Friday, May 2, 2008

The Americana: The Trolley

I hate pointless mockeries of public transit systems that don't actually go anywhere. I loathe the stupid two story trolley at the Grove. Ridiculous! Excessive!

My first glimpse of the Americana's trolley came as I was biking north on Brand. I heard the USC marching band, and looked over to see the trolley chugging along alongside Brand with Rick Caruso and a bunch of dignitaries on board. I couldn't help but laugh at how surreal the whole scene was.

Like so much of the Americana and Caruso-land, the trolley plays to our collective fantasies of an idealized past and "the way things used to be". And you know what? IT WORKS. Much to my surprise, I absolutely love the trolley.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I sort of detest these trolleys-to-a-hundred-yards-from -where-you-start for the same reason you suggest, but, like you, I am a big fan, especially because my kids love the experience tremendously.

I think, then, what I really dislike is not the mall ride, but the fact that I have to drive a car to get to the place to take the ride.

- Bones