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Top Ten Oldest, Continually Operating, Trolley Routes in USA?

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  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: NJ-NYC Area
  • 192 posts
Posted by paulsafety on Friday, April 18, 2008 2:22 PM
RouteStart Date
New Orleans (St. Charles Line)1835
Boston, MA (Green Line)1856
New Orleans (Canal St. Line)1861
New Canaan, CT (Metro North)1901
Library, PA (Pittsburgh Railways Company/PAT)1902
Norristown, PA (SEPTA 100)1902
Sharon Hill, PA (SEPTA 102)1904
Chicago, IL (South Shore Line)1906
San Fransisco, CA1906
Media, PA (SEPTA 101)1912
Cleveland, OH (Shaker Heights)1922
Philadelphia (10, 11, 13, 34, 36)1923?

Thanks for the extra information!  I will research the Philadelphia street car route history more tonight.

The Mass. Historical Society dates the first horsecar operation in Boston as 1856 so I used that date for Boston.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,022 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, April 21, 2008 8:53 AM

The 1901 date for the New Canaan branch is when electric trolley cars started operating.  Stem (or horses) may hve been used earlier.

 Sinmilarly, Pittsburgh's line to Library was a takeover of a narrow gauge steam railroad!

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: NJ-NYC Area
  • 192 posts
Posted by paulsafety on Monday, April 21, 2008 3:32 PM
 daveklepper wrote:
The 1901 date for the New Canaan branch is when electric trolley cars started operating.  Stem (or horses) may hve been used earlier.

 Sinmilarly, Pittsburgh's line to Library was a takeover of a narrow gauge steam railroad!

Dave,

I'd be happy to update the list, but I don't have those dates.  If anyone can cite a reference, I'll repost with the right information.  Thank you for your help on this.

Paul

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • 12 posts
Posted by b&ofan on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 12:24 PM
 al-in-chgo wrote:

SOOOoooo, can a single suspended catenary-type energized wire serve the needs of both trolley pole and pantograph on the same line??

Inquiring minds, etc...   Blush [:I]     -  a. s.

 

*************************

Absolutely! It is limited only by the designs of the hangers, pull-overs, and frogs; they have to be designed so as not to snag the pantagraph. However, Melbourne, Australia, ran both forms of pickup under single suspensions until very recent years, when they went wholly to pans. And I have seen both operated under single-suspension at the National Capital Trolley Museum in Wheaton, Maryland; they do it there all the time. 

Regards: Tom Fairbairn 

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