Edmonton Radial Railway Society facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Edmonton Radial Railway Society

From left to right: Osaka #247, Melbourne #930, and Edmonton #33 lined up outside of the ERRS Old Strathcona streetcar barn and museum
Established	1980
Location	Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum 53°31′12″N 113°29′45″W / 53.52000°N 113.49583°W / 53.52000; -113.49583 and Fort Edmonton Park Streetcar Barn53°30′7″N 113°34′30″W / 53.50194°N 113.57500°W / 53.50194; -113.57500, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Type	Streetcar preservation society

The Edmonton Radial Railway Society (ERRS) is a group that brings old streetcars back to life. They run these historic streetcars in two main places: Fort Edmonton Park and over the famous High Level Bridge. The society is named after the original Edmonton Radial Railway. This old railway started way back in 1908. It later grew into what we now know as Edmonton Transit Service.

History of Edmonton's Streetcars

The original Edmonton Radial Railway ran electric streetcars in Edmonton from 1908 until 1951. After 1951, most streetcars were no longer used. Only Streetcar #1 was kept. In 1964, it was partly fixed up. It even took part in the 1967 Centennial Parade.

In 1979, Streetcar #1 offered 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.

When Fort Edmonton Park was being built, an agreement was made to add streetcar tracks there. In 1981, streetcars began running in the park. By 1984, ERRS volunteers had set up regular streetcar service.

Streetcar #1, which began service in 1908, was the first to be restored by ERRS volunteers. Later, Edmonton streetcars #42 and #33 were also brought back to life. In 2008, Edmonton Streetcar #1 was the main attraction in Churchill Square. This celebrated 100 years of public transportation in Edmonton.

Where the Heritage Streetcars Run

Riding the High Level Bridge Streetcar

Edmonton Streetcar 33 crosses the High Level Bridge

The High Level Bridge Streetcar offers a historic ride over the High Level Bridge. This bridge is in Edmonton, Alberta. The streetcar travels from the Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum. This is near the Strathcona Farmers Market. It goes all the way to Jasper Plaza in downtown Edmonton. There are three stops along the way.

The streetcar runs from the Victoria Day weekend in May until Thanksgiving weekend in October. The Edmonton Radial Railway Society operates it.

The ride starts at Whyte Avenue, a new stop opened in 2022. The streetcar then travels 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. This station was important from 1891 to 1908.

After another stop at 107 Street, the streetcar goes under several roads. It then turns north and stops in the Garneau neighborhood. This stop is at 90 Avenue, right before the streetcar goes onto the High Level Bridge.

The streetcar travels high above the North Saskatchewan River. It continues over River Valley Road and 97 Avenue. Then it enters the "Ribbon of Steel" corridor. This area is set aside to keep streetcar rails in Edmonton. It also has paths for running and cycling. The first stop on the Ribbon of Steel is Government Centre. From here, you can walk to the Government Centre station and the Legislature grounds.

The High Level Bridge Streetcar ride ends at Jasper Plaza. This is just south of Jasper Avenue. The old streetcar system in Edmonton used to run right through downtown. This included Jasper Avenue. During summer events, like the Fringe, the streetcar runs more often. This helps handle the larger crowds.

Streetcars at Fort Edmonton Park

Edmonton Radial Railway Streetcar #42 in Fort Edmonton Park

The ERRS also runs a streetcar line inside Fort Edmonton Park. This park is a living history museum. The streetcar line is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) long. It has two tracks. There are stops on 1905 Street and 1920 Street. At each end of the line, there are turning loops. One is near the park entrance, and the other is at Egge's barn.

Inside the park, a building like the old south side streetcar barn has been built. This barn stores the restored streetcars. It also serves as the ERRS workshop for fixing and restoring streetcars.

The Streetcar Collection

The ERRS uses a collection of historic streetcars for its services. Some of these streetcars have been fully restored. This means they are completely fixed up and ready to run. Other streetcars are still being worked on. They are in different stages of being restored.

Image	Built	Type	Operator	Number	Notes
	1907	Sweeper / Line Car	Saskatoon Municipal Railway	200	This car was donated to a museum in 1951. The ERRS later bought it in 1986. It was fully restored by June 2025. It is used for displays and demonstrations.
	1908	Streetcar	Edmonton Radial Railway	1	This is the only streetcar of its kind that still exists. It was restored for Edmonton's 75th anniversary in 1979. It runs sometimes in Fort Edmonton Park.
	1912	Streetcar	Edmonton Radial Railway	33	This streetcar was found in bad shape on a farm. It took 17 years to fix it up! It started running again in 2010 on the High Level Bridge line.
	1912	Streetcar	Edmonton Radial Railway	42	The ERRS bought this streetcar in 1981. It was back in service by 1984 in Fort Edmonton Park.
	1914	Streetcar	Toronto Suburban Railway	24	This streetcar was later renumbered CNR 15702. It was leased to the ERRS in 1987 and has been restored to run in Fort Edmonton Park.
	1921	Tram	Nankai Electric Railway (Osaka, Japan)	247	The ERRS got this tram for parts in 1990. But it was in such good shape, they restored it instead! It started running in 1995 on the High Level Bridge line.
	1928	Streetcar	Regina Municipal Railway	42	This is an all-steel streetcar. It was returned to service in June 2025 in Fort Edmonton Park.
	1930	Streetcar	Edmonton Radial Railway	80	This is the only one left of its kind. After it stopped being used, it was a diner and then a farm building. The ERRS got it and restored it. It's mostly used for special private events.
	1947	W6 Class tram	Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board	930	This tram was sent to Edmonton from Melbourne, Australia, in 2004. It was fixed up and started service in 2006 on the High Level Bridge line.
	1951	PCC streetcar	Toronto Transit Commission	4612	The Toronto Transit Commission gave this streetcar to the ERRS in 1995. It started running in 1997 in Fort Edmonton Park after its wheels were adjusted.
	1970	Tram	ÜSTRA (Hannover, Germany)	601	This tram was used for testing in Germany. Vancouver bought it in 1975 but never used it. The ERRS bought it in 1988. It ran on the High Level Bridge Line from 2005 until it returned to Germany in 2016.

Images 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