TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN MASSACHUSETTS

NORTH OF BOSTON (OUTLYING TRANSIT DISTRICTS)


Gloucester/Rockport

Horse Car
1885-1887 - Gloucester City Railroad
1886-1900 - Gloucester Street Railway Co.
1891-1892 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

Electric Streetcar
1896-1900 - Rockport Street Railway Co.

1900-1901 - Lynn & Boston Railroad Co.
1901-1911 - Boston & Northern Street Railway Co.
1911-1919 - Bay State Street Railway Co.
1919-1920 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1920 - streetcars discontinued

1921-1966 - Gloucester Auto Bus Co.
1966-1967 - Michaud Bus Line/Cape Ann Transit
1967-1971 - McNiff-Dominick Transit Co.
1971-1977 - Community Bus Lines

ADDITIONAL HISTORIC ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
1895-1900 - Gloucester Essex & Beverly Street Railway Co.
(Gloucester-Beverly/Ipswich)
1900 to Gloucester Street Railway Co./above
1895-1903 - Gloucester & Rockport Street Railway Co.
(Gloucester-Rockport)
1903 to Boston & Northern Street Railway Co./above
1900-1906 - Georgetown Rowley & Ipswich Street Railway Co.
(Ipswich-Newburyport/Haverhill)
1906 to Boston & Northern Street Railway Co./above
1896-1905 - Haverhill Georgetown & Danvers Street Railway Co.
1905 to Georgetown Rowley & Ipswich Street Railway Co./above

Interurban railway service discontinued 1920

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1977)
Cape Ann Transportation Authority


Lawrence

Horse Car
1867-1892 - Merrimac Valley Horse Railroad Co.
1891 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1892-1893 - Merrimac Valley Street Railroad Co.
1893-1901 - Lowell Lawrence & Haverhill Street Railway Co.
1901-1911 - Boston & Northern Street Railway Co.
1911-1919 - Bay State Street Railway Co.
1919-1968 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1936 - streetcars discontinued

1968-1968 - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (under contract)
1969-1977 - Trombly Motor Coach

Haverhill

Horse Car
1877-1893 - Haverhill & Groveland Street Railway Co.
1893 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars operated by new company

1893-1901 - Lowell Lawrence & Haverhill Street Railway Co.
1901-1911 - Boston & Northern Street Railway Co.
1911-1919 - Bay State Street Railway Co.
1919-1959 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1936 - streetcars discontinued

1959-1965 - Massachusetts Northeastern Transportation Co.
1965-1970 - Appleyard Bus Lines
1970-1974 - Michaud Bus Lines

ADDITIONAL HISTORIC ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
(Most company names also describe the routes)
1893-1901 - Lowell Lawrence & Haverhill Street Railway Co.
above
1877-1893 - Haverhill & Groveland Street Railway Co.
above
1897-1898 - Peoples Street Railway Co. (Groveland-Newburyport)
1898 to Lowell Lawrence & Haverhill Street Railway Co./above
1901-1903 - Middleton & Danvers Street Railway Co.
1903 to Boston & Northern Street Railway Co./above
1902-1903 - Haverhill & Andover Street Railway Co.
1903 to Middleton & Danvers Street Railway Co./above
1900-1903 - Lawrence & Reading Street Railway Co.
1903 to Boston & Northern Street Railway Co./above
1902-1902 - Reading Wakefield & Lynnfield Street Railway Co.
1902 to Lawrence & Reading Street Railway Co./above

Interurban railway service discontinued 1930 (Newburyport-Haverhill)/1931 (Haverhill-Lawrence-Lowell)

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1976)
Merrimac Valley Regional Transit Authority


Newburyport/Amesbury

Horse Car
1873-1891 - Newburyport & Amesbury Horse Railroad Co.
1890-1891 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1891-1899 - Newburyport & Amesbury Street Railroad Co.
1899-1912 - Citizens Electric Street Railway Co.

1912-1933 - Massachusetts Northeastern Street Railway Co.
1930 - streetcars discontinued

1933-1965 - Massachusetts Northeastern Transportation Co.
1965-1970 - Appleyard Bus Lines
1970-1974 - Michaud Bus Lines

ADDITIONAL HISTORIC ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
(Most company names also describe the routes)
1873-1891 - Newburyport & Amesbury Horse Railroad Co.
1891-1899 - Newburyport & Amesbury Street Railroad Co.
above
1892-1912 - Haverhill & Amesbury Street Railway Co.
1912 to Massachusetts Northeastern Street Railway Co./above
1899-1912 - Amesbury & Hampton Street Railway Co. (Amesbury-Salisbury)
1912 to Massachusetts Northeastern Street Railway Co./above
1897-1900 - Plum Island Electric Street Railway Co. (Newburyport-Plum Island)
1900 to Citizens Electric Street Railway Co./above

Interurban railway service discontinued 1930

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1976)
Merrimac Valley Regional Transit Authority


Lowell

Horse Car
1863-1891 - Lowell Horse Railroad Co.
1887-1891 - Lowell & Dracut Street Railway Co.
1890-1892 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1891-1896 - Lowell & Suburban Railway Co.
1896-1900 - Lowell & Suburban Street Railway Co.
1900-1901 - Lowell Lawrence & Haverhill Street Railway Co.
1901-1911 - Boston & Northern Street Railway Co.
1911-1919 - Bay State Street Railway Co.
1919-1968 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1936 - streetcars discontinued

Maynard

1919-1953 - Lovell Bus Lines
1953-1972 - Middlesex & Boston Street Railway Co.

1968-1976 - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (under contract)

INDEPENDENT HISTORIC ELECTRIC RAILWAY
1906-1915? - Lowell & Fitchburg Street Railway Co. (North Chelmsford-Ayer)

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1976)
Lowell Regional Transit Authority


BOSTON-LOWELL/LAWRENCE

HISTORIC INTERURBAN SERVICE
(Most company names of electric railways also describe the routes)
(Mergers subsequently enabled formation of the through routes)

Boston-Reading-Lowell/Lawrence

1895-1899 - Reading & Lowell Street Railway
1899-1900 - Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Co.
1900-1901 - Lynn & Boston Railroad Co.
1900-1903 - Lawrence & Reading Street Railway Co.

1901-1911 - Boston & Northern Street Railway Co.
1911-1919 - Bay State Street Railway Co.
1919-1968 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1931 - interurban trains replaced with buses

Boston-Burlington-Lowell

1901-1905 - Lowell & Boston Street Railway Co.
1905-1906 - Lowell & Woburn Street Railway Co.
1906-1911 - Boston & Northern Street Railway Co.
1911-1919 - Bay State Street Railway Co.
1919-1921 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1921 - interurban trains replaced with buses operated by new company

1921-1923 - Lovell Bus Lines
1923-1926 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1926-1957 - Boston & Maine Transportation Co.
1957-1968 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1968-1976 - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Salem-Danvers-Lawrence

1901-1903 - Middleton & Danvers Street Railway Co.
1903-1911 - Boston & Northern Street Railway Co.
1911-1919 - Bay State Street Railway Co.
1919-1968 - Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Co.
1935 - interurban trains replaced with buses

1968-1969 - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority


PRIVATE COMMUTER BUS COMPANIES
Longer distance commuter lines

Historic suburban/interurban bus lines operated by several companies (mostly a 1952 sampling)


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