Advertisement Streetcar carries media as part of final staff training Cincinnati Bell Connector opens to public on Sept. 9 Share Shares Copy Link Copy

In an effort to whet your appetite for Friday's grand opening of the Cincinnati streetcar system, members of the media were invited on board Tuesday for a full, 3.6 mile ride along the route.It was the first time someone other than trained staff was allowed on board.Radio host Lincoln Ware was among those taking the specially-arranged ride and gave it high marks.Watch this storyHe has been a proponent of the system, which has arguably been the city's most controversial projects of modern times.For folks who plan to ride the new Cincinnati Bell Connector starting this Friday, there are a couple of important reminders to pass along.The 38 seats are comfortable. However, if one is forced to stand or chooses to stand, remember those straps aren't there for decoration. Treat the streetcar like a subway car in that regard."When they take off, it's a little herky-jerky," noted Ware. "You know, you got to hold on. So people, remember that. You got to hold on when it takes off. But, other than that it's a smooth ride and they tell you where you are. Looks like we just left Findlay Market."Tuesday's media moments on board the streetcar included a pedestrian or two caught by surprise dashing across the street.Lt. Bruce Hoffbauer, of the Cincinnati Police Department, made it a point to emphasize to media the stealth-like feature of the system."The trucks and cars and buses, you tend to hear them. Well, the streetcar is very quiet," observed Hoffbauer.There was also an unscheduled, complete stop when a city sanitation truck claimed temporary occupancy along the Elm Street tracks."Very important you don't park on the track," stated city spokesman Rocky Merz. "That's a very common occurrence where there's either a car parked or somebody that's on the track."Merz reminded media that parking enforcement will be watching for violators in order to keep the streetcar flow uninterrupted.Like the bright lighting, the look has the freshness of a new product.There are 18 stops over a 3.6-mile loop.The streetcar expects to run every 12 minutes during peak hours, and every 15 during non-peak times.Organizers of Tuesday's media group ride figured this first rolling peek from the interior would connect people to the Connector.Invested true believers like John Deatrick, who is the project executive, told WLWT, "Whenever I hear two pieces of metal clink together that sounds like the streetcar bell, gives me shivers. I mean, it's incredible."Deatrick also lavished praise upon his team, saying it took more than 1,000 people to build, transport and get the system ready for this weekend's operation."Our contractors were phenomenal," said Deatrick. "We had a great set of plans."Prus, a local contractor, did all the concrete work and invented concrete finishing tools to speed the process. Hilltop Concrete did not have even one bad load of concrete.Messer Construction and Delta Rail out of Ashtabula were also singled out by Deatrick."They were artists in bending the rail and doing the welding," he said.Out of thousands of rail welds, he said, not one was defective.Deatrick invites feedback from the public once the rides start on Friday.His hope is that people will, as he put it Tuesday, "Ride it and love it."