The Last Streetcar

The Last Streetcar

         On September 5, 1948, the last Columbus streetcar line was converted to trolley coach. After 85 years - 27 years with horse drawn streetcars and 58 years with electric streetcars - there would be no rails in Columbus city streets. This article from 1948 sums up the 15 year "modernization" program started in 1933 that eliminated the streetcar. In their place would be the trolley coach and motor bus.

The End of an Era

Streetcar Passed From City Scene As Last Trolleys Run
Columbus Dispatch - September 5, 1948

         When the two "last cars" on the Main-Neil line left Neil and 11th Avs and Main St and Drexel Av simultaneously at 12:20 Sunday Morning and each made its way to the Kelton Av car house for the last time, the incident had a double significance.

         First, it marked the end of streetcars in Columbus; second, it completed the modernization of the city's transportation system, save for a few "clean-up" operations, at a cost of more than $8,000,000. Also it was the last run on the old Main-Neil line. Sunday morning at 5:30 the Main St division became a part of the Main-Indianola trolley coach line and at 5:45 a.m. the Neil Av division a part of the Neil-Parsons trolley coach line.

         Begun 15 years ago, but interrupted by the war conditions through a period of seven years, the conversion of the Columbus transportation system from streetcar to motor bus or trolley coach has now been accomplished on all lines and there yet remains only the task of removing rails and repaving on a few streets, which is designed for completion before the end of next year.

         The first step in the plan of the company to replace streetcars, limited to operation on fixed rails, with modern mobile equipment, was taken in 1933 when the Cleveland Av streetcar line was changed to trolley coach operation from Mecca Rd to High and State Sts.

         The program continued normally through 1940, during which seven-year period trolley coaches were installed on the Sullivant Av, Oak-Indianola and Broad-Mt. Vernon lines; buses were substituted on the Worthington, Leonard-West Mound, Arlington-Grandview, 11th-Chittenden and Bexley feeder lines; and three new buses lines were established - Hague Av, Frebis Av and Eastgate feeder.

         Then in 1941 came a government order prohibiting the substitution of other equipment for streetcars and the company was required to suspend its plans for further improvement. Fortunately, however, during a four-year period from 1934 to 1937, the company had purchased 74 used streetcars to tide it over while new equipment was being installed and these cars served well during the later war-time emergency when it was as difficult to obtain streetcars as it was to buy buses or trolley coaches.

         In 1942, the company was able to purchase two used 35-passenger buses and in 1943 it was fortunate to acquire 10 more used, 32-passenger buses. The only new equipment released to the company by the War Production Board during the war was one lot of 10, 36-passenger motor bused obtained in 1945. Not until 1947 was it able to secure delivery of equipment and materials in sufficient amount to resume its modernization plan on a normal scale.

         During 1947 the North-and-South-High, the High-Whittier and the Long-Livingston streetcar lines were converted to trolley coach operation; the West 5th Av, East Board express and the East Main feeder bus lines were inaugurated and cross-town lines were established on Hudson St and Ohio Av.

         Today, - Sunday, Sept. 5, 1948, - brings the final steps in the program with abandonment of streetcars on Neil Av and Main St and the establishment of trolley coach service on these lines.

         The new lines which have been established since the modernization program was inaugurated total 20.75 miles in length as follows: Hague Av, 2.66 miles; Eastgate, 1.25; North and South Bexley, 2.75; E. Broad St express, 4.75; Hudson St, 4.00; Ohio Av, 3.34; E. Main St, 2.00 miles.

         The company has also made line extensions totaling more than eight miles, as follows: Cleveland Av, Agler Rd to Mecca Rd; Sullivant Av, Hague Av to Binns Blvd; Fifth Av-Arlington, Wyandot Rd to Cambridge Blvd; Indianola Av, Oakland Park Av to Torrence Rd; Leonard Av, Ohio Av to fifth Av and Krumm Rd; Mt Vernon Av, Taylor Av to a point east of Woodland Av; W. Broad St, Hague Av to Southampton Av; Long St, Parkwood Av to near Nelson Rd; Livingston Av, Kelton Av to east of Bulen Av; N. High St, Blenheim Rd to Jeffrey Pl; Whittier St, Lockbourne Rd to Seymour Av; E. Broad St express, Broad St to James Rd.

         Abandonment of streetcars has brought about a radical change in the company's facilities for housing its transportation equipment. Out of six streetcar houses, three were abandoned sometime ago: North High, South High and Merritt St; and a fourth Kelton Av, will soon be out of service. Two Others Glenwood Av and Cleveland Av, have been converted to trolley coach stations.

         A new trolley coach station, costing $310,000, has already been completed a W. Broad and McDowell St, and a new bus garage costing $132,600 and housing all busses operated by the company, has been erected on 9th St in the rear of the Cleveland Av coach station.

Costs for the 15-year modernization program 1934-1948

A detailed record of the 15-year progress of the Company's program of modernization

Sidebar #1 - History

         The first streetcar in Columbus appeared June 9, 1863. It was horse-drawn and ran on High St between North Public Lane (Naghten St) and South Public Lane (Livingston Av).

         Horse-drawn cars began to disappear in August 1890, when the first electric car ran on W. Broad St from High St to the State Hospital.

         (An experimental electric car was operated on Chittenden Av from High St to the Stare Fairgrounds during the summer of 1888 but the trial was regarded as a unsuccessful and regular operation was deferred to two years.)

         The first electric car on High St appeared Jan. 14, 1891; on Neil Av July 4, 1891; on Long St Sept. 7, 1891; on Main St and Mt. Vernon Av Nov. 11, 1891.

         The last horse-drawn car in the city was discontinued (on the Oak St line) in February, 1892

Sidebar #2 - New Coach Routes

         The route of the new Neil-Parsons Trolley Coach Line - Northbound: From Parsons Av and Groveport Pik north on Parsons Av to Fulton St, west to 3rd St, north to Spring St, west to Front St, north to Goodale St, west to Neil Av, north to 10th av. Southbound: On Neil Av to Goodale St, east to High St, south to Fulton St, east to Parsons Av, south to Groveport Pike.

         Coaches of the new Main-Indianola line will operate in both direction on High St between Goodale St and Main St.