It may seem hard to believe, but in the first half of the last century there was an interurban electric railway empire that covered much of the Niagara Peninsula. Here is a mural commemorating the trolley that brought passengers from Toronto to the Welland County Fair.
By the 1930s the trolleys were in serious decline, partly due to the Depression,
but also to the rise of the automobile (which has not abated)
My father used to be a driver on these trolleys before it was discontinued in 1960.
16 comments:
I think I'd like your father's job. trolley driver... too bad it exists no more. But it's a nice mural commemorating slower times. Where is the mural?
The mural is in Welland. It is one of 29 murals in the city.
What a great mural! I can imagine this would hold special appeal for you also, with your father having driven a trolley! In the towns I have visited that still have a trolley (mainly for tourism), I have thoroughly enjoyed using them to get around - much more fun than a bus!
When I was young I always wanted to drive a streetcar or trolly bus - the big steering wheel, the lever to open the doors, the higher up view through the windows... were all very enticing.
It's surprising the number of "Radial Railway" lines that existed in the past. The mural is keeping this memoires alive. I bet your dad used to take you for rides.
Sadly, he didn't. Or if he did, I was far too young to remember.
Neat looking mural. And the horses are out-running the trolly too. :)
A fun mural, but also a terrific story. Trollys were in every major city, and at least in ours, they are coming back. Your father must have some great stories.
You know me, I love murals that celebrate a town's history. So much the better that you have a personal connection to the theme. If your area is like ours, an intricate system of trolleys, trams, and trains were replaced by buses and freeways. Ironically, the buses used most of the same routes but not as completely or as often. Local bus service continues to be cut back. Oh, to go back in the time machine and stop the destruction of a system that served its customers well and which we now all wish had survived. La Principessa is right, old trolleys are being resurrected on current lines, and light rail looks suspiciously like trams. Oakland is even planning a tram to run from the estuary up Broadway to Lake Merritt. Won't happen for a long time since like many towns we're in a financial crisis. Thanks, VioletSky, for participating in this week's Monday Mural. With 29 murals in Welland, you have lots of material for future posts!
Yes, I had the same thought as Oakland Daily Photo, with 29 murals, you can be sure to have Monday Mural material for some time. I like this weeks mural a lot, especially now that I know your father was a driver on these trolleys. I can imagine you wanted to be a driver too when you were young. Thanks for sharing!
what a gorgeous mural. can't wait to see more.
It's a personal interest mural which makes it all that more exciting. The racing horses add a special touch. I suppose there was a race track there?
Neat that you have a personal history with the train service. Neat mural!
Welland is a good 1 1/2 hours away, but I will have to go back to see the rest of the murals.
Great mural.
I had no idea there was such a tram. It would have been a nicer way to travel than the Queen E!
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