Then and Now Lehigh valley Trolley

Lehigh Valley Trolley at West Point - April 15, 1951              Photo thanks to Neil Shankweiler

From Charles Howser collection

2009

Boarding one of the cars on the 'Liberty Bell Route' at stop # 128, West Point, Pennsylvania. Moyer Boulevard is to the left. Beyond the shed for the trolley stop is West Point Pike.

1949. Moyer Boulevard is in the foreground.

The Lehigh Valley Transit Company ended service without public notice on September 6, 1951. The next day, a Friday, riders waited in vain for a trolley they would never see again. The LVT had high ridership during WWII but it dropped after the war. Service quality declined along with declining revenue, which led to greater ridership loss. In September 1951, the financially failing LVT received temporary approval from the Pennsylvania PUC to suspend its interurban operation. Fearful that it might be ordered to resume operation, LVT had crews immediately remove signals, tear out trolley catenary, and rip up rails. It was the end of a southeastern Pennsylvania transportation institution that had existed for over fifty years.

At present time the stretch of Moyer Road in the top photo has been abandoned, as has been the right of way of the trolley tracks (ergo all the foliage.) Some of the utility poles still survive. The tops were cut off and they were used for electric lines for awhile, but this is no longer the case. Currently they are used by Verizon and Comcast.

Upper Gwynedd Township did a beautiful job of moving Moyer Boulevard to ease traffic problems.

Another view of the trolley at the West Point station.

Looking across Moyer Boulevard towards the train tracks in the year 1934. Click for larger image.