March 31, 2017

2999, 3005 NETHERLANDS (Aruba) - Trams in Oranjestad

Aruba
2999 Oranjestad - The green single-decker trolley 1265 (1)

Posted on 25.03.2017, 31.03.2017
The Oranjestad Streetcar is a single-track tram line in Oranjestad, the capital city of Aruba, owned and operated by Arubus, the national public transportation company. It was built as a key component of a larger project to upgrade the main retail areas of the town, other aspects of which included pedestrianization of streets, planting of trees, installation of ornamental street lighting and resurfacing of streets and sidewalks. It is the first and so far the only passenger rail service on the island and the rest of the Dutch Caribbean, and the second of any kind, after an industrial branch that was closed in 1960.

Aruba
2999 Oranjestad - The green single-decker trolley 1265 (2)

The line was inspired by the popular battery-powered streetcar operation at The Grove in Los Angeles. In 2010 Aruba's Minister of Infrastructure visited the California factory of TIG/m, the company that had designed the Los Angeles car, and before long TIG/m was constructing two streetcars, a single- and a double-decker, for Aruba. In 2012 Aruba's Prime Minister signed an agreement with Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin enterprises, to make Aruba the world's first 100% green economy by 2020.  

The line was inaugurated on 22 December 2012, and the regular service started on 19 February 2013. The line starts from a balloon loop near the Port of Call and serves the downtown area with a route along Schelpstraat, Havenstraat and Caya Betico Croes, the main road, which is open to pedestrians only.

There are a total of 9 stops situated approximately 200 meters apart from each other. The fleet is composed of 4 streetcars: 2 single-decker (green and orange) and 2 open-top double-decker (blue and orange) cars. The vehicles use hydrail technology: they are powered by batteries augmented by hydrogen fuel cells.

About the stamp
On the postcard 2999
The stamp is part of the series Birds - Burrowing Owl, issued on March 31, 2016. The four stamps depicted the Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) in different hypostases.
• 0.14 AWG - It's on the postcard 2999
• 0.20 AWG
• 0.32 AWG
• 0.65 AWG

On the postcard 3005
The stamp is part of the series Forest Animals, issued on December 16, 2013. All the stamps are the same face value (1.75 AWG).
• Agalychnis calidryas
• Panthera onca
• Ara macao
• Ranitomega benedicta
• Saimiri sciureus
• Panthera onca
• Ramphastos sulfuratus
• Sanguinus imperator - It's on the postcard 2999

References
Trams in Oranjestad - Wikipedia
The Streetcar of Oranjestad - Electric Transport in Latin America, homepage of Allen Morrison

Sender 2999, 3005: Denise
Sent from Oranjestad (Aruba), on 24.02.2017  

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