300:, due to rations on gasoline, and nearly returned to its 1923 high. 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. 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.
766:
27:
742:
308:
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. The Rhode
265:
To prevent future interruption to service for financial reasons, the charter placed the UER under the control of the Public
Utilities Commission. 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
120:
upon inception, in an effort to limit the impact to service in the event of financial difficulties. 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
322:
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
192:
By 1902, all lines were electrified. 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
309:
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. This function was fulfilled as RIPTA took over UTC operation on July 1, 1966.
223:
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
285:
by 1920. 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.
165:, and in January 1892 in Providence. 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. In 1894, The
289:
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. With the arrival of the
266:
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
316:. Kennedy Plaza remains a central transit hub, and the East Side Trolley Tunnel continues to be used by RIPTA buses. Some infrastructure for the cable tramway remains under Benefit Street.
161:
in
September 1887. The line was not long enough to be a practical means of transportation, and largely served as an amusement ride. Regular electric trolley service began in August 1889 in
374:, which were inherited by the UTC. Some were later taken out of service, and some were converted to diesel. In the early- and mid-1950s, several UER buses were sold to transit agencies in
312:
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
323:
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
359:, amongst others. Cars were painted green and cream until 1928, at which point the color scheme was changed to yellow and cream. In 1940, 50 cars were sold to
212:, was also operated by the RICo series of holding companies at this time. The cable car was rendered obsolete with the 1914 opening of the trolley-accessible
849:
854:
232:. The Rhode Island Company continued operations until 1918, when its debt became too burdensome and the Rhode Island Supreme Court terminated its leases.
335:
The UER inherited the rolling stock used by the Rhode Island
Company, but also purchased new trolleys and trolleybuses. Rail cars were manufactured by
194:
844:
791:"BusTalk U.S. Surface Transportation Galleries - United Electric Railways, United Transit Co., & United Tours/UTC 3744 (ex-5403, exx-UER 1335)"
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209:
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133:
74:
575:
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at this time, but this measure ultimately failed. The unrestricted operation of jitneys rendered several trolley lines unprofitable.
546:
348:
201:
592:
166:
293:, the system suffered from a lack of improvements and service reductions. Buses were further introduced into the system.
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operations, the stock of RICo was traded frequently, until it was controlled (through a series of intermediaries) by the
336:
117:
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150:
122:
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and
William Roelker. The Traction Company acquired many of the suburban lines, including those running through
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87:
42:
324:
109:
126:
70:
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by 1907. In addition to providing passenger service, the trolley system also carried trolley freight.
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company which began operation in 1865. The first electrified trolleys in the state were introduced in
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379:
240:
UER was chartered in 1919, as many of the prior streetcar systems were consolidated. These included:
186:
60:
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344:
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205:
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Rhode Island Company lines (except the Providence Danielson Railway Company and the Seaview line)
718:"Providence's Downtown Connector: A Streetcar Transformed into Useful Transit — Human Transit"
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481:"Guide to the Records of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority 1891-2000(bulk 1891-2000)"
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371:
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170:
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304:
The end of Rhode Island Streetcars, replacement of UER, Modern day (mid 1940s - today)
838:
278:
217:
693:
297:
113:
102:
480:
267:
225:
98:
91:
616:
108:
The UER was chartered in 1919, after the previous operator of the streetcar,
665:"Visit Greater Kennedy Plaza - Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy - DPPC"
375:
132:
The transportation system in Rhode Island was deprivatized in 1966 when the
94:
281:
since 1964) were expanded, forming a major interchange with connections to
814:
319:
Many current RIPTA routes mimic those of the original interurban network.
