European streetcars rerouted to Vancouver Olympics

Two unique streetcars are heading from Brussels to Vancouver to provide free rides during the Olympics.

The 32-metre-long Bombardier trams were shipped on Monday and are expected to arrive in early December.

The streetcars will provide free service along the tracks between the Olympic Village and Vancouver's Granville Island —seven days a week, 18 hours a day during the 2010 Games in February.

The project is meant to publicly demonstrate the Bombardier technology and help build its international profile. The company signed a $1.2-billion contract with the Toronto Transit Commission for 204 new low-floor street cars just last July.

The Montreal-based company made its name developing the first snowmobiles before becoming an international leader in aerospace and railway designs.