Cleveland Streetcar and Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (Circa 1950)

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

These films were on a VHS tape I've had in my collection for almost 30 years, and I've always wanted to know a.) Who filmed these (obviously it's the person narrating the tape), and b.) Do/Did they have more? Films of Cleveland's streetcar system are kind of rare. The last route was the #19 line (Public Square to Riverside Dr. in Lakewood via. Detroit Ave.-W 65th St.-Madison Ave.) whose last run was in January 1954. The Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (now RTA's Blue/Green Lines) have been in operation in some form or another since 1913. Some of the PCC cars ran into the 1980s, and the Breda cars that replaced them are still running today. It's pretty obvious the narrator simply pointed a camera at a screen and ran the films on a projector while narrating, so the quality really isn't the best, but the films and his commentary are priceless.

[@roseykellner568]

This was filmed on March 8, 1953 - it's a fan trip/farwell trip for the PCC cars that were being shipped to Toronto ~2 weeks later on the 22nd. The "fans" were members of the Cleveland Railroad Club and Arthur Finke as the president of the club at the time. I was unable to find any info about who filmed this but hopefully the name of the club and its president will lead you in the right direction. There's a really descriptive article about the trip in the March 9th Cleveland Plain Dealer, but for some reason they don't mention anything about going to Shaker Hts - not sure why. There's photo in that same paper that shows a group of the club members standing in front of their chartered car and 31 sec mark = the same street corner where that picture was taken. They *might*even be those the people standing outside in the video? Other small details match too, even the snowfall aligns with the weather prediction in the paper that day - Rail transportation is is not my area of expertise, but I do love researching Cleveland history and I hope this helps!

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

It definitely helps. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@carolyncook3611]

I rode and rode and rode the Van Aiken line of Rapid Transit….each way from the Kenmore stop to downtown and back for 25 cents. Practically lived on that thing in 50’s and 60’s…..back and forth to Shaker High School and for downtown shopping and Cleveland Public Library. I miss those pre-technology days so much. No concerns about safety back then. Good times in Cleveland!

[@apparition111]

I love this video. G.Grandpa worked for Cleveland Railway for 51 years, starting in 1889 at the Lakeview Barn, then Windermere and ending as Yardmaster at the Harvard Barns. Thank you for sharing this and to whom ever filmed this. I was just around as they were decommissioning the transit and going to trackless so I don't remember much

[@katslat8410]

You know what? My mom talked about how VERY busy Cleveland was int he 1950's. So, when I came along in the 70's Cleveland was still busy BUT when you think about then vs. now I can go to these same areas and Cleveland is almost like a ghost town in comparison to what it was years ago. So amazing!!

[@LIL-MAN_theOG]

everybody moved to the burbs after this time just about...

[@katslat8410]

I am from Cleveland and was born in 1970. I would not remember this and I thank you for sharing this bit of history of our lovely city!!

[@WaltParker]

1940s and 50s grew up in Parma. Remember with pleasure riding W 25th Street/Pearl Road line to downtown. You can ride a Shaker car at Northern Ogio Railway Museum ,NORM, near Medina. Ride a Cleveland streetcar at museum in Kennebunk Maine, See a Shaker streetcar at Connecticut Trolley Museum, where I was a volunteer motorman.

[@opathe2nd973]

I remember riding the Madison and the Clifton Lines with the fancy cars and the separated track line between the trees. Wow that looks to be 1950 or so. I loved going under the High Level Bridge and would really get excited to see a lake boat passing under us. Great video and thanks for the memory.

[@EddieLeindecker-re1hg]

This is amazing seeing vehicles like what my parents used to ride back in the day before I was born

[@ChasOnErie]

CLEVELAND ..STILL THE BEST LOCATION IN THE NATION !!!! Born in 43!!!

[@bob-x9u4z]

Very cool I'm 42 nice to see how things was back then

[@GogglesPisano13]

8:45 the left side doors on the Pullman PCCs were for a downtown subway project that was never built. I have copies of the original CUT blueprints that show provisions for two tracks turning off to go east under Huron Road. Those dead-end tunnels are still there under the intersection of Huron & Ontario.

[@CSXT17]

Wow, this is awesome footage. I'm from Cleveland so I will ask around and see if anybody I know could help pinpoint a source for these, and maybe even find the original footage to be digitized. Crazier things have happened. Thanks for another awesome look into the past.

[@bk2479]

Pretty cool. I do have a Cleveland trolley. Never ran it, sitting in a box😂. Got it because it was from Cleveland.

[@Tony-1950]

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