Winnipeg Street Car Electrification

Winnipeg Street Car History

The volunteers who worked on the restoration of one of the last remaining street cars from Winnipeg's original street car network created a website called Winnipegstreetcar.com. The website is a good reference for those interested in learning more about the history of the network and the preservation work on Street Car No. 356.

The website hosts a retrospective film which describes Winnipeg's streetcar development and ultimate demise. The story describes the evolution of Winnipeg streetcar services after the Canadian Pacific Railway crossed the Red River over the Louise Bridge to signal that Winnipeg was going to be a major center.

The story begins with horse drawn streetcars and describes how entrepreneur Albert Austin developed the first electrified segment on River Avenue on the south side of the Assiniboine River. That first electrified segment led to the growth of Winnipeg's first subdivision which spurred more adjacent development.

The City of Winnipeg then looked to expand the network on to Main Street which resulted in another company formed from CPR railway contractors who won the bid.

The film is a well researched with archival photos and old film footage. The film was originally commissioned for Television Broadcast by MTS Cable, Backtracks was screened to an appreciative audience at Cinemateque, Winnipeg.

Produced by NEW PROJECTS INC. 2010 Directed by JEFF MCKAY & BETH AZORE running time: approx 30 minutes

Check it out here. Backtracks: The Story of Winnipeg’s Streetcars - https://vimeo.com/65838380?fl=pl&fe=sh