I hope everyone enjoyed this video! If you want to learn more about the Cleveland & Eastern and Chagrin Falls interurbans, visit the Cleveland & Eastern Interurban Historical Society and Museum's website: www.trainweb.org/ceihsm/index.html and here's a link to Dan Rager's various railroad books he's published: www.lulu.com/spotlight/mapleleaf1/?fbclid=IwAR0HBoLZ6tsBVUBBkT7OAM9se1McfFgqT11bdqObWjXEMW6Nw3rrpMBFdJI
This channel is the definition of quality over quantity! I learn so much more about local transportation history than what I could from a quick slip in a television produced documentary.
I lived between Cleveland and Lorain in the 1960s.. there had been an electric line out that way too, and the remains of the right-o-way was still visible along Electric Blvd. and on towards Lorain.
We used to have the same thing here in Michigan between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. The track is gone and the power company runs their power lines down it. You can still find cement foundations where different stations used to be.
Interurban lines were quite common in the early 20th century. One of the largest systems was that of the British Columbia Electric Company, which ran appoximately 70 miles from Vancouver to Chilliwack (there was even briefly a Vancouver Island section north of Victoria). The system was closed in about 1958, functioning solely as a short line freight system after that.
I'm only aware of 1 old interurban railroad that has survived intact and is still operating in 2024. (There used to be 100s of these small railroads across the US.) It's known today as the Iowa Interstate Railroad. It stopped carrying passengers decades ago and now only handles freight across Iowa from Omaha to Chicago in 2024. It's still owned by 1 Iowa family who fought like the dickens to keep the other railroads out of Iowa so they could survive. Of course, if they ever wanted to add back passenger service they could easily do that since all of the infrastructure and rail lines are still intact.
Iowa interstate was the former Rock Island railroad. I believe you are thinking of the CRANDIC, the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City railroad, it was and interuban that survives as a freight hauler that interchanges with UP and Iowa Interstate railroad.
San Francisco still has them, no? I lived a block from where one turned around in Louisville, "the loop" and have seen the maps of routes., what a loss we tore those tracks up!
The Pig and Whistle (Philadelphia and Western) interurban trains are still in operation in mainline Philly. These days it’s called the Norristown High Speed Line ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jk1PVTYbDmY.htmlsi=fhQWtWMxYw9_ulnN
@@danhodgson9909 He's close to being correct. I believe it is called the Mason City & Clear Lake-although it may have a different name now. It was (and is) an electric interurban line although now it only carries freight.
I had a very vague idea of this interurban line. Many of the areas remind of my childhood and living in Chardon. Other towns mentioned were communities my mom first taught in, in Geagua County. Many of the surrounding communities traveling towards Cleveland also bring back memories. My grandfather was a motorman for the Cleveland Transit Company working out of the old Windermere Avenue car barn. Thanks for this very informational video.
I've become a big fan of your work, Matt! Growing up on Orchard Hts. Dr. in Mayfield Hts. I remember old timers telling stories of Mayfield Rd. being made of dirt. This video brings up a rich history of even earlier times in the area. Well done and thanks for your hard work!
Fantastic as usual. Criminally underrated channel. Even growing up all my life in Lake and Geauga county, it’s wild how much stuff you never learn about. It’s cool to see the turnaround in Chardon square, that explains the weird cut through street that still exists today. Also, my dad knew Dan years ago. I remember having a CD or cassette of his orchestra music!
Such great history of what it used to be like in Geauga county and the railroad system that used to be there. We go fishing in different places in Ohio but will definitely look into the history of those areas
In liberty Missouri the intersection of Lightburn and Mill is very weird looking and the reason it is like that is because on the north east corner if I remember correctly was where the interurban stop was back in 1920s They used to be one back then between Excelsior Springs and Kansas City back then. There’s really nothing left of it except that one intersection being that crazy weird.
You're correct. I live near you in this area and I'm familiar with Liberty, MO. What's even more amazing is that interurban line also made a stop near I-35 and Chouteau Road. About 100 years ago there was a huge lake and an amusement park there. Today the lake is long gone (filled in) and the amusement park torn down. The Chouteau shopping center sits on the site today.
