An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a streetcar line running between urban areas or from urban to rural areas. The term was mostly used in North America. The lines were mainly electrified in an era when steam railroads had not yet adopted electricity to any large degree. A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ... An urban area is a term used to define an area where there is an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Overhead wire in Coventry, England A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives or multiple units. ...

The first interurbans were constructed in the 1880s, but most were constructed between 1900 and 1908, with few being constructed after that point. From approximately the end of the First World War the industry was in decline, accelerated by the growth of the private automobile; the Great Depression of the 1930s drove most into closure. Only a couple survived beyond the 1960s. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn which started in 1929 (although its effects were not fully felt until late in 1930) due to the ant farming clapse of 1835 and lasted through most of the 1930s. ...

To minimize cost of construction, an interurban typically ran along public right-of-way, either next to a public highway in rural areas, or within city streets in urban areas. It was somewhat less common for interurbans to have lengthy stretches of private right-of-way. Occasionally interurbans were operated along mainline steam railroads. Fares were cheaper than steam railroads and service was more frequent but typically slower. Due to the characteristics of the electric motor, interurbans could operate on steeper grades, going where steam engines could not. A right-of-way (plural: rights-of-way) is an easement or strip of land granted to a railroad company upon which to build a railroad. ... Rotating magnetic field as a sum of magnetic vectors from 3 phase coils. ... A grade (or gradient) is the pitch of a slope, and is often expressed as a percent tangent, or rise over run. It is used to express the steepness of slope on a hill, roof, or road, where zero indicates level (with respect to gravity) and increasing numbers correlate to... A steam engine is an external combustion heat engine that makes use of the thermal energy that exists in steam, converting it to mechanical work. ...

With the demise of the interurban, many routes were taken over by intercity bus services. Most local intercity services have since been discontinued; buses now typically run express between cities. A few interurbans, built to rather high standards, have survived, as have several that still operate only freight service, but the vast majority are long abandoned. An early motorized bus - a Benz truck modified by Netphener company (1895) A bus is a large automobile intended to carry numerous persons in addition to the driver and sometimes a conductor. ...

Definition of "Interurban"

Real-world lines fit on a continuum between wholly urban street railways and full-fledged railroads. George W. Hilton and John F. Due, in The Electric Interurban Railways in America, define an interurban as a system which shares most or all of four characteristics: a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ...

• Electric power
• Passenger service as primary emphasis
• Heavier, faster equipment than urban streetcars
• Operated on street trackage in cities but on roadside tracks or private rights-of-way in rural areas

The definition of "interurban" is necessarily blurry. Some streetcar systems evolved into partly interurban systems with extensions or acquisitions, while other interurban lines became, effectively, light rail systems with no street running whatsoever, or became primarily freight-hauling railroads with a progressive loss of passenger service. This article is about light rail systems in general. ...

Another distinction is made between "interurban" and "suburban". A suburban system is oriented toward a particular city center in a single urban area, serving primarily commuters who live in the suburbs of a city. An interurban is more like a regular railroad local train service, moving people from one city center to another with no single center. However, unlike a local train, the interurban serves a smaller region and has more frequent service, and is oriented to passenger rather than freight service, although some small-load freight service was common, especially in the days before trucks (lorries).

Interurban technology

In general, interurbans operated with technology somewhere between that of a streetcar line and a full-scale railroad. The vast majority of interurbans were electrified, utilizing simply strung overhead wire, or, on heavily trafficked high speed lines, the more complicated wiring system known as catenary. In either case, power was transferred from the wire to the locomotive (in the case of an interurban freight line) or interurban passenger car by way of a trolley pole or pantograph. A few systems, ususally in heavily populated urban areas, transferred electricity to the trains by way of a third rail running parallel to, and outside of, the rails holding and guiding the train. Power was transferred to the train using a "shoe" attached to the locomotive or car. Overhead wire in Coventry, England A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives or multiple units. ... In mathematics, the catenary is the shape of a hanging flexible chain or cable when supported at its ends and acted upon by a uniform gravitational force (its own weight). ... Trolley poles are usually tapered cylindrical poles of wood or metal, used to transfer electricity from a live overhead wire to the control and propulsion equipment of a trolley car, tram or trolley bus. ... A pantograph is a device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. ... Third rail at the West Falls Church Metro stop in the Washington, D.C. area, electrified to 750 volts. ...

