Official interurban map issued by the terre haute, indianapolis and eastern traction company. Ohio electric railway company the ohio electric railway company, formed in 1907, was a consolidation of 14 smaller interurban railways and one of the largest interurban systems. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page information. The electric interurban railways in america george w. Despite this situation, these systems shared a small number of common reasons for electrification. Its a little dry, but if youre interested in the electric interurban railways that briefly flourished in the united states in the early twentieth century, then just as quickly withered and died by the middle of that century, this book is a mustread. Lines which did not fully meet the authors definitions of an interurban in the book the electric interurban railways in america, but nevertheless could be considered as interurban railways.
Before america s involvement in world war i, the pacific electric railway was undoubtedly the countrys greatest interurban system. Electric railroads in sullivan county, indiana, 19061931. Railroad electrification in the united states wikipedia. With the industrial and technological revolution around the turn of the 20th century, america s interurban railway developed so fast and connected so many of us, it must have seemed like the future had suddenly arrived out of nowhere. Baist 1916 map and several other documents in the pdf file scale 1. Dues the electric interurban railways in america, an. The south shore line reporting mark nicd is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the northern indiana commuter transportation district nictd between millennium station in downtown chicago and the south bend international airport in south bend, indiana, united states. Oct 31, 2016 a lucid synthesis of an industrys rise, demise, and impacts on its myriad stakeholders. Long before hybrid cars, suvs, jetblue, and even amtrak, travel between american cities occurred largely by rail. The electric interurban railways in america by george w. Researchers guide for documenting and evaluating railroads. Oliver jensen, author of american heritage history of railroads in america, commented.
Publication date 19 topics streetrailroads, theses collection. It astounded me that we could have ever given up that convenience, and it made me wonder whatever happened to those old interurban railways. Cars traveled south to sellwood through milwaukie to oregon city and it was built as a real estate promotional line as were most streetcar lines. And yet you say youve never heard of this electric traction enigma. Interurbans in the united states wikimedia commons. All were opened primarily as passenger carriers, although many survived as freight railways after passenger service ceas. Electric interurban railways in america by hilton abebooks. The same as above, but without the baist atlas on overlay scale 1. The history and modeling of interurban railroads st. Electric railway and station of the seattle, renton and southern railway co at rainier beach. The electric interurban railways in america download. How the automobile industry scrapped effective pollution free public transportation. Graves organized the dubuque street railway and operated the first horsecar from the levee at the foot of jones street to. Early in the 20th century, ohio became the heartland of the electric interurban railway, and cleveland emerged as one of its foremost centers.
Media in category interurbans in the united states the following 104 files are in this category, out of 104 total. Roger grant has produced a fine social history of americas electric interurbans, exploring the relationship between people and those railway enterprises. Overall, if you would like to learn much more about the interurban industry and its rise and fall consider picking up a copy of the electric interurban railways in america by authors george hilton and john due. List of interurban railways in north america wikipedia. The electric interurban railways in america george. Interurbans encyclopedia of cleveland history case.
One of the most colorful yet neglected eras in american transportation history is recreated in this definitive history of the electric interurbans. Electric interurban railways the handbook of texas online. Due, the electric interurban railways in america stanford university press, 1960. The numbers beside the lines refer to chapters in the html pages of this site. The electric interurban railways in america by due, john f. South shore line america s last interurban continues to operate between chicago and south bend, indiana. Beginning in 1862, the sp and its predecessors operated local steamdrawn ferrytrain passenger service in. This is a list of interurban railways in north america.
May 31, 2009 the purpose of this group is to create a pool of photographs documenting electric interurban railways of the type that was common in united states and canada during the first half of the twentieth century. Electric interurban railways in america by george w. It was a tenmilliondollar corporation operating interurban lines and city lines, both standard and narrow gauge. Built with the idea of attracting shortdistance passenger traffic and light freight, the interurbans were largely constructed in the early 1900s. In the same case, the defendants were accused of conspiring to own or control transit systems, in violation of section 1 of the sherman antitrust act. Never financially healthy, the company went bankrupt in 1921 and was dissolved into its constituent companies. One of the most colorful yet neglected eras in ame. Interurbans most heavily served the areas skirting the shores of lake erie. Modernday photos of the south shore line will also be accepted, as this is the closest thing that we have to a traditional interurban still operating in north america today. The electric interurban railways in america hilton, george w. While not technically an interurban railway, since it did not connect two cities, it was a freight. Companies laid standard rails down the middle of dirt streets and converted to girder rail, rail with an integrated flange way, imbedded into the pavement when cities began paving streets. The company also controlled the indianapolis street railway. Due, in their book the electric interurban railways in america, puts the total at a slightly more modest 1825 miles.
This could be the crew that rebuilt car 703 at north shops in rockford. Research and modeling of interurban railways in the united states 3d drawing 3d printing of scale models. Street railways and electric interurbans to 1920 115 dubuque in 1867, when dubuque citizens voted to allow streets to be used for public transportation, the city was the large t in iowa. Still, that is of value to the student of this fascinating era. The rise of the automobile and motor transport caused the industry to decline after world war i, and.
Why is american railways not electrified as it is in europe. The electric interurban railway welcome to the ideals repository. A first set of papers investigates what drives demand for interurban passenger transport and infers how it may evolve in the future. The interurban or radial railway is a type of electric railway, with streetcarlike light electric selfpropelled railcars which run within and between cities or towns. Comparing electric interurban railways and steam railroads. Transit companies nationwide began to electrify their lines following the successful installation of a socalled sprague system in richmond, virginia, in 1888. If the chapter has more than one section you will need to scroll down to find the section you seek. Clicking on a number will take you to the beginning of that chapter.
