Philadelphia Trolley Tracks:

Montgomery County Rapid Transit Company

MCRTCo trolley and crew
In 1908 Montgomery County Rapid Transit Company purchased two large railroad-style electric trolley cars from Stephenson Car Company. Later a third, similar trolley was purchased second-hand from the nearby Montgomery Traction Company (an early Lansdale - to - Norristown trolley). In 1917 the heavy, old cars were "traded in" for three modern, lightweight steel cars. Because Harleysville (listed as a destination on the sign) wasn't reached until 1912, this photo had to have been taken between 1912 and 1917. The location of the photo is uncertain. It's possible that the camera is looking southwest along the road between Lederach and Harleysville (at the present-day intersection of PA Route 113 and Old Morris Road). The track diverging off to the right could be the one that served the trolley company's stone quarry (today a pond surrounded by woods).

This photo is also published in Jay Ruth's Looking at Lower Salford, published in 1984. In it, the photo is credited to Alice Wismer and the trolley crew are identified as "Effinger" and Hif Hartman.

Lester K. Wismer collection




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