Streetcar renovation on track but City Rep. questions cost

As officials look for companies to renovate El Paso’s old streetcars, City Council may once again be contemplating buying new streetcars — a more affordable option — instead of restoring the old ones.

“I mean it’s not a done decision. We still as council will make that decision whether to go with restoring or buying” City Rep. Larry Romero asked Sun Metro officials at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Raul Escobedo, Assistant Director of Sun Metro Administration & Finance, said the last directive given by Council was to restore the old streetcars, though the project is still guided by City Council.

After facing pressure from residents, City Council in 2011 voted to renovate the nine El Paso streetcars instead of buying new ones even though it’d be significantly more expensive. Based on that directive, the Regional Mobility Authority, who is managing the project, is already looking for companies to restore El Paso’s old streetcars. Bids for interested companies are due in April, said Escobedo.

When asked why City Council may be exploring revisiting the idea of buying new streetcars instead of renovating the original ones, City Rep. Dr. Noe said it was all about finances. “It’s hard to spend that much money when there’s a cheaper route. It really is. So I can see why one of the city representatives brought it up again because it’s a lot of taxpayer money.”

Initially, the City thought it’d cost $400,000 more per streetcar to renovate them instead of buying new ones but after more research, it appears the cost could be less. “There may not be quite that big of a gap between buying new and refurbishing the old,” said Noe.

Regional Mobility Authority officials did not immediately return calls inquiring about the exact cost of both options.

Construction for the trolley line should begin before the end of this year. Three of the old trolleys were brought to the El Paso International Airport’s technology lot from the Villalba Sandpits in Socorro and another six were moved from a different location on airport property, according to Sun Metro. The site is not open to the public but the trolleys are at the airport to allow perspective bidders who may compete to renovate the streetcars to see them.