17 Abandoned Public Transit Systems Across America

This article examines 17 actual abandoned public transportation systems in the United States. These vary from incomplete subway systems in Cincinnati to dismantled streetcar systems in Los Angeles, Detroit, Kansas City, and Atlanta. These systems were once functional in assisting with industrialization, urbanization, and transportation. Shifts in the economy, increased use of cars following the war, increased maintenance costs, and new highways gradually saw the replacement of electric trains with buses and cars. The tunnels were filled in, the tracks were covered, and the stations were abandoned. However, some of these areas were used for new development, but the original use ceased.

1. Cincinnati Subway

Beneath the busy streets of Cincinnati, a never-finished dream remained silent. The project started in 1920, with hopes that the city would one day compare to Chicago and New York. The tunnels were being built, with platforms for trains to run on in the near future. However, after World War I, inflation reduced the budget. Political disputes halted the project. The project was finished in 1927, with miles of tunnels having no trains or electricity. The streets were paved on top of the silent tunnels, and life continued as usual. The tunnels remained there for many years, closed but still intact. Several times, the city considered reviving the project, but it never happened because of increased costs.

2. Rochester Subway

In Rochester, New York, there was a canal that dated back a long time. It was used to transport boats through the city. When the Erie Canal was relocated in the early 1900s, some of the old canal was converted into a subway system. The Rochester Subway opened in 1927 and was soon serving factories, residential areas, and businesses. Electric trains carried commuters at a steady and peaceful pace. For a time, it seemed like a progressive and efficient system, and the city was proud of its industry and ingenuity. However, following World War II, automobiles gained favor. Highways expanded. Fewer people used the subway. It was costly to maintain the old tracks. By 1956, passenger service ceased. Parts of the system were used for freight, but that declined as well.

3. Key System

In the San Francisco Bay Area, electric streetcars connected neighboring communities before large bridges came to dominate the scene. The Key System operated ferries and interurban trains that transported passengers between Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco. In the early 1900s, rapid electric trains operated on exclusive tracks and even extended along the lower deck of the Bay Bridge when it opened in 1936. The Key System demonstrated how the region was interrelated, promoting neighborhood cooperation to achieve a better transit system. After World War II, the situation shifted. Automobiles gained favor. Corporate shifts recast the decision-making process. Tracks were removed to provide room for buses and highway capacity. By 1958, the final Key System train completed its final run.

4. Pacific Electric Railway

There was a large electric railway system in Southern California known as the Pacific Electric Railway. Its red cars were known as the Red Cars as they ran from downtown Los Angeles to beaches, orchards, and suburbs. By the 1920s, the railway system stretched over a thousand miles, making it one of the largest interurban railway systems in the world. It was used for commuting, shopping, and sightseeing. Entire communities developed along the routes. After World War II, Southern California turned to automobiles and highways. The highways expanded rapidly, and the suburbs developed for automobile travel. The passenger service stopped altogether by 1961.

5. Third Avenue Railway

There was a large streetcar system in Manhattan and the Bronx in New York City that was known as the Third Avenue Railway. Electric trolleys ran along busy streets, alongside people, horse-drawn carts, and early automobiles. The streetcar system dates back to the 1800s and evolved from horse-drawn streetcars to electric streetcars. For many decades, these routes provided transportation for commuters, shoppers, and students to and from busy areas of the city. By the mid-1900s, there was more emphasis on buses and automobiles. Street traffic worsened, and authorities considered trolleys to be obstructing traffic flow. Eventually, rails gave way to rubber tires.

6. Chicago Tunnel Company

Beneath the Loop in Chicago, a freight railroad operated secretly. The Chicago Tunnel Company constructed narrow tunnels underground in the early 1900s to transport coal, mail, and merchandise between structures. Small electric locomotives operated through a series of tunnels, connecting the basements of high-rise buildings. The network reduced traffic on the streets and ensured the smooth flow of supplies. It was a hidden industrial system beneath the busy downtown area. As trucking became more popular and buildings modernized their transportation systems, the network of tunnels became obsolete. Expenses to maintain the system increased while revenue decreased. In 1959, the system ceased all operations. Most of the tunnels were abandoned, but some areas remained beneath downtown.

7. Detroit Street Railway

Detroit had streetcars in abundance, which affected people’s daily lives. The Detroit Street Railway operated electric trolleys on Woodward Avenue and in new suburbs in the early 1900s. It transported workers to auto plants, offices, and stores. The cars moved steadily on broad streets lined with brick buildings and rising homes. The railway system contributed to the rapid expansion of Detroit during its major industrial era. Following World War II, having a car became practical and a status symbol in Detroit. The city widened roads and abandoned repairs to the tracks. Buses gradually replaced streetcars because of the city’s perception of them as more flexible and economical.

8. Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Subway Station

Buffalo had a small underground station for fans attending events at Memorial Auditorium. This station was constructed along with Buffalo’s early subway system and allowed fans to access downtown transit. Trains stopped under the arena for many years to bring fans to hockey games and other events. The station was a functional component of Buffalo’s public transportation system. Memorial Auditorium was shut down in 1996 and demolished. The subway station was no longer needed. Passenger service ceased, and the entrance was closed off. The rest of Buffalo’s Metro Rail system remained in operation.

