Harrisburg Railways Company

Operating Name(s)	Harrisburg Traction Company (1895-1903) Central Pennsylvania Traction Co. (1903-1912) Harrisburg Railways Co. (1912-1955) Harrisburg Railways Co. (ATE) (1955-1973)
Area Served	Harrisburg and "East Shore" area of Harrisburg, PA.
Operated	1895-1939 (streetcar service) 1933-1973 (bus service)
Succeeded by	Capital Area Transit

The Harrisburg Railways Company is a former public transit provider to the East Shore area of Harrisburg, PA.

History

In 1913, the Harrisburg Traction Company created a subsidiary named Harrisburg Railways Company. By the 1950's American Transportation Enterprises acquired the company. Under ATE in 1953, another subsidiary, Keystone Charter Service began operating charter services, and that subsidiary grew its reach further in 1962, by acquiring Bushey Bus Service and merging it with Keystone Charter Service.

Harrisburg Railways Company grew further, by acquiring the assets of the Valley Transportation Company, after it abandoned bus service to the "West Shore" of Harrisburg in 1970.

After the Harrisburg Railways Company claimed bankruptcy and becoming insolvent, the City of Harrisburg, and counties of Cumberland and Dauphin created the Cumberland-Dauphin Transportation Authority, and service was surrendered to its subsidiary Capital Area Transit in 1973.

Timeline of major events

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• 1865: The first known public transportation line began with a horse-drawn trolley.
• 1873: Harrisburg City Passenger Railway purchases the previous line operation between Harrisburg and McClay Street, and begins service.
• 1875: Harrisburg and Middletown Omnibus Company was organized to connect Middletown with the trolley service.
• 1888: First test run of an electric trolley by the East Harrisburg Passenger Railway.
• 1895: Harrisburg Traction Company formed by a merger of Harrisburg City Railway and Citizens Railway.
• 1913: Harrisburg Traction Company formed Harrisburg Railways Company.
• 1933: Ten buses purchased to convert three streetcar lines to bus service.
• 1936: Fleet numbers 421 (Conodoquinet) and 425 (Mahantango) purchased new. These two coaches were cut down after receipt, creating open-air coaches, used in parades, and some limited special charter work. The names come from two Native American tribes, that were based along the Susquehanna River.
• 1937: Harrisburg Traction Company changes name to Harrisburg Railways Company.
• 1939: The last Harrisburg Railways trolley was operated on July 16, 1939 on the Middletown line some 74 years after the introduction of horse drawn trolley service and 66 years after the introduction of electric powered trolley service in Harrisburg. A fleet of 135 buses were now available to serve Harrisburg and "East Shore" Communities.
• 1953: Harrisburg Railways Company creates subsidiary Keystone Charter Service to offer charter services to customers.
• 1955 Harrisburg Railways Company becomes a subsidiary of American Transportation Enterprises, a management firm based in Cincinnati, OH.
• 1962: Harrisburg Railways Company acquires assets of Bushey Bus Service, extending charter services to places previously not offered.
• 1970: Valley Transportation Company abandons "West Shore" service, Harrisburg Railways Company takes over to continue offering the service.
• 1973: Harrisburg Railways Company transfers assets to Capital Area Transit.

Routes

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The Harrisburg Railways Company operated 136 trolley cars on slightly less than 75 miles of track. Cars serviced the city of Harrisburg, in addition to suburban communities of Oberlin, Middletown, Linglestown, Rockville and Hummelstown.

Primary line corridors

• Downtown Loop services
• 2nd Street lines; lines 2, A
• 3rd Street lines; line 3
• Capital Street lines; line C
• 6th Street lines; lines 4, 6, RV, 5, WP
• Cameron Street lines; 10, 11
• Herr Street lines; 18
• State and Market Street lines; 20, L, P
• Allison Hill lines; 8, 9, 23, D, H, R
• Middletown lines; 7, 8, BC, BS, EF, HS, M, S
• Oberlin/Steelton via 19th Street lines; 19, B, O
• Kerr and Vine Street lines; 9, 18, V

Route numbers and names

• 2 - Second Street-Reservoir
• 3 - Third Street
• 5 - Rockville-Oberlin
• 6 - Sixth Street
• 7 - Hummelstown-Middletown
• 8 - Paxtang-Steelton
• 9 - 23rd Street-Race-Vine
• 10 - Cameron Street
• 11 - Fairgrounds
• 18 - Herr Street-Penbrook-Linglestown

