runs north past major attractions such as the National Civil Rights Museum and Beale Street. At Peabody Place, Main Street becomes a pedestrian mall allowing the trolley full right-of-way. On the Main Street Mall, the line passes through the heart of downtown Memphis, passing Court Square, the Civic Center Plaza, and the Cook Convention Center. At Madison Avenue, the tracks connect with the Madison Avenue Line, though the two lines to not have connecting routes. The mall ends at Exchange Street in front of the convention center, whereby the trolley continues north to the North End Terminal on Shadyac Avenue. The terminal provides connections with the MATA bus system. For the entirety of its route, the Main Street line has a double track, with cars operating in both directions.

In February 2021, MATA opened a new stop in front of Memphis Central Station. Construction of the new stop was funded through a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement grant from TDOT.[3]

List of trolley stops[]

South Main Arts District to North End Terminal

Stop Other
trolley line(s) 		Notes
Central Station Memphis Central Station
Butler   South Main Arts District, Blues Hall of Fame
Huling   South Main Arts District, National Civil Rights Museum
Dr. ML King Jr.   Formerly "Linden" for the cross street
FedExForum, Halloran Center
Beale Street   Beale Street, Elvis Presley Plaza, Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, Orpheum Theatre
Peabody Place   Peabody Place, Belz Museum
Union   88 Union Tower, AutoZone Park, One Commerce Square
Court     North Court (northbound), South Court (southbound)
Court Square, Falls Building, Fire Museum, Raymond James Tower
Jefferson Stop is southbound only
200 Jefferson tower, 88 North Main building
Civic Center Plaza   City Hall, Shelby County Courthouse
Convention Center   Cannon Center, Memphis-Cook Convention Center
Overton   Pinch District
North End   North End Terminal transit center

References[]

  1. ^ Huston, Jerry (April 22, 1993). "Trolley rumbles to life in city – Line readied for comeback downtown". The Commercial Appeal.
  2. ^ "MATA Trolley Service". Memphis Area Transit Authority. Archived from the original on 2013-01-03. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  3. ^ "South Main shop owners ready for new trolley station to open this weekend". WREG.com. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
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