Lehigh Valley Transit Company - History

History

The Lehigh Valley Transit Company (LVT) began in 1905. It acquired the "Lehigh Valley Traction Company", which began operation in the early part of the 20th century as a meandering side of dirt road street car line from Quakertown south to Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. In 1912–13, and again in 1925, LVT upgraded track and in places rerouted lines with private right of way between some towns where before it had been at the side of public roads making frequent 90 degree turns at road intersections requiring slow car operation. At Wales Junction on the original Chestnut Hill line, a totally new route was constructed southward to reach Norristown to connect with the Philadelphia transportation system. Long stretches of eighty mile per hour operation existed north of Quakertown, and the operator could go to shunted field motor setting for maximum speed. Open country private right of way existed, particularly north of Quakertown. Another long stretch existed between Souderton and Lansdale and included a steel bridge north of Hatfield known as Gehman Trestle. LVT installed blade style block signals at track sidings where opposing cars would pass, purchased the 800 class faster heavy wood arch windowed interurban cars from Jewett Car Company, and set up railroad style dispatching. With these changes, local service using the St. Louis cars and express service using the new Jewetts began between Allentown and Norristown/Philadelphia 69th Street Terminal.

The extensive Pennsylvania construction of paved highways and the public's increased ownership of automobiles like the Ford Model T in the 1920s caused the financial decline of most interurbans in the United States. Many were abandoned prior to and definitely during the Great Depression. LVT struggled also during this time but survived, primarily due to the purchase of high speed light weight interurbans from the 1938 abandoned Cincinnati and Lake Erie interurban in Dayton area Ohio. This improved ridership which then jumped due to gas rationing and increased industrial activity during World War II, but after the war the number of riders dropped again as they returned to their cars. Service quality declined during the 1950s as LVT lost rider revenue, which led to a further loss of riders. Through service on the P&W ended in 1949, and thereafter patrons had to change cars at Norristown. In September 1951, the financially failing LVT received temporary approval to suspend its interurban operation from the Pennsylvania PUC. Fearful that it might be ordered to resume operation, LVT had crews immediately rip up rails, remove signals, and tear out trolley catenary. Operation was converted to buses on back roads, which dissatisfied both employees and riders. The shutdown of the Lehigh Valley Transit caused considerable loss of employment at the shops at Allentown and Souderton. It was the end of a southeastern Pennsylvania transportation institution that had existed for over fifty years.