Vintage Film of Brooklyn Trolleys Circa 1930s

[schizzie345]

I like the guy at 2:03. He looks like he's had a few too many Manhattans.

[EPICSKATENYC]

this is amazing, i actually got to step foot in one of those trolleys since i found one abandoned. i have two pics of it on Flickr but youtube won't let me post the links, Its so interesting to see a place I'm relatively around in such a deferent era.

flickr.com/people/j0n9292

[MooPotPie]

The Avon Theater, which opened in 1914, was torn down for a McDonald's in 1975. So much for the "great taste" if McDonald's!

[MooPotPie]

duh...I meant late 1940s! Great video!

[MooPotPie]

This is more likely early 1940s.

[cadrolls]

@MooPotPie There is a 1947 Studebaker toward the very end. That seems to be the newest car in this film.

[Angelzofblue]

its wonderful.. I hope this stays here for a very long time... Let the children of today see how it was.. I just loved this. Thank You

[gkmaster25]

Now this is really worth watching! Being that I work in the transit system (MTA). And these trolleys are not around anymore. Thank you sodadaze for the video upload!

[adelgado75]

What a shame some of the trolley lines weren't saved.

[TheListMaker1]

now this historic area is overun by filthy fucking hood rats and carribean scum.. ugh always have to ruin every culture..

[jsh020]

@TheListMaker1 its america.....it ruined its own culture

[1952kid]

Abbott and Costello could have walked around here.

[kyolym]

5th ave and 9th street , this is Park Slope Brooklyn I live about 10 minutes away

[jeepers2655]

hey i saw a 40s Studebaker in that last part!

[Jeffbear1]

I've had this and similar Brooklyn trolley tapes for several years. Shame it's of such poor quality. There are brief scenes of the Clark PCC car. I have a Brooklyn trolley VHS tape that I purchased several years ago that features sharp, clear 16mm color movies. It's actually awesome, if you can stand the awful narration. Some of the pronunciations are hilarious. Best to watch it with the sound muted. But I don't have that VHS tape in a digital format.

[TrainmasterCurt]

Oh the trams of New York! They never should have gotten rid of them, thank goodness Canada's largest City did'nt..Toronto!

[GuitarMirth]

Thank you very much for posting this! These are the trolleys that the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers (now L.A. Dodgers) got their name from.

[yuritim]

love the music!

who is that/what song?

[SkillsVor8]

woaah is the sound background with the car sounds and the voices real ? its like a time machine or something. a very nice documents

[dmc081]

wow 40's looks to peaceful

[mados123]

Awesome. You can still see the body of some those cars behind Fairway at Red Hook, by the walkway.

[DaveFromBrooklyn]

They should bring those back in the form of light rail. Anything would be better than the frigging B-41 bus.

[Handiman544]

Based on what I see, this isn't the 30s...it's the 40s

[inkey2]

I just say a post ww2 studebaker following a trolly at the end of this (starting at 3:20).....this is probably 1949.....remember, the war just ended and not many new models on the road

[Spazza40]

Great footage of a bygone era..........They look a little like the "W" class Trams still running in Melbourne Australia.................

[Occupant]

what's the music?

[cadrolls1]

Great film. It is so much better to have them here than collecting dust in the attic. Thanks for sharing. These old records of life are fascinating and will be even more so the older they become. Remember, you and I are in the pioneering stage of the Internet. People 4 thousand years from now will see these and marvel. Your great, great, great, great, great grandchildren will see these. Imagine that! The "number" who have viewed will someday hit a billion!

[ANewNormalcy]

Good, light touch with the background sound.

BTW, the Studebaker at 3:24 looks to be late '30s, maybe early '40s

[avcomth]

They're called trams! The British invented them first and it is a tram for most part of the world. Trolley huh?? yeah go to the supermarket for that.

[TrainmasterCurt]

@avcomth Yes Tram is what i use, the "Trolley" is actually the wheel running along the electric line. The British also invented the Railway and rails

[Nationsnotregimes]

There were no where as noisy and dirty as the buse's of 1945 through 2000

[cyasares]

Thanks for allowing us to see this and it is helpful to me as I dig into the family history a bit. 4 grand parents came from Ireland to NYC in the 1920s and I'm told one of my grandparents drove a trolly some time around the 1930s. I'm also told by some that he ran over a family while driving the trolly - something happened, I'm sure but I'd like to hear about accidents if anyone is aware. I understand the breaks slowed down the fatalities by 30s but can't be sure?