Electrification

Most interurban railways in North America were electrified using low-voltage direct current systems popular with street railways.^[1] This enabled interurbans to use urban street railway systems with ease. However, these systems had difficulty in maintaining voltage over long distances. Thus, interurbans developed the practice of generating power at higher voltages and stepping down power to the 600 volts needed to power the cars at substations spaced out along the line. By 1905, 600 volts had become the industry-wide standard. Direct current (DC or continuous current) is the continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ...

The interurbans also had to develop their own powerhouses for electricity as there were few commercial power companies in existence at the time. Some of these power houses produced high-voltage AC power that would be stepped-down and converted to DC at the substations. Because of this choice, many interurban railway companies became electric companies.

Most power was distributed to the cars using overhead trolley wires or pantographs. Some companies preferred outside third rail. Third rail was cheaper to maintain and improved conductivity, but it was more expensive to construct as it did not mitigate the construction of transmission lines and poles. Third rail was also more dangerous to trespassers and animals. Also, in the winter, third rails were difficult to keep clear of ice. The overhead lines of a Swiss Federal Railways track. ... A pantograph is a device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. ... Third rail at the West Falls Church Metro stop in the Washington, D.C. area, electrified to 750 volts. ...

In 1904, a single-phase alternating current system became available and was distributed by Westinghouse and General Electric. But the system soon proved expensive to maintain and operate, and it increased wear and tear on equipment and track. It was a short-lived experiment and none were installed after 1910. City lights viewed in a motion blurred exposure. ... The name Westinghouse can refer to any number of devices and independent businesses that can trace their roots to the work of George Westinghouse: // People George Westinghouse, founder of Westinghouse Electric Corporation Devices Westinghouse air brake. ... GE redirects here. ...

Another experiment in electrification came in 1907 with high-voltage DC (1200 volts). This system was allowed for easy conversion from other DC systems and was cheaper to maintain. But it was developed so late that few railways adopted it.

Gauge

Most interurbans were built to standard gauge, but there were a fair number of exceptions. Interurbans often used the tracks of existing street railways through city streets, and when those street railways were not built to standard gauge, the interurbans had to use non-standard gauges as well or face the expense of building their own trackage through urban areas. Many municipalities had ordained the use of non-standard gauges so that railroad freight cars could never be switched on the public streets. As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ...

Passenger service

Freight service

United States

In the late 1890s, electrified systems called streetcars, which had been developed by Frank Sprague, expanded rapidly. By 1900, just over 2,100 miles of track had been laid, and by 1916, at their peak, over 15,500 miles were in service. Most of the interurban track that had been laid was located in Ohio and Indiana; both states had 3,000 miles of track. In Michigan and Illinois there was another 2,000 miles of track which was interconnected. In Texas and in California thousands of miles of additional track was also laid down by different companies. In Central Virginia, interurban lines connected City Point and Hopewell with Petersburg, and Petersburg with Richmond. Another connected Richmond with Ashland. The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the Mauve Decade, because William Henry Perkins aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion, and also as the Gay Nineties, under the then-current usage of the word gay which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no... Electrification refers to changing a thing or system to operate using electricity. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ... Frank Julian Sprague (1857-1934) American inventor, Father of Electric Traction Frank Julian Sprague (1857–1934) was an American naval officer and inventor who contributed to the development of the electric motor, electric railways, and electric elevators. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, but a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 270 miles (435 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... It has been suggested that Califas be merged into this article or section. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

A streetcar of the Pacific Electric Railway makes a stop at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel (just outside Los Angeles), c. 1905.

In the early 1900s, interurban transportation was very popular in both rural areas and cities. Although slower in speed than steam driven passenger trains, the interurban system made up for speed by increased frequency of service. After 1910, the popularity of the Ford Model T automobile began to diminish the interurban passenger load, and during the 1920s, many interurban systems were declared bankrupt. As a result of this shift in transportation methods, the small and unprofitable lines were discontinued. By the 1930s, the interurbans began to disappear, although some of their rail lines were taken over for the use of freight drawn by steam engines. Most were replaced with buses. By the 1960s, very few lines remained; the Pacific Electric Railway in California was abandoned in 1961, and the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad near Chicago in 1963. Image File history File links A streetcar of the Pacific Electric Railway makes a stop adjacent to Mission San Gabriel (just outside Los Angeles) circa 1905. ... Image File history File links A streetcar of the Pacific Electric Railway makes a stop adjacent to Mission San Gabriel (just outside Los Angeles) circa 1905. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ... The Pacific Electric Railway (AAR reporting mark PE), also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail and buses. ... A view of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel in April, 2005. ... Nickname: City of Angels Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Area    - City 1,290. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ford Model T For the blues musician, see T-Model Ford. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... The Pacific Electric Railway (AAR reporting mark PE), also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail and buses. ... It has been suggested that Califas be merged into this article or section. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... The Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad, often called the North Shore Line, was an interurban railroad that operated commuter and passenger trains between Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ...

