Memphis Street Railway

Memphis Street Railway Co. was incorporated March 28, 1895, as a consolidation of the Citizens Street Railroad, the City & Suburban Railway, Easte End Street Railway, and Memphis & Raleigh Springs Railroad. As of 1911, it was reported that the company's franchise with the City of Memphis would expire in 1945. The company operated 51 miles of double track and 26.5 miles of single track, using 109 open cars, 69 semi-convertable cars, and 132 closed cars (1911 roster.) The company also operated a wholly owned subsidiary, the Memphis & Lake View Railway (successor to Memphis Interurban Co, originally the Lake View Traction Co.) providing service on 10.83 miles on private right of way between Memphis, TN and Lake View, MS., using 4 closed cars.

Thompson Collection, Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center
This view of open cars appears to have been made at the turn of the 20th century.

1876-1895 - several companies operated Memphis streetcar routes
1895-1911 - Memphis Street Railway Co.
1911-1922 - Memphis Street Railway Co. (American Cities Co.)
1922-1925 - Memphis Street Railway Co. (Electric Bond & Shares Co.)
1925-1949 - Memphis Street Railway Co. (National Power & Light Co.)
1931 - first trolley bus route started
1947 - streetcars discontinued
1949-1958 - Memphis Street Railway Co.
1960 - trolleybus operation ended
1958-1961 - Memphis Transit Co.
1961-present - publicly owned -- Memphis Area Transit Authority

Thompson Collection, Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center
Here an open Street Railway car meets up with a Frisco 0-6-0.

Contributed by Bill Pollard
This shot, looks north on Main Street. The IC city ticket office is on the left. Note that both cars 87 and 101 appear to be open cars. The southbound car has "Kansas Avenue" on the sign below window, while the northbound car has "U.S. Mail". The US Mail is curious.... raising the issue of possible streetcar RPO cancellations, versus closed pouch mail service. Either way, its a part of the Memphis Street Ry that would be interesting to follow.

1908 streetcar route map of Memphis
http://www.wdbj.net/shelby/directories/1908memphis/railway_maps.htm

Thompson Collection, Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center
In this view of main street, three sets of powered cars with trailers
are shown. Also note the junction of a line leading off to the east.

Contributed by Alton Lanier
 

Contributed by Alton Lanier
 

Edward Frank Jr. collection passed on to Bill Schull and submitted by Bill Strong
This trolley line bisected Overton Park, going right in front of the zoo’s main entrance, then proceeding east on Broad St. At this point the trolley line has pulled slightly north of Broad to cross the north-south L&N line from Leewood to Aulon. Note the building to the right. This is the L&N’s Binghamton Station.

 

Richard Andrews Photo. Collection of Phil Gosney.
Memphis Street Railway Car 317 is on route " 2 Fairgrounds" at the layover point near that location in 1947.

Contributed by Alton Lanier
 

Richard Andrews Photo. Collection of Phil Gosney.
MSR car 600 is on Route "7 Crosstown" and appears to be northbound along Riverside Park. We note from this view, taken from aboard a southbound car, that the line becomes single track at this location. A spring switch is also noted with the loop located at Riverside and Person Ave ahead, and to the south.

Richard Andrews Photo. Collection of Phil Gosney.
Car 606 is at end of the line on "Route 12 Chelsea-Florida" in 1947.

Contributed by ?
Anyone have any details of this accident with car #614?

Richard Andrews Photo. Collection of Phil Gosney.
MSR car 616 is on route "2 Fairgrounds" westbound on Madison Ave., passing (General Nathan Bedford) Forrest Park. Baptist Hospital is located directly behind the car. 1947. In 2003 tracks were completed down Madison Ave. and "new" trolleys occupy this scene again.

Thompson Collection, Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center
In this view, Street Railway car 634 rolls past Central Station and its Interstate Restaurant, a chain of
station restaurants similar to the Harvey House chain once found along the Santa Fe and Frisco Lines.

Contributed by Robert Tomb
Memphis Strret Railway's derrick and pile driver.

