Edmonton Radial Railway

Edmonton Radial Railway

The restored ERR car #42 in Fort Edmonton Park is a 1912 St. Louis
Overview
Owner the City of Edmonton
Locale Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Transit type Tram
Number of lines 8
Daily ridership over 93,000 in 1945
Headquarters Cromdale Carbarns
11631 80 Street
53°34′4″N 113°27′49″W / 53.56778°N 113.46361°W / 53.56778; -113.46361 (Cromdale Carbarns)Coordinates: 53°34′4″N 113°27′49″W / 53.56778°N 113.46361°W / 53.56778; -113.46361 (Cromdale Carbarns)
Operation
Began operation November 9, 1908 (1908-11-09)
Ended operation September 1, 1951 (1951-09-01)
Number of vehicles 87
Technical
System length 56.2 miles (90.4 km)
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge)
Electrification Overhead line
1938 Routes

The Edmonton Radial Railway (ERR) was a streetcar service that operated in Edmonton, Alberta from 1908 to 1951.

In 1893 an ordinance was passed permitting Edmonton to construct and operate a tramway. However, it wasn't until 1907 that the tracks for the first tramway line were laid, with service commencing in 1908.[1]

In 1908, the Government of Alberta passed the Edmonton Radial Tramway Act, permitting the city to provide tramway service to communities located within 80 miles of the city. With this power, the city purchased the Strathcona Radial Tramway Company Ltd., and began providing streetcar service to the City of Strathcona as well.[1]

The radial railway reached its greatest extent in 1930. Two years later, in 1932, bus service replaced streetcar service on the 102 Avenue line. In the following years, the Edmonton trolley bus system replaced streetcar service on most Edmonton Radial Railway routes, and streetcar service ended in 1951.[1] Now Edmonton Transit System, the trolley bus system was discontinued in 2009 because of increasing costs.

Today, the Edmonton Radial Railway Society operates historic streetcars on Edmonton's High Level Bridge and in Fort Edmonton Park.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Edmonton Streetcar System". ERRS. Retrieved 2010-03-10.

External links


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