University of Virginia Library

ROANOKE RAILWAY AND ELECTRIC COMPANY

One of the important enterprises closely identified
with the progress and upbuilding of the city of Roanoke,
and which has kept pace with the city's rapid development,
assisting in the expansion
of its boundaries
and knitting together its
interests with those of
neighboring towns, is the
street car system operated
by the Roanoke Railway
and Electric Company.

STEAM POWER PLANT

The growing requirements of a population which increased
sixty-two per cent. in a decade have been
promptly met by this company by a general improvement
and enlargement of its system. To-day thirty
miles of track, including interurban lines extending
nine miles to Salem on the west and two and one-half
miles to Vinton on the east, as well as a mile or more in
South Roanoke, and a like distance to Norwich and
Raleigh Court in the Southwest, and beyond the city
limits, indicates the importance of the system.

During 1903 the Roanoke Railway and Electric
Company began revolutionizing the system. Everything
was made new. Old tracks with light rails were
torn up and heavier rails laid in all parts of the city.
At that time only seven cars were operated on schedule
over the entire system. This number has been gradually
increased to twenty regular cars, operating on
ten, fifteen, and twenty-minute schedules for all lines,
both within the city proper and on the interurban
lines.

Within the past five years several miles of extensions
have been built, including that from College Avenue
to Lake Spring in Salem; Franklin Road to and including
Fifteenth Avenue to Sixth Street, the Highland
line, the Belmont line, and the South Roanoke and the
Raleigh Court extensions. The equipment now consists
of thirty-five passenger cars, one freight car,
sprinkler car, snow sweeper, and a service car.

All cars are operated from a common center affording
quick schedules to every section of the city and to the
towns of Salem and Vinton, as well as the suburbs of
South Roanoke, Ghent, Virginia Heights, Grandin
Place, Raleigh Court, and Norwich.

The general office building is located on the corner
of Campbell Avenue and Randolph Street, Southeast.
It is a handsome three-story structure and is well
equipped for the purposes for which it is used.
The lower floor has a commodious waiting room for
passengers, and the general offices are located here,
besides the general electrical display and store room.
The second floor is used as headquar