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After most of TMER&L's interurban system had been abandoned or cutback, Rapid Transit service remained
from Milwaukee to Hales Corners and Waukesha.
Following brief ownerships by Kenosha Motor Coach Lines, Shore Line Transit and Northland Greyhound,
these two lines were sold to Jay Maeder from Cleveland. Maeder was very familiar with TM, having rode it many
times while a cadet at St. John's Military Academy.
Maeder formed the Milwaukee Rapid Transit & Speedrail Co., which was more commonly known simply as
Speedrail. The first official run was Sept 2, 1949.
To save costs the company purchased the ten articulated streetcars (1031-32 to 1049-50) from TMER&T and
renumbered them 31-32 to 49-50. He also brought six second hand one-man, lightweight curveside cars from
Cleveland (Shaker Heights) and numbered those 60 - 65. He later added two more cars from Shaker Heights,
number 300 and 301. Several of the heavyweight TM interurbans remained on the roster for peak travel times.
Although they seemed to be holding their own financially, a major accident during a fan trip on Labor Day of
1950 caused 10 deaths and many injuries. The resulting claims, higher insurance premiums and loss of ridership
put the company in a downward spiral.
All service ended on June 30, 1951.
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Although they both came from Shaker Heights, the 60-series and the 300's having been built years apart, were very
different in style. These lightweight cars were intended to supplement the 1030-series articulated cars for smaller
loads at off-peak times. The 60-series were usually found on the Waukesha runs, while the 300's being older and a
bit wider (close clearances at Waukesha loop) were confined to the Hales Corners runs.
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Speedrail 33-34 heads through Waukesha. Built for TMER&L
South Milwaukee suburban service these ten articulated units
were acquired by Speedrail to replace the heavy-weight
interurbans.
Their seating capacity and light weight made them ideal for the
Rapid Transit commuter service.
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Ideally, Speedrail would have replaced all these heavy-weight
interurbans with the lighter cars, but there weren't enough and
several single and duplex units were kept on hand.
Although use by Speedrail prolonged their lives, most met the
scrapper in 1951. Four won a brief reprieve by going to the
London & Port Stanley line.
The only two still in existence are preserved at the Illinois
Railway Museum.
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