[wacoflyer]

Very interesting, but misdated. Judging from the passing cars, this was shot around 1948.

[cyasares]

@wacoflyer

Based on my limited exposure to autos of that era I have to speculate that the cars in the background fit with the date of 1938 but it could be wrong.

Would like to hear your views, thanks

[inkey2]

@cyasares you are correct....see my posting....judging by the "post ww2 studebaker following the trolly at the end of this clip" this has to be 1949

[doowop1942]

Thanks for the memories, I'm old enough to remember riding on the Trolleys when I was a kid..... Then they changed over to electric buses...

[alexsm5682]

Fun film!! This was probably taken right after the war since there were a couple 46, 47 or 48 Dodges and at the last there was a 47 or 48 Studebaker following the trolley.

[muppetchile]

this is really amazing , where did you get this footage?

[BiologicalUnit2380]

was audio recording possible on film like this? It doesn't appear to be authentic audio. (?)

[estelle715]

WOW! The lady w/her baby took a risk when she pushed the carriage across the street.Kinda scary!I guess drunks are drunks no matter what era u live in!LOL! I hope he didn't get run over and die!

[13abbitt]

nice transfer. I know how hard old footage is to work with.

[odog65]

@13abbitt I bet a lot harder to work with 30 to 40 years ago and probably impossiable for the average person around that time

[sparrow111260]

Marvellous!

[hallj100]

Great footage ... I used to go to the Avon Theatre when I was a kid growing up in Red Hook. Brought back memories.

[krizvasa]

I live in Central Europe and I think it is horrible what happened in US! GM are just criminals! They´ve killed streetcars which motivated people to use public transport and not to pollute city in cars! It is paradox that tram systems in Eastern Europe were saved thanks communism. People couldn´t afford cars and I´m happy thanks it! Please build more LRT and streetcars in US!

[BMT7thAvenueExpress]

well when this video was taken (1930's) it wasn't public transport, rather rapid transit. the trolley companies and most subway lines (the IND system was govt run) were privately owned until the 1940's-1950's.

[krizvasa]

It is interesting for me to compare conditions for public transport in US and my country. You have also different terminology. What is difference between public transport and rapid transit in USA? Public transport is only when it isn´t private? Or what is the difference?

[BMT7thAvenueExpress]

Well by public transport I assume you meant it was government run/owned, not necessarily what people called it. But if you read archives of news papers and pamphlets back in those days, these systems were genrally referred to as rapid trasnit until the 1940's-1950's. Once the government owned it I believe people stated calling public transport. I could be wrong about the latter, though.

[1400deadwood]

@krizvasa ~ Excellent post! We need MORE, not less, government transportation in order to reduce pollution, improve service to the public, promote safety, and access to jobs. Unfortunately, too many naive Americans allow right wingers to think for them rather than employing common sense as you Europeans do.

[TrainmasterCurt]

@1400deadwood Actually 1400deadwood, it's not right-wingers that love oil, it's the fat-cats that we never see or hear of, i am a conservative in the truest sense of the word, i think all cities should have Trams, i went to Toronto in 2009, and i loved it! My city of Winnipeg in 1955 sold out to buses and gas, which angered me, but there is hope that our Mayor will implement either a light-rail or Tram system like the glory days, we need it, electric is clean!

[1400deadwood]

@TrainmasterCurt - true, 1 or 2 libs profited from ridding our cities of trams such as Hubert Humphrey here in Minnesota. But it's mostly right wingers who profit & who prostituted our cities for oil $. These are the same traitors who started the mid east wars in order to secure the oil rigs for themselves + who are seeking to steal Venezuela's resources. The Bible tells us money is the root of all evil but that never stopped the self righteous Christian professing righties from stealing for $.

[TrainmasterCurt]

@1400deadwood Actually, the "love" of money and power is the root of all evil. And yes, those were right-wingers, but of the capitalist variety, and actually General Motors is to blame for the theft of our Tram lines

[1400deadwood]

@TrainmasterCurt - there will be a warm spot in Hades for each of them. Hopefully, all of them will find appropriate perch in that unpleasant place real soon.

