Schenectady: Trolley Hub of Eastern New York
Highlights Schenectady unique amenities and regional significance, shaping the city's growth alongside its streetcar system.

The story of electric rail transportation in Schenectady mirrors the development of urban transportation throughout America in many ways, but it also has its own peculiar local characteristics. Most notably, Schenectady had some of the finest amenities for street railway passengers in the nation, including a Beaux-Arts waiting room with 45-foot-tall ceilings, the longest trolley bridge in the world, and “Bullet” cars capable of traveling at 90 mph. These amenities helped make Schenectady the hub of a regional interurban trolley network, with hourly service or better to the region’s other urban centers. With two major factory complexes employing a significant percentage of the city’s population, Schenectady also had some of the most concentrated rush hour traffic found anywhere. This book focuses on the chronology and location of the streetcar and interurban routes partially or wholly in Schenectady. It is hoped that this book can also provide the reader with a brief overview of the geographic development of the “City That Lights and Hauls the World.” Much of this development took place in tandem with the growth of the street railway system.
1146556134
Schenectady: Trolley Hub of Eastern New York
Highlights Schenectady unique amenities and regional significance, shaping the city's growth alongside its streetcar system.

The story of electric rail transportation in Schenectady mirrors the development of urban transportation throughout America in many ways, but it also has its own peculiar local characteristics. Most notably, Schenectady had some of the finest amenities for street railway passengers in the nation, including a Beaux-Arts waiting room with 45-foot-tall ceilings, the longest trolley bridge in the world, and “Bullet” cars capable of traveling at 90 mph. These amenities helped make Schenectady the hub of a regional interurban trolley network, with hourly service or better to the region’s other urban centers. With two major factory complexes employing a significant percentage of the city’s population, Schenectady also had some of the most concentrated rush hour traffic found anywhere. This book focuses on the chronology and location of the streetcar and interurban routes partially or wholly in Schenectady. It is hoped that this book can also provide the reader with a brief overview of the geographic development of the “City That Lights and Hauls the World.” Much of this development took place in tandem with the growth of the street railway system.
23.99 In Stock
Schenectady: Trolley Hub of Eastern New York

Schenectady: Trolley Hub of Eastern New York

by Eric Allen
Schenectady: Trolley Hub of Eastern New York

Schenectady: Trolley Hub of Eastern New York

by Eric Allen

Paperback

$23.99 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    In stock. Ships in 6-10 days.
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

Highlights Schenectady unique amenities and regional significance, shaping the city's growth alongside its streetcar system.

The story of electric rail transportation in Schenectady mirrors the development of urban transportation throughout America in many ways, but it also has its own peculiar local characteristics. Most notably, Schenectady had some of the finest amenities for street railway passengers in the nation, including a Beaux-Arts waiting room with 45-foot-tall ceilings, the longest trolley bridge in the world, and “Bullet” cars capable of traveling at 90 mph. These amenities helped make Schenectady the hub of a regional interurban trolley network, with hourly service or better to the region’s other urban centers. With two major factory complexes employing a significant percentage of the city’s population, Schenectady also had some of the most concentrated rush hour traffic found anywhere. This book focuses on the chronology and location of the streetcar and interurban routes partially or wholly in Schenectady. It is hoped that this book can also provide the reader with a brief overview of the geographic development of the “City That Lights and Hauls the World.” Much of this development took place in tandem with the growth of the street railway system.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781634993210
Publisher: Fonthill Media
Publication date: 05/24/2021
Series: America Through Time
Pages: 80
Product dimensions: 8.40(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

ERIC H. ALLEN is currently employed as director of engineering at New England Transmission Software Solutions (NETSS), Inc. with twenty years of experience in transmission planning and event analysis in the electric utility industry. Although his primary employment is in the transportation of electrons, he is also a lifetime enthusiast of most forms of transportation, including electric rail transit. He is a longtime member (twenty years) of several associations devoted to preserving and promoting the history of electric rail transit, including the Boston Street Railway Association (BSRA), the New York Transit Museum, and the Electric Railroaders' Association (ERA).

Table of Contents

Foreword 5

Acknowledgments 6

1 Schenectady's Belated Horsecar Line (1887-1891) 7

2 Electrification and Extension (1891-1893) 9

3 G.E. Takes Over (1893-1899) 12

4 Rapid Expansion (1900-1903) 16

5 The Interurbans (1901-1907) 21

6 Meanwhile, Back in Schenectady (1903-1905) 31

7 Gridlock (1905-1911) 35

8 The Peak Years (1912-1922) 41

9 Decline (1923-1929) 53

10 End of Rail Service (1930-1946) 54

11 Epilogue: Legacy of the Trolleys 57

Appendix I Street Railway Franchise of 1886 62

Appendix II A Short History of the FJ&G Interurban 64

Appendix III Schenectady Railway Car Roster 66

Appendix IV Schenectady City Route Designations 68

Appendix V Map of Schenectady Railway, c. 1907 71

Appendix VI Schenectady Railway Interurban Stops 76

Appendix VII Electric Power 95

Endnotes 99

Bibliography 101

About the Author 106

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews