Street Cars in Detroit.

[casscorridor]

San Fransisco still runs an old PCC streetcar painted in Detroit "livery" colors.

http://www.streetcar.org/streetcars/1079/

Although its sad that Detroit ripped out its streetcars over a half century ago, it is indeed nice to see SF using an old train car still painted in the original colors and even keeping the old DSR logo! How neat.

[p69rrh51]

Although its sad that Detroit ripped out its streetcars over a half century ago, it is indeed nice to see SF using an old train car still painted in the original colors and even keeping the old DSR logo! How neat.

Actually most of the rails of the system exist with the exception of the downtown area they are entombed under the road surfaces around the city. All that is needed is to dig them up. Also the most of the rails were all replaced shortly before the system was shut down and most likely are in good condition. I last saw a small part of the E. Jefferson rails a few years ago when the county was doing some work on the street.

[Hermod]

Actually most of the rails of the system exist with the exception of the downtown area they are entombed under the road surfaces around the city. All that is needed is to dig them up. Also the most of the rails were all replaced shortly before the system was shut down and most likely are in good condition. I last saw a small part of the E. Jefferson rails a few years ago when the county was doing some work on the street.

On January 19, 1964, DSR General Manager Nowicki wrote a report on the need to abandon the East Jefferson streetcar line and convert the route to "motor coaches. In the report, he noted that the tracks there were from 18 to 32 years old and most of it would need replacement in the next two to three years of use. Remember, the track structure includes more than just the rails. It also includes the roadbed and the ties.

[p69rrh51]

On January 19, 1964, DSR General Manager Nowicki wrote a report on the need to abandon the East Jefferson streetcar line and convert the route to "motor coaches. In the report, he noted that the tracks there were from 18 to 32 years old and most of it would need replacement in the next two to three years of use. Remember, the track structure includes more than just the rails. It also includes the roadbed and the ties.

I think you have your date wrong the trolleys ended service in 1956. And I have been involved with group that included several former DSR employees who have drummed it into me for the last 20 years about the condition of the rails, and that they all had been replaced shortly before operations subsided. You have to also remember many were all on GM's "payroll" and of course were trying to get rid of the streetcars however they could.

[Hermod]

I think you have your date wrong the trolleys ended service in 1956. And I have been involved with group that included several former DSR employees who have drummed it into me for the last 20 years about the condition of the rails, and that they all had been replaced shortly before operations subsided. You have to also remember many were all on GM's "payroll" and of course were trying to get rid of the streetcars however they could.

This was a report written on that date [[Jan 19, 1954). Motor coaches took over the East Jefferson line on Feb 7, 1954.

Michigan converted to motor coaches on Nov 11, 1954.

Gratiot converted on Mar 25, 1956.

Woodward converted on Apr 8, 1956, the very last of the streetcar lines.

1947, 1949, and 1951 were the big years for line conversion to motor coaches. Grand River route and the Crosstown route used "trolley buses" for a number of years and trolley buses were considered for the East jefferson line.

Ref: Detroit Street Railways: Vol II: City Lines 1922-1956 by Jack E. Schramm, William H. Henning, and Thomas J. Dworman; Bulletin 120, Central Electric Railfans' Association [[CERA), ISBN 0-915348-20-9

[p69rrh51]

This was a report written on that date [[Jan 19, 1954). Motor coaches took over the East Jefferson line on Feb 7, 1954.

Michigan converted to motor coaches on Nov 11, 1954.

Gratiot converted on Mar 25, 1956.

Woodward converted on Apr 8, 1956, the very last of the streetcar lines.

1947, 1949, and 1951 were the big years for line conversion to motor coaches. Grand River route and the Crosstown route used "trolley buses" for a number of years and trolley buses were considered for the East jefferson line.

Ref: Detroit Street Railways: Vol II: City Lines 1922-1956 by Jack E. Schramm, William H. Henning, and Thomas J. Dworman; Bulletin 120, Central Electric Railfans' Association [[CERA), ISBN 0-915348-20-9

All based on a tranportation study the city in its stupidity gave to GM to conduct!

[Mikeg]

All based on a tranportation study the city in its stupidity gave to GM to conduct!

It was City of Detroit traffic engineers that conducted that study - not GM [source]. In the immediate post-war period, commuters and shoppers continued to "vote with their car keys". Rush hour traffic on the radial arterials was horrendous. City traffic engineers experimented with ways to increase peak traffic flow along Grand River between W. Grand Boulevard and Livernois. They found that by replacing the streetcars with curbside bus service and using reversable traffic lanes in the center of the roadway where the streetcars had been, they could increase rush hour traffic flow by 40% and break the gridlock. This was the beginning of the end of streetcars in Detroit, and it was hastened by the mismanagement of the DSR and their inability to control their labor costs.

Here is a 1929 photo of relatives who worked at the DSR Baker Carhouse [[W. Vernonr at Livernois).