Streetcars in Cincinnati

Streetcars in Cincinnati
A streetcar at 5th & Walnut, in downtown Cincinnati, on the previous system.
A new system was opened in September 2016.
Operation
LocaleCincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Horsecar era: 1859 (1859)–c. 1903
Track gauge 5 ft 2+1⁄2 in (1,588 mm)[1]
First electric era: 1889 (1889)–1951 (1951)
Operator(s) Cincinnati Street Railway
Track gauge 5 ft 2+1⁄2 in (1,588 mm)
Electrification 600 V DC overhead lines
Route length 222 mi (357 km) (maximum)[2]
Second electric era: 2016 (2016)–
Status Open – as the Connector
Operator(s) Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA)
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification 750 V DC overhead lines
Electric Railway Lines of the Cincinnati, Newport, and Convington Railway Company c 1894
Electric Railway Lines of the Cincinnati, Newport, and Covington Railway Company c 1894

Streetcars operated by the Cincinnati Street Railway were the main form of public transportation in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century.[2] The first electric streetcars began operation in 1889,[3] and at its maximum, the streetcar system had 222 miles (357 km) of track and carried more than 100 million passengers per year. A very unusual feature of the system was that cars on some of its routes traveled via inclined railways to serve areas on hills near downtown. With the advent of inexpensive automobiles and improved roads, transit ridership declined in the 20th century and the streetcar system closed in 1951.[3][4] Construction of a new streetcar system, now known as the Connector, began in 2012. Consisting initially of a single route, the new system opened on September 9, 2016.[5][6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference singer book 35 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Singer (2003), p. 19.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Exhibit commemorates the streetcar era was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference The Relationship Between Transportation and Urban Growth in Cincinnati was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Rinehart, Bill (September 9, 2016). "Cincinnati's Streetcar Is Open For Business". WVXU. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  6. ^ Coolidge, Sharon; Tweh, Bowdeya; Williams, Jason (September 9, 2016). "It's a go: Streetcar finally opens". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 10, 2016.