CATS is imploding, no doubt about it. On two different fronts CATS train-building dreams are running into hard reality.

First, the news that the $40 million Uptown trolley is trouble. In a subscriber-only story The Charlotte Business Journal reports:

“If things don’t work well with historic trolley service, we may be forced to consider” ending the trolley line, says Ron Tober, CATS chief executive. “That’s not our plan. We fully intend to have both services.”

Tober says the trolley will be assessed as the light-rail service gets up and running. It may take two to three years to determine whether the two are compatible, he says. CATS views light rail as a commuter service, while the trolley is aimed more at tourists and short-haul outings.

Two to three years? But nevermind that absurdity, the CBJ notes that a CATS money crunch has forced CATS to scrap plans for a Park Avenue trolley stop in South End. Why is that important? Because that stop was the linchpin of the tourists shopping in South End plan. Without that stop, there is very little reason to run the damn thing at all.

There’s more. The “historic” trolley CATS spent $180,000 to refurbish will not be part of the service. Federal safety regs will keep it off the track. And CATS is hiking fares by 30 percent to $1.30 in a bid to keep the operating deficit down.

Bottomline, do not be surprised if the trolley never shares track with the light rail line. Never. Forty million dollars. Poof. Gone.

Meanwhile, CATS is clawing to get Iredell County on-board its North line commuter plan. So far, no takers. Recall that CATS has a $16 million multi-modal station it is building Uptown that desparately needs a train to run into it. The commuter line looks like a relatively cheap option at some $250 million, but ridership projections are so low that federal money to build it is unlikely.

Low ridership is also why Iredell officials wisely want no part of funding a choo-choo. But look for pressure to increase on them to help bailout CATS. Regional government would directly follow Iredell signing on to CATS’ train-building plans.

Hands up who is in favor of that? I mean, besides the usual suspects inside the I-277 cocoon of power?