The Last Interurbans (Bulletin 136 of the Central Electric Railfans' Association

234 pp. For close to two decades, the interurbans represented a dynamic and growing industry. By 1917, interurban companies had built over 18,000 miles of line in the U.S. alone. Developed almost in parallel with the electric interurbans, the automobile had become a potent competitor to public transportation by the time of World War I. During the 1920s, the family car became an even more convenient way for rural and small town people to get around as roads were paved and the costs of owning and maintaining an automobile came within the reach of most families. As a result, the weaker lines began to fail, and by 1920 the industry had begun a long decline, halted only briefly by the heavy traffic of the World War II years. This book takes a look back at those hardy properties that managed to last beyond the Great Depression, even if only briefly.--jacket