Jump to content

Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corporation

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Justanothersgwikieditor (talk | contribs) at 01:18, 7 August 2020 (Article deOrphaned!). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corporation
Transit Company trolleybus at IRM in 1968
Overview
HeadquartersMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Reporting markM&TS
LocaleWisconsin
Dates of operationJanuary 1, 1953–June 1, 1975
PredecessorThe Milwaukee Electric Railway & Transport Co.
SuccessorMilwaukee County Transit System
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification600 V DC

The Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corporation, commonly known as the Transport Company, was a public transport company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

History

Milwaukee had been served by horse drawn trolleys since 1859, and had many small companies serving different parts of the city. On April 3, 1890, the first electric street car was put into operation ushering in a new paradigm in Milwaukee's public transportation. The North American Company, a holding company controlled by Henry Villard, bought and consolidated all of the small tram companies into The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co. on February 1, 1896. Under this new management an extensive streetcar and interurban system was created serving most of south eastern Wisconsin. Along with providing public transportation the was providing public utilities. The TMER&L began to slowly convert its streetcar operations to trackless trolleys in the 1930s after labor strikes, federal pressure to break up the company, and the Great Depression made management feel there was no future in streetcar operations.[1] In 1938, the TMER&L was split into two companies The Wisconsin Electric Power Co. and The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Transport Co. because of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, which made out of state holding companies operating public utilities illegal. During World War II the "Transport Company" began selling its interurban lines and assets to small companies that would convert the service to bus and sell of the rail equipment for scrap at a profit.[2] In 1947 WEP co. began to sell the transportation subsidiary but the deal had been unable to go through.

In October 1952 investors bought TMER&T for $10,000,000 ($97,281,886 in 2020) and began operating as the Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corp. on January 1, 1953.[3] The new management began replacing streetcars with gas and diesel buses at an even faster pace than previous efforts. The "Transport Company" also did not continue the expansion of electric buses after 1955. On March 2, 1958 the last streetcar took its passengers from downtown Milwaukee to the suburbs of Wauwatosa and West Allis, ending 99 years of trolleys in the city. In 1964, with the completion of the new interstate freeway system the M&TS introduced the "Freeway Flyer" from Mayfair Shopping Center to downtown, a service that proved to be very popular and continues today. Finally on June 20, 1965 the last trackless trolley ran in Milwaukee ending the last remnant of a once large electric empire. The "Transit Company" was one of the last private mass transit systems in the county that was not subsidized by a government entity when it was bought by the County of Milwaukee on July 1, 1975.[4]

Equipment

Bus Roster

Fleet Number(s) Thumbnail Year Manufacturer Model Engine Transmission Notes
1195-1199 1945 GMC TD-4007 Ex-Indianapolis Transit System 440, 439, 437-438 & 436: bought in 1959.
1320-1340 6-7/1953 GMC TDH-5105
1341-1378 9-10/1954 GMC TDH-5105
1379-1403 12/1955 GMC TDH-5105
1404-1433 10/1956 GMC TDH-5105
1434-1463 12/1957 GMC TDH-5105
1464-1483 4/1959 GMC TDH-5105 1483 has been preserved by David Buzek.
1484-1503 9/1960 GMC TDH-5301
1504-1586 11-12/1962 GMC TDH-5301 1578 has been preserved by David Buzek.
1601-1675 7/1963 GMC TDH-5303
1701-1730 7-8/1964 GMC TDH-5303 1719 has been preserved by a Private Owner.
1751-1760 1960 GMC TDH-5301 Ex-Triboro Coach Corporation 751–760; bought in 1965.
1761-1770 1960 GMC TDH-5302 Ex-Triboro Coach Corporation 761–770; bought in 1965.
1801-1863 7-8/1965 GMC TDH-5303
  • 1842 has been preserved by a Private Owner.
  • 1854 has been preserved by a Private Owner.
1901-1912 2/1966 GMC TDH-5303
1913-1960 8/1966 GMC TDH-5303
2001-2030 2-3/1967 GMC TDH-5303

Trolley Bus Roster

Operation began (with The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company) on November 8, 1936 and ended on June 20, 1965. It is unknown what units were transferred from The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Transport Company.[5]

Fleet Number(s) Thumbnail Year Manufacturer Model Motors Notes
324-349 1947 Marmon-Herrington TC44 12 units to Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos in 1967.
424-449 1948 Marmon-Herrington TC44 15 units to Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos in 1967.
500-539 1946-47 Marmon-Herrington TC44
540-549 1948 Marmon-Herrington TC48
550-564 1948 Marmon-Herrington TC48
565-589 1952 Marmon-Herrington TC48

Preserved Equipment

Streetcars

No. Class Built Builder Notes
846 800 series 1920 St. Louis Car Company Preserved at the East Troy Electric Railway in operating condition
861 800 Series 1920 St. Louis Car Company Preserved at the Seashore Trolley Museum in operating condition
966 900 Series 1927 St. Louis Car Company Stored at the Illinois Railway Museum in inoperable condition
972 900 Series 1927 St. Louis Car Company Preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum in operating condition
978 900 series 1929 St. Louis Car Company Stored at the East Troy Electric Railway in inoperable condition

Trackless Trolleys

No. Model Built Builder Notes
269 1711 1941 St. Louis Car Company Stored at the Illinois Railway Museum in inoperable condition
350 102-45CX 1948 Pullman Stored at the Illinois Railway Museum in inoperable condition
411 TC44 1948 Marmon-Herrington Preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum in operating condition

References

  1. ^ Canfield, Joseph (1972). TM: The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company. Chicago, Illinois: Central Electric Railfan's Association. pp. 52–54.
  2. ^ Sakar, Larry (1991). Speedrail: Milwaukee's Last Rapid Transit?. Glendale, California: Interurban Press. p. 10. ISBN 0-916374-97-1.
  3. ^ "Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corporation v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 283 F.2d 279 – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
  4. ^ "Ride MCTS | About MCTS | News". www.ridemcts.com. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
  5. ^ "Milwaukee and Suburban Transport Corporation - CPTDB Wiki". cptdb.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Milwaukee_%26_Suburban_Transport_Corporation&oldid=971583146"