Remaining lines

Few historic interurban lines are still operated in their original form, although a number of more recently-constructed transit lines could be considered interurbans by Hilton and Due's standards above.

• The South Shore Electric Line running from Millennium Station in Chicago to South Bend, Indiana is all that remains of Samuel Insul's once-great inter-urban empire. The track now serves commuters to Chicago from the suburbs of Northwest Indiana.
• The Philadelphia and Western Railroad is now SEPTA's Norristown High Speed Line, and has many characteristics of a rapid transit system, including full grade separation and high platforms. The Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad is now NICTD's South Shore Line, and still includes a street running section in Michigan City, Indiana, but has many characteristics of a commuter rail operation, including sharing the trackage of the Metra Electric Line (formerly the Illinois Central Railroad) into downtown Chicago.
• In Los Angeles, the LACMTA Blue Line uses much trackage that was the Pacific Electric's route between Los Angeles and Long Beach. There is street trackage at both the Long Beach and Los Angeles ends of the line, and a short subway section at the Los Angeles terminus.

Other lines that have some characteristics of an interurban include: The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban streetcar line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana. ... Commuter lines terminating at Randolph Street, shown in Panama Orange and Dark South Shore Burgundy on this schematic, serve Chicagos southern and eastern suburbs in Illinois and Indiana Randolph Street Station 1895 The Randolph Street Terminal renamed Millennium Station after the 2006 completion of its rehab & location adjacent... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois Counties Cook, DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area    - City 606. ... South Bend is the name of the following places in the United States of America: South Bend, Indiana South Bend Township, Kansas South Bend Township, Minnesota South Bend, Nebraska South Bend Township, Pennsylvania South Bend, Washington This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 270 miles (435 km)  - % water 1. ... The Philadelphia and Western Railroad was an interurban railroad company operating in the western suburbs of the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional quasi-public state agency that serves 3. ... The Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL), operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority as Route 100 of the Suburban Transit Division, is a hybrid between light rail and rapid transit operating between Norristown Transportation Center and 69th Street Terminal, running entirely on its own right of way, inherited from the... A rapid transit, underground, subway, tube, elevated, or metro(politan) system is a railway system, usually in an urban area, with a high capacity and frequency of service, and grade separation from other traffic. ... The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban streetcar line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana. ... The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban streetcar line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana. ... The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban streetcar line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana. ... Road running in a U.S. Air Force marathon Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road (as opposed to track and cross country running). ... Michigan City is a city located in LaPorte County, Indiana, approximately 50 miles east of Chicago, Illinois and 40 miles west of South Bend, Indiana. ... A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ... The Metra Electric Line (ME) is an electrified commuter rail line owned and operated by Metra, connecting Randolph Street Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois with its southern suburbs. ... The Illinois Central (AAR reporting mark IC), sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... Nickname: City of Angels Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Area    - City 1,290. ... Metro Blue Line The Metro Blue Line of the Los Angeles County Metro Rail is a light rail line connecting Downtown Los Angeles at the 7th St/Metro Center station and Downtown Long Beach. ... Pacific Electric Railway company depot in downtown Los Angeles, circa 1910. ... Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: Government Country State County United States California Los Angeles County Mayor Bob Foster Geographical characteristics Area 170. ...

