Millersville students seek out downtown Lancaster for everything from jobs to recreation, and can catch Red Rose Transit Authority’s route 16 bus or take a 15 minute drive into the city. It was not always like this, though.
Trolley service first began in Lancaster in 1874, when a stagecoach was replaced with a horse-drawn streetcar. The primary purpose of the line was to transport students to and from Millersville Normal School, now Millersville University, and downtown Lancaster.
The Lancaster to Millersville trolley departed from the Brunswick Hotel, traveled along Manor Street, and ended at the corner of South George and West Frederick street. Trolleys were also stored and serviced a few blocks away at 143 West Fredrick street.
The line was electrified in 1891. The Conestoga Traction Company, who ran this line, operated trolleys throughout Lancaster County. At the height of service in 1913, the Conestoga Traction Company served 12 million passengers annually.
By 1917, 38 different trolley companies were serving southeastern Pennsylvania. One of the companies also serving Millersville was the Lancaster & York Furnace Street Railway Company. Known locally as the “Pequea Trolley,” it first began operation in December 1903, and was 12.5 miles long.
The Pequea Trolley was used by Millersville students during warm months, allowing them to ride in open cars, and traveling to Pequea for leisure activities such as boat races and swimming. While the line was popular during the summer, it was not enough to sustain the company during the offseason. The operation was never a financial success for the Lancaster & York Furnace Street Railway Company, and the company’s last car ran on Oct. 15, 1930.
The Lancaster & York Furnace Street Railway Company was the beginning of the end for trolleys in Lancaster county. The Conestoga Traction Company reorganized as the Conestoga Transportation Company on Dec. 4, 1931 to include the service of buses. The company later became the Red Rose Transit Authority in 1976, a company that still provides services throughout Lancaster County today.
Remnants of past trolley systems are scattered throughout Lancaster county, two of which are located near Millersville University. One remnant is still standing along Route 999 in Millersville, where one of the past trolley shelters has remained intact, and even serves as a bus stop for the Red Rose Transit Authority. The other is the old trolley carbarn, which still remains on West Fredrick street.
