Friday Reads: Transit in the Triangle

Happy Friday! Today our Library director, Dr. Stanley, muses on the evolution of mass transit as he tells us about Transit in the Triangle by Blaine S. Hays and James A Toman.

Being a railfan and a former volunteer at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum I was elated when I
came across this book. Public transit was used by the majority of the population in the early part
of the 20th century. Not everyone owned a car which necessitated other means to get from one
place to another. In the Pittsburgh area as well as Westmoreland County, before buses came on
the scene people relied on trolleys, also referred to as streetcars. This book gives an excellent
overview of public transportation by rail, showing the evolution of transit from horse-drawn
streetcars to electric powered vehicles. However, progress cannot be stopped and as cars became
more affordable to the general population, the streetcars, which had many roads to themselves,
found the need to share space with not only cars but also buses. The latter two could get people
to places quickly and weren’t reliant on the set routes of rail vehicles. This began the decline of
the rail industry, completely wiping it out in many areas. Interestingly, as mass transit continues
to develop, rail vehicles are seeing a surge in popularity. So the pendulum has swung back!

Editor's note: The Trolley Museum is well worth a visit, even on a rainy day!