Contributed by Robert Tomb
Axle straightening press in the shop.

Contributed by Robert Tomb
One of the gear boxes undergoing repairs.

Richard Andrews photo. Collection of Phil Gosney.
Pullman-Standard built trolley coach 1100 for the MSR. Note Milw Road flat car. Must be the first day of delivery with interested MSR employees "checking her out". The date is 1947.

Richard Andrews photo. Collection of Phil Gosney.
 

Richard Andrews photo. Collection of Phil Gosney.
A view at the Car Barn located at Beale and Walnut Streets finds cars in the 200 and 300 class laying over. Also the "new" replacement buses are sharing space in the streetcar barn in this 1947 view.

Thompson Collection, Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center
This view from the Sears tower sows the intersection of North Parkway and Cleveland
at the L&N crossing of the line that once ended at the IC line near the Pyramid.

Contributed by Bill Pollard
This view shows a trolley bus southbound on Beale Street approaching Third Street.

Memphis Street Railway started their first trolleybus route on November 8, 1931, using 9 new 40-seat trolley buses purchased from St. Louis Car Company to convert the #6-Lamar line to electric coaches. An additional five trolleybuses were purchased in 1935, allowing this line to be extended to Lamar & Hamilton. In 1941 and 1942, a total of 64 additional trolleybuses were purchased from Pullman Standard before wartime regulations curtailed domestic production. This purchase allowed three additional lines to be converted to trolley bus. In 1945, Memphis Street Railway obtained 20 ACF-Brill trolleybuses which had originally been ordered by Oklahoma Railways. These were intended to convert two diesel bus routes in Oklahoma City to electric buses, but a change of management in Oklahoma Railways (to one more favorable toward General Motors) resulted in cancellation of the order and diversion of these units to Memphis. In 1947, an order was placed for 127 new trolleybuses to be built by Pullman-Standard, this purchase resulting in the discontinuance of the last streetcar routes. An additional 25 ACF-Brill units were ordered in 1949. The trolleybuses survived into 1960, with the final routes being converted to diesel on April 22, 1960.

Contributed by Bill Pollard
The two buses in the foreground, coming and going, are diesel. The two buses in the background are electric. This view is Main Street at Union Ave., looking north.

Memphis Street Railways -- Trolleybus Fleet

Number Manufacturer Year
100-108 St. Louis Car 1931
109-111 St. Louis Car 1935
112-113 St. Louis Car 1935
500-525 Pullman-Standard 1941
526-548 Pullman-Standard 1942
549-553 Pullman-Standard 1942
554-563 Pullman-Standard 1942
1000-1019 ACF-Brill 1945
NOTE: Originally destined for Oklahoma Railways.
1100-1126 Pullman-Standard 1947-8
1250-1274 ACF-Brill 1949
Contributed by Bill Pollard
Memphis Street Railway tokens

Transportation Tokens in the collection of Ray Brown.
The two at the top are made of rubber.

Contributed by Bill Pollard
Temporary paper token. Can anyone date this activity?

Contributed by Bill Pollard
Transfer from line 10, circa 1912.

Contributed by Bill Pollard
Transfers from lines 1-2, circa. 1945.

Contributed by Bill Pollard
Transfers from lines 3-12, circa. 1945.

Mike Condren Photo
Northwest corner of Memphis Street Railway carbarn shortly before the building was torn down, 8/82.

Contributed by Bill Pollard
This is from a ca. 1937 transit magazine (reprinted in Traction Heritage in early 1970s).

Mike Condren Photo
 

Bill Pollard Contribution
From a 1935-36 Memphis map, that shows the first trolley bus route #6-Lamar
Electric Coach which was installed in 1931 and extended in 1935.

Bill Pollard Contribution

Bill Pollard Contribution

Bill Pollard Contribution
1940 "souvenir guide booklet"

Contributed by Robert Tomb

Contributed by Robert Tomb

Map by Richard Andrews. Collection of Phil Gosney

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This page was designed and is maintained by Mike Condren. If you have materials
that you would like to contribute, contact me at mcondren@cbu.edu