9. Seattle Street Railway

Seattle had a large streetcar network that climbed up hills and linked the waterfront docks to residential areas inland. The Seattle Street Railway began in the late 1800s and expanded rapidly as the city did. Electric streetcars climbed up steep grades and through winding streets, connecting homes to downtown jobs and shopping. The streetcar network played an important role in determining where people lived and worked in early Seattle. By the 1930s and 1940s, buses started to replace streetcars because they were cheaper to operate and could serve more routes. Financial troubles and outdated infrastructure accelerated the transition. The final streetcar operated in 1941.

10. St. Louis Streetcar System

St. Louis had an extensive streetcar system that linked up busy neighborhoods with the industrial hub. In the early 1900s, electric streetcars operated on major routes and extended into developing residential districts. The streetcar system provided a constant means of transportation for factory workers, communities, and students. Streetcars crossed bridges, passed through commercial districts, and passed by brick row houses that characterized the cityscape. For many decades, the rail lines influenced the daily life and urban development of the city. Following World War II, increasing numbers of citizens possessed automobiles, and federal highway funds accelerated road construction. Urban planners believed that buses were more versatile and economical to operate. The routes were gradually phased out. In 1966, the final St. Louis streetcar completed its route.

11. Pittsburgh Railways

Pittsburgh Railways formerly operated one of the largest streetcar systems in the United States. The red and cream-colored cars operated over bridges and into deep valleys, connecting steel mills to hillside neighborhoods. The system extended well into the surrounding regions, providing residents with a reliable means of transportation in a city where rivers and hills presented challenges. Streetcars provided a large number of passengers during Pittsburgh’s heyday. In the mid-20th century, financial difficulties and increased maintenance issues impacted the system. Cars became more popular, and buses replaced streetcar lines. Operations declined throughout the 1960s.

12. Newark City Subway Cedar Street Station

The Cedar Street Station in Newark, New Jersey, was a part of the Newark City Subway system. The station was built in 1935 and helped connect residents to the public transportation system in downtown Newark. The underground station had tiled walls and a simple, early 20th-century design. For many years, trains passed through the station and transported residents through the small, bustling downtown area. However, fewer residents were using the service in some areas, so the authorities assessed the usage of the station. In 1959, the Cedar Street Station ceased operations for good because there were not enough passengers. The trains continued to pass through the station without stopping. The station was abandoned and left hidden behind the walls of the tunnel.

13. Providence Union Railroad

The city of Providence also had an elevated train system that passed trains over streets and along the shore. The Providence Union Railroad constructed a viaduct in the late 1800s to transport goods and people more conveniently through the city. For many decades, trains passed through the city on elevated rails, passing by storage facilities and stores. The elevated rail line ensured that trains did not mix with traffic on the streets and represented the development of the industrial sector in Rhode Island. With changes in train routes and the deterioration of old facilities, the elevated train line was no longer needed. Removal or rerouting of the elevated line began in the late 1900s.

14. Atlanta Streetcar System

Atlanta had a comprehensive streetcar system that linked neighborhoods before highways enclosed the city. Electric trolleys operated along Peachtree Street and extended to new residential areas. The streetcar system facilitated downtown development and enabled residents to move about without the use of cars. Streetcars influenced Atlanta’s development in the early 1900s. Following World War II, there was a greater emphasis on roads and suburbs. Buses gradually substituted the rail lines in the 1940s and 1950s. The streetcar system was discontinued in 1949. The streetcar tracks were removed, and the overhead wires were dismantled.

15. Los Angeles Subway Terminal Building

The Subway Terminal Building in downtown Los Angeles was once a large transportation hub for electric interurban trains. It was built in 1925 and was the central terminal for the Pacific Electric trains that entered the city through underground tunnels. Residents from surrounding areas could walk directly into a busy, city-center environment with shopping and office space. The Subway Terminal Building represented efficiency and modern transportation in a city that was rapidly growing in size. As interurban trains fell out of favor and automobiles became more popular, passenger service to the terminal ceased in 1955. The underground train stations were closed, and train service ceased. The building remained and was later repurposed, but it was no longer a transportation hub.

16. Kansas City Streetcar System

Kansas City had a big streetcar network in the Midwest at one time. Electric streetcars ran along Main Street and into neighborhoods that are now car-dependent suburbs. In the early 1900s, the streetcar network linked where people lived with places to shop and work. The streetcars provided cheap transportation and influenced where houses and businesses were located in Kansas City. For many years, streetcars were an important part of transportation in Kansas City. After World War II, there were more cars on the road. The construction of highways altered the city’s layout, and buses replaced the rails. Maintaining the existing tracks became more and more expensive. By 1957, the final streetcar in Kansas City completed its route.

17. Philadelphia Reading Viaduct

The Philadelphia Reading Viaduct was an elevated train line in Philadelphia. It was used for freight and passenger trains. It was built in the late 1800s and was part of the Reading Railroad line into the city. The trains ran from industrial sections of the city on steel beams, connecting factories, storage facilities, and terminals. The viaduct represented the industrial power of the city. However, changes in freight traffic and the consolidation of railroads made some sections of the viaduct redundant. Train traffic dwindled throughout the 20th century. Some sections of the viaduct were abandoned, and the tracks were no longer in use. Weeds grew between the tracks, and rust accumulated on the steel beams.

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