[1400deadwood]

LOL at the drunk dude who was waiving at everybody.

How I wish I had a time machine or TARDIS to take me back to those days!!!

[radreader01]

I grew up on Bergen St and I do remember those trolleys

[maryjulie2]

Thanks for that very interesting video!

[Rickyrab]

Some of the trolleys wound up in Vienna, Austria after The War and became known as the "Americans" (as in American trams, etc.) Although some of those trams might have been re-assembled incorrectly (but they still worked).

[fiddlerpin]

Is that a Tucker car I see at the end of the video?

[3589546]

36,000th viewer.  Yay. Great to see my old stomping ground of Brooklyn. The beginning looks like dumbo.

[BiologicalUnit2380]

is that an actual soundtrack or overdubbed ?

[PAFAWAG1]

Do you have some vacated former trolley tracks now in NYC? :)

[Rickyrab]

I believe so. I recall seeing some in the vicinity of Fulton's Ferry landing in Brooklyn when walking up to the subway station near the Brooklyn Bridge. And there likely are plenty more buried under the city's streets...

[Turkeydoodlers]

are you sure thats from the 30's ?

i could have swore i saw a few 40's cars in there???

maybe not though

[d4seasons]

just beautiful.

[chorltonlad]

The unique Clark-built PCC pops up at 2:36!

[edwardoalvarez22]

God Bless NEW YORK CITY now and for ever. The big Apple.

[milepost53]

The Brooklyn trolleys last ran oct 31, 1956. last one inn NYC was on the 59 st bridge in 1957.

[BK2dafullist]

Look at all the "Trolley Dodgers"!

[nycfemale2008]

they look more fun than subways

[toxicMDR2]

It`s weird when you think that almost all these people in the vid are dead now.

Great times

[VintageAutos]

great footage, thanks for posting ... where did you get the traffic sounds?

[vidjoguy]

Comment 2: I rode those cars into Maspeth, where they joined with cars coming from LaGuardia field along Junction Blvd. In fact, I guess that's why it was called Junction Blvd. Boy, what I'd give for a ride on them today! In the '50's there was one stored on Staten Island, where I photo'd it, though it was then in the NYC green and sliver livery...not the beloved maroon and cream

[vidjoguy]

Comment 1: Loved it. I used to live i Flushing (Queens), end of the line for the Flushing-Ridgewood line (also B&QT). We had the same cars, tho they went around a loop in Flushing (Main St.) so not all cars were double-ended...had single-ended cars too. They used to pass in front of the old Prospect movie theater on Main St. .

[chem100]

I wasn't there then; but I can safely say (just from watching this) that those days were better.

[dreambuilders48808]

Very Nice video. I love these old films!

[teapotblessings]

WONDERFUL VID.....thanks so much for sharing that, to bad we can't go back to that right now it would be nice (but I know not practical)...some may say those were the days.

[TeddyM70]

Great film-I think there was a trolley that went along Smith St. & also possibly on Sackett St. . I lived them in the forties and fifties.

I remember a young girl being run over by the trolley and she had to have her leg amputated. Also, boys used to "hitch" rides on the back of them-by brother fell off once and was brought home by the police. Last "hitch" he ever made.

[theshadow1932]

What make was the car that appears around 3:22? It looks awfully streamlined for 1938. I could swear that it's a post-war Lowey Studebaker.

Norm

[madercic3aolcom]

Good eye. You're right. Definitely a post war Studebaker. I think it's spelled "Loewy" though. Love his work on the P.R.R. locos too.:)

[TheVintageVault]

As much as possible back then was streamlined.The 'ford Zephyr' for instance.

Sir Dennis burney (a famous airship builder) created a famous streamlined car in 1930 which was very aerodynamic.

You should also check out on google images a picture of a '1930s streamlined van, Wembley, London, 1930's' its very streamlined and kinda scary!

[sochocki]

It a 1947-1949 Studebaker Starlight Coupe. Can't tell the exact year from the back. Same design as the more famous "bullet nose" of 1950 & 51.

[sochocki]

Correction...it's a 2 door sedan, not a coupe.

