Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
Circa 1919. "Streetcar in Washington, D.C." With what seems to be a pedestrian-scooper in the "up" position. National Photo glass negative. View full size.
The streetcar is headed away from the camera, that's why the people scooper can be up on the end near us, so it won't hold as many free riding kids. The car is getting its electricity from the underground conduit beneath the slot between the rails, so there was no need to use the trolley poles, or even turn them to fit in the rear hooks. I said poles - back then trolleys in some parts of the District of Columbia outside of the City of Washington had to use 2 wires and poles, just like in Cincinnati, Ohio, Annapolis, Maryland, Havana Cuba; and parts of Greenwich, England. The extra pole and wire weren't needed in the Maryland suburbs. The hooks are of different heights to help tell the poles apart. On the next track is a Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway interurban car, which is really going to have to play musical poles if it's going to Annapolis, instead of Baltimore, Maryland.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5