Special Event Line (San Diego Trolley)
Light rail line in San Diego, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Special Event Line, also known as the "Red Line" until 2012,[1] is a light rail line operated by the San Diego Trolley, an operating division of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Two different versions of this line operated, both times only during special events.
| Special Event Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg) A Special Event Line trolley (left) next to a Green Line trolley (right) at Seaport Village station | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Only operates on special events, primarily during San Diego Comic-Con in late July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Metropolitan Transit System | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | San Diego, California | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | http://www.sdmts.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Light rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | San Diego Trolley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route number | 540 (in internal documents only)[a] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | San Diego Trolley, Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | July 20, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | 2 Tracks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | 600 V DC Overhead lines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | Max. 50 mph (80 km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The original version of the Special Event Line, operating from at least 2007[2] to 2012, connected Qualcomm Stadium station with Gaslamp Quarter station, during sporting events at[3] Qualcomm Stadium,[4] Cox Arena,[5] and the SDSU Open Air Theatre (OAT),[5] as well as during events like San Diego Comic-Con. This version of the Special Event Line was discontinued in 2012, after the Trolley Renewal Project saw the Green Line extended over the Special Event Line's route.
In 2022, the Special Event Line was revived, this time only running during Comic-Con. The line runs from Balboa Avenue Transit Center (which had opened in the previous September as part of the Blue Line Mid-Coast extension) to 12th and Imperial.[6][7][8][9]
Current route (2022-present)
Since 2022, the Special Event Line has primarily only operated during the annual San Diego Comic-Con in late July. Service runs from Balboa Avenue Transit Center to 12th and Imperial, following the Green Line's alignment from 12th and Imperial to Old Town Transit Center.[6][10] Over the course of the 2023 Comic-Con, the Special Event Line served over 100 thousand riders.[11]
Stations
| Station | Location | Connections |
|---|---|---|
| Balboa Avenue | Bay Park, San Diego | |
| Clairemont Drive | ||
| Tecolote Road | Morena, San Diego |
|
| Old Town | Old Town, San Diego |
|
| Washington Street | Mission Hills, San Diego |
|
| Middletown | Middletown, San Diego |
|
| County Center/Little Italy | Little Italy, San Diego |  Blue Line  Green Line |
| Santa Fe Depot | Core, San Diego | |
| Seaport Village | Marina, San Diego | Green Line  Silver Line |
| Convention Center | Green Line Silver Line | |
| Gaslamp Quarter | Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego | Green Line Silver Line |
| 12th & Imperial | East Village, San Diego |
|
2005–2012 route
| Special Event Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 San Diego Trolley Old Town | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Closed; later revived on a different route in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Metropolitan Transit System | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | San Diego, California | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | http://www.sdmts.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Light rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | San Diego Trolley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | San Diego Trolley, Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | Triple Car U2 Trains * Train configurations may vary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | July 10, 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | August 29, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | 2 Tracks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | 600 V DC Overhead lines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | Max. 50 mph (80 km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
From at least 2007[2] to 2012, the Red Line operated between Gaslamp Quarter station and Qualcomm Stadium station (now known as Stadium station). They operated once every 15 minutes, during sporting events at Petco Park,[3] Qualcomm Stadium,[4] Cox Arena,[5] and the SDSU Open Air Theater (OAT),[5] as well as selected conventions and other major city events (such as San Diego Comic-Con).[12]
On maps issued during its first tenure in operation, the Red Line was illustrated as a red dashed line, indicating that it was a "Special Event Service Only".[13]
The Special Event Line was discontinued in 2012, as part of the Trolley Renewal Project.[b] The entire route the Special Event line ran is now served by the Green Line (which had been extended from Old Town to 12th & Imperial), and MTS now opts to add cars and increase service on that route when needed.[c]
The last Special Event Trolley departed at 6:54 pm on August 29, 2012.
Stations
| Station | Location | Connections |
|---|---|---|
Stadium  |
Mission Valley, San Diego | Green Line |
| Fenton Parkway | Green Line | |
| Rio Vista | Green Line | |
| Mission Valley Center | ||
| Hazard Center | Green Line | |
| Fashion Valley |
| |
| Morena/Linda Vista |
Morena, San Diego |
|
| Old Town |
Old Town, San Diego | |
| Washington Street | Mission Hills, San Diego |
|
| Middletown | Middletown, San Diego | Blue Line |
| County Center/Little Italy | Little Italy, San Diego | Blue Line |
| Santa Fe Depot | Core, San Diego | |
| Seaport Village | Marina, San Diego |  Orange Line Silver Line |
| Convention Center | Orange Line Silver Line | |
| Gaslamp Quarter | Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego | Orange Line Silver Line |
| 12th & Imperial | East Village, San Diego |
Notes
- For example, the link www
.sdmts (with the numbers at the end being a route number) leads to the schedule for the "Special Event Red Line"..com /getting-around /departures-and-schedules /schedules /540 - Compare the maps of the San Diego Trolley issued before[14] and after[15] the change in the trolley schedule on September 2, 2012.