Two medium-size city streetcar systems and the high-speed interurban which connected them are the subject of Ed Miller's superb motion picture camerawork. He began shooting just after World War II, and continued through the end of service, including scenes of track removal and car scrapping.
Shown are Wilkes-Barre's last 5 lines (several of the lines had extensive segments of private right-of-way, giving them a semi-interurban character), the Laurel Line's fast mainline from Scranton to Wilkes-Barre and the freight-only branch to Minooka, and Scranton's last 8 city routes, which feature a variety of cars including the Osgood-Bradley Electromobiles.
Ed had a knack for "context," for standing back far enough so you see not only the passing car, but the total environment in which it ran. Ed Miller's Anthracite Traction is thus not only a fascinating documentation of three long-gone electric lines, but a window back in time to the period when signs everywhere were welcoming "our boys" back home. About half color.
The DVD version has a total of 4 alternate audio mixes.
59 minutes
Other Pennsylvania trolley titles:
A portion of the Laurel Line has been reopened and is operated by the Electric City Trolley Museum.