Niagara, Welland & Lake Erie Railway
Compiled by Peter D.A. Warwick
Last revised October 25, 2000
- operated streetcars within the Town of Welland.
- July 4, 1910 Town of Welland granted a 20 year franchise to operate an electric railway along certain streets in the town.
- October 4, 1910 first spike driven by Mayor Sutherland on Main Street South (now King Street) at Muir Street (now ?).
- April 4, 1911 NW&LE federally incorporated to build a standard gauge, electric railway between Niagara Falls, Welland, Port Colborne, Port Dover and Fort Erie, with ferries across the Niagara River.
- March 22, 1912 streetcar service commenced along 1.74 miles of track along Main Street East between the Welland Canal and the Grand Trunk Railway (now CN Rail) and Main Street South (now King Street) to the New York Central Railway (now CN Rail).
- power house located at Page-Hersey, car barns located at 30 Main Street East.
- service originally 15 minutes, fare 5c or 6 tickets for 25c, remained the fare for all of its existance.
- 1912-1913 tracks built on Main Street West between the Welland Canal and Prince Charles Drive and on Main Street North (now Niagara Street) to Elm Street, not operated due to weight restrictions on Alexandria Swing Bridge.
- several proposals and announcements of other extensions, but no further track built.
- 1917 peak year for line, carried 693,843 passengers, earned $31,011, with expenses of $12,251 and a next income of $16,262.
- slowly declined thereafter.
- one-man operation began June 7, 1921, before operated with an operator and a conductor.
- June, 1921 service operated over the Alexandria Swing Bridge and on the west side of the Welland Canal for the first time, due to improvements in the bridge and new cars.
- service only lasted for about 6 months.
- 1922 mileage increased to 2.9.
- 1925 mileage dropped to 1.51.
- July 4, 1930 streetcar service in Welland ended without the line ever having an operating deficit.
|
