The oneida railway was established in 1885 and eventually connected oneida, new york, with syracuse, new york. The electric interurban railways in america by george w. 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. South shore line americas last interurban continues to operate between chicago and south bend, indiana. Route 101 runs to media, while route 102 goes to sharon hill. Electric interurban railways the handbook of texas. 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. List of interurban railways in north america wikipedia. 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. Twenty electric interurban railways operated during the early twentieth century in the great plains.
Roster of preserved north american electric railway cars. A lucid synthesis of an industrys rise, demise, and impacts on its myriad stakeholders. Septa routes 101 and 102, also known as the mediasharon hill line, are light rail lines operated by the suburban transit division of the southeastern pennsylvania transportation authority, serving portions of delaware county. American libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library.
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 electric interurban railways in america hilton, george w. Encyclopedia of the great plains electric interurban railways. Car 523 is a rare surviving example of an electric interurban car that operated. Similar cars operated in most urban areas of north america and played a decisive role. Transit companies nationwide began to electrify their lines following the successful installation of a socalled sprague system in richmond, virginia, in 1888. Enlarged street railways, either alone or in short trains, operated over routes that utilized separate rightsofway in rural areas and local streetcar tracks to reach. Why is american railways not electrified as it is in. Indiana railroad system central electric railfans association. Most interurban railways in north america were electrified using lowvoltage direct current systems popular with street railways, enabling interurbans to use urban. 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. Built with the idea of attracting shortdistance passenger traffic and light freight, the interurbans were largely constructed in the early 1900s.
The united electric railways company uer was the providencebased operator of the system of interurban streetcars, trolleybuses, and trolley freight in the state of rhode island in the early to midtwentieth century the uer was chartered in 1919, after the previous operator of the streetcar, the rhode island company, went into temporary receivership. The icc accident reports provide concrete examples of interurban operating methods. Interurban and streetcar railways in syracuse, new york. The history and modeling of interurban railroads st. Oct 31, 2016 a lucid synthesis of an industrys rise, demise, and impacts on its myriad stakeholders. Grant explores the rise and fall of a fleeting form of transportation that started in the early 1900s and was defunct just 30 years later. Railroad commissary interurban railroad books catalog. Attempts were made from 1925 on to merge the railways but the objections of security holders. Interurbans encyclopedia of cleveland history case. In the beginning they were either horsedrawn or fueled by steam and by the end of the 19th century they were electric driven. Graves organized the dubuque street railway and operated the first horsecar from the levee at the foot of jones street to. Electric railway promotion in texas, southwestern historical quarterly 84 july 1980.
Due, in their book the electric interurban railways in america, puts the total at a slightly more modest 1825 miles moving between south bend and chicago, saw a somewhat more. Hilton has written a comprehensive analysis of the rise and fall of the interurban railways. Due, in their book the electric interurban railways in america, puts the total at a slightly more modest 1825 miles. For those interested, this book can be found used on amazon. The east troy electric railroad is the last remnant of the milwaukee electric. Berkshire street railway canaan ctpittsfieldnorth adams 19101932 replacement bus companies. The book was written in the 1960s but as almost all of the interurban s were closed by the 1930s. Interstate public serviceyour neighborhood interurban. The routes eastern terminus is 69th street transportation center in upper darby, pennsylvania. The electric interurban railways in america by george hilton. 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. One of the most colorful yet neglected eras in ame.
Interurban railway lines run between cities, while streetcar lines provide service within a city. By 1910 a network of interurban electric railways connected many of the cities and towns of the midwest. Electric interurban trains grew out of citybased networks of electric streetcars, commonly known as trolleys. Interurban railways ran on relatively light rail and roadbed. Long before hybrid cars, suvs, jetblue, and even amtrak, travel between american cities occurred largely by rail. Clicking on a number will take you to the beginning of that chapter. Oliver jensen, author of american heritage history of railroads in america, commented. Elsewhere, the term was not used or did not have the same meaning. Electric interurban railways in america by hilton abebooks.
The electric interurban railways in america by due, john f. The interurban or radial railway is a type of electric railway, with streetcarlike light electric. 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. 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. Early in the 20th century, ohio became the heartland of the electric interurban railway, and cleveland emerged as one of its foremost centers. Oct 24, 2011 how the automobile industry scrapped effective pollution free public transportation. South shore line america s last interurban continues to operate between chicago and south bend, indiana. Comparing electric interurban railways and steam railroads.
