QUITO TROLLEYBUSES

One of the world's most extraordinary transportation systems operates in a narrow valley high in the Andes Mountains 20 km (12 mi) south of the Equator.

Quito, Ecuador, was the last large city in South America to install urban transport, but is a pioneer in urban transport today. Because of its remote location, altitude and steep streets, the ancient Inca capital never had a horsedrawn bus or tram line. The Guayaquil & Quito Railway finally brought Western Civilization in 1908. Electric trams ran from the railway station through the Old City to the northern suburbs between 1914 and 1948 [see The Tramways of Quito].

In 1994 construction began on a reserved-lane, platform-loading, rapid-transit electric bus line that would revolutionize transportation again. Articulated trolleybuses with high-level doors that board passengers from stations in the street began free rides a week before Christmas, 1995. Revenue service started on 8 January 1996 and within a few months 54 trolleybuses were carrying 200,000 passengers per day on an 11.2 km route [see map]. The first photograph shows a view south along Av. 10 de Agosto at the junction of Av. Atahualpa - about 2 km from the north end of the line. That's Florón station in the distance. [Steve Morgan, October 1996]

One of the "paradas" on Av. 10 de Agosto in May 2000. The trolleybuses - trimmed in various shades of red, yellow, blue and green - were built by Hispano Carrocera in Zaragoza, Spain, with electrical equipment from Kiepe Elektrik in Düsseldorf, Germany. [The author of this photograph is unknown - will whoever sent it please e-mail me and identify him- or herself!]

Cumandá station, between Plaza Santo Domingo and the interurban bus terminal in the old section of the city [see map]. Passengers pay and queue inside the "paradas", which are raised above street level to match the floor level of the trolleybus. There are 39 such stations between Estación Norte and Estación Sur. [El Comercio, Quito, 20 December 1998]

Southbound trolleybus 16 prepares to turn into Estación Sur, where passengers transfer to and from feeder bus lines [see map]. Note its high-level doors. This photograph was taken in March 1996, before the vehicles had been fitted with destination signs. [Allen Morrison]

Quito's trolleybus line has been an enormous success and attracted attention worldwide. Construction began in 1999 of a 6 km extension from Estación Sur to Av. Morán Valverde [see map]. The extraordinary aspect of "Trolesur", as it is nicknamed, is the placement of larger, 2-way stations between the trolleybus lanes - instead of smaller 1-way structures at their sides. Because the vehicles have doors on only their right sides, they operate left-hand in counterflow to automobile traffic. The photo below shows the inauguration of Trolesur on 29 April 2000. The poles of another trolleybus - going the other way - are just visible on the extreme left. [Hoy, Quito, 30/4/2000]

Another view of the southern extension, along Av. Teniente Hugo Ortiz, in June 2000 [see map]. This photo also clearly shows the vehicle's high doors. Quito now has 113 articulated trolleybuses and a 17 km trolleybus line. Another extension is planned to the north. [Neydo Hidalgo]