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8 THE CALL BOARD

NEWSLElTER

OF THE MOHAWK & HUDSON CHAPTER, N.R.H.S.

August 1991

The Last Day of Operation of United Traction Trolleys in Albany: Saturday, August 31, 1946
By Fred B. Abele
(The last day of United Traction Company streetcar operations in Albany was 45 years ago, on Saturday, August 31,1946. The last car to make the trip, #834, was a double truck car built by Cincinnati Car Co. in 1913. The late Fred B. Abele documented that last trip, as well as the last runs of some of the other lines on August 10, 1946. They are re-printed here as Fred wrote them) Last day operations of the #3 Belt line, last trolley line to operate in Albany, found several double truck cars operating which had been storage since abandonment of the #2, #4, #5 and #6 lines on August IOth, Until August 9th, the only cars in operation were 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 857, 861, 862,865,866,867,869,870 and 875 and 838. 301 was used only for a couple of days. On August 9 due to bad motors and a couple of cracked up cars it was necessary to haul out 830 and 840. Noon Saturday found the following cars in service: On the outer belt 852, 875, 867 and 853, all single truck cars. On the inner belt, 840, 834 824 anrl830. A few changes were made before final operations. The last car to operate was scheduled to leave Quail Street barn err 11: 10 PM, on the outer belt. At 11 P~icar 857 left the car house for the last run on the inner belt. A few minutes later bus 502 was wheeled out into the street. Car 824 drew up, transferred its pa.sseneoersto the bus, was wheeled into the car yard and the snhstitntion had begun. Bus 500 too over the passengers from car 840 on the inner belt and 875 departed on its last run on the outer belt. A large crowd had gathered to witness the changeover including several railfans of the Albany group. At about 11:10 PM car 834 pulled up in front of the barn and a group climbed aboard. There were more than 100 fares rung up. General Mgr., Niles Persons and Supt. of Transportation Riedy were aboard as well as a UTC supervisor. Operator, Perry Vincent closed the doors and we were off with a standing load. Almost immediately after leaving the barn a commotion from the rear of the cab proved to be the extraction of the rear roller sign for souvenir purposes. As we turned into Madison Ave. we passed car 857 on its last run on the inner belt and the operators clanged bells in salute. A uneventful run brought us downtown and we passed first bus 502 on Pearl St. near Hudson Ave. without any interchange of signals. At State and Pearl Streets we clattered over the crossover and as the sound died away, the last trolley in Albany had passed through the familiar intersection. On Clinton Avenue at Swan Street, by prearranged permission by Company officials, I took over the controls and operated to Northern Boulevard a distance of three long blocks with several stops. Operator 11\ Vincent took over again for the remainder _ of the trip. As we pulled up in front of the carhouse the crowd started to sing Auld LangeSyne and would not leave the car until it was finished. Many asked for autographed transfers which took considerable time. At my request two mechanics removed the front roller sign and presented to me for a souvenir. 834 was then run to the crossover at Benson Street and returned to the yard. Meanwhile, 857 was brought out and run over to the crossover north of Central Avenue so that it could be put on the other yard track and make room for the longer 834. By a few seconds 857 was the last car out on the street. The gates were then closed, the poles pulled at approximately 12: 10 PM and electric operations had ceased. Contrary to expectations, bus substitutions on the Belt Line were not new buses. Originally the company had stated that 40 buses would be sufficient to make the substitution for the five lines. However, buses 600-639 were already in service on the #2, #4, #5 and #6 lines and buses 500-509 were brought up from the Broadway Garage to operate on the Belt Line. These were purchased in December 1944 and are 40 pas- -: senger GMC jobs, non diesel.

United Traction Company car No. 840 southbound on Pearl Street crossing State Street on August 31, 1946, the last day of trolley operations in Albany. (Photo from Fred B. Abele Collection)