A red trolley car has been transformed into one wrapped in photos of Balboa Park.
The car, unveiled and put to use Wednesday, features photos from 1915, when the Panama-California Exposition was held at Balboa Park, and from attractions at the park today. The design on the trolley car was created in honor of the yearlong 100th anniversary celebration of the exposition.
A partnership between the Metropolitan Transit System and the Balboa Park Conservancy helped make the trolley — which will travel on the Blue, Orange and Green lines — possible.
Ties between the transit system and Balboa Park go back to 1915. During the park's Panama-California Exposition, visitors traveled with the help of the San Diego Electric Railroad Co., which was later renamed the Metropolitan Transit District, said the agency's CEO, Paul Jablonski.
San Diego Councilman Todd Gloria, whose district includes Balboa Park, said the new car will showcase the park's significance.
"The 1915 Exposition was a landmark event, not only in Balboa Park's history, but in San Diego," Gloria said in a statement. "It is more fitting that its Centennial is being celebrated in communities across San Diego. The wrapped MTS trolley car will help create awareness and will also promote taking transit to the park throughout 2015 and beyond."
Carol Chang, president of the Balboa Park Conservancy's board of directors, said the trolley shows the importance of public transportation.
"The eye-catching Centennial Trolley wrap along with other new MTS routes and services for Balboa Park demonstrate that public transportation is just as relevant today for connecting people to the Park as it was during the 1915 Exposition," Chang said in a statement.
Visitors can access Balboa Park with bus routes 7, 3 and 120. For a full schedule of bus routes, go to www.sdmts.com.
