Third Avenue Railway
Encyclopedia
The Third Avenue Railway System (TARS) was a street railroad system in New York City
in the 19th and early 20th century.
but the Third Avenue companies controlled others with routes in Manhattan and the Bronx
and outside the city in Westchester County. By 1915 Frederick Wallingford Whitridge
was president of the company.
Due to a ban on overhead trolley wires in Manhattan, streetcars collected power from a conduit
in between the rails, by means of a plow, a method also used in Washington, D.C. and London
. Some cars were equipped with trolley pole
s for operation on lines outside Manhattan into the Bronx.
All lines were converted to bus operations by 1948.
After the system's abandonment, 42 cars of the largest and newest type, built by TARS itself in 1938–1939 (on Brill trucks), were sold to the operator of the Vienna
, Austria, streetcar system, Wiener Stadtwerke Verkehrsbetriebe
(now Wiener Linien
), for operation there. They were renumbered, designated Vienna type "Z" and fitted with pantographs in place of their trolley poles. They did not use conduit current collection in Vienna. They entered service there in 1949–1950 and were retired in 1969 when track brake
s became mandatory.
:
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the 19th and early 20th century.
History
The principal company was the Third Avenue Railroad Company from 1853 to 1910, when it was succeeded in reorganization by the Third Avenue Railway Company. The main line was in Park Row, Bowery, and Third Avenue in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
but the Third Avenue companies controlled others with routes in Manhattan and the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
and outside the city in Westchester County. By 1915 Frederick Wallingford Whitridge
Frederick Wallingford Whitridge
Frederick Wallingford Whitridge , was President of the Third Avenue Railway Company.-Biography:He was born on August 8, 1852 in New Bedford, Massachusetts to John C. Whitridge. He married the daughter of Matthew Arnold. He died on December 30, 1916 three days after his appendix operation.-References:...
was president of the company.
Due to a ban on overhead trolley wires in Manhattan, streetcars collected power from a conduit
Conduit current collection
Conduit current collection is a system of electric current collection used by electric trams, where the power supply is carried in a channel under the roadway, rather than located overhead.-Description:...
in between the rails, by means of a plow, a method also used in Washington, D.C. and London
London County Council Tramways
The London County Council Tramways was an extensive network of public street tramways that was operated by the council throughout the County of London, UK, from 1899 to 1933, when they were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board....
. Some cars were equipped with trolley pole
Trolley pole
A trolley pole is a tapered cylindrical pole of wood or metal, used to transfer electricity from a "live" overhead wire to the control and propulsion equipment of a tram or trolley bus. The use of overhead wire in a system of current collection is reputed to be the 1880 invention of Frank J....
s for operation on lines outside Manhattan into the Bronx.
All lines were converted to bus operations by 1948.
After the system's abandonment, 42 cars of the largest and newest type, built by TARS itself in 1938–1939 (on Brill trucks), were sold to the operator of the Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria, streetcar system, Wiener Stadtwerke Verkehrsbetriebe
Wiener Linien
Wiener Linien are the company running the largest part of the public transit network in the city of Vienna, Austria. They are part of the city corporation Wiener Stadtwerke Holding AG.- Governing structure and statistics :...
(now Wiener Linien
Wiener Linien
Wiener Linien are the company running the largest part of the public transit network in the city of Vienna, Austria. They are part of the city corporation Wiener Stadtwerke Holding AG.- Governing structure and statistics :...
), for operation there. They were renumbered, designated Vienna type "Z" and fitted with pantographs in place of their trolley poles. They did not use conduit current collection in Vienna. They entered service there in 1949–1950 and were retired in 1969 when track brake
Track brake
Track brakes are a form of brakes unique to railborne vehicles. The braking force derives from the friction resulting from the application of wood or metal braking shoes directly to the tracks...
s became mandatory.