• The Green Line "D" Branch in Boston, a streetcar line on a grade-separated right-of-way formerly belonging to the Boston and Albany Railroad, a steam railroad
• The Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line in Boston, a streetcar line on a right-of-way formerly belonging to the Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad, a steam railroad
• The IRT Dyre Avenue Line in New York City, a rapid transit line on a section of the former New York, Westchester and Boston Railway, an interurban

The Iowa Traction Railroad (former Mason City and Clear Lake Railway) still operates electric freight service. Several others, such as the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway and Central California Traction Company now operate as diesel locomotive powered freight lines. The Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad also operates freight service along the passenger South Shore Line. The D Branch, also called the Highland Branch or Riverside Branch, is a branch of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Green Line in the Boston, Massachusetts area, along which light rail vehicles run. ... Nickname: City on a Hill, Beantown, The Hub of the Universe (The State House, according to Oliver Wendell Holmes, is the hub of the Solar System), Athens of America Location in Massachusetts Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas Menino (D) Area    - City 232. ... The Boston and Albany Railroad ( AAR reporting mark BA) was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York. ... The Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line (or Mattapan-Ashmont Line, or just the M Line) is considered part of the MBTAs Red Line, even though it uses different equipment (trolleys) and passengers have to change at Ashmont. ... Nickname: City on a Hill, Beantown, The Hub of the Universe (The State House, according to Oliver Wendell Holmes, is the hub of the Solar System), Athens of America Location in Massachusetts Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas Menino (D) Area    - City 232. ... The Dyre Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the New York City Subway, as part of the IRT division. ... Nickname: Big Apple Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... A rapid transit, underground, subway, tube, elevated, or metro(politan) system is a railway system, usually in an urban area, with a high capacity and frequency of service, and grade separation from other traffic. ... The Iowa Traction Railroad is an electric-powered freight railroad now operating in Mason City, Iowa. ... The Iowa Traction Railroad is an electric-powered freight railroad now operating in Mason City, Iowa. ... The Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (AAR reporting mark CIC), also known as the Crandic is a Class III railroad operating in the US state of Iowa. ... The Central California Traction (AAR reporting mark CCT) is a Class III short-line railroad operating in Northern California. ... Diesel or diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of fuel oil (mostly petroleum) that is used as fuel in a diesel engine invented by German engineer Rudolf Diesel. ... The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban streetcar line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana. ... The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban streetcar line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana. ...

Other portions of interurbans remain in service as parts of regular freight-hauling railroads; for instance, portions of the Sacramento Northern Railway were operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The longest surviving portion of the Sacramento Northern is now owned by the Sierra Northern Railroad. The Sacramento Northern Railway began as an electric interurban railway system in the U.S. state of California, operating under that name between 1918 and 1983. ... The Union Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark UP) (NYSE: UNP) is the largest railroad in the United States. ...

Canada

In 1887 the St. Catharines and Niagara Central Railway, the first interurban line in the world started operations. It ran between St. Catharines and Thorold, Ontario, Canada. Not only was this the first interurban line in the world, but it was also one of the first commercially successful implementations of electric streetcars in the world. The Niagara, St. ... Nickname: The Garden City Motto: Industry and Liberality Location of St. ... City of Thorold Flag. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (French has some legal status but is not fully co-official) Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty...

In Southern Ontario, intercity streetcar lines were called radial railways, because their routes generally radiated from a central city. The longest routes from Toronto included one running to Lake Simcoe and another to Guelph. A portion of one of these lines is preserved and plays host to a working museum of streetcars and other transit vehicles at the Halton County Radial Railway in Rockwood. A notable feature of Toronto's radial railways was that because the city streetcar tracks of the Toronto Railway Company (later taken over by the Toronto Transportation Commission) were built to a wider gauge (which is still used to this day), radial cars from the outlying areas could not pass the city limits, requiring passengers to change trains. Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (French has some legal status but is not fully co-official) Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty... Lake Simcoe is a lake in southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth largest lake in the province. ... Motto: Template:Unhide = Faith, Fidelity and Progress Location City Information Established: April 23rd, 1827 (founded) April 23rd, 1879 (incorporated) Area: 86. ... The Halton County Radial Railway is a working museum of electric street cars and busses. ... Rockwood is a small community in the Township of Guelph/Eramosa, Ontario and Wellington County, Ontario. ... The Toronto Railway Company was the first operator of horseless streetcars in Toronto. ... The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is a public transport authority that operates buses, streetcars, subways, and rapid transit lines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ...

Some of the closer sections of Toronto's radial railways were assimilated into the city's streetcar network, and with the city's expansion, some communities once linked by radial railway now have relatively central stations on the Toronto subway. On a regional level, GO Transit's commuter railway network is designed on a similar radial principle, though it uses much heavier-capacity mainline trains. A CLRV streetcar, used on most of the TTCs streetcar routes, is seen here in downtown Toronto. ... This article is about the subway system in Toronto. ... GO Transit, officially known as the Greater Toronto Transit Authority (GTTA), is Canadas first, and Ontarios only, interregional public transit system, established to link Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). ...

