I'm looking for reliable sources for an LRT research project

I'm in the midst of a project chronicling the decline of light rail transit in the United States, and in my search for information sources, I've come across a lot of information, but much of it not really up to the standard I need. Wikipedia and unsourced websites are interesting, but not something I could actually cite. It's a pain knowing a lot about what occured, and finding a lot of railfan sites, but not being allowed to actually use much of any of that information.

If anyone could point me in the direction of some useful links/books I would be most apprecative.

Right now, I'm trying to focus on the Los Angles Streetcar system, Rochester Subway and possibly the MBTA, but I'm open to using other cities as case studies if there is enough information availible.

Rochester Subway! Why didn't you say so?

http://railroad.net/articles/railfannin ... stersubway

And there is an excellent book, out of print, but up on eBay constantly:

Canal boats, interurbans & trolleys: The story of the Rochester subway
by Ron Amberger
ISBN-10: 0960529616

http://www.amazon.com/Canal-boats-inter ... 0960529616

You can also find it at many Rochester-area libraries. You may be able to borrow it through the exhange system.


Now, which LA system did you want to research? Key System? Pacific Electric? Los Angeles Railways? I can't think of any particular books, but I found several examples by going to amazon.com and typing in those company names.

Are there any books on the MBTA or BERy or Eastern Mass. Street Rys.?

-otto-

I wasn't aware that light rail was in decline....it certainly isn't out here in the West. The Denver system doubled its mileage last November.

There have been volumes of material written on the decline of the old city streetcar systems (and public transit in general). In general, it's a case of in times of rising prosperity, citizens could buy automobiles and gasoline was relatively cheap. This gave us easy, cheap mobility and we could go where we wanted when we wanted (compare to post WWII Europe that didn't have this luxury and had better public transit). Also as cities grew, it became too expensive to extend streetcars to the 'burbs. There is also the debate as to whether city streetcar lines were purposely scrapped in favor of buses.

For a look at the MBTA, pay a visit to the T's library on or near Park Square (open to the public). There are many books on the Pacific Electric and LARy/LATL systems in LA. These should be in the research libraries at the trolley museums in Kennebunkport or Branford. In your area, I'd get down to a monthly meeting of the Boston Street Railway Assn (look on-line). Also check out the web site of the Southern Calif. Electric Ry Assn....lots of PE / LARY info. You can use the material as long as you give it a citation (reference) in your final work product (report, thesis, whatever). You should not plagarize this info.