Trolleys run approximately every 8 minutes while the park is open.[5] Unlike the Main Street Vehicles that travel through neighboring Disneyland, the Red Car Trolley runs all day, only briefly pausing service when a parade travels down Hollywood Boulevard.
Vehicles
The line has two trolley cars,[6] built by Brookville Equipment, a manufacturer of diesel switcher locomotives and a rebuilder of classic trolley cars. The design of the Red Car Trolley rolling stock are inspired by the Pacific Electric "Hollywood" class cars, built in the 1920s.
Car 623 is inspired by the 600-series trolleys built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1922, and wears a paint scheme similar to the one used when the "Hollywood" cars were first delivered. The “23” in the car's number is a reference to the year 1923 when Walt Disney arrived in California.[6]
Car 717 is inspired by the 700-750 series trolleys built by the J. G. Brill Company in 1925, and wears a paint scheme similar to Pacific Electric's iconic Art Deco “wings” design. The car's number “717” is a reference to the opening date of Disneyland.[6]
Unlike the original Pacific Electric trolley cars, which drew their power from an overhead wire, the "Red Car Trolley" cars are battery-operated. The onboard batteries are fully recharged overnight in the car barn, and the battery is periodically "topped off" through non-contact charging using induction coils in the ground where the cars rest at the Sunset Boulevard stop.[7][8] The trolley poles on the cars and the overhead catenary lines through the park are not energized and were added to enhance authenticity.[6]