The texas electric railway companys revenue gradually declined and the last interurban car ran on december 31, 1948. National register of historic places registration form in. The book gives the history of the interurban railways from their birth in the early 1900s to the very fast decline of the 1930s and 1940s. Most were built in the early 1900s, with commuters generating most of the revenue. This is the authoritative book on the subject, interesting written roughly a halfcentury ago but still in print. Inventors had been experimenting with electricity as a source of motive power for. The portland sellwood and milwaukie railway was one of the first electric interurban lines constructed in the pacific northwest. This was filmed on the illinois railway museums mainline. Due, in the electric interurban railways in america, define an interurban as a system which shares most or all of four characteristics. 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. The electric interurban railways in america george. 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.
All were opened primarily as passenger carriers, although many survived as freight railways after passenger service ceas. These interurban electric railway lines were typically built using standard gauge 4 feet 8 12 inches track, allowing freight cars to be interchanged with the main line railways. Professor roger grant talked about the history of american transportation and the rise of interurban electric rail at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. 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. Despite this situation, these systems shared a small number of common reasons for electrification. Chapter six street railways and electric interurbans 1920.
Due 1960 stanford university press, stanford, california original 1960 first printing this is not an exlibrary book and it is not a reprint edition binding is decorated gray cloth hardcover with decoration and titles in black on cover and spine. In its heyday, the interurban ran from dallas to denison, corsicana, and waco. Traction company merged to form the texas electric railway company, the. The electric interurban railways in america george w. 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. Electric interurban railways the handbook of texas online.
It was a tenmilliondollar corporation operating interurban lines and city lines, both standard and narrow gauge. The chicago north shore and milwaukee railroad, an electric interurban rail line that carried passengers between milwaukee and downtown chicago, shut down 50 years ago in 1963. Roger grant has produced a fine social history of americas electric interurbans, exploring the relationship between people and those railway enterprises. And yet you say youve never heard of this electric traction enigma. Gilson, a history of the texas electric railway, 19171955 m. Puget sound electric railway car 523 landmark registration form. 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. Placed in service in 1926 as the first allelectric interurban diner in the country, the car. Research and modeling of interurban railways in the united states 3d drawing 3d printing of scale models. Interurban and streetcar railways flourished in syracuse, new york until the automobile, airplane and bus took their place. Graves organized the dubuque street railway and operated the first.
The electric interurban railways in america authors. Portlands first interurban line, the portland sellwood and milwaukie railway, was constructed in 1890 and it was the first of several interurban lines that would serve portland and the willamette valley. The interurban railroad used nontraditional thirdrail pickup for power instead of the typical overhead catenary in 1909, the system merged with the new york state railways system, which was formed from the merger of several interurban railways in upstate new york. Jan 01, 2000 the electric interurban railways in america hilton, george w. Built by cincinnati car company very light used cond. Interurban and streetcar railways flourished in syracuse, new york until the automobile, airplane and bus took their place the trolley or streetcar served travel within the city limits of syracuse as early as 1859. The electric interurban railways in america, by george w.
Stanford university press, 2000 transportation 463 pages. The trolley or streetcar served travel within the city limits of syracuse as early as 1859. The following, adapted from the chicago manual of style, 15th. No better history of the interurban than this will likely ever be written. 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. One of the most colorful yet neglected eras in american transportation history is recreated in this definitive history of the electric interurbans. George hilton and john dues authoritative piece, the electric interurban railways in america, point out, hill was particularly interested in their timber traffic.
Still, that is of value to the student of this fascinating era. Due, the electric interurban railways in america stanford university press, 1960. Interurbans most heavily served the areas skirting the shores of lake erie. The rise of the automobile and motor transport caused the industry to decline after world war i, and. 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. The first diners were built by american car and foundry in jeffersonville in 1923. In the past there were electric sections on the milwaukee road and the great northern. Texas electric railway companys interurban electric rail car. Enlarged street railways, either alone or in short trains, operated over routes that utilized separate rightsofway in rural areas and local streetcar tracks to reach downtown. Electric interurban railways in america by george w. The lightrail interurbans used selfpropelled trolley cars resembling standard streetcars. This could be the crew that rebuilt car 703 at north shops in rockford. 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.
The interurban rail service was vigorous and successful for several decades until the automobile became more affordable and was accepted as a primary mode of transportation. All were opened primarily as passenger carriers, although many survived as freight railways after passenger service ceased. The book fills a void, is eminently readable, and richly illustrated. Perfect for railfans, electric interurbans and the american people is a comprehensive contribution for those who love the flanged wheel. It astounded me that we could have ever given up that convenience, and it made me wonder whatever happened to those old interurban railways. This is a list of interurban railways in north america.