List Of Streetcar Systems In The United States
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streetcar A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
(tram),
interurban The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 a ...
and light rail systems in the United States, by principal city (or cities) served, and separated by
political division Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
, with opening and closing dates. It includes all such systems, past and present; cities with currently operating systems, and those systems themselves, are indicated in bold and blue background colored rows. It is one in a group of lists that collectively cover all countries of the world; the other lists are indexed at
List of town tramway systems This is a list of cities that have, or once had, town tramway (urban tramway, or streetcar) systems as part of their public transport system. Due to excessive size, the original list has been divided into separate articles, based on geographical l ...
. This is not a list of streetcar operating companies. It is a list of U.S. cities that were the focus or base of a streetcar system at one time, with starting and ending dates for each general type of streetcar service (e.g.
horsecar A horsecar, horse-drawn tram, horse-drawn streetcar (U.S.), or horse-drawn railway (historical), is an animal-powered (usually horse) tram or streetcar. Summary The horse-drawn tram (horsecar) was an early form of public rail transport, wh ...
, electric streetcar) in each city or metropolitan area. "System", as used in the article title, refers collectively to all streetcar infrastructure and rolling stock in a given metropolitan area, used by any of several different operating companies over many years, often passing from one operating company to the next. The "Name of system" column is intended to distinguish the few cases where two distinctly different systems were in operation in one city at the same time, but is also used to identify operators that have a Wikipedia article. In many U.S. cities, the streetcar system was operated by a succession of different private companies during the years in which the system existed. Middleton, William D. (1967). ''The Time of the Trolley'', pp. 78–79. Milwaukee:
Kalmbach Publishing Kalmbach Media (formerly Kalmbach Publishing Co.) is an American publisher of books and magazines, many of them railroad-related, located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. History The company's first publication was ''The Model Railroader'', which be ...
. .
The use of the diamond (♦) symbol indicates where there were (or are) two or more independent streetcar (or light rail) systems operating concurrently within a single metropolitan area. Usually, this refers either to interurban lines connecting the area's principal city with other cities or to cases where separate cities within one metropolitan area were served by independently operated streetcar systems. Unless otherwise noted in the "Type" column, all systems listed were/are conventional streetcar (tram) systems (although some past systems might have been termed ''light rail'' if that 1970s-introduced term had existed at the time they were in operation). Interurban and light rail systems are noted in that column for convenience. For lists of existing systems only, see the following: *
Light rail in the United States Light rail in the United States is a mode of rail-based transport, usually urban in nature. When compared to heavy rail systems like commuter rail or rapid transit (subway), light rail systems are typically designed to carry fewer passengers and ...
*
List of United States light rail systems by ridership The following is a list of all light rail systems in the United States, ranked by ridership. Also included are those urban streetcar/trolley systems that are providing regular public transit service (i.e. operating year-round and at least five ...
*
Light rail in North America Light rail is a commonly used mode of public transit in North America. The term '' light rail'' was coined in 1972 by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA; the precursor to the U.S. Federal Transit Administration) to describe new str ...
*
List of rail transit systems in the United States This is a list of the operating passenger rail transit systems in the United States. This list does not include intercity rail services such as the Alaska Railroad or Amtrak and its state-sponsored subsidiaries. "Region" refers to the metropolit ...
(which also includes subway/metro and
commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
systems)


Alabama

* Peschkes (Part Four, 1998, page 26) states that a company was organized to build a steam tramway in Blountsville but never started construction, and that other sources tabulate this system among those in operation.


Arizona


Arkansas


California


Colorado

Peschkes (Part Four, 1998, Page 59) states that, despite various evidence, the following town did not have a tramway: * Silver Cliff.


Connecticut


Delaware


District of Columbia

* Notes for Washington, D.C.: ** Operation into Maryland, ? – 2 January 1960. ** Operation into Virginia, 1923 – 25 August 1956.


