Springfield Street Railway

Springfield Street Railway
Logo of the Springfield Street Railway Co., c. 1940
Logo of the Springfield Street Railway Co., c. 1940
Cars of the Springfield Street Railway on Main Street, c. 1910
Cars of the Springfield Street Railway on Main Street, c. 1910
Overview
OwnerSpringfield Street Rwy. Co.
Area served
  • Westfield Division
Transit typeLight rail
Bus (1923–1981)
Headquarters2257 Main Street
Springfield, MA
01107-1905
Operation
Began operationMarch 10, 1870[2]: 915 
June 6, 1890 (electrified)[3]
1923 (bus)[4]
Ended operationJune 23, 1940 (rail)[5]
November 3, 1981 (bus, merged with PVTA)[6]
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge[2]: 915 

The Springfield Street Railway (SSR) was an interurban streetcar and bus system operating in Springfield, Massachusetts as well as surrounding communities with connections in Agawam, Blandford, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, Russell, Ware, Westfield, and West Springfield. With the first modern streetcars appearing in 1891, by 1905 the system had more miles of electrified track than New York City with its fledgling subway.[7]

Today the former headquarters of the Springfield Street Railway Company serves as the maintenance facilities of Peter Pan Bus Lines, known colloquially as the Trolley Barn. Following prolonged negotiations, in 1981 the company, its property, and employee payroll at that time, were acquired and merged with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, into what is now known as its Springfield Area Transit Company (SATCo) division.[6]

  1. ^ "Railways May Consolidate". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. November 27, 1910. p. 8.
  2. ^ a b Poor, H. V.; Poor, H. W. (1901). "Street Railways in Massachusetts". Poor's Manual of Railroads. Vol. XXXIII. New York: American Banknote Company.
  3. ^ "Springfield - Opening the Electric Railway". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. June 7, 1890. p. 6.
  4. ^ "Trolly Company Has Extensive Program". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. March 1, 1923. p. 4.
  5. ^ "Last Trollies Ask No Fare As Street R. R. Plays Host; Honking Autos Accompany Two 'Specials' On Final Forest Park Run - Electric Cars No Longer Rule Center of Streets - Two Youths 'Hop' Last Trolly". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. June 24, 1940. p. 4.
  6. ^ a b Appleton, John (November 3, 1981). "Springfield Street Railway Co. garage turned over to PVTA". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. p. 4.
    • Appleton, John (November 3, 1981). "The Springfield Street Railway Co. — now it's another part of PVTA". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. p. 13.
  7. ^ Scott R. Johnson, "The Trolley Car as a Social Factor: Springfield, Massachusetts," History Journal of Western Massachusetts, 1972, 1#2 pp 5–17