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West Virginia Interurbans and Streetcar Railroads

The information included here covers a general history of West Virginia interurbans and streetcar railroads once operated throughout the state. Interurban railroads were once a common form of transportation for many towns both large and small although they began to fall out of favor in the 1930s and 1940s for the common automobile as its technology and better highways became vastly improved and more reliable. While interurbans served a vital transportation purpose prior to reliable autos and highways from a historical perspective they are fascinating because of many small companies that popped up and also disappeared nearly overnight. During the peak of interurban operations in the country there were even several builders of motorcars including J. G. Brill & Company, St. Louis Car Company, Pullman-Standard, American Car Company, Standard Steel and the Jewett Car Company.

The information below includes short paragraph descriptions of most West Virginia interurbans and streetcar railroads.

Tri-City Traction Company: The Tri-City Traction Company (owned by Princeton Power Company) connected Princeton and Bluefield beginning operations in 1916 on a 12-mile railroad. It operated until 1946 when railroad services were abandoned in favor of buses.

Charleston Interurban Railroad: The Charleston Interurban Railroad began operations in 1912 and would eventually connect downtown Charleston, St. Albans and Cabin Creek Junction (a connection with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway). In 1935 it was purchased by the Charleston Transit Company and rail services were abandoned in 1939.

City & Elm Grove Railroad: The City & Elm Grove Railroad dates back to 1877 as a traditional steam line but was electrified in 1898. It operated a 13-mile railroad serving the Wheeling and was never very profitable with the final segments of the route abandoned by 1937.

Union Traction Company of West Virginia: The Union Traction Company of West Virginia dates back to the Wetzel & Tyler Railway of 1903 which served the small town of Sistersville on the Ohio River. It operated an 11-mile railroad that became the UTC in 1908 and was succeeded by the Sisterville & New Martinsville Traction Company in 1919. Never very profitable the operation ended service by 1925.

Parkersburg & Ohio Valley Electric Company: The Parkersburg & Ohio Valley Electric Company was chartered in 1903 and was planned to connect Parkersburg and Wheeling following the Ohio River the entire way. The interurban began construction about at the half-way point of Sistersville building south. Unfortunately, it only reached as far south as Friendly about five miles, a town no larger than a few hundred residents. With no hope of attracting much ridership it was abandoned by 1918.

Tyler Traction Company: The Tyler Traction Company was another interurban to serve the town of Sistersville beginning operations in 1913 connecting with Middlebourne, a town to the east. It provided some freight and passenger service but with the population centers so small not enough to sustain the system. It was abandoned by 1930.

Lewisburg & Ronceverte Railway: The Lewisburg & Ronceverte Railway was charted in 1906 and would connect its namesake towns on about a 6-mile railroad (which connected with the C&O at Ronceverte). It fell into bankruptcy several times and was abandoned by 1931.

Ohio Valley Electric Railway: The Ohio Valley Electric Railway began operations in 1900 connecting Huntington, Ashland (Kentucky) and Ironton (Ohio). It remained in service until 1939 when operations were abandoned.

Morgantown & Dunkard Railway: The Morgantown & Dunkard Railway was chartered at the beginning of the 20th century meant to connecting Morgantown and Wheeling. However, it only ever made it as far as Brave, Pennsylvania and was only able to actually electrify a few miles of railroad (the rest of which was handled by steam locomotives). It was renamed the Morgantown-Wheeling Railway in 1912 and again changed hands in 1923 as the Scotts Run Railway. It later became part of the Monongahela Railway and the line is said to still be used for freight service today.

Kanawha Traction & Electric Company: The Kanawha Traction & Electric Company served Parkersburg, West Virginia and Marietta, Ohio via a rail/highway bridge at Williamstown, West Virginia. It began operations as the Parkersburg, Marietta & Interurban Traction Company being renamed the Kanawha Traction & Electric in 1915. In 1923 this operation became part of the expansive Monongahela-West Penn Public Service Company, which had operations in western West Virginia around Parkersburg and north-central West Virginia around Fairmont. In 1943 the company sold off the Parkersburg-Marietta division with it being renamed the City Lines of West Virginia. The operation lasted only a few years after the war and was subsequently abandoned (today the rails remain in the historic brick streets in downton Marietta).

Monongahela Valley Traction Company: The Monongahela Valley Traction Company began operations in 1912 taking over from several smaller systems in Mannington, Fairmont and Clarksburg (Mannington Light & Power Company, Fairmont & Southern Railway, and Fairmont & Northern Traction Company). The final segment of the railroad in Fairmont was abandoned in 1947.

Wheeling Traction Company: The Wheeling Traction Company provided interurban operations to the one-time major commercial hub of Wheeling, West Virginia. It was renamed a number of times during operations (Wheeling Street Railway, Wheeling Public Service Company and Panhandle Traction Company) lasting until the 1940s as a wholly-employee owned interurban known as the Cooperative Transit Company.

Other notable West Virginia interurbans:

Bluefield & Hinton Electric Railway

Wheeling Street Railway

For a small gallery of photographs highlighting West Virginia interurbans and streetcar railroads please click here.

For more reading on West Virginia interurbans consider picking up a copy of the book The Electric Interurban Railways in America by authors George Hilton and John Due. Many consider their book to be the quintessential resource guide to the interurban and streetcar railroad movement that was once so common in our country during the first half of the 20th century. At nearly 500 pages the book is stuffed full of information on trolley operations and covers virtually every topic on the subject. If you have any interest in trolleys and interurban railroads and/or would like to learn more about their history I would strongly consider Mr. Hilton and Mr. Due's book first before purchasing any other. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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