The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co.

When Milwaukee traction fans refer to The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co., they usually use the abbreviated "TM", and it usually includes TMER&L and its subsidiaries and successors. The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co. was the largest electric railway and electric utility system in Wisconsin. It combined several of the earlier horsecar, steam dummy and streetcars lines into one system. Its Milwaukee streetcar lines soon ran on most major streets and served most areas of the city. Its interurban lines reached throughout southeastern Wisconsin. They also operated the streetcar lines in Appleton, Kenosha and Racine as well as doing their own switching operations at the Port Washington and Lakeside power plants. The first electric streetcar in Milwaukee operated on Wells Street April 3, 1890. The last streetcar in Milwaukee (and Wisconsin) operated on Wells Street on March 2, 1958. The first interurban ran between Milwaukee and Kenosha on June 1, 1897. Other lines soon reached out to Watertown, Burlington and East Troy. In 1922 TM acquired the Milwaukee Northern Railway and added their Milwaukee to Sheboygan interurban line to the system. During the depression, streetcar and interurban lines were cut back, replaced with buses, abandoned or sold. Abandonments ceased during WWII, when gas and tires were rationed, and defense workers needed transportation. After the war, riders returned to their autos and abandonments resumed. The last two remnants of interurban lines were to Hales Corners and Waukesha. They closed out their days being operated in Rapid Transit service by Speedrail until June 30, 1951. Electric locos continued operating at the power plants until the early 1970's. A complete history, or even a comprehensive list of historical highlights would be too involved for this website. If you are interested in more details, we suggest the followings books, that might be available in your library or on the second hand book market. Sources: "TM (The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Lights Co.)" by Joseph Canfield, published by CERA as their Bulletin 112.

"Path Of A Pioneer" by John Gurda, The story of Wisconsin Electric Power Co., published by WE Energies.

Above information and further information available here: http://www.trainweb.org/twerhs/tmerl.html