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Council hears history of Pacific Electric 'red car'; city orders five new trolleys for peninsula service
Summary
Historian Bill Lobdell described how the Pacific Electric 'red car' shaped Newport Beach. Council announced purchase of five new trolleys, 80% funded by an OCTA grant, with service planned for summer 2026 and further expansion in 2027.
Historian Bill Lobdell told the City Council on Tuesday that the Pacific Electric “red car” trolley helped spur early 20th-century development in Newport Beach, and council members announced plans to revive the trolley spirit with new electric trolleys for peninsula service.
Lobdell traced the red car’s arrival to early development around Balboa Island and the Balboa Pavilion. He said the line made Newport Beach accessible from across Southern California, describing the pavilion’s 1906 opening and the large crowds it drew. “The trip from LA to Newport Beach was about 55 minutes, if you can believe it,” Lobdell said during his presentation, citing historical timetables and photographs.
After the presentation Mayor Stapleton and other council members told the audience the city has ordered five modern trolley vehicles with partial grant funding. The mayor said the purchase is “in partnership with some grant funding from OCTA that is, I think, 80% funded from, OCTA.” City remarks stated the five trolleys will not be available for the coming summer but are expected to run in summer 2026; city officials said they hope to expand the fleet in 2027 to create broader peninsula connections.
City speakers compared Newport’s plans to other coastal trolley systems, noting Laguna Beach’s ridership as an example. Council members framed the trolleys as a transportation and tourism asset that could reduce car trips and better connect east and west sides of the peninsula.
The presentation was informational; no council motion or vote on procurement was taken at the meeting beyond the staff report and the announcement that the city has ordered five vehicles. Council members said staff will return with implementation details, schedules and routes as the delivery timeline firmed up.