Florida


Georgia

Peschkes (Part Four, 1998, Page 44) states that, despite the assumption of another historian, there is no evidence for tramways in the following towns: *
Dahlonega The city of Dahlonega () is the county seat of Lumpkin County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,242, and in 2018 the population was estimated to be 6,884. Dahlonega is located at the north end of ...
*
Dalton Dalton may refer to: Science * Dalton (crater), a lunar crater * Dalton (program), chemistry software * Dalton (unit) (Da), the atomic mass unit * John Dalton, chemist, physicist and meteorologist Entertainment * Dalton (Buffyverse), minor cha ...
*
LaGrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaLexington * Summerville * Thomasville


Hawaii


Idaho


Illinois


Indiana


Iowa


Kansas

*Peschkes (Part Four, 1998, Page 57) states that, although included in some statistics, the following (horse-drawn) streetcar systems were not built: ** Beloit. ** Dighton. Peschkes states that one source, dated 1888, states that this town had a streetcar line, but no confirmation was found. **
El Dorado El Dorado (, ; Spanish for "the golden"), originally ''El Hombre Dorado'' ("The Golden Man") or ''El Rey Dorado'' ("The Golden King"), was the term used by the Spanish in the 16th century to describe a mythical tribal chief (''zipa'') or king o ...
. **
Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...
. Peschkes states that "there is no more than a rumor" that this town had a horsecar line.


Kentucky

* Peschkes (Part Four, 1998, Page 59) states that, despite various evidence, the following towns did not have streetcar systems: ** Barbourville – Peschkes describes "a marvellous picture postcard of a horse tramcar in the main street of Barbourville, with a woman driver," dated 1917. Similar picture postcards exist for U.S. towns that did not have horsecar or streetcar systems. ** Mount Sterling.


Louisiana


Maine


Maryland


Massachusetts


Michigan


Minnesota


Mississippi


Missouri

*Peschkes (Part Four, 1998, Page 80) states that, despite various evidence, the following towns did not have streetcar systems: **
Excelsior Springs Excelsior Springs is a city in Clay and Ray counties in the U.S. state of Missouri and part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The population was 10,553 at the 2020 census. It is located approximately northeast of central Kansas City, Missour ...
. ** Lexington.


Montana


Nebraska


Nevada


New Hampshire


New Jersey

*''Note'' for Newark: The streetcar subway, the ''
Newark City Subway The Newark Light Rail (NLR) is a light rail system serving Newark, New Jersey and surrounding areas, operated by New Jersey Transit Bus Operations. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway (NCS), and the extension t ...
'', opened 26 May 1935. Also served East Orange and other neighboring towns. (See also
Public Service Railway Transport of New Jersey (TNJ), earlier Public Service Transportation and then Public Service Coordinated Transport, was a street railway and bus company in the U.S. state of New Jersey from 1917 to 1980, when NJ Transit took over their operations ...
and Newark-Trenton Fast Line.) Last Newark streecar line not using the subway closed 1 May 1938. Last surface streetcar lines using the subway closed 30 Mar 1952. Since then, effectively operated as a " light rail" line; line extended in 2002. System expanded to include a second line in 2006.


New Mexico


New York

*Note for Cortland – Homer – McGraw – Preble: Horse tramway connected Cortland and Homer. Electric tramway, opened 1 Apr 1895, connected Cortland, Homer and McGraw. Extended to Preble in 1907. McGraw Preble segment closed 1 Apr 1929. Remainder closed 15 Feb 1931. *Note for Newburgh – Orange Lake – Walden: Opened in stages, to Orange Lake in July 1894, completed 1 Jun 1895. Newburgh – Orange Lake operated during summer season, 1924 and 1925, petrol (gasoline) traction (?). *Note for New York – City Island: Experimental monorail operated Bartow railway station – north end of City Island bridge, 15 Jul – 19 Jul 1910, and 14 Nov 1910 – 16 Mar 1914. *Note for New York – Rockaway Park: Tramcars operated over electrified
Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk Co ...
tracks between Far Rockaway and Hammels, 1905 – 9 Sep 1926, using overhead current collection to 1912 and third-rail current collection thereafter.


