Washington 1958

h2>VIDEOS

Above: YouTube^CA video - DC Streetcars on 14th Street (Early 1950's) - Length: 3:53 mins.

Above: YouTube^CA video - Streetcars in 1950s Washington, D.C. - Length: 18:52 mins.

Above: YouTube^CA video - DC Transit - Length: 10:58 mins.

PHOTOS

Washington Streetcar in the Thomas Circle

Heritage streetcar in Washington colours

MAPS

Washington 1958 streetcar map

INSET: THE LARGER WASHINGTON AREA

Extended Washington area 1958 streetcar map

I created the above maps by overlaying OpenStreetMap (OSM) maps with my own data. The underlying map data is © OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL).

Please note that the OSM maps used as a template for these maps corresponds to the situation at the time the map was downloaded and may show features that did not exist at the time the GS Tram Site is supposed to show. In particular, it may show bridges and highways that were built later.

DISCONTINUATION DATES OF STREETCAR TRACKS BETWEEN 1958 AND 1962 (affected route numbers in parentheses).

1958 Sept. 7: G St. (between 15th St. NW & 5th St. NW (80, 82)); North Capitol St. - Michigan Av. - Monroe St. NE (80); 5th St. - New York Av. - Eckington - Rhode Island Av. - College Park - Branchville, MD (82)
1960 Jan. 3: 14th St. NW (50, 54); 1st St. NW (between Pennsylvania Av. & Independence Av.) (54); Georgia Av. - 7th St. NW (to Pennsylvania Av.) (70, 72, 74); (from Independence Av.) 7th St. NW - Maine Av. - 7th St. Wharves (72, 74); Soldiers' Home Park - Upshur St. (74); 4th St. NW - C St. (70)
1961 Dec. 3: Park Rd. - Mount Pleasant St. - Columbia Rd. - Connecticut Av. - G Street (40, 42); C St. (40); E Capitol St - Lincoln Park (40); Massachusetts Av. - 13th St. Loop (42); 11th St. (60)
1962 Jan. 28 (end of the system): Cabin John - Glen Echo - Palisades - Georgetown (20); Friendship Heights - Wisconsin Av. - Georgetown (30); Pennsylvania Av. (between Georgetown and 1st St. NW) (20, 30); 1st St. NW - Union Station (20); 7th St. NW (between Pennsylvania Av. and Independence Av.) - Independence Av. (to 1st St. NE) (30); (from 1st St. NE) Independence Av. - Pennsylvania Av. - Barney Circle (30, 90); National Zoological Park - Calvert St. - 16th St. - U St. (90, 92); New Jersey Av. - Union Station - 1st St. NE (90); Florida Av. - 8th St. - Navy Yard (92)

STREETCAR ROUTES

Operator: DC Transit (one of the constituent companies of today's Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA))

20	Cabin John - Glen Echo - Palisades - M St. [back: Wisconsin Av. - Prospect St.- 34th St.] - M St. - Pennsylvania Av. - The White House - [15th Av. - E St.] [back: Pennsylvania Av.] - Pennsylvania Av. - 1st St. NW - Louisiana Av. - C St. - [Delaware Av.] / [1st St. NE - C. St.] - Union Station
30	Friendship Heights - Wisconsin Av. - M St. - Pennsylvania Av. - The White House - [15th Av. - E St.] [back: Pennsylvania Av.] - Pennsylvania Av. - 7th St. NW - Independence Av. - Pennsylvania Av. - Barney Circle
40	Park Rd. - Mount Pleasant St. - Columbia Rd. - Connecticut Av. - H St. NW - 15th St. NW - F St. NW - 9th St. NW - Pennsylvania Avenue NW - C St. NW - 1st St. NE - East Capitol St. - Lincoln Park
42	Park Rd. - Mount Pleasant St. - Columbia Rd. - Connecticut Av. - H St. NW - 15th St. NW - F St. NW - 5th St. NW - G St. - Union Station - Massachusetts Av. - [Maryland Av. - D St.] [back: C st. - 6th St.] - 13th St.
50	Decatur St. - 14th St. - Bureau of Engraving
54	14th St. & Colorado Av. - 14th St. - Pennsylvania Av. - 1st St. NW - Independence Av. - Pennsylvania Av. - 1st St. NW - Independence Av. - Pennsylvania Av. - 8th St. - Navy Yard
60	11th St. & Monroe Rd. - 14th St. - U St. - 11th St. - [11th St. - E St. ] [back: 9th St. - F St.] - 9th St. - Pennsylvania Av. - 6th St.
70	Georgia & Alaska - Georgia Av. - 7th St. - Independence Av. [back: C St. - 7th St.] - 4th St.
72	Takoma - 4th St. NW - Butternut St.- Georgia Av. - 7th St. - Maine Av. - 7th St. Wharves
74	Soldiers' Home Park - Upshur St. - Georgia Av. - 7th St. - Maine Av. - 7th St. Wharves
80	Washington Circle - Pennsylvania Av. - The White House - 15th St. NW - G St. - North Capitol St. - Michigan Av. - Monroe St. NE
82	Potomac Park - 18th St. [back: 19th St.] - The White House - 15th St. NW - G St. - 5th St. - New York Av. - Eckington - Rhode Island Av. - College Park - Branchville, MD
90	National Zoological Park - Calvert St. - 16th St. - U St. - Florida Av. - New Jersey Av. - Union Station - 1st St. NE - Independence Av. - Pennsylvania Av. - Barney Circle
92	National Zoological Park - Calvert St. - 16th St. - U St. - Florida Av. - 8th St. - Navy Yard

Note: Most of the Washington streetcar system ran on conduit power. Only in some suburban routes were overhead wires used.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYSTEM

NETWORK LENGTH

Streetcar lines: ca. 102 km.

HISTORY

Streetcars (traditional): (horse-powered) 29 July 1862 - Apr. 1900; (electric) 17 Oct. 1888 - 28 Jan. 1962.
Cable cars: 12 Apr. 1890 - 1897 (?)
Streetcars (second generation): 27 Feb. 2016 - today.
Metro: 27 March 1976 - today.

GAUGE

Streetcars: 1435 mm.
Metro: 1429 mm.

SOURCES

PRINT

Broehm, J. "Washington DC - Streetcars are coming back", Tramways & Urban Transit, May 2010 (73: 869), p.172-173.
Grahl, A. "A wrap-up of Washington", Tramways & Urban Transit, Sept. 2025 (88: 1053), p.340-342.
Simons, V. "DC streetcar developments", Tramways & Urban Transit, Jan. 2017 (80: 949), p.12-17.
Washington (news item), The Modern Tramway, May 1959 (22:57), p.110.

WIKIS

WEB SITES

Disclaimer: Everything on this site was written and/or prepared at the author's discretion. The author has tried to be accurate where facts are presented, but this does not mean that these facts are necessarily accurate. People needing more reliable information should refer to appropriate sources presented, on the Internet or elsewhere, by authoritative professional or academic bodies.

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WASHINGTON

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES

6 Sept. 1958