For a long time the Chicago South Shore and South Bend was considered North America’s last interurban. Possibly, with its Michigan City street-running, it can still be considered an interurban line. However, it is not now the only one, and its characteristics outside that one stretch of street running are not really different than other electric commuter lines with diesel freight service, like SEPTA’s lines in the Philly area and NJTransit. I nominate two other current canditates, the NJT River line and Te St. Louis Light Rail system. The former, although diesel electric, has street running in both Camden and Trenton, connects two cities, provides local streetcar service in Camden, and behaves exactly like an historic interurban except for lack of wire overhead and the use of modern equipment. The St. Louis light rail system is a typical modern LRT system, but it also is interstate, and Bellville, Illinois, is itself a center of employment and big enough to have a Roman Catholic Cathedral.
In addition to those two, Bill Vigrass, PATCO’s original manager, told me PATCO is legally an interurban line. Physically, it fits heavy rail rapid transit exactliy, but the fact that it is interstate, PA and NJ, reuires the definition of interurban to avoid classification as part of the nationwide rail system (and there is a track connection at the Lindenwold shop/yard area) and the additional paper work and inspections that would involve.
FWIW, I rode the St. Louis system several years ago with some friends in the city for a convention. Once we crossed into the Illinois side and got out of Alton and its environs, we all commented on how the suburban running must’ve been similar to interurban trips back in the day.
Maybe it could be that a more accurate definition of The South Shore is one of the last “surviving” member of a once significant industry, bearing in mind that at one point, there was alot more street running prior to the East Chicago bypass was constructed to eliminate it. In St Louis, I understand the IT’s former McKinley Bridge has been rehabilitated and one can’t help but wonder what the fate of the IT former elevated line will be now that paper delivery will no longer be accomplished by rail to the St Louis Post Dispatch…which now occupies the IT terminal building. There is a slow trend toward longer routes, although a line at least historically, does not have to cross state borders to be considered an interurban. Alot of light rail is more than word smithing in that it arose from an earlier variation of limited tramway wherein a dedicated r.o.w was planned to avoid vehicular traffic, or at least,roadways designed to give the rail vehicles their own path so to speak. What’s interesting is the rate of growth of light rail…there seems to be a trend within a trend where “historic” tourist operations are being integrated and expanded into more work a day routes.
Of course you are right. Many interurbans did not cross state borders: PE. West Penn, LVT/Liberty Bell, Laural Line, Baltimore and Annapolis, Piedmont and Northern, Waterloo Cweder Falls and Northern, Crandic, etc., etc.
But the PATCO line is really just a heavy rail rapid transit line, just like Cleveland’s Red Line or Los Angeles Red Line. But since it crosses a state line, it cannot be considered just a local transit system, and so it is called legally an interurban line.
One place where light and heavy rail share the same tracks is Public Square - 55th Street in Cleveland. The Blue and Green lines are the old Shaker Heights Rapid Transit and definitely light rail, loading from sidewalk level, and the Red LIne is heavy rail with high platforms and train doors for walking between cars while rolling.
I can’t recall the details…I do remember that the type of paper they were using changed…for whatever reason. Sorry I can’t be more specific…maybe someone else can fill in the specifics…I heard about it on an IT message board…
I live near NJT’s RiverLine and agree that although a modern reincarnation it operates not only on the former PRR passenger and freight line between Camden and Trenton but on the very roadbed of the Camden and Amboy, one of the very first railroads constructed in the US (early 1830’s). It sometimes seems weird to recall the old photos of the stations on that early route and then contemplate that I’m riding the same rails as Andrew Jackson. Also I have to tell you these are BIG cars and when they move through the streets of Camden everything gets out of their way.
You are lucky to ride the River Line, since it is one of North America’s really enjoyable railfan experiences. And of course the North Shore and Texas Electric and PE cars were big cars, and when they came down the street, everything got out of their way!
Another oddity is Port Aurhority Trans Hudson, the old Hudson Tubes, officially the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad. Physically, it is a regular heavy rail rapid transit line, like PATCO Camden-Lindenwold and the NY Subways. But legally it is part of the National Railroad System, a railroad. Two reason, first because it is interstate and was built before all the compression strength requirements and inspections and so forth were established, and second, because the stretch from Neward to Jersey City Journal Square Station was owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad until purchased from them by the Port Authority. Indeed, the cars used on the Hudson Terminal (old name for the WTC area) - Newark line were standard PRR Tuscan red, as opposed to the dark brown of the other H&M cars, and half those cars were owned by the PRR and lableled accordingly. A dime fare got you all over the H&M system except the run to Newark, which required a ticket (17 cents or 27 cents?) which was collected by a conductor on the way to Harrison and Newark and punched on the return. This part of the line had the usual PRR position light signals and automatic train stop with horn blown at passing a restrictive indication, and the mu cars on the line were eqipped accordingly. Riding the front between Newark and Jersey City is also a railfan treat.