@@russbear31 I haven’t lived there since 2015 but if I had the chance to come back there, I probably would. I have a friend who lives there and went to visit last year, but didn’t get to do much because it kept raining.
" Space Coast "🚀 Satellite Beach 🌴 Florida. Remember the 1935 Labor day weekend. Where the hurricane in the Keys blew the rescue train 🚂 off it's tracks -? 😲. Remember the power plant in St. Lucie😉.
Excellent video. I've always been a rail fan and lover of all things trains. This led me to a career on the railroad, which I retired from last year. I knew about interurbans and trolleys when I was a kid, with stories from my parents and their families, but I didn't know much about them. There was an article in The Blade titled 'Riding The Red Devil To Obliviion', which got me interested in traction and I still have the article. I bought the book, Ohio Trolley Trails, by Harry Christiansen, who wrote a number of books about the trolley and interurban systems in Northwest Ohio and also Cleveland and south. There are still structures and pieces of right-of-way left, even today. I have gotten to ride the trolleys and interurbans in and around Philadelphia and in Pittsburgh, including the Brill Bullets out of Philly and the PCC cars, of which they still use on certain lines. You can still ride many of the routes in both cities. I've also ridden the South Shore, one of the last remaining lines, which still runs from Chicago to towns in Michigan. I would recommend adding Harry Christiansen's books to any collection of interurban publications. Also, a book called 'We Had A Shore Fast Line', by Mervin Borgnis, about the Atlantic City & Shore Railroad. It is a great read about the 'Shore Fast Line', an interurban, which ran from Atlantic City to Ocean City, NJ and also the trolleys of Atlantic City. The Shore Fast Line ended operations in January, 1948, after a fire destroyed the bridge to Ocean City in 1947. The trolleys ran from the Inlet section of Atlantic City to the farthest point on Absecon Island, in the town of Longport and were abandoned in 1955. Once again, a great and informative video.
Thank you for posting this piece of of important Ohio development history. Both Canals and railroads have interested me over the years in Ohio. This definitely encourages me to check out this pat of the state...
Well done, a thorough account of the interurbans. I grew up in Lyndhurst in the 60 's and heard bits and pieces of it's history. The maps were very helpful and the photos were awesome, it seems like everybody was on board with this new technoglogy at the time. My ancestors were early settlers of Gates Mills. This brings to mind what a tremendous impact the rail lines had on commerce and people's lifestyles in the region!
As well they should, that what competition mean. As much as I like train, it come out as the best new method of transportation and get a lot of support popular and financial backing till better method of transportation come along. Stopping the change over is as effective as returning to sail power ships as much as I loved sailing, that is not going to happen.
I do the same kind of thing out here in NorCal, just in this area there were five in urban lines in January of 1941, by December 7th only one was left in operation
I drive through Gates Mills every day. you can still see the rail bed next to Berkshire as well as some of the workings done to span the creeks in the area. The area the power station and car houses were is now the city property for the service department, fire station, post office and community center. The gentleman mentioned that did not want to give his land, Walter White, is the same White that built trucks and sewing machines. White trucks was absorbed and is part of Freightliner now. The White property and mansion was donated to Hawken School and the White family mansion still stands, serving as the cafeteria and administrative office for the school. Its not mentioned but that section of Mayfield road through Gates Mills is now known as Old Mill road. Mayfield (322) was rerouted further north in the 60s. Gates Mills Boulevard at the top of Old Mill is still a divided road, built to accommodate a rail line in the middle. another project that never happened, the RTA Green Line was meant to extend to this area down Shaker baulivard, through the circle and down Gates Mills Baulivard. the large round area at the top of old Mill was meant to be a turn-around for the RTA rapid. its now a baseball diamond. Its named after another former Gates Mills resident, Bob Feller.
If you drive out to Geauga from Cleveland via 422 in the winter after a light snowfall you can see where the rails ran (mostly on the south side of 422 headed east); the snow (and lack of leaves on the trees) highlights the raised beds the rails were laid on. I’m not old enough to have any experience with the Interurban, but my grandmother, mom, and aunt were raised in Burton and told me stories about the train. Thanks for this video.
