United Electric Railways

Last updated
United Electric Railways
UER Logo v1.png
Overview
Headquarters Providence, Rhode Island
Dates of operation1921–1951
Predecessor Rhode Island Company
Successor United Transport Company, Rhode Island Public Transit Authority

The United Electric Railways Company (UER) was the Providence-based operator of the system of interurban streetcars, trolleybuses, and trolley freight in the state of Rhode Island in the early- to mid-twentieth century.

Contents

The UER was chartered in 1919, after the previous operator of the streetcar, the Rhode Island Company, went into temporary receivership. The company was placed under the control of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission upon inception, in an effort to limit the impact to service in the event of financial difficulties. [1] UER began operations of the consolidated network in 1921, and achieved an all-time high ridership annual of 154 million people in 1923. UER was purchased by the New England Power Company in 1926, and was operated under the UER brand by the Rhode Island Service Company [2] until the system was again reorganized as the United Transit Company in 1951.

The transportation system in Rhode Island was deprivatized in 1966 when the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) began operations.

History

Rhode Island Rail Transit before UER (1865 - 1918)

The first iteration of rail-based transit in Rhode Island was the Union Railroad of Providence, a privately-owned horsecar company which began operation in 1865. [3] The first electrified trolleys in the state were introduced in Woonsocket in September 1887. The line was not long enough to be a practical means of transportation, and largely served as an amusement ride. [4] Regular electric trolley service began in August 1889 in Newport, and in January 1892 in Providence. [5] The technology quickly spread to the rest of the existing lines, and sparked the creation of several new railway companies, several of which were not separately owned. [1] In 1894, The United Traction and Electric Company (the Traction Company) was formed as a holding company of the different railways by Marsden Perry, Nelson Aldrich and William Roelker. The Traction Company acquired many of the suburban lines, including those running through Cumberland, Pawtuxet Valley, and Barrington and Warren. [1]

By 1902, all lines were electrified. [3] At this point, the Traction Company created the Rhode Island Company (RICo), which subsequently leased the system, still partially operating with the original Union Railroad of Providence name. Due to financial underperformance in its first few years of operations, the stock of RICo was traded frequently, until it was controlled (through a series of intermediaries) by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad by 1907. In addition to providing passenger service, the trolley system also carried trolley freight.

The Providence Cable Tramway Company, which operated cable cars up the steep grade of College Hill, was also operated by the RICo series of holding companies at this time. [1] The cable car was rendered obsolete with the 1914 opening of the trolley-accessible East Side Trolley Tunnel, connecting North Main Street to Thayer Street. [6]

Antitrust laws passed over the next few years forced the New Haven to divest from transit, leaving RICo. lacking the financial support of the larger railroad. RICo was unable to pay off debts, compunded by streetcars began seeing increased competition from jitneys and automobiles. The Rhode Island Company continued operations until 1918, when its debt became too burdensome and the Rhode Island Supreme Court terminated its leases. [1]

The United Electric Railways Company (1918 - 1951)

UER was chartered in 1919, as many of the prior streetcar systems were consolidated. These included:

To prevent future interruption to service for financial reasons, the charter placed the UER under the control of the Public Utilities Commission. [1] The charter was amended on May 5, 1920, stipulating the composition of the board of directors, specifically that two would be appointed by the Governor of Rhode Island and one would be appointed by the Mayor of Providence. The amendment also required the company to pay $1 million for the improvements of its new consolidated system, and set its debt ceiling at $22 million. Measures were proposed to reclassify jitneys as common carriers at this time, but this measure ultimately failed. The unrestricted operation of jitneys rendered several trolley lines unprofitable. [7]

Tracks first installed in 1914 at Exchange Place (known as Kennedy Plaza since 1964) were expanded, forming a major interchange with connections to Union Station by 1920. [8] The UER fully took over operations of the railways in 1921. In 1922, the first trolleybus ran using the trolley's overhead lines. Despite competition from jitneys, the UER saw an all-time peak annual ridership of 154 million in 1923. [2]

In 1926, the UER was acquired by the New England Power Company. The Rhode Island Service Company then took over UER operations, but the system retained its name and branding. [2] With the arrival of the Great Depression, the system suffered from a lack of improvements and service reductions. [2] Buses were further introduced into the system. [9]

Ridership recovered during World War II, due to rations on gasoline, and nearly returned to its 1923 high. [2] By 1948, trolleys had been completely replaced by trolleybuses. Tracks were removed from city streets, and the East Side Trolley Tunnel was reformatted for buses. [10] However, by the early 1950s, ongoing financial difficulties were exacerbated by the commuting public's preference for automobiles over the trolleybuses. As a result, UER was purchased by the United Transit Company (UTC) in 1951, with service was entirely converted by 1952. [1]

