Streetcar services in Peterborough, Ontario

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A Peterborough streetcar on George Street.

Two streetcar services operated in Peterborough Ontario in the late 19th century and early 20th century.[1][2] The Peterborough and Ashburnham Street Railway Company operated from 1893 to 1898, and the Peterborough Radial Railway Company operated from 1902 until 1916.[3] The Peterborough Radial Railway Company was given a 30-year franchise, but the city took back the system in 1916.

Rolling stock[edit]

A streetcar manufacturer already existed in Peterborough, Edison Electric, renamed Canadian General Electric in 1892.[1][2] This firm built the streetcars for the Peterborough and Ashburnham Street Railway.

Routes[edit]

The company's first route ran north–south, from Auburn Mills to Lock Street, passing through the exhibition grounds for the Midland Central Fair.[2] A second route ran along Charlotte Street.

Peterborough was the first city in Ontario to provide streetlights, and the streetcar system shared electrical power with the streetlight system.[2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Elwood Jones (2016-11-05). "The Street Railway in Peterborough". Peterborough Examiner. Retrieved 2016-11-05. Peterborough had a street railway from 1893 to 1897, and then from 1904 to 1928.
  2. ^ a b c d Joelle Kovach (2015-05-30). "Heritage protection for The Avenues if council declares the city's first official heritage district". Peterborough Examiner. Retrieved 2016-11-05. The local General Electric plant made streetcars for bigger cities such as Toronto, ERA says, and lots of local GE employees lived in The Avenues and took the streetcar to work.
  3. ^ David Wyatt (2015-12-08). "Peterborough, Ontario: Principal System". University of Manitoba. Retrieved 2016-11-06. Acquired by the City of Peterborough 1 March 1916. Operated in 1926 and 1927 by the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario.