Twin Cities Rapid Transit Motorman In Navy Coats

The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT), also known as the Twin City Lines (TCL), was a transportation company that operated streetcars and buses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota. The TCRT was formed in 1891 when Thomas Lowry merged the Minneapolis Street Railway and the St. Paul City Railway. The company's motormen wore uniforms with a tailored jacket, vest, trousers, and a hat with a braided band. The colour of the uniform is not known.

Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT)

The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT), also known as the Twin City Lines (TCL), was a transportation company that operated streetcars and buses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The origins of street rail transport in the Twin Cities date back to 1865 when businessman and mayor Dorilus Morrison began building rails in downtown Minneapolis. In 1875, the Minneapolis Street Railway made a deal with the Minneapolis City Council, gaining exclusive access to street rails for 50 years. This led to the launch of a route between downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota.

Thomas Lowry, who controlled the Minneapolis and St. Paul Street Rail Companies, merged the two in 1891, creating the TCRT. The company successfully converted all horse car lines in the Twin Cities and the two cable car lines in St. Paul to electric car lines. The electric car system became one of the finest public transportation systems in the nation. At its height in the early 1920s, the TCRT operated more than 900 streetcars, with 523 miles of track in the Twin Cities and surrounding metro area, carrying over 200 million passengers a year.

In addition to streetcars, the TCRT also operated steamboats called Express Boats on Lake Minnetonka, connecting passengers with streetcars. The company also owned amusement parks, including Big Island Amusement Park and Wildwood Amusement Park.

During World War II, TCRT, like many other industries, turned to women to fill jobs as "motorettes" to replace the motormen called to military service. The company hired 381 motorettes between July 1943 and November 1945. The term motorette was coined as the title "motorman" was inappropriate for female employees.

Following the war, the company faced competition from the rise of automobiles, and ridership declined. In 1949, new management took over and began replacing streetcar lines with buses, which were cheaper to operate. The last streetcar in Minneapolis made a final run on June 19, 1954, marking the end of the TCRT's streetcar system.

Motorman/Motorette

The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT), also known as the Twin City Lines (TCL), was a transportation company that operated streetcars and buses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in the US state of Minnesota.

Before World War II, operating streetcars was considered a man's job. However, during the war, many male TCRT employees entered military service, so the company began hiring women in July 1943. The term "motorette" was coined for these female streetcar drivers, as "motorman" was inappropriate for a woman. Between July 1943 and November 1945, the TCRT hired 381 motorettes, who wore a uniform of a tailored jacket, vest, trousers, and a hat with a braided band. They often provided their own trousers but never wore skirts.

The motorettes were generally well-received by their coworkers, but the public didn't always accept them so readily. Some passengers refused to ride with a woman driver and would wait for the next car. Despite this, the motorettes played an important role in the TCRT during World War II, with up to 183 women employed at any one time during the war years. Most worked for less than a year and left soon after the war ended, with only 37 remaining by the end of 1946. Ruby Peterson was the last motorette, working on the Selby-Lake route until her retirement in 1980.

Streetcar history

The history of streetcars in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, can be traced back to the 1860s and 70s, when horse-drawn streetcars first emerged as the primary mode of public transportation in the region. Over time, these horse-drawn carriages would give way to electric streetcars, which revolutionised travel in the Twin Cities and played a pivotal role in shaping the region's development.

The origins of street rail transport in the Twin Cities are somewhat murky, but it is believed that businessman and mayor Dorilus Morrison initiated the construction of rails in downtown Minneapolis in 1865. However, it was on the other side of the Mississippi River, in St. Paul, that the first successful horse-drawn streetcar system was established by the St. Paul Railway Company in 1872. Three years later, the Minneapolis Street Rail Company followed suit, launching its own horse-drawn streetcar lines.

Horse-drawn streetcars, however, presented challenges such as high operating costs and concerns over the odour and health hazards associated with horse manure. Consequently, both cities began exploring alternatives in the 1880s. Minneapolis and St. Paul turned to cable and electric streetcars as more modern solutions. The St. Paul Street Rail Company inaugurated the region's first cable car line in 1888, while the Minneapolis Street Rail Company opted to convert its horse car line on Fourth Avenue into an electric line after its success.

The electric streetcars gained popularity due to their smooth ride, in contrast to the bumpy cobblestone pavers and dirt roads prevalent at the time. The electric car system, spearheaded by Thomas Lowry, who controlled both the Minneapolis and St. Paul Street Rail Companies, rapidly expanded through the merger of the two companies in 1891, forming the Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT). This company dominated the transit landscape in the Twin Cities and was considered one of the finest public transportation systems in the nation during its peak in the early 1920s.

TCRT operated over 900 streetcars and boasted 523 miles of track, carrying over 200 million passengers annually. They also owned a fleet of steamboats, known as Express Boats, which connected communities on Lake Minnetonka. The company's success, however, was short-lived, as the mass production of automobiles in the 1920s led to a significant decline in ridership. The Great Depression further exacerbated this downturn, forcing the closure of several lines.

During World War II, there was a temporary resurgence in streetcar ridership due to tire and gas rations, and women were hired as "motorettes" to replace male motormen who had been called to military service. Despite this brief surge, the rise of automobiles and suburbanisation in the post-war era ultimately sealed the fate of streetcars in the Twin Cities. New management took over TCRT in 1949 and swiftly began replacing streetcar lines with buses, which were cheaper to operate. The last streetcar made its final journey in Minneapolis on June 19, 1954, marking the end of an era.

Horse-drawn streetcars

The horse-drawn streetcar, also known as a horsecars, was an early form of public rail transport. They were introduced to address the challenge of efficient mass transit in rapidly growing cities in the late 19th century. Horse-drawn streetcars were well-patronised and provided a safer alternative to steam power, which often involved boiler explosions. They were also seen as more reliable in poor weather conditions, as streets at the time were often unpaved and prone to flooding.

By the mid-1880s, there were 415 street railway companies in the US operating horse-drawn streetcars. However, with the invention of electric streetcars and the development of more efficient forms of transportation, horse-drawn streetcars gradually became obsolete. They were replaced by electric-powered streetcars, which offered greater speed and convenience. Despite their eventual replacement, horse-drawn streetcars played a significant role in the history of urban transportation and contributed to the development of modern public transit systems.

Electric streetcars

The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT), also known as the Twin City Lines (TCL), was a transportation company that operated streetcars and buses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota. The origins of street rail transport in the Twin Cities date back to 1865, when businessman and mayor Dorilus Morrison began building rails in downtown Minneapolis. The streetcars became popular because they rode on smooth rails, while most of the streets at the time were made of dirt or cobblestone pavers, which were uncomfortable to ride on, especially during the harsh Minnesota winters.

In the late 1880s, electric streetcars began operating in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, replacing cable cars and horse-drawn carriages. In 1890, the two cities were connected by rail along University Avenue, marking the beginning of the intercity streetcar system that was considered one of the best in the United States.

The TCRT continued to expand and improve its streetcar system, building larger streetcars and upgrading tracks. The company also experimented with "streetcar boats," known as Express Boats, which operated on Lake Minnetonka. However, the rise of automobiles and buses in the 1930s and 1940s led to a decline in streetcar usage. During World War II, TCRT, like many other companies, turned to women to fill jobs as motormen, now known as "motorettes," and conductors, or "conductorettes." Despite facing some resistance from the public, these women played a crucial role in keeping the streetcar system running during the war.

After the war, TCRT explored ways to upgrade the streetcar system, acquiring new streamlined PCC streetcars. However, the company was purchased in 1949 by Wall Street speculator Charles Green, who began dismantling the railway system in favor of buses. On June 19, 1954, the very last streetcars ran in Minneapolis, marking the end of an era.

Today, there is renewed interest in streetcars, now known as light-rail transit systems, with new lines being constructed in several American cities. The legacy of TCRT and the electric streetcars lives on, with some surviving elements listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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