Memphis Street Railway Co

Memphis Street Railway Company A privately-owned operator of streetcars (trams) and trolleybuses in Memphis, Tennessee on roughly 160 route miles [1] of overhead electrified cable and rails between 1895 to 1960. The longest of the rail lines reached from downtown to National Cemetery near Raleigh. [2]

History The Memphis Street Railway was created in March 1895 through the merger of several smaller systems including the Memphis & Raleigh Springs Railroad, East End Street Railway, Citizens Street Railroad and City & Suburban Railway. At its peak the interurban operated nearly 77 miles of trackage, 51 one of which was double-track. Service lasted until the 1940s when operations were abandoned in favor of buses. [3]

Service Memphis, then only 44 square miles (smaller than San Francisco), could be traversed easily with frequent service to within blocks of any corner in the city. Fares included a free transfer. [4]

Lines of Memphis Street Railway Co. [5][2] 1 Normal 2 Fair Grounds 3 Raleigh-Macon Road 6 Lamar [trolleybus] 7 Crosstown 8 Elmwood 9 Glenview 11 Wellington 12 Florida 14 Second-Desoto Park 15 Jackson 16 Lane-Faxon 17 Forest-Hill 19 Walker Av

Transition Streetcars remained in use until 1947 when electric trolleybuses (trackless trolleys) were phased in fully. Trolleybuses were discontinued in use for diesel buses by 1960. In 1961 the agency that would become MATA takes over and becomes publicly owned. [3]

Lawsuits African Americans successfully sued the Memphis Street Railway Company for personal injury and racial insult. African American working-class men and women were often financially compensated for physical injuries, while African American middle-class women won their lawsuits against white conductors who insulted their personal dignity. [7]

Today The formerly major intersection at Main St and Madison Ave of the Main St and Fair Grounds lines are returned to service by the now-public descendant agency’s Main Street and Madison Avenue Trolleys. [6]