The end of Rhode Island Streetcars, replacement of UER, Modern day (mid 1940s - today)

The relaunch of transit in Rhode Island under the UTC garnered an increase in ridership to 100 million annual riders. The further developments of the highway system, however, slowly eroded this slight recovery. By 1955, all electric buses had been replaced with diesel and gasoline vehicles. [2] The Rhode Island General Assembly created the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) in 1964, allowing the state to take control of any system whose imminent failure would harm the public good. [1] This function was fulfilled as RIPTA took over UTC operation on July 1, 1966. [2]

All the tracks and most of the infrastructure associated with the trolley/trolleybus network has since been removed. Several of the former trolleys have been preserved by the Shore Line Trolley Museum. Kennedy Plaza remains a central transit hub, [11] and the East Side Trolley Tunnel continues to be used by RIPTA buses. Some infrastructure for the cable tramway remains under Benefit Street. [12]

Many current RIPTA routes mimic those of the original interurban network.

In 2014, the City of Providence and RIPTA were awarded a $13 million TIGER VI grant for the construction of a streetcar linking Rhode Island Hospital to downtown Providence and College Street via the East Side Trolley Tunnel. However, due to concerns that the such a line would be useful to a relatively small population and a lack of public support, the project was cancelled. In 2016, the grant was approved for reallocation to the construction of RIPTA's Downtown Connector. [13]

Equipment

The UER inherited the rolling stock used by the Rhode Island Company, but also purchased new trolleys and trolleybuses. Rail cars were manufactured by Wason, Laconia, Brill, American Car & Foundry, Newburyport, and Jackson & Sharp, amongst others. Cars were painted green and cream until 1928, at which point the color scheme was changed to yellow and cream. [14] In 1940, 50 cars were sold to Capital Transit. [15]

Several of the trolleybuses and buses purchased by the UER were made by Pullman and GMC, which were inherited by the UTC. Some were later taken out of service, and some were converted to diesel. [16] In the early- and mid-1950s, several UER buses were sold to transit agencies in Cleveland, Halifax, Boston, and Winnipeg. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tram</span> Street-running light railcar

A tram is a type of urban rail transit. It consists of a rail vehicle, either alone or coupled in a multiple train unit, traveling on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are called tramways or simply trams/streetcars. Many recently built tramways use the contemporary term light rail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Street Railway</span> Public transit agency in Ontario, Canada

The Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) is the public transport agency for Hamilton, Ontario. The name is a legacy of the company's early period, when public transit in Hamilton was primarily served by streetcars. Although streetcars are no longer used in the city today, the HSR operates bus and paratransit services, with a ridership of 21 million passengers a year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TECO Line Streetcar</span> Streetcar line in Tampa, Florida, US

The TECO Line Streetcar is a heritage streetcar transit line in Tampa, Florida, run by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transportation Authority (HART), owned by the city of Tampa, and managed by Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. It connects Downtown and Channelside to the historic Ybor City district. There is also an "In-Town" trolley-replica bus system that connects Downtown, Channelside, and Harbour Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Electric Railway</span> Mass transit system (1892–1949)

The San Diego Electric Railway (SDERy) was a mass transit system in Southern California, United States, using 600 volt DC streetcars and buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourist trolley</span> Rubber-tired bus designed to resemble an old-style streetcar or tram

A tourist trolley, also called a road trolley, is a rubber-tired bus designed to resemble an old-style streetcar or tram, usually with false clerestory roof. The vehicles are usually fueled by diesel, or sometimes compressed natural gas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetcars in Washington, D.C.</span> Streetcars that existed in Washington until 1962

Streetcars in Washington, D.C. transported people across the city and region from 1862 until 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Tramway</span> Streetcar system in Denver, Colorado, US

The Denver Tramway, operating in Denver, Colorado, was a streetcar system incorporated in 1886. The tramway was unusual for a number of reasons: the term "tramway" is generally not used in the United States, and it is not known why the company was named as such. The track was 3 ft 6 in narrow gauge, an unusual gauge in the United States, but in general use by railways in Japan, southern Africa, New Zealand, and Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Surface Lines</span> American public transport operator

The Chicago Surface Lines (CSL) was operator of the street railway system of Chicago, Illinois, from 1913 to 1947. The firm is a predecessor of today's publicly owned operator, the Chicago Transit Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhode Island Public Transit Authority</span> Public transport agency in Rhode Island, US

