Cleveland and Its Streetcars takes the reader back to when railway cars dominated the local street scene. The book focuses on the era of 1910–1954, from the time that Cleveland Railway Company took over operation of the consolidated streetcar lines to the day that the last streetcar rumbled over the city’s streets. Cleveland’s trailer trains, articulated cars, and its Peter Witt car model were widely admired by the nation, and the streetcar reigned supreme through the end of World War II. In 1942, the Cleveland Transit System (CTS) took over the streetcar lines, and eager to "modernize" its fleet, it decided to replace the streetcars with buses, trackless trolleys, and a crosstown rapid transit line. After the end of the war, in May 1945, the first post-war conversion took place. Then the pace of replacing the streetcars with rubber-tired vehicles quickened. By 1954, the task was complete. This book, with over 200 photographs, documents this changing Cleveland scene―when a wonderful era in transportation flourished and then, sadly, disappeared.

Cleveland and Its Streetcars

Arts & Photography

James A. Toman

James R. Spangler

Photography & Video

Arcadia Publishing

A Shaker Rapid Album is a pictorial history of the rapid transit cars that have carried passengers between downtown Cleveland and suburban Shaker Heights. Drawing on their extensive collections of Shaker Rapid photos, co-authors Jim Toman and Jim Spangler trace the different kinds of cars used on the line since 1920, from the 1200-series center-entrance fleet, through the colorful PCC car era, to the current fleet of Breda LRVs which have operated the line since 1982. Each photo section is preceded by a short essay giving the basic history of the various fleets. The photo selection covers the two branches of the Shaker line from its outer terminals at Green and Warrensville-Center roads, through Shaker Square, to the Cleveland Union Terminal station, on to the 1996 Waterfront extension, and many stops in between. The album shows the cars in all kinds of weather and in many different paint schemes. A Shaker Rapid Album contains 173 photos in all, with a 16-page center spread in full color. The "rapid" made the development of Shaker Heights possible, and it continues to be one of the most distinctive features identifying that classic Greater Cleveland suburb.

A Shaker Rapid Album

Cleveland Landmarks Press, Inc.

Vintage Cleveland (Photographs of Yesteryear)

Cleveland was a dynamic leader in many areas at the start of the 20th Century. One such pace-setting sector was its street railway system whose lines crisscrossed the city. Perhaps its most significant contribution to public transportation came in 1915 with the invention of the Car Rider s Car, designed by Cleveland Street Railway Commissioner Peter Witt.

The Peter Witt Streetcars of Cleveland

Vintage Cleveland II makes a return visit to historic Cleveland. Its 120 photos review an ever-changing downtown, the twists and turns of the Cuyahoga River, and the bridges bind the city together. It explores the city's former grand hotels and favorite restaurants, its vanished movie theatres, and the supermarkets of the past. It flies over the city's airports, and takes a nostalgic look at the Great Lakes Exposition that drew millions to the lakefront in 1936-1937. It is sure to revive fond memories of a fading past.

Vintage Cleveland II: More Photographs of Yesteryear

Gregory G. Deegan

Daniel J. Cook

From its 1860 founding as a modest dry goods emporium to its heyday as Cleveland's premier department store, The Higbee Company became indelibly embedded in Cleveland consciousness. Decades of intriguing promotions, sparkling events in the store's 10th floor community spaces, and distinctive dining in The Silver Grille made the Higbee experience memorable. That same classic Higbee energy is still alive, but today it is centered on the beautiful Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, the building's newest tenant. For over 80 years Clevelanders have been drawn to the Higbee Building, a fixture in the heart of a great city. Relive the memories of years past, and learn about a key piece of downtown Cleveland's newest renaissance.

A Higbee History: From Designer Labels to Casino Tables

JAY MILLER

Richard E. Karberg

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by James A. Toman. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.