[boazrg]

You're right! Our neighbors owned a Studebaker coupe like that when I was in grammar school.

[prausch65]

Indeed, the trolley was an environmentally safe mode of transit in early 20 th century New York.

But with population growth and the rise of the automobile, its lack of maneuverability and slowness was quite impractical for today.

[solarvegan]

That there was sound made me feel as if I really were there, that I traveled back in time. Fantastic! Thank you for this!

[HarborGuy]

A lot better than the busses. With today's fuel prices and more ridership up I wish they had them still. $1.50 for fare now, I am sure the streetcars were/would be less expensive.

[DussinMyPih]

$1.50 for a fare? where do you live? lol the fare has been $2.00 for a very long time now. and they're even thinking of raising it to $2.25 pretty soon.

[darthjohn0]

Thanks for the vid...where do you "purchase" these old films?

[WolfArden44]

WOW.This is so cool.

[rocsthedog]

agree with you there, very enjoyable

[cuonyt]

Ive lived here since 1964! Thank you for providing my family the opportunity to literally look back further in time.

[katybrewer1]

ooooo, I love it. Thank you for sharing this. Awesome

[PAFAWAG1]

What happened to the PCC numbered #1000? Was it scrapped or it's still alive?

[PAFAWAG1]

Are Brooklyn's trolley lines going to be rebuilt??

[cha5]

I really wish they could be rebuilt but with the way NYC

is handling their current public transportation and traffic problems

I doubt rebuilding the NY trolley system is something that's very high on mayor Bloomberg's list right now.

[MarioOhlert]

Dear ch.,

The only problemo is the excessive number of people in the world.

.

Were the population of the world at ninteen-thirties levels nowadays, there would be no motor traffic congestion and a lot less of longing for solutions to problems.

Cheers.

from,

del-boy.

[cha5]

Yeah well sadly we have to deal with the world that we have now, Sorry but I've never had all that high a regard

toward Malthusian solutions for the worlds woes that will solve everything.

[JeffOrnstein01]

PCC # 1000 (great rare video of it) appears to be wearing the silver and green paint scheme, which would date some of the video later than 1938.

[HarborGuy]

Thanks for sharing wish we still had them...Some cities San Francisco, Seattle and others still use them  They never wore out and were fuel efficient. Fare was 5 cents..

[IanHunedoara8]

I remember as a small child how the overhead wires would spark.

[b5b9]

Thanks for the great footage of Brooklyn. Some of it may be as late as 1950. At 3 minutes 21 seconds, a 1949-51 Chevrolet or Studebaker is seen following the streetcar as two ladies cross the street in front of the camera.

[boazrg]

Yes, it's a Studebaker coupe. Our neighbors owned one when I was in grammar school. Judging by this car in the picture and the PCC trolley, I would say this film is around 1950.

[Joyriser]

Aaaaaaah the 1930s! Quite a few of us will be heading back to these times.This time we will be waving our i phones at the pawnbroker hoping for food!

[yankeegwagen]

Excellent!

[brocczz]

Knocked me out...it looked essentially the same in the 50's. I rememeber the trolley buses on Bergan where I got off the IRT crossing Flatbush as late as 1958. The Building is the Wialliamsbug Bank.

[1947Desoto]

Judging by the cars, this is definitly before or during WWII, but no earlier than 1939.

[thomasuras]

how do you account for the 40's cars in the pic?

[1947Desoto]

If you look at the body styles from the back of the cars at 1:22 to 1:30, you can tell that those are 1940's cars.

[1947Desoto]

I can tell by the styles. But I take back my last statement. This is postwar footage, at 3:23 you can see a 47-49 Studebaker.

[thomasuras]

I miss read ur statment i was thinking no later than 1939 but i do see the mid 40's

[chaikosher]

fantastic, i recognized flatbush ave, great shot of the tallest building in Brooklyn

[Skywalker567]

Thank you for this footage! I am in my mid-thirties but I simply love any photos or videos of vintage Brooklyn. Thank you for sharing. If you have any more footage, especially of old Bay Ridge, please post. Thanks!

[Skywalker567]

Wow! I'm in my mid-thirties but I absolutely love any video or photos of vintage Brooklyn. If you have any additional footage, please, please share, especially the Bay Ridge area. Thanks!

