Edmonton Radial Railway Streetcars

EDMONTON RADIAL RAILWAY
Streetcars

Edmonton's public transit service got it's start in 1908 when the Edmonton Radial Railway started operating streetcars over 11 miles of track serving Edmonton and Strathcona. Streetcars served Edmonton until 1951 when trolleybuses and motorbuses took over all remaining service.

Instead of breaking out each year/ builder into their own page, for the time being everything will be on one page separated by headings. Should any of the sections get large enough, then they might get separated out, however, I don't expect that to happen anytime soon. Photos of restore or unrestored cars in the Edmonton Radial Railways Society's collection will be included, but with a minimum number of photos.

Thumbnail Car # Date Description
#1-6 1908 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Double End

1 June 15, 2008 #1 as restored by the ERRS as a single ended car, seen in service at Fort Edmonton Park.

1 June 15, 2008 #1 as restored by the ERRS as a single ended car, seen in service at Fort Edmonton Park.

1 June 15, 2008 #1 as restored by the ERRS as a single ended car, seen in service at Fort Edmonton Park.

6 1946 #6 at the Cromdale Car Barns. This car was converted to single end operation in 1912. This car was retired in 1947.

#7 1908 Ottawa Car Company Single Truck Double End

#10, 12, 14, 16 1909 Preston Double Truck Double End

#15, 17-21 1910 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Double End

15 July 21, 1950 #15 seen parked at the Cromdale carbarn. This car was rebuilt in 1917 as a single end, one man car.

19 June 8, 1947 #19 signed up as a blue-and-white sign car. The location of car back to back with it is odd, so, it's possible this was at Cromdale. Retired in 1948, #19 was one of a small number of cars that lasted as double ended cars until the final few years of the streetcar system.

#8, 9, 11, 13, 22, 23 1911 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Single End

13 August 8, 1939 #13 eastbound on Jasper Ave at 100 ST.

#24-27 1911 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Single End

26 August 8, 1939 #26

#28-31 1911 Preston Double Truck Single End

#32-46 1912 St. Louis Double Truck Double End

33 January 15, 2012 ERRS #33 near 105 St on the High Level Bridge streetcar line. #33 has been restored as to it's original configuration as a double ended car and is painted in the cars original livery.

33 January 15, 2012 ERRS #33 near 105 St on the High Level Bridge streetcar line.

33 January 15, 2012 ERRS #33 Southbound at the South end of the High Level Bridge.

37 1946 #37 heading South on 127 St just south of 127 Ave. At this location the car line was located on the East side of the road. The car is on the red-and-green sign route from Calder to Whtye Ave and 104 St. via the High level Bridge.

42 June 1946 #42 is Northbound towards the High Level Bridge at 109 St and 90 Ave as a red-and-green sign car.

42 September 24, 1999 #42 is out here during a tour as part of the 60th Anniversary of Trolleybus Service in Edmonton. #42 is essentially in it's as retired configuration as a single end car with the red and cream paint scheme it would have had in the B&W image above of it in service.

42 September 24, 1999 #42 out during a tour as part of the 60th Anniversary of Trolley in Edmonton.

42 June 13, 2009 ERRS #42 out during a visit from the Bus History Association convention.

43 August 9, 1939 #43 on Jasper Ave Eastbound at 101 St.

43 June 1946 #43 on 127 Ave near 122 St. as a red-and-green sign car. The track is located to the North of 127 Ave at this location. This was one of the St. Louise cars to receive a widened centre window and centre mounted destination sign with route indicator lights move to either side of the destination sign.

46 1933-1939? #46 Eastbound on Jasper Ave, loading passengers at 101 St. The destination sign seems to read "111 AV via 95 St", which could indicate a red sign car on the routing used between June 24, 1933 and July 25, 1939. The only thing that doesn't make sense for a red-sign car is the location. Passing by heading Westbound is a 80 series car.

#47-81 1913 (47-74) 1914 (75-81) Preston Double Truck Single End

47 July 21, 1950 #47 Eastbound on 118 Ave at 78 St as a Blue sign. The white sign on the side reads "Exhibition Grounds". Was this perhaps a special trip heading to the Exhibition? This car was fitted with a center mounted destination sign.

48 August 8, 1939 #48 as a blue and white car on Jasper Ave eastbound at 100 St.

52 August 20, 1939 #52 as a blue and white car on Jasper Ave eastbound at 101 St.

53 June 8, 1947 #53 is a blue sign car Southbound on 124 St at 103 Ave. The track the car is about to cross was originally the Edmonton, Yukon & Pacific Railway, a part of the Canadian National.

54 June 8, 1947 #54 at an unknown location, but possibly near the Cromdale Shops. It would appear that the car could be entering service as a blue sign car.

64 August 16, 1939 #64 at the Cromdale carbarn.

69 June 8, 1947 #69 is Northbound as a red-and-white sign car approaching the High Level Bridge.

69 August 6, 1951 #69 a few years later coming off of the High Level Bridge Southbound as a blue-and-white sign route heading for the loop at 109 St and 84 Ave that was constructed after the end of streetcar service on Whyte Ave in August 1949.

78 August 6, 1951 #78 leaving the South end of the High Level Bridge as a blue and white sign car.

ex 81 NSC&T #328 is seen in this image.... somewhere in Ontario! #80 & 81 were sold from the Edmonton Radial Railway in July 1917 to the Oshawa Railway, later in 1943 going to the Niagara, St. Catherines and Toronto Railway as their 327 and 328. Both of these railways were under Canadian National, and then is the lettering on cars: Canadian National Railways.

#80-84 1930 Ottawa Car Manufacturing Double Truck Single End

80 June 15, 2008 #80 in service at Fort Edmonton Park. The car was restored by the Edmonton Radial Railway Society after being used a lunch counter in Dawson Creek, BC.