Manhattan
The following lines existed in later days:- 10 Tenth Avenue Line: 42nd Street, 10th Avenue, Broadway, and 125th Street from West 42nd Street Ferry to West 130th Street Ferry
- B Broadway LineBroadway Line (Midtown Manhattan surface)The Broadway Line or Broadway Branch Line is a surface transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mainly along 42nd Street and Broadway from Murray Hill to Harlem...
: 42nd Street, Broadway, and 125th Street from East 42nd Street Ferry to West 130th Street Ferry - K Broadway-Kingsbridge Line: East Harlem to the BronxThe BronxThe Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
- T Third and Amsterdam Avenues LineThird and Amsterdam Avenues LineThe Third and Amsterdam Avenues Line, also known as the Third Avenue Line, is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running from Lower Manhattan to Fort George in Washington Heights. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the M98, M101, M102, and M103 bus routes,...
: Park Row, Bowery, 3rd Avenue, 125th Street, and Amsterdam Avenue from City Hall to Fort George - X 42nd Street Crosstown Line
- X 59th Street Crosstown Line
- X 125th Street Crosstown Line
Yonkers
The following lines operated in Yonkers, New YorkYonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
:
- 1 Broadway-Warburton
- 2 Broadway-Park Ave.
- 4 McLean Ave.
- 5 Nepperhan Ave.
- 6 Tuckahoe Road
- 7 Yonkers Ave.
- 8 Riverdale Ave.
- 9 Elm-Walnut Sts.
Surviving equipment
A number of cars formerly operated by TARS have been preserved.- 24, Brill open car, Electric City Trolley MuseumElectric City Trolley MuseumThe Electric City Trolley Museum is located in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, next to the Steamtown National Historic Site.The museum displays and operates restored trolleys and interurbans on former lines of the Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad, now owned by the government of Lackawanna...
- 220, converted cable car, Shore Line Trolley MuseumShore Line Trolley MuseumThe Shore Line Trolley Museum, located in East Haven, Connecticut, is the oldest operating trolley museum in the United States. It was founded to preserve the heritage of the trolley car. The museum includes exhibits on trolley history in the visitors' center and offers rides on restored trolleys...
- 316, American standard, Shore Line Trolley Museum
- 629, lightweight, Shore Line Trolley Museum
- 631, lightweight, Seashore Trolley MuseumSeashore Trolley MuseumThe Seashore Trolley Museum, located in Kennebunkport, Maine, United States, is the world's oldest and largest museum of mass transit vehicles....
- 634, 640, lightweight, Mariazell, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
- 637, lightweight, Graz, Austria
- 674, lightweight, National Tramway MuseumNational Tramway MuseumThe National Tramway Museum, at Crich, in Derbyshire, England, is situated within Crich Tramway Village, a period village containing a pub, cafe, old-style sweetshop, including the tram depots. The village is also home to the Eagle Press, a small museum dedicated to Letterpress Printing including...
- 678, lightweight, National Capital Trolley MuseumNational Capital Trolley MuseumThe National Capital Trolley Museum is a non-profit organization that operates historic trolleys for the public on a regular schedule. It is located at 1313 Bonifant Road,Colesville, Maryland USA.-History:...
- 4208 (ex TARS 679), lightweight, Vienna, Austria
- 830, 844, Shore Line Trolley Museum
- 1043, Brill semi-convertible, Western Railway MuseumWestern Railway MuseumThe Western Railway Museum, in Solano County, California is located on Highway 12 between Rio Vista and Suisun. The museum is built along the former mainline of theSacramento Northern Railway...
- 1779, Peter Witt streetcarPeter Witt streetcarPeter Witt was a Cleveland Railway commissioner, who designed a model of streetcar known by his name, and used in many North American cities, most notably in Toronto and Cleveland.-Features:...
, Sorocaba, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... - 1789, 1791, Peter Witt, São Paulo, Brazil
- 1799, Peter Witt, Bertioga, Brazil