[delgadop197a]

At 0:21 of the video could that be the foot of atlantic avenue where the current B-63 terminates its run?

[Vitalyzator]

WOW! Fascinating film!

At 01:56, one can see double wires. What are they? Trolleybus wires?

[bigcity233]

YES! - certain trolley lines were converted to trolley bus lines in the late 40's when this video was originally filmed. Most trolley car lines were converted to regular diesel bus lines in Brooklyn.

[Philly1330]

haha what was up with that weirdo at 2:03, was he on drugs or something

[bas1010]

He looks like he is pointing with his middle finger and yelling "f@ck off!", then waves to an imaginary friend, then slips on the ice. My guess is he was either a drunk or schizophrenic. Maybe someone with some clinical experience can chime in...

[Gwynarra]

a crazy person on the street in New York? No way. lol

[milan1859]

Some of this was shot around 1948. The PCCs passing by were in the Board of Transportation silver/green, and there was trolley coach overhead,, too. Trolley coaches started in downtown Brooklyn in 1848.

Milantram

[vibra64]

WOW. Does that bring back memories. I used to live on 24 St and 4th Ave in Brooklyn, NY. I grew up there. I recognize the surrondings in the video at 9th St and 5th ave!! My mom would always shop on Saturdays. We walked from 24st and 5th ave to 9th St and 5th ave and back. Any more videos of that area? Thanks for this video!!!

[bigcity233]

My older relatives remember the 9th St and

5th Ave area as an Italian and Polish area back in the '40's. I think there was a movie theater on Ninth St just east of 5th Ave.

[jacobdev]

Great video...thanks for sharing. If only the shots at Bergen were shot from the other side of the street so that we could see some vintage O'Connor's shots as well.

[adriennenajjar]

Thanks. At 2:30 into the film I noticed the Avon theater. I can't tell you how many movies I saw there for 25 cent a pop. Double features, cartoons, and loony matrons.

[adelgado75]

thanks for posting this. Why did LaGuardia hate trolleys and EL's? I bet he got some big money from the auto industry to phase out trolleys so the city would buy buses. LaGuardia is hailed as one of the greatest mayors of NYC but it shows how shortsighted he was. Rather than thinking of future generations he only thought, as most politicians, about the short-term rewards for himself.

[prausch65]

Indeed, and the 3 rd ave el still has not been replaced, no wonder why he was called "The Little Flower".

[cadrolls1]

@adelgado75 He did. G.M. payed MILLIONS of dollars to each city to eliminate the trolley system so as to sell its cars. You can find that information on the Internet.

[melongrabb]

What a brilliant piece of film , love to see old trolley stuff.

[sodadaze]

Thanks!

[eriswen]

Brooklyn is sure different now. Funny how all over the US trolley lines were removed, and now a lot of cities are bringing them back.

[ouaoua5]

Help me. How can I numerise my old 16M?

[optix110]

great video keep em comin.

[AdnanAMAN1980]

This is an awesome movie... Really enjoy stuff about old Brooklyn.

[jflundy]

The movie was shot in 1948. The element that dates it is the twin trolley wire on Bergen Street at 5th Avenue. 1948 was the year trolleys were replaced on Bergen with electric buses which required a hot wire and a ground wire. Streetcars used the track as the ground return. Trolley buses lasted on Bergen until about 1960. Fifth Avenue had an elevated train line until 1941 which precludes the 1930's date as does the clothing on the people.

[bigcity233]

jflundy, I totally agree with your comments above -as

a student of Brooklyn history and former resident. I remember oldtimers talked about the EL on Fifth Ave - which was part of the Culver Line (now the F train).

Mayor Laguardia did not like trolley cars or els. By the time this film clip was made ('48) there were no trolleys in Manhattan and the conversion to buses in the boros was in full swing.

[smurfswacker]

Fascinating! I think the footage is a little newer than the 1930s, though, because that's definitely a postwar Studebaker (1947?) following the trolley in the last scene.

[musicom67]

Nice nutcase at 2:06

[sodadaze]

Thank you. It wouldn't be new york city without a nut case!

[fumetune]

Great! The music dropped out on mine, however.