Elsewhere, the term was not used or did not have the same meaning. Encyclopedia of the great plains electric interurban railways. The ohio electric railway was an interurban railroad formed in 1907 with the consolidation of 14 smaller interurban railways. The portland sellwood and milwaukie railway was one of the first electric interurban lines constructed in the pacific northwest. The notion of a general motors streetcar conspiracy emerged after general motors gm and other companies were convicted of monopolizing the sale of buses and supplies to national city lines ncl and its subsidiaries. The next lines, one to jeffersontown and the other to. It was ohios largest interurban, connecting toledo, lima, dayton, columbus, and cincinnati. This is the authoritative book on the subject, interesting written roughly a halfcentury ago but still in print. The interurban or radial railway is a type of electric railway, with streetcarlike light electric selfpropelled railcars which run within and between cities or towns they were prevalent in north america between 1900 and 1925 and were used primarily for passenger travel between cities and their surrounding suburban and rural communiti. The east bay electric lines became the interurban electric railway ier in december 1938 in anticipation of the completion the following month of the tracks on the lower deck of the san franciscooakland bay bridge to the san francisco transbay terminal. They were prevalent in north america between 1900 and 1925 and were used primarily for passenger travel between cities and their surrounding suburban and rural communities.
Aug 29, 2016 in the past there were electric sections on the milwaukee road and the great northern. Railroad electrification in the united states began at the turn of the 20th century and comprised many different systems in many different geographical areas, few of which were connected. Oct 24, 2011 how the automobile industry scrapped effective pollution free public transportation. Pennsylvanias historic and archeological sites and surveys stored in files at our. Pdf download the electric interurban railways in america free. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link. Interurban railways ran on relatively light rail and roadbed. All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so dont worry about it. Research and modeling of interurban railways in the united states 3d drawing 3d printing of scale models interurban railways. With the industrial and technological revolution around the turn of the 20th century, americas interurban railway developed so fast and connected so many of us, it must have seemed like the future had suddenly arrived out of nowhere. Jan 01, 2000 the electric interurban railways in america hilton, george w.
No better history of the interurban than this will likely ever be written. Perfect for railfans, electric interurbans and the american people is a comprehensive contribution for those who love the flanged wheel. This enabled interurban cars to use the same overhead trolley power on town street car tracks with no electrical change on the cars to accommodate a different voltage. The lightrail interurbans used selfpropelled trolley cars resembling standard streetcars. They were installed to overcome smoke issues in long tunnels and to improve traction on some of the grades hills compared to the steam locomotives of the time. Please click button to get the electric interurban railways in america book now. Beginning in 1862, the sp and its predecessors operated local steamdrawn ferrytrain passenger service in the east bay on an expanding system. Railway, the richmond street and interurban railway, and the indianapolis coal traction company were predecessor companies.
Most were built in the early 1900s, with commuters generating most of the revenue. While not technically an interurban railway, since it did not connect two cities, it was a freight and passenger hauling electric railway. Most interurban railways in north america were constructed using the same lowvoltage 500 to 600 v dc trolley power in use by the street railways to which they connected. The remaining papers investigate transport policy issues that emerge as key challenges. The book was written in the 1960s but as almost all of the interurban s were. The electric interurban railways in america by george hilton. Roster of preserved north american electric railway cars. Toronto and scarboro electric railway, light and power company. Columbia electric railway bcer, an interurban trolley service for passengers until 1950 as well as for freight. Electric railway promotion in texas, southwestern historical quarterly 84 july 1980. Paul, rochester and dubuque electric traction company.
Berkshire street railway canaan ctpittsfieldnorth adams 19101932 replacement bus companies. The three major interurbans entering chicago were not typical interurban lines, enabling them to survive well beyond the 1930s, when most interurban lines were abandoned. The name refers to both the physical line and the service operated over that route. The pacific electric railway company, nicknamed the red cars, was a privately owned mass transit system in southern california consisting of electrically powered streetcars, interurban cars, and buses and was the largest electric railway system in the world in the 1920s. In its heyday, the interurban ran from dallas to denison, corsicana, and waco. Terre haute, indianapolis and eastern traction company. It connected toledo, lima, dayton, columbus, and cincinnati. Roger grant explores the rise and fall of this fleeting form of transportation that started in the early 1900s and was defunct just 30 years later. The east bay electric lines were a unit of the southern pacific railroad that operated electric interurban type trains in the east bay region of the san francisco bay area. If you were living in waco in 19, you might have read an article in the waco morning news on october 29 announcing a new rail line called the interurban, the final 250mile extension in the large texas electric railway system. If you were living in waco in 19, you might have read an article in the waco morning news on october 29 announcing a new rail line called the interurban, the final 250mile extension in the large texas electric railway system in its heyday, the interurban ran from dallas to denison, corsicana, and waco. There are regulatory restrictions in north america that preclude operating lrt and freight trains on. Lines with some interurban charactistics lines which did not fully meet the authors definitions of an interurban in the book the electric interurban railways in america, but nevertheless could be considered as interurban railways.
You can read online the electric interurban railways in america here in pdf. Sp ier transbay commuter train service ended in july 1941. Chapter six street railways and electric interurbans 1920. The electric interurban railway by fischer, louis engelmann. The purpose of this group is to create a pool of photographs documenting electric interurban railways of the type that was common in united states and canada during the first half of the twentieth century. National register of historic places registration form in. The interurban or radial railway is a type of electric railway, with streetcarlike light electric. Twenty electric interurban railways operated during the early twentieth century in the great plains. The light rail interurbans used selfpropelled trolley cars resembling standard streetcars.
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