Kansas City 'Toy Train' Streetcar Playlist: Back On Track 2025

This late night playlist is only for TKC "real ones" as we celebrate an inconsequential factoid regarding Kansas City life . . .

The streetcar is back online after YET ANOTHER delay in service . . .  

"The streetcars began running again Saturday morning and will run with regular Saturday hours of 7 a.m. to 1 a.m., according to a news release from the KC Streetcar Authority."

The inside joke for locals who know how things REALLY work in this town . . . 

KANSAS CITY'S "TOY TRAIN" STREETCAR IS ANYTHING BUT REAL TRANSIT AND SERVES AS NOTHING MORE THAN TOURISTY FROU-FROU!!!

 A bit of proof via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

KSHB: Kansas City Streetcar rolling again after 5 days of maintenance work

We can agree to disagree . . . But one more shut down and then a restart inspires tonight's list of songs: 

This is Kansas City's official streetcar anthem and it's better than we deserve . . . Kemet Coleman is one of the greatest musician to ever live and work in this cowtown and part of his story is sharing hope that mass transit can improve our lives . . .

This is probably more our speed here at TKC . . . The "Blizzard Of Ozz" is recently gone but not forgotten as we rock out to this track late into the night . . .

Just for the old-heads reading right now . . . "Long Train Runnin'" (or "Long Train Running") is a song recorded by American rock band the Doobie Brothers and written by band member Tom Johnston. It was included on the band's third album, The Captain and Me (1973), and was released as a single by Warner Bros., becoming a hit and peaking at No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. 

And YES it still holds up for anyone who celebrates life in their old-a$$ bones . . . 

The list wouldn't be complete if we didn't share 90s-era-JUNK that still holds a place in our heart . . . The Quad City DJs earned a spot in the discourse for this hip-hop dance track dedicated to trains . . . 

A staple of the discourse & pop music history even if boomers quickly switched up their feelings about Cat Stevens after his conversion . . .

For the bridge . . . A nostalgic 90s-era song reminds us that Gen-X has to ruin EVERYTHING by mercilessly including advocacy in all that we do . . . 

Finally . . . 

"The Trolley Song" is a song written by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin and made famous by Judy Garland in the 1944 film Meet Me in St. Louis.

The track & clip we're including features the Hollywood studio machine at the height of its powers and serving to offer a glamorous & idealized version of American life in Missouri that still lingers in the cultural zeitgeist across the world . . . Even if the reality of urban transit in the Show-Me State is now very different from what is portrayed . . . 

As always, thanks for reading this week and have a safe & fun Saturday night.