Edmonton Radial Railway Society facts for kids
From left to right: Osaka #247, Melbourne #930, and Edmonton #33 lined up outside of the ERRS Old Strathcona streetcar barn and museum
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| Established | 1980 |
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| Location | Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum 53°31′12″N 113°29′45″W / 53.52000°N 113.49583°W and Fort Edmonton Park Streetcar Barn53°30′7″N 113°34′30″W / 53.50194°N 113.57500°W, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Type | Streetcar preservation society |
The Edmonton Radial Railway Society (ERRS) is a special group that fixes up and runs old-fashioned streetcars. You can ride these cool historic streetcars in Fort Edmonton Park and across the famous High Level Bridge in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The society is named after the original Edmonton Radial Railway, which started carrying people in 1908. That old railway later became today's Edmonton Transit Service.
Contents
History of the Streetcars
The First Streetcars in Edmonton
Electric streetcars were a big part of getting around Edmonton for many years. The original Edmonton Radial Railway started running in 1908. These streetcars carried people all over the city until 1951. After that, the streetcar service stopped.
Saving Streetcar #1
When the streetcar service ended, only one streetcar was saved: Streetcar #1. It was the very first one to run in Edmonton. In 1964, it was partly fixed up. It even took part in the 1967 Centennial Parade.
The Birth of the Society
In 1979, Streetcar #1 gave special rides across the High Level Bridge. This was to celebrate Edmonton's 75th birthday. These rides were very popular! Because of this success, the Edmonton Radial Railway Society was started in 1980. Their goal was to save and run more historic streetcars.
Streetcars at Fort Edmonton Park
As Fort Edmonton Park was being built, an agreement was made. Streetcar tracks would be built inside the park. In 1981, the first streetcar started running there. By 1984, ERRS volunteers had regular streetcar service in the park.
More Streetcars Restored
Streetcar #1 was the first one the volunteers restored. Later, Edmonton streetcars #42 and #33 were also brought back to life. In 2008, Edmonton Streetcar #1 was the star of a big celebration. This event marked 100 years of public transportation in Edmonton.
Historic Streetcar Rides
The ERRS operates two main streetcar lines. Both offer a unique trip back in time.
High Level Bridge Streetcar
The High Level Bridge Streetcar is a super cool ride over the famous High Level Bridge. It's a historic streetcar journey in Edmonton, Alberta. The ride starts near the Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum. It then travels all the way to Jasper Plaza in downtown Edmonton. There are three stops along the way.
The streetcar runs from late May (Victoria Day weekend) until early October (Thanksgiving weekend). It's a great way to see the city and the North Saskatchewan River. The journey begins at Whyte Avenue. It travels northwest on an old railway line. After crossing Gateway Boulevard, it stops at the Old Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum.
Next, it passes a replica of the old Calgary & Edmonton Railway Station Museum. Then, it goes under Saskatchewan Drive and other roads. It makes a stop in the Garneau neighborhood. Finally, it climbs onto the High Level Bridge. You'll travel high above the North Saskatchewan River. The streetcar continues over River Valley Road. It enters a special path called the Ribbon of Steel. This path helps keep the streetcar tracks safe. It also provides a walking and cycling path.
The first stop on the Ribbon of Steel is Government Centre. From here, you can walk to the Legislature grounds. The ride ends at Jasper Plaza, close to Jasper Avenue. The original streetcar system used to run right through downtown. During summer festivals, like the Fringe, the streetcar runs more often. This helps more people enjoy the ride.
Fort Edmonton Park Streetcar
The ERRS also runs a streetcar line inside Fort Edmonton Park. This park is like a living history museum. The streetcar line is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) long. It has stops on the 1905 and 1920 streets within the park. There are loops at each end for the streetcars to turn around.
Inside the park, there's a special building. It's a copy of the old south side streetcar barn. This barn houses the restored streetcars. It's also where the ERRS volunteers work to fix and restore more streetcars.
Our Amazing Streetcar Collection
The ERRS uses a collection of historic streetcars for its services. Some of these streetcars have been fully restored and are ready to ride. Others are still being worked on by dedicated volunteers. Here are some of the cool streetcars they have:
- Edmonton Streetcar #1 (built 1908): This is the only one left of its kind. It was restored for the city's 75th anniversary in 1979. It runs on the Fort Edmonton Park line.
- Edmonton Streetcar #33 (built 1912): This streetcar was found abandoned on a farm! It took 17 years to fix it up. It returned to service in 2010 and runs on the High Level Bridge line.
- Edmonton Streetcar #42 (built 1912): The ERRS bought this streetcar in 1981. It was back in service by 1984. You can see it on the Fort Edmonton Park line.
- Osaka Tram #247 (built 1921): This tram came all the way from Osaka, Japan! It was bought for parts, but it was in such good shape that they restored it instead. It started running in 1995 on the High Level Bridge line.
- Edmonton Streetcar #80 (built 1930): This is a special all-steel streetcar. It's the only one left from its group of five. After it retired, it was used as a diner and a farm building! The ERRS saved and restored it. It's mainly used for private events.
- Melbourne Tram #930 (built 1947): This tram was sent to Edmonton as a gift from the city of Melbourne, Australia. It was fixed up and started service in 2006 on the High Level Bridge line.
- Toronto Streetcar #4612 (built 1951): This streetcar was donated by the Toronto Transit Commission. It started service in Fort Edmonton Park in 1997 after some adjustments.
- Hannover Tram #601 (built 1970): This tram was a test model from Germany. It ran on the High Level Bridge Line from 2005 until 2016, when it was returned to Hannover.
Images for kids
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Edmonton Streetcar #1
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Edmonton Streetcar #33
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Edmonton Streetcar #42
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Osaka Tram #247
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Edmonton Streetcar #80
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Melbourne Tram #930
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Toronto Streetcar #4612
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Hannover Tram #601
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