Connecting carriers

• Valley Railways, downtown Harrisburg

Roster

Streetcar roster

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Fleet Number(s)	Thumbnail	Year	Manufacturer	Model	Motors	Trucks	Notes
35		1891	Brill
58-61		1901	Jackson and Sharp	Closed			Serial numbers 2132-2135. Ordered by Harrisburg Traction Company.
62-65		1902	Jackson and Sharp	Closed car			Serial numbers 2261-2264. Ordered by Harrisburg Traction Company.
66-69		1903	Jackson and Sharp	Closed car			Serial numbers 2409-2412. Ordered by Harrisburg Traction Company.
94-95		1903	Jackson and Sharp	Half-side			Serial numbers 2413-2414. Ordered by Harrisburg Traction Company.
116-119		1901	Jackson and Sharp	15 bench			Serial numbers 2185-2188. Ordered by Harrisburg Traction Company.
150		1889?	Brill				Open car.
152		1890?	Brill				Open car.
161-170		1894-1895		Open (9-16 bench)			Ex-Citizens Railway (Harrisburg) 17-26.
200-213		1892-1893	Lamoken	Closed (18 ft)			Ex-Citizens Railway (Harrisburg) 1-14.
250-254		1906	Brill	Closed 20'			Order number 15708 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company. Car number 251 involved with a splice of two one truck cars into one (350).
255-259		1909	Brill	Closed 20'			Order number 16692 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company. Car number 256 involved with a splice to two one truck cars into one (351).
307
350							Splice of two cars (one is car 251) into one.
351							Splice of two cars (one is car 256) into one.
400-404		1905	Brill	Semi-Conv.			Order number 14646 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
450-454		1906	Brill	Semi-Conv.			Order number 14971 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
500-504		1906	Brill	Semi-Conv. 30'8"			Order number 15475 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
505-507		1909	Brill	Semi-Conv. 30'8"			Order number 16690 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
508-509		1911	Brill	Semi-Conv. 30'8"			Order number 17609 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
600-605		1911	Brill	Semi-Conv. 25'		BR 39E	Order number 17611 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
606-611		1911	Brill	Semi-Conv. 25'		BR 39E	Order number 17931 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
612-617		1911	Brill	Semi-Conv. 25'		BR 39E	Order number 18091 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
618-623		1914	Brill	Semi-Conv. 25'		BR 39E	Order number 19467 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
624-626		1916	Brill	Semi-Conv. 25'		BR 39E	Order number 19898 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
627-631		1918	Brill	Semi-Conv. 25'		BR 39E	Order number 20158 for Central Pennsylvania Traction Company.
700-706		1913	Brill	Semi-Conv.		BR 27MCB1	Order number 19018 for Harrisburg Railways.
707-710		1914	Brill	Semi-Conv.		BR 27MCB1	Order number 19465 for Harrisburg Railways. 710 is transferred to the Rockhill Trolley Musuem in Rockhill Furnace, PA. 710's livery is cream with yellow/gold.
800-801		1916	Brill	Semi-Conv.		BR 27MCB1	Order number 19899 for Harrisburg Railways.
802-806		1916	Brill	Semi-Conv.		BR 27MCB1	Order number 20159 for Harrisburg Railways.
807-811		1917	Brill	Semi-Conv.		BR 27MCB1	Order number 20434 for Harrisburg Railways.
812-816		1919	Brill	Semi-Conv.		BR 27MCB1	Order number 20814 for Harrisburg Railways. 815 made the last run of trolley service on July 16, 1939.

Bus roster

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Fleet Number(s)	Thumbnail	Year	Manufacturer	Model	Engine	Transmission	Notes
200-217		1937	ACF	26-S	Hall Scott Gasoline
421 Condoquinet 425 Mahantango		1936	ACF	H-15-S			Originally delivered according to standard model, however, later converted to an open air coach used on sightseeing excursions or parade use.
501-505		1960	GMC	TDH-4517	Detroit Diesel 6V71N	Allison VH	Assumed to Cincinnati, Newport and Covington Transportation Company, 706-710.
601-615		1961	GMC	TDH-4517	Detroit Diesel 6V71N	Allison VH	606-610 to Virginia Transit Company 221-225 (2) in 1964.
801-840		1947	ACF	C-36	Hall Scott Gasoline		Received in 1956. 802, 804-807, 821-827 to Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company 335, ?330-334?, 341, ?337-340?, 336.
951		1954	Flxible/Twin Coach				First new charter bus for HRC. Joint production of Flxible and Twin Coach companies. Of 23 buses produced, 22 went to Brazil, unique in that HRC received 1 bus.
1001-1005			Twin Coach	38-SP	Propane		Unknown year
1006-1010			Twin Coach	38-S			Unknown year
1041-1058		1947	Twin Coach	41-S			Ex-Niagara Frontier Transit System. Exx-International Railway Company. Although 38 buses were purchased in 1959, only 18 of them were retained and placed into service.
1101-1118			White
1201-1210		1950	GMC	TDH-3612	Detroit Diesel 4-71	Allison VH
1251-1265		1953	GMC	TDH-4512			1257 is preserved by the Cincinnati Transit Historical Association.
1266-1280		1953	GMC	TDH-4512
1281-1285		1958	GMC	TDH-4512
4112-4113		1959	GMC	PD-4104

Further reading

• “Street Railways of Harrisburg” by Richard H. Steinmetz and Harold E. Cox
• “Valley Railways” by C.L. Siebert, Jr. and Richard H. Steinmetz.
• “Trolleys of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country” by John D. Denney, Jr.
• “This Was Harrisburg” by Richard H Steinmetz, Sr. and Robert D. Hoffsommer
• “Images of America – Harrisburg” by Linda A. Ries