Take A Ride On Bakersfield’s New Electric Trolley

The trolley gave a lurch as it pulled onto Truxtun Avenue from where it sat parked outside the Borton & Petrini building. Don’t blame the driver. Trolley cars haven’t been seen in downtown Bakersfield in 30 years.

The grey November drizzle couldn’t damper the inauguration of Bakersfield’s renovated 1994 electric trolley. Even Mayor Harvey Hall’s snapping of the trolley bell chain after an initial ringing couldn’t put a dent in the happy ending to a 30-year local absence of trolley cars.

And there was fanfare too. City officials gathered as well as PG&E dignitaries Cindy Pollard and Brent Rush, Downtown Business Association Chairman Bob Bell, BARC representatives and others. They spoke about the difficulties of string-pulling involved in getting a trolley for Bakersfield.

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