Many smaller Ohio towns built local trolley lines in the early days, but possibly the smallest was Salem. Remarkably, it also was one of the earliest cities in the entire country to adopt electric cars, beginning service on 23 May, 1890. At that time, the population was only 5,780!

The car fleet consisted of three single truck open platform closed cars with an additional pair of open cars for summer service. Two slightly larger cars replaced two of the original cars after a few years, and platforms were enclosed. One-man operation was standard, although two man crews were used at busy times.

Although the town grew significantly, reaching a population of 8,943 by 1910, it still was too small to support a public transit system in the face of growing automobile use, and the line was closed an 9 Dec, 1911, one of the first electric railways to be abandoned. However, in operating local trolley service for more than 21 years, the little burg didn’t do too badly!

In addition to the city system, several interurban lines reached Salem, and Stark Electric Railroad service continued until 1939. One wonders if coverage by the interurbans may have helped to render the local service unnecessary.

Pictures: 1) Salem trolley, c 1900, Raymond Storey. 2) Stark Electric #18 in Salem, 1935, Wulfie Sanders. Both pictures fm Trolleys, Streetcars and Interurbans of America.