During the early nineteenth
century, American mass-transit saw the introduction of intercity stagecoach
service. In New York City,
there was passenger omnibus service to move people through the fast-growing metropolis.
But the omnibus proved to be more of a hassle than a great new technological
people-mover. At the time, roads within cities were rut-laden, crowded, and
smelled of horse manure and garbage. Stagecoach service was available for
people who needed to go from town to nearby town, but travel was limited by unpredictable
weather conditions and the changing seasons.
Uncomfortable and Expensive
Traveling along roads in the early
1800s was bumpy and uncomfortable. The primitive dirt roads in early American
cities and the highway surfaces between towns and cities were jaw-rattling at
best. Delivering certain kinds of freight posed a financial risk. Often,
fragile goods would become damaged during transport. When it rained, the dirt
roads turned into muddy quagmires that slowed both horses and carriage. In
winter, the coaches themselves were prone to getting stuck in the mud.
The freezing of muddy roads created
unmanageable ruts that wore on the integrity of the stagecoach and its stiff wooden
wheels, which made riding an even more uncomfortable experience. For the
average American, however, discomfort wasn't the deciding factor in avoiding
the stagecoach. Rather, because it was expensive to take a stagecoach service, many
day laborers and rural families could not afford to pay the fare for transport.
Steam-Powered Stage Coaches
Using steam engines to power stagecoaches
on rails was an impractical technology. As evidence, critics noted the large steam
locomotives with their exploding engines and ear-piercing whistles that rumbled
through the middle of city streets, scaring horses that pulled carts and in
turn creating many accidents.
Enter the Streetcar
Unlike the steam-powered stagecoach,
the street railway offered significant advantages over the omnibus system. Because
most city streets were made of packed clay and gravel, weather could pose a
formidable challenge for a horse-drawn carriage or omnibus. Moreover, loads had
to be kept small so that a horse struggling through the mud or snow could carry
them.
By contrast, a horse-drawn
streetcar was an easier load to pull. The smooth track - generally impervious
to all but severe weather - allowed for larger streetcars and hence more
passenger revenue per vehicle. Also, solid steel rails required less upkeep
than those used by streetcar companies that used oak rails. As each industrial
city grew, there were more riders to fuel the passenger load. In turn, this
promoted the continued expansion of company streetcar lines.
Editor's Note: Part 2 of this multi-part series will run in two weeks
(3/4).
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