Puget Sound Electric Railway

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Puget Sound Electric Railway
A train between Seattle and Tacoma c. 1914
Overview
LocaleSeattle–Tacoma, Washington
Termini
Stations18
Service
TypeInterurban
Services1
History
Opened1902 (1902)
Closed1928 (1928)
Technical
Line length38 mi (61 km)[1]
Route map

As of 1910

Legend
 Seattle (Yesler Way & Occidental Avenue)
Georgetown
Duwamish
Riverton
Foster
Renton Junction
Renton
Orillia
O'Brien
Kent
Thomas
Cristopher
Auburn
Algona
Pacific City
Edgewood
Milton
Tacoma (North Eighth Street & A Street)
This diagram:

The Puget Sound Electric Railway was an interurban railway that ran for 38 miles[1] between Tacoma and Seattle, Washington in the first quarter of the 20th century. The railway's reporting mark was "PSE".

Portions of the right-of-way still exist as the multi-use Interurban Trail through Fife, Milton, Edgewood, as well as from Pacific to Tukwila, Washington.

History

Puget Sound Electric Railway, the Interurban Line near Tacoma
Hoops were used to deliver orders to passing trains[2]

The PSE began operations on September 25, 1902[3] with a line that started in downtown Tacoma, ran along Pacific and Puyallup Avenues, followed the course of present-day Pacific Highway through Fife and to Milton, turned southeast towards Puyallup and paralleled the path of today's SR 167 through Pacific, Algona, Auburn, Kent, Orillia and Renton, then into Seattle on its own dedicated right-of-way, via South Park, from there running on surface streets to the area near Pioneer Square. There it terminated at Occidental Way and Yesler Way in front of the Interurban Building, then known as the Pacific Block when the depot was located in the building's corner room from 1902 to 1928. From there it interchanged with other interurbans and street car lines in the area. At its peak the line saw 27 daily departures and arrivals split between the Tacoma and Renton branches with trains running from 7 in the morning to midnight.[4]

Power was supplied via overhead wire in urban areas, and third rail in rural areas. The third rail was the cause of several accidents throughout the PSE's operations which involved livestock or people being electrocuted, and in some cases dead cows caused accidents involving the trolleys themselves.

The railroad ran for 26 years, until competition from trucks, buses, and automobiles on an ever-expanding road network, as well as the steam railroads, led to reduced ridership in the early 1920s and a decision to shut down operations was made by the operators. Despite protests, the interurban was allowed to suspend operations by a federal judge in a ruling made on October 13, 1928.[5] The final trains ran on December 30, 1928.[6] The rails were not pulled up until 1930.[1]

The financial and competitive challenges that ultimately led the railroad to cease operation came from a variety of factors: not only the increasing availability of cars, but also the existence of ferry services, bus services, and streetcar services along its route.[7] Its fares were also constrained by the regulations of the Railroad Commission of Washington, which explicitly sought to limit its profits.[8]

It was headquartered in Kent, Washington.[9]

Stations

Map of Puget Sound Electric Railway c. 1912

As of 1910.[10]

Second life

Portions of the PSE exist today as the multi-use Interurban Trail in Fife, Milton, Edgewood, Pacific, Algona, Auburn, Kent, and Tukwila. It links Pierce County and King County although there are a few remaining gaps in the trail (in Milton, Edgewood, and Sumner) as of 2024. The gap in Sumner (not originally part of the PSE railway, but part of the modern day Interurban Trail) has been designed and funded and is slated for construction in 2025. The gaps in the cities of Milton and Edgewood are currently in the design stage, with construction slated to begin in 2026 pending funding.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Perpetual Motion Pictures. The Seattle-Tacoma Railway: A Journey into the Past. Seattle, WA. 1996.
  2. ^ Middleton, William D. (1961). The Interurban Era. Kalmbach. p. 275.
  3. ^ Crowley, Walt (September 19, 2000). "Interurban Rail Transit in King County and the Puget Sound Region". HistoryLink. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  4. ^ "Puget Sound Electric Railway - Third Rail System [Advertisement]". The Seattle Star. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. 5 Nov 1902. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Interurban Tariff Slate is Canceled". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. December 3, 1928. p. 16.
  6. ^ Whitely, Peyton (August 17, 2002). "Been there, done that—railway question not new to region". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  7. ^ Swint, Tom (29 May 1977). "The Interurban Idea Pops Up Again". Seattle Daily Times. p. 153.
  8. ^ Railroad Commission of Washington (1910). The Railroad Commission of Washington, ex rel. W.H. Paulhamus, vs. the Puget Sound Electric Railway. Opinion, order and findings of fact. February 26, 1910. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Olympia, Wash. : E.L. Boardman, public printer.
  9. ^ Wilma, David (March 2, 2003). "Interurban rail service between Seattle and Tacoma begins on September 25, 1902". HistoryLink. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  10. ^ Fifth Annual Report of the Railroad Commission of Washington. Olympia, Washington: E. L. Boardman. December 1910. p. 23. Retrieved February 24, 2018 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ a b "Seattle-Tacoma Interurban Will Cease Service Tonight". The Seattle Times. December 30, 1928. p. 16.
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