TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN MICHIGAN

SMALLER CITIES

Adrian

1889-1897 - Adrian City Electric Belt Railway Co.
1897-1900 - Adrian Electric Street Railway
1900-1907 - Adrian Street Railway Co.
1907-1924 - Toledo & Western Railroad Co.
1924 - streetcars discontinued

After 1924 - Adrian City Bus Line

Belding

1892-1893 - Belding Street Railway & Improvement Co.
1893 - streetcars discontinued

Benton Harbor/St. Joseph

Horse Car
1884-1892 - St. Joseph & Benton Harbor Street Railway Co.
1892 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars operated by new company

1892-1900 - St. Joseph & Benton Harbor Electric Ry. & Light Co.
1900-1906 - Benton Harbor & St. Joseph Electric Ry. & Light Co.
1906-1928 - Benton Harbor-St. Joe Railway & Light Co.
1928-1935 - Twin City Railway
1935 - streetcars discontinued

1935-1974 - Twin City Motor Coach Lines

HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAY
Benton Harbor-Watervliet/Dowagiac (1906-1928)

Escanaba

1892-1909 - Escanaba Electric Street Railway Co.
1909-1932 - Escanaba Traction Co.
1932 - streetcars discontinued

1932-1940's - Escanaba Gladstone Motorbus Co.

HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAY
Escanaba-Gladstone (1910-1932)

Grand Haven

Steam Dummy
1896-1903 - Grand Haven Street Railway Co.
1902 - steam dummy replaced with electric streetcars

1902-1928 - Grand Rapids Grand Haven & Muskegon Railway Co.
1928 - streetcars discontinued

1940's-1952 - Grand Haven Transit Lines

HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAY
Grand Rapids-Grand Haven/Muskegon (1902-1928)

Holland

1899-1900 - Holland & Lake Michigan Railway
1900-1904 - Grand Rapids Holland & Lake Michigan Railway
1904-1926 - Grand Rapids Holland & Chicago Railway
1926 - streetcars discontinued

1925-1920's - Western Michigan Transportation Co.
1940's-1950's - Holland City Bus Line/Inter-City Bus Lines
1950's-1960's - Holland & Inter-City Bus Line

HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAY
Grand Rapids-Holland-Saugatuck (1902-1926)

Houghton/Hancock

1900-1908 - Houghton County Street Railway Co.
1908-1932 - Houghton County Traction Co.
1930 - buses introduced
1932 - streetcars discontinued

HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAY
Houghton-Mohawk (1901-1932)

Iron River

1913-1921 - Iron River Stambaugh & Crystal Falls Street Railway Co.
1921 - streetcars discontinued

Private bus co. in 1952 - Shubat Bus Co.

Ironwood

1891-1896 - Twin City Railway Co.
1896-1910 - Twin City General Electric Co.
1910-1911 - Gogebic & Iron County Railway & Light Co.
1911-1922 - Ironwood & Bessemer Railway & Light Co.
1922-1932 - Lake Superior District Power Co.
1932 - streetcars discontinued

Private predecessor bus co. - Northwestern Motor Bus Co.

Ishpeming/Negaunee

1893-1904 - Negaunee & Ishpeming Street Railway & Electric Co.
1904-1917 - Marquette County Gas Light & Traction Co.
1917-1927 - Michigan Gas & Electric Co.
1927 - streetcars discontinued

Manistee

1892-1905 - Manistee Filer Lake & East Lake Railway Co.
1905-1907 - Northern Michigan Traction Co.
1907-1910's - Manistee Light & Traction Co.
1910's-1921 - Manistee Railway Co.
1921 - streetcars discontinued

1940's-1950's - Manistee & Suburban Bus Service
1950's - Engwall Bus Line

Marquette

1891-1925 - Marquette City & Presque Isle Railway Co.
1925-1935 - Marquette City Railway Co.
1935 - streetcars discontinued

1935-1954 - Marquette Transit Lines
1970-1973 - Marquette Bus Service

Menominee

1891-1895 - Menominee Electric Railway & Power Co.
1895-1903 - Menominee Electric Light Railway & Power Co.
After 1903 - Menominee & Marinette Light & Traction Co.
1928 - streetcars replaced with buses

1930's - Gray Transportation Co.
1950's - Twin City Transportation Co.
1950's-1970 - Twin City Bus Line

Midland

1950's - Midland Transit Lines

Owosso

1892-1895 - Owosso & Corunna Street Railway Co.
1895-1898 - Owosso & Corunna Traction Co.
1898-1911 - Owosso & Corunna Electric Co.
1911-1923 - Michigan United Railways Co.
1923-1929 - Michigan Electric Railway Co.
1929 - streetcars discontinued

Private bus co. - Indian Trails

Sault Ste. Marie

1888-1901 - Sault Ste. Marie Street Railway Co.
1901-1919 - Trans-St. Mary's Traction Co.
After 1919 - Sault Ste. Marie Traction Co.
1931 - streetcars replaced with buses

1930's-1940's - Soo Traction Co.
1950's - City Bus Lines

ADDITIONAL CITIES WITH HORSE CARS AND STEAM DUMMY ONLY

In several smaller cities in Michigan, horse car and steam dummy routes were constructed in the late 1800's. But those routes were abandoned early, never converted to electric power. In some of these cities, short lived bus systems were known to exist, listed below.

Cheboygan - Cheboygan Street Railway Co. (1895-1897, horse)
Ludington - Epworth League Railway (1896-1899, steam dummy)

ADDITIONAL CITIES NEVER WITH STREETCARS

The only history found for transit systems in these cities, is from the 1952 and 1954 "Mass Transportation's Directory", identifying these bus systems in existence as of 1952 or 1954. In some of these cities, short lived horse car and steam dummy lines were also constructed in the late 1800's, listed above.

Ionia - Ionia Motor Coach Co.
Iron Mountain - Iron Mountain-Kingsford Transit Lines
Ludington - Ludington Transit Lines
Niles - Niles Transit Lines
Petoskey - Petoskey Transit Lines
South Haven - City Bus Co. (1954)
Traverse City - Traverse City Transit Lines

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