Capital Transit Trolleys in Washington D.C., 1939

In 1939, Robert Crockett combined his love of railroads with his hobby of photography and film to record footage of several local railroads and trolley lines. This video has several minutes of Capital Transit trolleys operating through Washington D.C.
Capital Transit would pick up Virginia passengers in Arlington in the Rosslyn area and take them into the city, helping commuters get to work from as far away as Purcellville Virginia.
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[@MrBlx4life]

I'm a nursing assistant. One of my residents used to operate the trolleys and streetcars so I had to check out the video. Really insightful and great video. Thanks for this

[@PatFarrellKTM]

These were the trolleys that ran in DC proper, not the line that paralleled the W&OD out into Virginia. I can guess two possible locations for the tunnel shown: either the car barn at the end of Key Bridge (or the aqueduct bridge before that), or under Dupont Circle.

[@mbathroom1]

Funny how this channel and history remembered both have exactly the same amount of subscribers

[@jameshitselberger5845]

There was an interurban railway from Washington, D.C. to Kensington, Maryland which closed in the 1930s...this according to my grandparents who moved to Kensington in 1940. It is not to be confused with the rail lines which presently connect Kensington and Washington now. My impression was that it ran along Connecticut Ave. to where there is a triangular split and a stoplight now....forget the name of that intersection. You can ask if interested and I will look on the map.

[@lawrenceaglick8511]

The Dupont Circle tunnel was opened in 1949.

[@johnshriver5200]

Locations: 1:20-1:37 Rosslyn Virginia loop, car is route 10 to Kenilworth 1:37-1:43 Mt. Rainier loop 1:43-1:47 Rhode Island Avenue 1:47-1:49 Maryland line alongside Rhode Island Avenue 1:49-1:52 Maryland line approaching Hyattsville 1:52-1:55 Maryland line along B&O railroad passing JD Tower 1:55-1:59 Maryland line 1:50-2:05 Maryland line at Berwyn, beginning of single-track 2:05-2:12 Beltsville, MD 2:12-2:17 Maryland line inbound alongside Rhode Island Avenue 2:17-2:22 Rhode Island Avenue 2:22-2:26 Mt. Rainier 2:40-2:52 Potomac Park loop, Virginia Ave 2:52-3:01 Potomac Park loop, car 1332 turns onto 18th St. 1332 was one of two cars fitted with monitor roof and forced-air ventilation. This roof was later used on 1512 when it was converted to the Silver Sightseer. Fan Trip on car 830, June 4, 1950, much later than other clips. 3:02-3:20 DuPont Circle tunnel 3:20-3:31 Entering inner (siding) track of Cabin John loop 3:31-3:38 Revenue car 1374 passes on normal Cabin John loop track 3:38-3:42 Stop at Falls siding, former site of Falls Barn In my opinion, Robert Crockett was Washington's best streetcar photographer, because he really took in the scene, rather than tight three-quarter shots of the cars. I have a lot of his prints, which he made for his friend Charles Murphy.

[@regmitchell1628]

One scene at 3:33 shows PCC car #1374. Since it was built in 1941, that makes at least some of the film later than 1939.

[@phelpsmarc]

My dad said these stopped running in the early 60s

[@johnstrathman1949]

Good stuff ,,,I remember going to DC and seeing the rails still intact. I was like WTF? did they have trolleys here at another tine before 1983? well now I know that is a fact. I went to Toronto, up north in 1976 and they still had trollies but also had electric buses. Thanks for your post and god Bless you!