You're invited to Tampa's biggest surprise wedding of the year, that's for sure! My only question is, what do you get when you cross the Teco Line Streetcar with an urban home tour? Got a punch line? If you answer this question in a comment, particularly right after I publish this, you could earn the distinction of being Tampa Rail's 300th commentator. Woo-hoo! ;)

Wedding Details

This Saturday rides are just a nickel on the Teco Line Streetcar System during its annual Oktoberfest event. The event will run between 9 a.m and 2 p.m. and will feature fun and entertainment throughout the line. Last year's Streetcar Oktoberfest broke a record 10,000 attendees. I have a personal feeling this year will be even better!

HART distributes this official PDF flyer.



An opportunity to break attendance records at this Saturday's
Teco Line Streetcar Oktoberfest!

In an unexpected development in development news, you can use the Teco Line Streetcar during the Oktoberfest event to be personally streetcar-delivered to approximately a dozen condos and other new residential developments in Channelside for an open house tour. Show up and take a tour of your favorite dream pad at the same time. How!? Tampa's Top Blog, Sticks of Fire, is breaking the news that the Urban Home Tour, already held once last July, is on again the very same day as this Saturday's Streetcar Oktoberfest. It should be an intriguing day for anyone who can make it down there. After all, the Channelside urban corridor and the development of the streetcar line are synonymous.



Rising together, the Teco Line Streetcar and Channelside development.
Your chance to see the marriage between them this Saturday!

If You're Willing to Go to North Carolina Instead

I've also received notice that this Friday, October 11, the third in a four part National Streetcar Series is being held at the Winston in Charlotte, North Carolina. This blog post is short notice. But if you're interested in hearing about the America streetcar revival taking place across the nation (bearing in mind that streetcars, heritage or otherwise, are often smaller micro-funded projects you might not as easily hear as much about like light rail), you'd best book a flight fast. More direct information can be found at ReconnectingAmerica.org.

The Political Whore Promises Actual Insight

A football player leading TBARTA? Despite my thorough and penetrating analysis that concluded, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the appointment of former Bucs LB Shelton Quarles to TBARTA as chair was designed to blow my head up, Wayne Garcia has taken the radical if not unique step of approaching the question with real journalism. Damn.

So Mr. Garcia, when did they get to you too?

APTA Transit Link

In my previous post I forgot to cite the source reporting America's rising mass transit use. Whoops! Here's a link to the title Public Transportation Ridership Continues To Climb In 2007.