|
History Of Light Rail In America The origin of light rail can be traced back hundreds of years in America. They were originally known as tramways. The first tramway was established in New York in 1832, powered by horse. The second horse drawn tramway, built in New Orleans in 1835 is still in operation today. Soon after 1832,horse drawn tramways were popping up all over the U.S. and Europe. Spurred on by the limitations of animals, alternatives to propelling tramways by animals were sought after. “Steam trams were developed, but were not very suitable for urban use, although they ran on many suburban and light railways. Compressed air, gas and petrol engines were tried; cable tramways enjoyed considerable success for a time (and still survive in San Francisco). However, most of these technically suspect or expensive options faded quickly once electric traction became a possibility” (www.irta.org/mrthistory.html. pg. 1). By 1879 the first electrically powered tramways were being developed in Germany. They were designed to use electric traction, powered by power generated from a “fixed point and supplying it to a conducting rails or overhead wire while “using current at 180 volts fed through the running rails www.irta.org/mrthistory.html. pg. 1). For obvious safety reasons the electrified rails were not practical for an urban environment and the over head wire became the most popular way to supply power to tramways.
The first electric tram in the U.S. was installed in Richmond, Virginia in 1887 and by the turn of the century nearly all horse drawn tramways were replaced by electricity. The next twenty-five years seemed to be the height of tramway popularity, over 15,000 miles of track was spread across America. However, eventually this popularity declined. The biggest reason being the rise of labor costs in the 1920s, coupled with the need to replace track that was first layer down during the earlier building boom. And by 1929 the depression was starting and affecting every part of the U.S. economy and the tram system was not excluded. After the end of World War II, Americas love with the automobile that begun at the turn of the century continued and the popularity of mass transit declined. Planners began developing and designing transportation systems that catered to and accommodated the automobile. And it spelled the end to light rail, until the 1970s, when it’s popularity started to make a comeback. |
