Catskill Electric Railway Co.

Catskill Traction Co.

The Catskill Electric Railway Co. started operating on December 14, 1900.

The line went from Catskill Point to Jefferson for a distance of 2 miles. It was later extended to Leeds in 1904, making the line 2.5 miles long. A connection to Catskill's West Shore Railroad Station was also made. Ideas of making this a year-round rail operation and an extension to Cairo were squashed by the Catskill Mountain Railroad. Some say the line never recovered from the lawsuit that ensued.

In 1910 a reorganized company was formed known as the Catskill Traction Co.

There was a short period of prosperity but around 1914 the line's popularity dropped off. The War in Europe was the biggest factor. The Company stopped running in the Summer of 1917 and filed it's last report on October 31st.

Map showing the Carbarn of the Railway Company and location of the iron bridge which still remains...

First Run On The Catskill Electric in 1900.

A young lady and a conductor pose on the hottest form of transportation in 1900. An open-air trolley car! (Richard Makse Collection)

No. 21 in 1910. Everyone had a tie on back then! (J. A. Smith/K. Bradford Collection)

The stone bridge in Leeds has served as a gateway from the Hudson to the Catskill Mountain for years. Here is an open-car on the bridge in the early-1900's.

Catskill Trolley Bridge In Leeds, NY. This was the end of the line. Notice the hand-rails on the bridge are gone. This bridge carried Main Street over the Catskill Creek.

Here is the line heading down from Leeds on it's way to the Point in Catskill. This area is the Jefferson Rural Cemetery.

Here is the intersection of Bridge and Main in Downtown Catskill. Many of these buildings still exist. The building to the left is still in use as a bank.

Same view, skewed just slightly.

Heading To The Point

Meeting Steamships At The Hudson River

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