St. John's Street Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The St. John's Street Railway Company was formed by Robert G. Reid
in 1896 to build an electrical railway in St. John's
to provide urban transportation using street cars.
The company was given the rights to build an electrical generating station at Petty Harbour and build a transmission line
to St. John's from the Petty Harbour Generating Station
. The power was 50 cycle power
. The first street cars were from the Larivière Car Company
out of Montreal
, Quebec
. The cars had a maximum capacity of 50 passengers and traveled at 8 miles per hour.
In 1925 the Newfoundland Light and Power Company
took ownership of the company. The cars were then changed out with cars from the Birney Car Company
of Ottawa
and could reach 20 miles per hour.
Robert Gillespie Reid
Sir Robert Gillespie Reid was a Scottish railway contractor most famous for building large railway bridges in Canada and the United States...
in 1896 to build an electrical railway in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
to provide urban transportation using street cars.
The company was given the rights to build an electrical generating station at Petty Harbour and build a transmission line
Transmission line
In communications and electronic engineering, a transmission line is a specialized cable designed to carry alternating current of radio frequency, that is, currents with a frequency high enough that its wave nature must be taken into account...
to St. John's from the Petty Harbour Generating Station
Petty Harbour Generating Station
The Petty Harbour Hydro Electric Generating Station which began construction in 1898 was the first hydroelectric generating station in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was built by the St. John's Street Railway Company, a company established by Robert Reid. Operation commenced on April 19, 1900.In...
. The power was 50 cycle power
Utility frequency
The utility frequency, line frequency or mains frequency is the frequency at which alternating current is transmitted from a power plant to the end-user. In most parts of the world this is 50 Hz, although in the Americas it is typically 60 Hz...
. The first street cars were from the Larivière Car Company
Larivière
Larivière or N. & A.C. Lariviere was a sleigh and omnibus builder in Montreal, Quebec and began operations sometime in 1886. But by the end of the 19th century, horse drive vehicles were no longer popular and the company ceased to exist after 1895 and finally disappeared in 1903.-Clients:* Montreal...
out of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The cars had a maximum capacity of 50 passengers and traveled at 8 miles per hour.
In 1925 the Newfoundland Light and Power Company
Newfoundland Power
Newfoundland Power Incorporated, is a Canadian utility company, was formed by the Royal Securities Corporation of Montreal in 1924. It is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission. Newfoundland Power as it is now the primary retailer of electric power in Newfoundland and Labrador.In the year of...
took ownership of the company. The cars were then changed out with cars from the Birney Car Company
Birney
A Birney or Birney Safety Car is a type of streetcar that was manufactured in the United States in the 1910s and 1920s. The design was small and light and was intended to be an economical means of providing frequent service at a lower infrastructure and labor cost than conventional streetcars...
of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and could reach 20 miles per hour.