City Transportation in the 1800s

 Cape Echols

Mr. Roddy

IHSS

25 April 2022

City Transportation in the 1800s 

The late 1800s was a time of rapid urbanization and industrial growth. People from rural areas flooded into cities, giving up farm life for industrial jobs. This time period also saw mass immigration to America during that time, contributing to the sky-rocketing city growth. The growing population led to cities expanding outwards as well. This created the need for efficient and widespread transportation. The solution came in 1887 when Frank Sprague invented the electric trolley. Previously, transportation came in the form of the omnibus. The omnibus had a similar concept to trolleys, with large carriages placed on tracks; however, instead of being powered electrically like the trolleys, they were run by horses. While the worked quite well in smaller, less populated areas, the omnibus had trouble with the new and crowded city environment. The longer distances the horses had to travel as the city expanded, the extra trips they had to make, and the weight of packed trolleys were difficult on the horses and they required consistent periods of rest. Adding to this, the horse manure build-up, especially in congested city streets was a noticeable issue. The electric trolley provided a much-needed upgrade in transportation. They were much more efficient, not requiring rest like the horses, and ran during the day and night, accommodating the working hours of industrial jobs. This new system was soon adopted by large cities throughout America. The trolleys also continued to be improved upon and evolved, such as some cities like New York and Chicago elevating the trolley lines so they were clearly visible to avoid crowding around the tracks.   

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