Friday, September 23, 2011

☞ REMEMBER: Trolley Traffic on Lenox & 116th

Above is another interesting photo showing one of the old Harlem trolley lines but this one used to run on Lenox Avenue.  The archival image was taken in 1930 and one can actually see the Bernheimer building at the far left.  Information on the source material also states that Bickfords department store was also housed in the said building. Today the trolleys have been replaced by bus lines and Conways is now on that particular corner of West 116th Street.  Check out our past post on the Bernheimer Building: LINK

Trolley in Traffic (on Lenox Avenue above 116th Street), ca 1930, via the digital collection at the Museum of the City of New York
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7 comments:

  1. Sanou's mumSeptember 24, 2011 at 11:16 AM

    what was the downside to trolleys? They seem so practical and non-polluting. Were they slow? Was it because their egress and entrance was in the middle of the road?

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  2. msciaraSeptember 24, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    So True ! Look at San Fransisco...they are not slow. They work well with the regular public transportation....I say bring um back !!

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  3. westsiderSeptember 24, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    Trolleys would be a win win for Manhattans major cross streets in terms of both transportation and tourism. Great photo.

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  4. westsiderSeptember 24, 2011 at 1:29 PM

    I believe the trolley car system was removed by Robert Moses as they interfered with his vision of automobiles everywhere, to the extreme of permanently removing the tracks where they could have been simply covered over.

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  5. Sanou's mumSeptember 24, 2011 at 2:46 PM

    Ah, Robert Moses. A man with a vision, you gotta grant him that.

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  6. AnonymousSeptember 26, 2011 at 4:04 PM

    SM & Westsider: That skewed vision was by no means limited only to NY and Robert Moses.

    In the early 20th century, existing streetcar lines all over the U.S. were bought out by commercial interests connected with the automotive industry, and then promptly scrapped (SF is only distinctive today insofar as it was the one place where that outcome was averted).

    We're talking about a conspiracy that is widely acknowledged to have been real, as well as highly effective. Easily one of the worst crimes ever perpetrated on American cities as a whole.

    Read up if you're inclined:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Streetcar_Scandal

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  7. westsiderSeptember 28, 2011 at 1:29 PM

    CBR, Thanks for the info and link.

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