Puget Sound Electric (and Pacific Northwest Traction)

[NorthWest]

I've started a new thread, as it appears that talk of the PSE is interrupting the quiz thread. Posts so far (some snipped to stay on topic):

NorthWest

In Washington State, there was an interurban in two disconnected segments. The northern segment had a long trestle and was nicknamed "The trolley that went to sea". Name this interurban.

KCSfan

rcdrye

I seem to remember that PugetSound Electric had an isolated line north of Seattle (near Bellingham?), separate from its third rail Seattle Tacoma line.

Puget Sound Electric is not listed in the Jan 1930 OG as it was abandoned in 1927 or '28. Jan 1910 is my next earlier OG and it shows the PSE main between Tacoma and Seattle with several branches connected to the mainline at Tacoma and a branch to Renton running off the main at Renton Jct. The line was extended from Seattle to Everett around 1910. Next the PSE either built or acquired an existing line between Mount Vernon and Bellingham. Construction of a connecting link between Everett and Mount Vernon was started but never completed. As Rob has suggested this left the Mount Vernon-Bellingham segment disconnected from the rest of the system.

Having found this info I suspect Rob is correct in identifying the Puget Sound Electric as the answer to this question.

Mark

[NorthWest]

NorthWest

Rob gets it. The name I was looking for is Pacific Northwest Traction, but since they were owned by the same company, Stone and Webster, I'll count it. He also correctly described the disconnected segment with a 4 mile long trestle. Stone and Webster had grand plans of creating a Olympia-Vancouver B.C. interurban. Perhaps we could have had a major interurban like the North Shore had all the lines been completed. One of the great what ifs...

KCSfan

I was surprised to learn that the Puget Sound Electric was 3rd rail and wonder why it was built that way instead of the usual trolley wire or catenary. According to the Jan 1910 OG the total mileage of its mainline and branches was 117 miles. This doesn't even include the Seattle-Everett and Mount Vernon-Bellingham lines which were built later. Adding these latter segments the PSE total mileage probably became at least 140 miles making it, I believe, the longest 3rd rail interurban in the US.  It's also interesting to note that the 1910 OG contains the note, "PARLOR CARS attached to all trains" which had to be rather exceptional in that day and time.

Mark

[NorthWest]

NorthWest

Mark, I'm not sure why the PSE used third rail, they used overhead wire in urban areas. The later built lines were both wire. The reason why they attached parlor cars is likely the competition: they had at least three railroads operating the same service.

rcdrye

One odd "feature" of the Puget Sound Electric was the tendency of its third rail to travel - crews were always adding and removing sections.  This is especially odd since the line was single track and used in both directions.

[NorthWest]

I think that is all the relevant posts in sequential order. If not, please tell me. I also hope I also didn't confuse anyone.

rcdrye

One odd "feature" of the Puget Sound Electric was the tendency of its third rail to travel - crews were always adding and removing sections.  This is especially odd since the line was single track and used in both directions.

The third rail also had the tendency to attract livestock, with tragic results, and several derailments.

A note on Stone and Webster, they pretty much purchased every streetcar, interurban and power company in Western Washington. Why the Pacific Northwest Traction and PSE were never merged is a mystery to me.

 

[NorthWest]

A quick check on Google Earth Streetview shows that the depot in Bellingham is still Puget Sound Energy offices. This is a successor to the power company that owned the PNT.