Trolley Tuesday 1/25/22 - The British Columbia Electric Railway

The province of British Columbia has always been known as the "Final Frontier" of Canada's westward expansion. To the railroads like Canadian Pacific and Canadian National, there was nothing more imperative or essential than gaining a connection to the Pacific Ocean. The strongest outpost in that province proved to be Vancouver, whose reputation as a Canadian jewel city and popular filming location ensures its longevity and legacy in the eyes of many. Yet, before the Hollywood cameras, British Columbia was known for another rolling icon that took after the utility-owned interurbans of Midwest America: the British Columbia Electric Railway. On today's (belated) Trolley Tuesday, we look back on the BCER as it grew in the Saltwater City and prospered by land until the inevitable end.

Trolley Thursday 1/20/22 - The Edmonton Radial Railway (and the ERRS)

Outside of the cities of Toronto and Montreal in Ontario and Quebec, respectively, the next biggest city as one moves west cross Canada is Edmonton. Lying just southeast of Alberta's central point, Edmonton is the province's capital and home to the famous West Edmonton Mall and Fort Edmonton Park. Edmonton is also a major stop on the famous VIA Rail "Canadian" all-streamliner passenger service. However, unlike that rolling anachronism of 1950s Budd cars, their current light rail system is but a shadow of its former glory. On today's Trolley Thursday, we look back on the original Edmonton Radial Railway and the historical society that takes its name today.

Trolley Tuesday 1/17/21 - The Toronto Transit Commission (Part 2)

On last Thursday's trolleypost, we took you through the privatised history of the Toronto Railways, back when it was just a gaggle of independent companies providing a variety of quality services across the Queen City. Today, we're taking you through the modern history of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) that you know and love so much. From its beginnings in the 1920s all the way through to the "Lean Years" of the 80s and 90s, the history of the TTC is as engaging, as varied, and as beautiful as the Peter Witts, PCCs, and CLRVs we all love so much. Now climb aboard, let's get rolling, and please stand clear of the doors!

Trolley Thursday 1/13/22 - The Toronto Railways (Part 1)

What more can be said about the city of Toronto? It's the capital of Ontario, it's Canada's most populous city, and it's the one place everyone thinks of when they imagine the big cities of the Great White North. But among the canyons and crags of Toronto's skyscrapers lie another large and iconic transit system: the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). This modern municipal railway may seem so old and permanent like its contemporaries such as the San Francisco Municipal Railway and the Chicago Transit Authority, but not so. Out of the ashes of several different private street railways, the TTC rose like a phoenix to become the iconic home of Peter Witts, PCCs, and CLRVs we know today, and on today's (belated) Trolley Thursday, we see how the TTC first got formed in the Queen City where "diversity is strength".

Trolley Tuesday 1/11/22 - The London & Port Stanley Railway

As much as I would love to, dear reader, tell you about the mostly-unknown-yet-fascinating history of London's tram network, that will actually have to wait for another few months (plus comedian Jay Foreman already covered it in a more succinct and funny way than I ever could). Instead, the "London" we're looking at today is much smaller as it is London, Ontario, a city of about 300,000 people on the shores of Lake Erie. Its closest port town, Port Stanley, was once connected to London by way of a 25-mile electric interurban railroad that was near and dear to many local Ontarians. On today's Trolley Tuesday, let's brush back the sands of time and narrow our scope as we look at a much smaller electric railway in-between the likes of Montreal and Toronto, but no less important: the London & Port Stanley Railway!

Trolley Thursday 1/6/22 - Montreal Street Railway

Bienvenue, mes amies, dans un autre "Trolley Thursday" post! As one of Quebec's largest and most-populous cities, Montreal holds a special place in the realm of French Canada as the home of the most successful ice hockey team in the NHL, the "Canadiens", and that wonderful savoury delicacy, poutine. Prior to 1959, however, Montreal also laid claim to having one of the largest, most iconic and sophisticated transit networks in the Dominion, with well over 500 kilometers of track at its peak and boasting such cars as the famous Peter Witt and PCC cars in its roster. On today's Trolley Thursday, climb aboard this Golden Chariot and tip your hat to old Notre-Dame du Montreal, as we try to avoid being caught speaking English aboard the Montreal Street Railway! 

Trolley Tuesday 1/4/22 - The Halifax Street Railway

Oh crumbs, is it January already? I was much rather enjoying my hibernation... Ah well, if my editor is poking me with a stick, I must meet his demands...

Welcome to another month, another year, and another country on Twice Weekly Trolley History, as we break free of the Land of Freedom to look at streetcars from around the world! Our first country this year is... Canada, which we will be looking at from East to West, starting with our sunny little trailer park island of Nova Scotia. Despite Halifax and the Maritimes' reputation of a proud, sea-faring region, they also possessed a seven-decade spanning street railway that helped build the city up and get Haligonians on the move. The history of the Halifax Street Railway is primed with plenty of explosions, company intrigue, and enough silly stories to sustain you for, oh, let's say twenty paragraphs. So pop open that ninth can of ravioli, imbibe in The Liquor, and rev up your Birneys as we take a look back at the history of the Halifax Street Railway! 

Trolley Tuesday 12/7/21 - The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light... Revisited

After much delay, welcome to our final November rewrite! This one's a bit special because it's actually a rewrite of our second-ever "guest piece" by our friend, photographer, railfan, and Milwaukee native Jonathan Lee. As a love-letter to Milwaukee and its interurbans, it was a fantastic piece; but for a reader, it was a bit too lengthy! That's why we're condensing and refining the best parts of his report, in fairness to the work he did for us and the quality you, the riders, expect from Twice-Weekly Trolley History! While Milwaukee is famous in heavy-rail circles as forming part of the legendary Milwaukee Road, its streetcars and interurbans are equally as legendary, skirting the fine line between innovation and insolvency. On today's Trolley Tuesday, we raise our beer mugs high as we look at what's made Milwaukee famous to traction fans!

Trolley Thursday 12/02/21 - The Watts Local: An Examination of Los Angeles' Racial History, "White Flight", and Watts.

So today's Trolley Thursday post is actually one I'm also submitting to my "Literary Los Angeles" Class (English 2600) as part of my Final Creative Project. As such, I want to make sure the language within is cleaned up, the sources are front and center, and some of the content may not be suitable for all readers. For my topic, I chose to demonstrate my knowledge of Los Angeles history by examining its place in depictions of race relations in LA Literature like Nina Revoyr's 1993 novel, "Southland", as well as how it reflects in "Southern California: An Island on the Land", written by seminal LA area lawyer and author Carey McWilliams in 1946. I also always wanted to examine the sociology of streetcars, and how it played a role in turning the suburbs from white to multi-ethnic or vice-versa. As such, consider this a special presentation of "Twice Weekly Trolley History" and I hope you enjoy as much as my professor.

Trolley Thursday 11/30/21 - The Denver Tramway... Revisited

On today's Trolley Tuesday rewrite, we're returning to the Mile-High City as we look at the history of America's last independent streetcar system: the Denver Tramway. Originally written in two parts, I'm choosing to rewrite this one as I feel like most of my earlier two-parts can now be concisely bunched into one whole post with much better information within. But Denver's history is just more than privatized transit, as its history goes back to the late 1860s and is full of agitation, monopoly, and big unique streetcars. So saddle up and get Rocky Mountain High, as we turn our eyes to the complete history of the Denver Tramway!