672:
387:
154:
423:"Records of the United Transit Company and the United Electric Railways"
422:
366:
Several of the trolleybuses and buses purchased by the UER were made by
26:
383:
485:
University of Rhode Island Library Special Collections and Archives
149:
The first iteration of rail-based transit in Rhode Island was the
270:
at $ 22 million. Measures were proposed to reclassify jitneys as
116:. The company was placed under the control of the Rhode Island
229:
16:
Streetcar operator in Providence, Rhode Island, US (1919-1966)
694:"The Cable Car Home Page - Cable Car Lines in Other Cities"
277:
Tracks first installed in 1914 at Exchange Place (known as
523:"Quahog.org: Mass Transit in Rhode Island, Part 10"
66:
56:
48:
38:
33:
815:"Tom's Providence/Pawtucket RI Trackless Trolleys"
547:"Quahog.org: Mass Transit in Rhode Island, Part 9"
499:"Quahog.org: Mass Transit in Rhode Island, Part 7"
236:The United Electric Railways Company (1918 - 1951)
145:Rhode Island Rail Transit before UER (1865 - 1918)
593:"Change is a constant in Kennedy Plaza's history"
454:"History of Transit Ridership in Rhode Island"
125:until the system was again reorganized as the
134:Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA)
8:
669:Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy - DPPC
173:of the different railways by Marsden Perry,
19:
195:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
105:in the early- to mid-twentieth century.
121:was operated under the UER brand by the
580:. McGraw Hill Publishing Company. 1920.
399:
169:(the Traction Company) was formed as a
101:, and trolley freight in the state of
84:United Electric Railways Company (UER)
18:
247:United Traction and Electric Company
75:Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
7:
767:"TROLLEY 3 - RHODE ISLAND RAILROADS"
743:"TROLLEY 1 - RHODE ISLAND RAILROADS"
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167:United Traction and Electric Company
850:Interurban railways in Rhode Island
641:"Northern Rhode Island Interurbans"
855:Bus transportation in Rhode Island
216:, connecting North Main Street to
14:
617:"TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN RHODE ISLAND"
90:-based operator of the system of
202:Providence Cable Tramway Company
25:
845:Streetcars in the United States
427:Rhode Island Historical Society
1:
151:Union Railroad of Providence
123:Rhode Island Service Company
296:Ridership recovered during
118:Public Utilities Commission
871:
577:The Street Railway Journal
349:American Car & Foundry
314:Shore Line Trolley Museum
24:
259:Providence Cable Tramway
253:Pawtucket Street Railway
214:East Side Trolley Tunnel
110:the Rhode Island Company
43:Providence, Rhode Island
20:United Electric Railways
181:, Pawtuxet Valley, and
621:www.chicagorailfan.com
208:up the steep grade of
127:United Transit Company
112:, went into temporary
71:United Transit Company
698:www.cable-car-guy.com
597:providencejournal.com
819:www.trolleybuses.net
795:gallery.bustalk.info
153:, a privately-owned
61:Rhode Island Company
357:Jackson & Sharp
21:
325:Downtown Connector
136:began operations.
49:Dates of operation
429:. September 1999.
204:, which operated
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361:Capital Transit
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272:common carriers
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171:holding company
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52:1921–1951
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175:Nelson Aldrich
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675:on 2022-08-05
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822:. Retrieved
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750:. Retrieved
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726:. Retrieved
724:. 2017-06-10
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677:. Retrieved
673:the original
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648:. Retrieved
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624:. Retrieved
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600:. Retrieved
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591:Hill, John.
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559:. Retrieved
555:the original
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506:. Retrieved
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461:. Retrieved
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298:World War II
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288:
276:
268:debt ceiling
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210:College Hill
199:
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148:
131:
114:receivership
107:
103:Rhode Island
99:trolleybuses
83:
81:
39:Headquarters
353:Newburyport
256:RI Suburban
230:automobiles
57:Predecessor
839:Categories
824:2018-11-01
800:2018-11-01
776:2018-11-01
752:2018-11-01
728:2018-11-10
703:2018-11-01
679:2018-11-01
650:2018-10-31
626:2018-10-31
602:2018-10-31
561:2018-10-31
532:2018-10-31
508:2018-10-31
463:2018-10-22
394:References
206:cable cars
183:Barrington
179:Cumberland
159:Woonsocket
129:in 1951.
95:streetcars
92:interurban
88:Providence
376:Cleveland
331:Equipment
67:Successor
388:Winnipeg
155:horsecar
86:was the
34:Overview
380:Halifax
368:Pullman
341:Laconia
226:jitneys
163:Newport
140:History
386:, and
384:Boston
355:, and
187:Warren
345:Brill
337:Wason
370:and
228:and
200:The
185:and
82:The
372:GMC
841::
817:.
793:.
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643:.
619:.
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483:.
472:^
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435:^
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402:^
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
