The Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway was a street railway company in Washington, D.C. from 1875 to 1898. It was the sixth and final company to start during the horse car era. It operated on a loop, or "belt", around downtown and the National Mall. For that reason, and because of its long name, it was known colloquially as the Belt Railway. It changed its name to the Belt Railway in 1893. It expanded north and south on 11th street west to the boundaries of the city. In 1896 it attempted to use compressed air motors instead of electricity, a decision that sent them into receivership. In 1898, the company was purchased by the Anacostia and Potomac River Railroad

Anacostia and Potomac River Railroad

The Anacostia and Potomac River Railroad Company was the fourth streetcar company to operate in Washington, D.C. and the first to cross the Anacostia River. It was chartered in 1870, authorized by Congress in 1875 and built later that year. The line ran from the Arsenal to Union Town...

 and the company ceased to exist.

Origins

The Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway Company was the last streetcar company to begin operations during Washington's horsecar era. It was incorporated on March 3, 1875 and began operation later that year. Its circular route went from the Capitol along 1st Street SW; south of the Mall

National Mall

The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...

 on Maryland and Virginia Avenue

Virginia Avenue

Virginia Avenue is a street in the Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast quadrants of Washington, D.C. Like other state-named streets in Washington, it diagonally crosses the grid pattern formed by lettered and numbered streets....

s SW; north on 12th Street SW/NW, the old Ohio Avenue NW (now obliterated by Federal Triangle

Federal Triangle

The Federal Triangle is a triangular area in Washington, D.C. formed by 15th Street NW, Constitution Avenue NW, Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and E Street NW. Federal Triangle is occupied by 10 large city and federal office buildings, all of which are part of the Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic...

) and 14th Street NW to O Street NW; east on O Street NW for ten blocks; and then south on 4th Street NW, G Street NW and 1st Street NW.

Expansion and Name Change

The Capitol, North O Street and South Washington went through several changes after its initial startup. A P Street NW track was added in 1876 for westbound cars, leaving O Street NW for eastbound traffic. In 1881, the 11th street line was extended north to Boundary Street and south to Water Street SW and along that street to the Arsenal. At the same time tracks were rerouted across the Mall. The last change came on February 18, 1893 when it changed its name to the Belt Railway Company.

Switch to Electricity

In 1896 Congress directed the Belt Railway to try out compressed air motors, just as it had the Eckington and Soldier's Home. The compressed air motors were a failure and in 1899 the company's cars were equipped with the standard underground power system.

Bankruptcy and Purchase

As a result of the compressed air motor fiasco, the company went into receivership. Shortly thereafter, on June 24, 1898, the Anacostia and Potomac River purchased

Mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...

the Belt Railway.