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) provides public transportation, primarily buses, in the state of Rhode Island. The main hub of the RIPTA system is Kennedy Plaza, a large bus terminal in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Average daily ridership as of the third quarter of 2023 is 40,700. The agency operates 59 fixed-route bus routes and 7 demand-responsive routes, together serving 37 out of 39 Rhode Island municipalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transit Windsor</span> Public transit operator in Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Transit Windsor provides public transportation in the city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada as well as LaSalle, Essex, Kingsville, Amherstburg and Leamington and serves more than 6 million passengers each year, covering an area of 310 km2 (120 sq mi) and a population of 235,000. They operate a cross border service between the downtown areas of Windsor and Detroit, Michigan via the Tunnel Bus, and service to events at Detroit's Comerica Park, Little Caesars Arena, Huntington Place, and Ford Field. The Windsor International Transit Terminal neighbours with the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Side Trolley Tunnel</span>

The East Side Trolley Tunnel, also known as the East Side Transit Tunnel or the College Hill Tunnel, is a bi-directional tunnel in Providence, Rhode Island, originally built for trolley use in 1914, and now used for public transit buses. The East Side Trolley Tunnel could be considered the first bus rapid transit link in North America, because of its exclusive and continuous bus use since 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoenix Street Railway</span> Former streetcar service

The Phoenix Street Railway provided streetcar service in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, from 1888 to 1948. The motto was "Ride a Mile and Smile the While."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Metropolitan Transit System</span> Public transportation agency in Southern San Diego County, California

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is a public transit service provider for Central, South, Northeast, and Southeast San Diego County. The agency directly operates a large transit system that includes the MTS Bus, San Diego Trolley light rail, and Rapid bus rapid transit services. The MTS also controls the San Diego and Arizona Eastern (SD&AE) freight railway and regulates taxicabs, jitneys, and other private for-hire passenger transportation services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Avenue Railway</span> Streetcar system in southern New York (1852–1952)

The Third Avenue Railway System (TARS), founded 1852, was a streetcar system serving the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx along with lower Westchester County. For a brief period of time, TARS also operated the Steinway Lines in Long Island City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Municipal Railway fleet</span> LRV and Bus Fleet of the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni)

With five different modes of transport, the San Francisco Municipal Railway runs one of the most diverse fleets of vehicles in the United States. Roughly 550 diesel-electric hybrid buses, 300 electric trolleybuses, 250 modern light rail vehicles, 50 historic streetcars and 40 cable cars see active duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetcars in St. Louis</span>

Streetcars in St. Louis, Missouri, operated as part of the transportation network of St. Louis from the middle of the 19th century through the early 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trolleybuses in San Francisco</span>

The San Francisco trolleybus system forms part of the public transportation network serving San Francisco, in the state of California, United States. Opened on October 6, 1935, it presently comprises 15 lines and is operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, commonly known as Muni, with around 300 trolleybuses. In San Francisco, these vehicles are also known as "trolley coaches", a term that was the most common name for trolleybuses in the United States in the middle decades of the 20th century. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 33,664,000, or about 135,000 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Records of the United Transit Company and the United Electric Railways". Rhode Island Historical Society. September 1999.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "History of Transit Ridership in Rhode Island". www.ripta.com. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  3. 1 2 "Guide to the Records of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority 1891-2000(bulk 1891-2000)". University of Rhode Island Library Special Collections and Archives.
  4. ↑ "Quahog.org: Mass Transit in Rhode Island, Part 7". www.quahog.org. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  5. ↑ "Quahog.org: Mass Transit in Rhode Island, Part 10". www.quahog.org. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  6. ↑ "Quahog.org: Mass Transit in Rhode Island, Part 9". www.quahog.org. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  7. ↑ The Street Railway Journal. McGraw Hill Publishing Company. 1920.
  8. ↑ Hill, John. "Change is a constant in Kennedy Plaza's history". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  9. ↑ "TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN RHODE ISLAND". www.chicagorailfan.com. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  10. ↑ "Northern Rhode Island Interurbans". www.vizettes.com. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  11. ↑ "Visit Greater Kennedy Plaza - Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy - DPPC". Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy - DPPC. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  12. ↑ "The Cable Car Home Page - Cable Car Lines in Other Cities". www.cable-car-guy.com. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  13. ↑ "Providence's Downtown Connector: A Streetcar Transformed into Useful Transit — Human Transit". Human Transit. 2017-06-10. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
  14. ↑ "TROLLEY 1 - RHODE ISLAND RAILROADS". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  15. ↑ "TROLLEY 3 - RHODE ISLAND RAILROADS". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  16. ↑ "BusTalk U.S. Surface Transportation Galleries - United Electric Railways, United Transit Co., & United Tours/UTC 3744 (ex-5403, exx-UER 1335)". gallery.bustalk.info. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  17. ↑ "Tom's Providence/Pawtucket RI Trackless Trolleys". www.trolleybuses.net. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.