TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN VIRGINIA

MAJOR CITIES


Virginia Beach/Norfolk Area

Norfolk/Portsmouth/Berkley

Horse Car
1866-1887 - Norfolk & City Railroad Co.
1887-1894 - Norfolk City Railroad Co.
1894-1899 - Norfolk Street Railroad Co.
1895 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1899-1906 - Norfolk Railway & Light Co.

Horse Car & Steam Dummy
1892-1900 - Port Norfolk Electric Railway Co.
1895 - horse cars & steam dummy replaced with electric streetcars

Horse Car
1887-1901 - Portsmouth Street Railway Co.
1898 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1901-1906 - Old Dominion Railway Co. (Portsmouth)

Horse Car
1888-1906 - Berkley Street Railway Co.
1897 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

Electric Streetcar
1906-1911 - Norfolk & Portsmouth Traction Co.
1911-1925 - Virginia Railway & Power Co.
1925-1944 - Virginia Electric & Power Co.
1925 - buses introduced
1944-1962 - Virginia Transit Co. (United Transit Co.)
1947 - streetcars discontinued

1962-1973 - Virginia Transit Co. (ATE)
1973-1999 - Tidewater Regional Transit Authority

Newport News/Hampton

1891-1897 - Newport News Street Railway Co.
1892-1897 - Hampton & Old Point Railway Co.

1897-1898 - Newport News Hampton & Old Point Railway Co.
1898-1914 - Newport News & Old Point Railway & Electric Co.
1914-1925 - Newport News & Hampton Railway Gas & Electric Co.
1924 - buses introduced
1925-1960's - Citizens Rapid Transit Co.
1946 - streetcars replaced with buses

Prior to 1999 - PenTran

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1999)
Hampton Roads Transit

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


Richmond

Horse Car
1860-1863 - Richmond Railway
1863-1866 - service suspended due to Civil War
1866-1881 - Richmond Railway
1881-1890 - Richmond City Railway Co.
1888-1890 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars operated by new company

1888-1890 - Richmond Union Passenger Railway Co.
1890-1900 - Richmond Railway & Electric Co.
1900-1901 - Richmond Passenger & Power Co.
1901-1909 - Virginia Passenger & Power Co.
1909-1925 - Virginia Railway & Power Co.
1925-1944 - Virginia Electric & Power Co.
1925 - buses introduced
1944-1962 - Virginia Transit Co. (United Transit Co.)
1949 - streetcars discontinued

1962-1973 - Virginia Transit Co. (ATE)

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1973)
Greater Richmond Transit Co.

HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAY
Richmond-Petersburg (1902-1936)

HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAY
Richmond-Ashland
1907-1918 - Richmond & Chesapeake Bay Railway Co.
1918-1938 - Richmond-Ashland Railway Co.

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


Charlottesville

Horse Car
1887-1894 - Charlottesville & University Street Railway Co.
1894 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars operated by new company

1894-1903 - Charlottesville City & Suburban Railway Co.
1903-1935 - Charlottesville & Albemarle Railway
1935 - streetcars discontinued

1935-1975 - Charlottesville & Albemarle Bus Co.

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1975)
Charlottesville Area Transit


Danville

Mule Car
1886-1900 - Danville Street Car Co.
1889 - mule cars replaced with electric streetcars

1900-1911 - Danville Railway & Electric Co.
1911-1977 - Danville Traction & Power Co.
1938 - streetcars replaced with buses

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1977)
Danville Transit System

Historic suburban/interurban bus lines:
Danville-Martinsville Bus Line (to Martinsville, until 1983)


Lynchburg

Horse Car
1880-1887 - Lynchburg Street Railroad Co.
1887-1896 - Lynchburg Street Railway Co.
1891 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1896-1898 - Lynchburg Electric Co.
1898-1901 - Lynchburg Electric Railway & Light Co.
1901-1941 - Lynchburg Traction & Light Co.
1930 - buses introduced
1941 - streetcars discontinued

1941-1974 - Lynchburg Transit Co.

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1974)
Greater Lynchburg Transit Co.


Petersburg

Horse Car
1883-1896 - Petersburg Street Railway Co.
1893-1896 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1896-1899 - Petersburg Electric Railway Co.

Steam Dummy
1892-1897 - Petersburg & Asylum Railway Co.
1897-1899 - Petersburg & Western Railroad

Electric Streetcar
1899-1901 - South Side Railway & Development Co.
1901-1909 - Virginia Passenger & Power Co.
1909-1925 - Virginia Railway & Power Co.
1925-1944 - Virginia Electric & Power Co.
1936 - streetcars replaced with buses

1944-1959 - Petersburg Transit Co.
After 1959 - Tri City Coaches

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM
Petersburg Area Transit


Roanoke

1887-1899 - Roanoke Street Railway Co.
1899-1941 - Roanoke Railway & Electric Co.
1925 - buses introduced by Safety Motor Transit Co., acquired by Roanoke Railway & Electric Co. in 1928 as subsidiary
1940 - streetcars discontinued

1925-1972 - Safety Motor Transit Co.
1972-1975 - Roanoke City Lines

CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1975)
Valley Metro

Historic suburban/interurban bus lines:
Abbott Bus Line (to New Castle and other points, until 1975)


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