The Loop Trolley Co. in St. Louis has hired Paul Scott as its first general manager.

A former transit manager at St. Louis Metro Transit, Scott most recently served as a consultant to the city of Kansas City, Mo., on the startup and operation of its new streetcar line. He also previously worked as a manager for Valley Metro’s light-rail system in Phoenix.

Scott has worked on all aspects of rail startups, Loop Trolley Co. officials said in a press release.

"There is a lot of work to do before we can begin operating trolleys," Scott said in the release. "This will be a lean operation, but we will need to hire staff so that we can begin testing our vehicles when they are delivered this summer and become familiar with maintenance and operating procedures."

The proposed 2.2-mile Delmar Loop Trolley is currently under construction and is slated to begin operating in spring 2017. Owned by the Loop Trolley Transportation Development District, the streetcar line will link University City and Forest Park, with a turnaround at the Missouri History Museum.

Progressive Railroading © May 2016