Trolley Cars
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Trolley cars on Eighth Avenue at Twelfth Street in the 1930s. For over four
decades,
streetcars provided transportation service to residents and visitors of
Huntington.
Electric rail cars began operating in the Huntington area in 1889. In 1907 the
Ohio Valley Electric Railway Company developed the 3rd Avenue line,
extending it from 32nd Street across the new Guyandotte River bridge
to Buffington Street (Bridge Street is, practically speaking, a section
of 3rd Avenue). But that was just a small part of the company's
growth as it tried to tie Huntington, Ashland and Ironton
together with its public transportation system.
In 1913, two long sections of the east-west line through Huntington
were double-tracked, the downtown loop had been enlarged
and the Ritter Park line opened to traffic
as far as Spring Hill Cemetery.
Several lines in Ashland had been expanded, and passing sidings
had been installed at several locations between the two cities.
Huntington now had a first-class interurban route, offering a three-hour round
trip every
30 minutes. Cars usually ran from 5 a.m. to midnight, but sometimes continued
through the night in the winter to keep tracks clear of snow. Buses began
replacing streetcars on the system in 1925. The last run available to
Huntington operated from Guyandotte to Vernon Street in the
West End. Nov. 7, 1937 was the last time a street car ran
in Huntington. Some speculate that the 1937 Flood
may have something to do with its closure.
Courtesy: of Huntington Trolley
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