I live along the ol' Lima Route interurban line. One of many in Western Ohio. The building that once maintained the locomotives for the line are now part of the Auglaize County Highway Department (of which I only live a mile (roughly) from). The line use to interchange with, or cross the NYC, & C&O. The line was abandoned between the world wars.
Thats interesting! The Lima Route wasn't a single interurban, it was mutliple diffirent lines as one system. Western Ohio, Dayton and Troy, Toledo Bowling Green and Southern, among others. They have each other trackage rights to allow through freight and passenger.
Born and raised in Cleveland. Left in 1976 for a job. Always love to see such informative videos. Being a huge traction fan just added to the enjoyment. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
I grew up at Sunrise Farm in Burton. My dad talks about riding on the interurban. We got to ride on one of the cars last summer at a museum ground near Lodi. It was a great experience. Thank you for producing this.
I live not a mile from Caves road and Mayfield. Often I cross the old trestles in Gates Mills when I take the back roads to work or bike ride the paths out east. It is fascinating to finally learn their history. Thank you.
These videos are great a fellow Cleveland. I would love to see you do a video about the W.117th St explosion in 1953. And even about the old North Olmsted Municipal Bus Lines (NOMBL) that was absorbed into RTA in 2005.
Thank you so much! This is fascinating. I live in what was referred to as the Jungle section of the line. My boys used to explore the tracts as children. My older son would always come home with artifacts.
I wonder if Warehouse Beverage on Mayfield Road in South Euclid used to be an interurban station, it looks a little like the other stations pictured in the video and just seems out of place next to some of the surrounding buildings...
Nice to see what the insulators looked like. The "conduit" is likely a porcelain pin base. These were put over the wood pin that the insulator sat on, to keep it from flashing over and burning the wooden pins.
Pro level video! We have traced much of the northern lines. A friend lived near Scotland, and the embankment curved across the back of his property. Grade is also visible diagonal through Fowler's Mill, SW to NE.
Interesting/informative/entertaining. Excellent photography pictures 📷/drawings. Enabling viewers to better understand what the orator was describing. Special thanks to guest speakers sharing personal information pertaining to this presentation. Making it more authentic and possible. Remember the " Singing Break Men " jimmie Rogers. Whom was a genuine break men till changing careers to a singing entertainer 🎸🎶. ( 1926 thru 1933 ) most memorable song " Break Man's Blues 😭 ". Picture 📷 of horse 🐎 drawn trolley 🚎 some what unique. Similar to the # 16 Carson City Traction type . In John Wayne's final movie 🎥 the Shootist.
You can still see the old bridge abutments at Russell Park in Troy township where the inter urban crossed the Cuyahoga river. That's just west of what was known as Steeles corners.
There was also one train running from Wooster up to Cleveland along side route 3. I guess the southern terminus was on west Liberty st in Wooster. where there was a roundhouse. My great grandfather brought a piano down from cleveland for his home on the train. My mom said people would ride the train up to watch the Cleveland Indians play baseball. You can still see the roadbed on the east side of rt 3 going north.
We have remnants of an interurban line between Springfield and Urbana, Ohio, IF you know what you're looking at/for. Urbana has a historical market at the site of the former depot.
I think the one he didn't buy out or they didn't was the Cincinnati Hamilton in Dayton, which later became the Cincinnati railroad whoops I think that was further away
Rehab one piece of Ohio history at the Western Railway Museum in California, C&LE 111 Cincinnati and lake Erie high-speed interurban they were nicknamed The Red devils
"...there were a lot of bends in the track, which had to do with the topography..." as opposed to all the other railroads where track doesnt go straight between destinations for reasons OTHER than topography..?
And time and money. Many section of important highways and railroads are straight over very impassible topography. TNT do wonder for fighting topography.
Why not have a modern interurban light rail system in and around Cleveland today? It would avoid traffic jams of the highways in and around Cleveland. If I was a multi billionaire businessman I would build it with the permission of Cleveland and the surrounding cities, towns, and villages.