North Carolina


North Dakota


Ohio

*''Note'' for Dayton: Town streetcar services were provided by a single undertaking in most U.S. towns. Such undertakings were often organized by consolidation ("unification") of predecessor undertakings. In most cases, such consolidations were completed before the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Dayton was a notable exception. In this town, five undertakings operated town streetcar services from 1909 to 1933. Conversions to trolleybus began in 1933; remarkably, all five undertakings operated trolleybuses for several months in 1940, before the beginning of consolidations. See
Trolleybuses in Dayton The Dayton trolleybus system forms part of the public transportation network serving Dayton, in the state of Ohio, United States. Opened on April 23, 1933, it presently comprises five lines, and is operated by the Greater Dayton Regional Tra ...
for further information.


Oklahoma


Oregon


Pennsylvania


Rhode Island


South Carolina


South Dakota


Tennessee


Texas

* ''Note:'' Peschkes (Part Four, 1998, Page 125) states that, although listed in some statistics, streetcar systems were not built in the following towns: **
Brenham Brenham ( ) is a city in east-central Texas in Washington County, United States, with a population of 17,369 according to the 2020 U.S. census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Washington County is known as the "Birthplace of Texas, ...
** Colorado City **
Henrietta Henrietta may refer to: * Henrietta (given name), a feminine given name, derived from the male name Henry Places * Henrietta Island in the Arctic Ocean * Henrietta, Mauritius * Henrietta, Tasmania, a locality in Australia United States * Henrie ...
Seymour **
Marlin Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes about 10 species. A marlin has an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long, rigid dorsal fin which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to deri ...
Wootan Wells **
Sulphur Springs Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produces hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage underg ...


Utah


Vermont


Virginia


Washington


West Virginia


Wisconsin


Wyoming


See also

*
List of town tramway systems This is a list of cities that have, or once had, town tramway (urban tramway, or streetcar) systems as part of their public transport system. Due to excessive size, the original list has been divided into separate articles, based on geographical l ...
– parent article *
List of town tramway systems in North America This is a list of cities and towns in North America that have, or once had, town tramway (urban tramway, or streetcar) systems as part of their public transport system. The use of the diamond (♦) symbol indicates where there were (or are) two or ...
*
Streetcars in North America Streetcars or trolley(car)s (North American English for the European word ''tram'') were once the chief mode of public transit in hundreds of North American cities and towns. Most of the original urban streetcar systems were either dismantled in ...
*
Light rail in the United States Light rail in the United States is a mode of rail-based transport, usually urban in nature. When compared to heavy rail systems like commuter rail or rapid transit (subway), light rail systems are typically designed to carry fewer passengers and ...
*
List of United States light rail systems by ridership The following is a list of all light rail systems in the United States, ranked by ridership. Also included are those urban streetcar/trolley systems that are providing regular public transit service (i.e. operating year-round and at least five ...
*
List of tram and light rail transit systems The following is a list of cities that have current tram/streetcar (including heritage trams/heritage streetcars), or light rail systems as part of their regular public transit systems. In other words, this list only includes systems which ...
*
List of rail transit systems in the United States This is a list of the operating passenger rail transit systems in the United States. This list does not include intercity rail services such as the Alaska Railroad or Amtrak and its state-sponsored subsidiaries. "Region" refers to the metropolit ...
*
List of metro systems This list of metro systems includes electrified rapid transit train systems worldwide. In some parts of the world, metro systems are referred to as subways, U-Bahn or undergrounds. , 205 cities in 61 countries have a metro system. The London ...
*
List of United States rapid transit systems by ridership The following is a list of all heavy rail rapid transit systems in the United States. It does not include statistics for bus or light rail systems (see: List of United States light rail systems by ridership for the latter). All ridership figures ...
*
List of trolleybus systems in the United States This is a list of trolleybus systems in the United States by State. It includes all trolleybus systems, past and present. About 65Murray, Alan (2000). ''World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia''. Yateley, Hampshire, UK: Trolleybooks. . trolleybus sy ...


References


Bibliography

* Books, Periodicals and External Links {{USLightRail
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
Tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
Streetcars in the United States