The intercity electric railway industry in Canada
"The growing knowledge of the nature and capabilities of electric power during the nineteenth century inevitably led to experiments in various countries with the use of this power for transportation. As early as 1834 a battery-powered motor operated a small car on the short section of track in Vermont, and by 1851 a car of this type made an experimental run from Washington to Bladensburg, Maryland. The intercity electric railway industry in Canada, which began in 1887, ended in 1959. Peak interest in the industry was between 1910 and 1920, the era of Sir Adam Beck's projected radial network that would have covered much of the southern portion of Ontario. But the plans came too late, and the radial system was never built. The Canadian electric lines developed later than their United States counterparts, but lasted somewhat longer, and for a time i the 1950's there were more electric passenger-carrying trains in Canada than in the United States. This study describes the rise and decline of the electric railway industry in Canada. It includes a general history of the industry, the development of the lines, their financing and control, and a brief but fascinating account of the 25 individual companies which operated the roads"- Publisher
Print Book, English, ©1966
University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ©1966