Honolulu Rapid Transit and Land Company
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Dates of operation | 1901–1941 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft (1,219 mm)[1][2] |
| Electrification | 575 V DC[1] |
| Length | 30 mi (48 km) |
The Honolulu Rapid Transit and Land Company was a land development company and streetcar system in Honolulu, Hawaii. At its height, it operated over 30 miles (48 km) of tracks.[3] The company's first streetcar ran on August 31, 1901.[4] It developed several neighborhoods around the city and also established the Honolulu Aquarium.[5][6] The company went on to acquire the mule-powered Hawaiian Tramways in 1903.[4]
Streetcars ran until 1930s when they were gradually replaced by buses.[3] The Nuuanu, Punahou, and Manoa lines were demolished in 1934. Some of the rail, only a few years old, was used to refurbish the King Street line.[7] The company introduced trolley buses in 1938.[8] The final streetcar ran on the early hours of January 31, 1941.[9]
References
- ^ a b McGraw Electric Railway Directory. McGraw-Hill Company. August 1920. p. 28 – via Google Books.
- ^ "On The Way". Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii. April 16, 1900. p. 14. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Castro, Alex H. F.; Yost, Harold H. (1972). "Oahu's 'Toonerville Trolley'". The Hawaii almost nobody knows. Hawaii, USA. p. 55.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b Oyama, Kazuo (April 8, 1981). "Kazu's Corner". No Hou Dala Paa. Vol. 1, no. 1. The Hawaii State Numismatic Association and The Honolulu Coin Club. p. 3. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ^ Joseph R., Morgan (1996). Hawaiʻi A Unique Geography. Honolulu, HI: Bess Press. p. 150. ISBN 1573060216.
- ^ Budnick, Rich (2005). Hawaii's Forgotten History: the good... the bad... the embarrassing. Honolulu, HI: Aloha Press. p. 21. ISBN 0944081045.
- ^ "Old Order Is Giving Way To New in Hawaii". Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii. July 2, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Engineers Praise New HRT Trolley Coaches". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu, Hawaii. December 30, 1937. p. 10. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Last Trolley To Quit At Midnight Monday". Honolulu Sunday Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii. June 29, 1941. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved August 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
Further reading
- Simpson, MacKinnon; Brizdle, John (2000). Streetcar Days in Honolulu: Breezing Through Paradise. JLB Press.