Interurban

An interurban is an electric railway connecting cities and towns, typically using streetcar technology and operating partly on private rights-of-way. It combined urban street running with faster service between communities.

Overhead Lines: Conductors suspended above a railway supply electric power to vehicles through a current collector. Most interurbans drew traction power from overhead wires along street and private-route sections.
Streetcar: A rail vehicle designed to carry passengers along urban streets, usually on fixed tracks. Interurban vehicles and operating practices grew from the streetcar system.
Commuter Rail: Passenger rail service primarily carrying people between suburbs and urban centers, especially at peak times. Interurbans often carried workers to cities, though their routes and service patterns were more varied.
Automobile: A self-propelled road vehicle, usually designed to carry a small number of people. Private cars offered flexible door-to-door trips that drew passengers away from fixed interurban routes.
Pacific Electric: A large Southern California electric railway network that connected Los Angeles with surrounding cities and communities. Its extensive routes and frequent service made it one of the best-known American interurban systems.
Trolley Pole: A spring-loaded pole connects an electric streetcar to an overhead wire through a grooved wheel or shoe. This familiar streetcar collector let many interurbans use existing urban wiring.
Electric Railway: A railway whose trains receive electrical power from an external supply or onboard equipment. Electric traction made frequent, relatively fast service between nearby communities practical.
Regional Rail: Passenger railway service connecting cities and towns across a region. Interurbans linked settlements that lacked conventional mainline passenger service.
U.S. Highway System: The network of public roads and highways in the United States, including federally supported routes. Highway expansion strengthened road competition and reduced the appeal of many interurban services.
North Shore Line: The Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad, an electric railway linking Chicago with Milwaukee and communities between them. It demonstrates how an interurban could offer high-speed service over a long regional route.

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TramRelated: Interurban lines extended tram-like service beyond city limits.