Observation Car Edmonton Radial Railway 1920

Library Car ex #14 1909 Preston, Rebuilt by Edmonton Radial Railway 1941

Library 1946 The Library car is seen here most likely at Cromdale.

Thumbnail	Car #	Date	Description
#1-6 1908 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Double End
	1	June 15, 2008	#1 as restored by the ERRS as a single ended car, seen in service at Fort Edmonton Park.
	1	June 15, 2008	#1 as restored by the ERRS as a single ended car, seen in service at Fort Edmonton Park.
	1	June 15, 2008	#1 as restored by the ERRS as a single ended car, seen in service at Fort Edmonton Park.
	6	1946	#6 at the Cromdale Car Barns. This car was converted to single end operation in 1912. This car was retired in 1947.
#7 1908 Ottawa Car Company Single Truck Double End

#10, 12, 14, 16 1909 Preston Double Truck Double End

#15, 17-21 1910 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Double End
	15	July 21, 1950	#15 seen parked at the Cromdale carbarn. This car was rebuilt in 1917 as a single end, one man car.
	19	June 8, 1947	#19 signed up as a blue-and-white sign car. The location of car back to back with it is odd, so, it's possible this was at Cromdale. Retired in 1948, #19 was one of a small number of cars that lasted as double ended cars until the final few years of the streetcar system.
#8, 9, 11, 13, 22, 23 1911 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Single End
	13	August 8, 1939	#13 eastbound on Jasper Ave at 100 ST.
#24-27 1911 Ottawa Car Company Double Truck Single End
	26	August 8, 1939	#26
#28-31 1911 Preston Double Truck Single End

#32-46 1912 St. Louis Double Truck Double End
	33	January 15, 2012	ERRS #33 near 105 St on the High Level Bridge streetcar line. #33 has been restored as to it's original configuration as a double ended car and is painted in the cars original livery.
	33	January 15, 2012	ERRS #33 near 105 St on the High Level Bridge streetcar line.
	33	January 15, 2012	ERRS #33 Southbound at the South end of the High Level Bridge.
	37	1946	#37 heading South on 127 St just south of 127 Ave. At this location the car line was located on the East side of the road. The car is on the red-and-green sign route from Calder to Whtye Ave and 104 St. via the High level Bridge.
	42	June 1946	#42 is Northbound towards the High Level Bridge at 109 St and 90 Ave as a red-and-green sign car.
	42	September 24, 1999	#42 is out here during a tour as part of the 60th Anniversary of Trolleybus Service in Edmonton. #42 is essentially in it's as retired configuration as a single end car with the red and cream paint scheme it would have had in the B&W image above of it in service.
	42	September 24, 1999	#42 out during a tour as part of the 60th Anniversary of Trolley in Edmonton.
	42	June 13, 2009	ERRS #42 out during a visit from the Bus History Association convention.
	43	August 9, 1939	#43 on Jasper Ave Eastbound at 101 St.
	43	June 1946	#43 on 127 Ave near 122 St. as a red-and-green sign car. The track is located to the North of 127 Ave at this location. This was one of the St. Louise cars to receive a widened centre window and centre mounted destination sign with route indicator lights move to either side of the destination sign.
	46	1933-1939?	#46 Eastbound on Jasper Ave, loading passengers at 101 St. The destination sign seems to read "111 AV via 95 St", which could indicate a red sign car on the routing used between June 24, 1933 and July 25, 1939. The only thing that doesn't make sense for a red-sign car is the location. Passing by heading Westbound is a 80 series car.
#47-81 1913 (47-74) 1914 (75-81) Preston Double Truck Single End
	47	July 21, 1950	#47 Eastbound on 118 Ave at 78 St as a Blue sign. The white sign on the side reads "Exhibition Grounds". Was this perhaps a special trip heading to the Exhibition? This car was fitted with a center mounted destination sign.
	48	August 8, 1939	#48 as a blue and white car on Jasper Ave eastbound at 100 St.
	52	August 20, 1939	#52 as a blue and white car on Jasper Ave eastbound at 101 St.
	53	June 8, 1947	#53 is a blue sign car Southbound on 124 St at 103 Ave. The track the car is about to cross was originally the Edmonton, Yukon & Pacific Railway, a part of the Canadian National.
	54	June 8, 1947	#54 at an unknown location, but possibly near the Cromdale Shops. It would appear that the car could be entering service as a blue sign car.
	64	August 16, 1939	#64 at the Cromdale carbarn.
	69	June 8, 1947	#69 is Northbound as a red-and-white sign car approaching the High Level Bridge.
	69	August 6, 1951	#69 a few years later coming off of the High Level Bridge Southbound as a blue-and-white sign route heading for the loop at 109 St and 84 Ave that was constructed after the end of streetcar service on Whyte Ave in August 1949.
	78	August 6, 1951	#78 leaving the South end of the High Level Bridge as a blue and white sign car.
	ex 81		NSC&T #328 is seen in this image.... somewhere in Ontario! #80 & 81 were sold from the Edmonton Radial Railway in July 1917 to the Oshawa Railway, later in 1943 going to the Niagara, St. Catherines and Toronto Railway as their 327 and 328. Both of these railways were under Canadian National, and then is the lettering on cars: Canadian National Railways.
#80-84 1930 Ottawa Car Manufacturing Double Truck Single End
	80	June 15, 2008	#80 in service at Fort Edmonton Park. The car was restored by the Edmonton Radial Railway Society after being used a lunch counter in Dawson Creek, BC.
Observation Car Edmonton Radial Railway 1920

Library Car ex #14 1909 Preston, Rebuilt by Edmonton Radial Railway 1941
	Library	1946	The Library car is seen here most likely at Cromdale.

This page last updated on July 6, 2022