There were also significant radial systems operating from Hamilton, St. Catharines, Windsor, and throughout the Grand River Valley, the last of which may see a revival should Grand River Transit obtain funding to build a light railway between Waterloo, Kitchener, and eventually Cambridge, running partially on the tracks of the former Grand River Railway. Hamilton and the Niagara Region are also investigating the possibility of reviving former interurban railway routes as modern light rail. Motto: Together Aspire - Together Achieve Nickname: Steel City, Steeltown, The Hammer Area: 1,117. ... Nickname: The Garden City Motto: Industry and Liberality Location of St. ... Nickname: The City of Roses Motto: Coordinates: Country Province County Canada Ontario Essex* Settled Incorporated 1748 1854 Mayor Governing Body Members of Parliament: Provincial Representatives: Eddie Francis Windsor City Council Joe Comartin (NDP) Brian Masse (NDP) Dwight Duncan (LIB) Sandra Pupatello (LIB) Area    - City 120. ... Grand River Ontario This article is about the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. ... Wheelchair-accessible low-floor buses such as this Nova LFS now form the majority of the GRT fleet. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... The City of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the larger city of Kitchener. ... Motto: ex industria prosperitas (Latin, prosperity through industry) Location of Kitchener in Waterloo Region Country Canada Province Ontario Mayor Carl Zehr Area    - City km²  - Land 136. ... Motto: Template:Unhide = ? Location City Information Established: January 1973 Area: 112. ... The Grand River Railway was an electric railway which served what is now the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, including the cities of Berlin (later Kitchener), Waterloo, and Galt, and the towns of Preston and Hespeler (the last three of which are now the city of Cambridge). ... Niagara Regional Municipality (2001 population 410,574), also known as Niagara Region, Regional Niagara, or the Regional Municipality of Niagara, is an area covering 12 municipalities, including th cities of Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, St. ...

Europe

In Europe, lines that fit the interurban definition were rare historically. More common were either wholly urban, street-running tram systems or light rail systems operating wholly on dedicated rights of way. See tram-train for information about modern European systems running on the streets in cities but on railway lines outside them. A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... Street running of Stadtbahn in Heilbronn Stadtbahn on standard railway A Nordhausen DUO TramTrain on the linking track between the urban tramway (where they are electrically powered via overhead wires) and the rural heavy rail HSB (Harzer Schmalspurbahn / Harz Narrow-Gauge Railway) - where they are powered via an onboard diesel...

Notes

1. ^ Hilton and Due, pp. 53-65.

References

• Hilton, George W. and Due, John F. (1960, 2000). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-4014-3.
• Middleton, William D. (1965, 2003). The Interurban Era. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0-8902-4003-5.
• Rowsome, Frank, Stephan McGuire, tech. ed. (1956). A Trolley Car Treasury: A Century of American Streetcars—Horsecars, Cable Cars, Interurbans, and Trolleys. New York: McGraw.

Stanford is a census-designated place (CDP) located in Santa Clara County, California. ... The Stanford University Press is a publishing house, a division of Stanford University, that is highly respected in academic publishing. ... Nickname: Cream City, Mil Town, Brew City, The City of Festivals Location of Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Coordinates: County Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett Area    - City 251. ... Kalmbach Publishing Co. ...

See also

• List of interurbans
• Category:Interurbans
• Railway electrification
• Box motor - an interurban car for freight transport
• Steeplecab - a style of electric locomotive popular on interurbans for freight service
• Boxcab - another style of electric locomotive

This is a list of interurban railway systems worldwide. ... Overhead wire in Coventry, England A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives or multiple units. ... A box motor, in railroad terminology, is a self-propelled boxcar, normally powered by electricity and running on an interurban railway or a streetcar line. ... A GE steeplecab electric locomotive. ... Modern three-phase AC locomotive (DBAG Class 152) A GG1 An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electric motors which draws current from an overhead wire (overhead lines), a third rail, or an on-board storage device such as a battery or a flywheel energy storage system. ... A 2-unit boxcab electric locomotive of the Milwaukee Road. ...

External links

• Interurbans: The technology of economical local transport in the United States
• Dave's Electric Railroads, a collection of electric railroad, interurban, and streetcar photography from many eras
• Principle (sic) Interurban Car builders of the U.S
• Roster of Preserved North American Electric Railway Cars
• The Last Interurbans