Shaker Heights Rapid Transit
The Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, (SHRT) or shortened to Shaker Rapid system was a two-line interurban rail line between Downtown Cleveland and Shaker Heights, Ohio. The service still operates, however, it is run by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
The system began service as the Cleveland Interurban Railroad (CI) on April 11, 1920. The two branches were named Moreland (later Van Aken) and Shaker Blvd. Today, the services are referred to as the GCRTA Blue Rapid and Green Rapid lines.
Originally started by the van Sweringen brothers (Oris P. and Mantis J.), the system was intended to provide a rail link with fast frequent service to Cleveland's downtown commercial center, also serving their residential development.
History
This section is incomplete.
Timeline
- 1920: Service inaugurated as Cleveland Interurban Railroad.
- 1935: Cleveland Interurban Railroad placed into receivership. The banks operated the system for nine years.
- 1944: SHRT begins municipal operations, after being purchased by the City of Shaker Heights.
- 1975: Services transferred to Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
- 1980: An 18-month, $100mil renovation begins, upgrading the system to today's light rail standards. Services are renamed the Blue (for Van Aken) and Green (for Shaker) lines. The new lines were inaugurated October 30, 1981.[1]
Destination signs
- TERMINAL LOCAL (Downtown Cleveland)
- TERMINAL EXPRESS
- SHAKER SQUARE EXPRESS
- VAN AKEN LOCAL
- SHAKER LOCAL
Equipment
Livery
The livery of the St. Louis (lightweight) cars of the 1920s were of three types:
- Grey with cream trim wrapping around the windows of the cars, and a red stripe underneath the windows. (#304)
- "Omaha Orange" with cream trim wrapping around the windows of the cars, with gray roofs. (#303)
- Royal blue with a robins egg blue trim wrapping around the windows of the cars with white or cream roofs. (#302)
The livery of the PCCs that operated were painted yellow, with gray roofs and narrow green horizontal stripes underneath the window sashes.
Lightweight cars
Fleet number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Motors | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
60 | 1929 | Cincinnati | Job 3030 | Purchased 1941.
| ||
61-65 | 1928 | Cincinnati | Job 2985 | Purchased 1941.
| ||
300-302 | 1924 | St. Louis | Job 1308 | Acquired in 1944 from bank holding.
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303-304, 306 | 1924 | St. Louis | Job 1306 | Acquired in 1944 from bank holding.
|
PCC cars
Fleet number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Motors | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | 1946 | St. Louis | PCC II
Job 1653 |
| ||
27 | 1949 | St. Louis | PCC II
Job 1670 |
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40-50 | 1946 | St. Louis | PCC II
Job 1655 |
Eleven cars purchased in 1959.[3] All converted to MU operation upon receipt.
| ||
51-70 | 1947 | St. Louis | PCC II
Job 1660 |
Twenty cars purchased in 1953.[4] 56-70 converted to MU operation, upon receipt.
| ||
71-95 | 1947 | Pullman Standard | PCC II
Job W6820 |
Twenty-five cars, purchased new.
| ||
4630, 4648, 4651-4652, 4655-4656, 4662-4663, 4665 |
1946 | Pullman Standard | PCC II
Job W6750 |
4 WH 1432J | Nine cars purchased in 1978 by Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Cars were typically restricted to rush-hour service due to width gap (narrow width car).
|
Maintenance cars
Fleet number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Motors | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Further reading
- Don Ross Group, Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (search in list)
- John T. Bell, Cleveland Ohio - Shaker Heights Rapid Transit
This section is incomplete.
References
- ↑ Case Western University, Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, accessed April 16, 2018.
- ↑ The Don Ross Group - Don's Rail Photos Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, accessed April 17, 2018.
- ↑ Jon Bell, Cleveland Ohio - Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, accessed April 17, 2018.
- ↑ Jon Bell, Cleveland Ohio - Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, accessed April 17, 2018.
- ↑ Detroiturbex, Abandoned RTA Streetcars, accessed April 18, 2018
- ↑ Detroiturbex, Abandoned RTA Streetcars, accessed April 18, 2018