Urban Rail Passenger Transport in the
United States of America
These pages deal with the contiguous
United States of America, namely 48 states and the District of
Columbia. For the remaining states, and other areas of particular
railway interest, see the Main Index.
The railways covered on this page are devoted to the large scale
movement of passengers, generally within major conurbations. A number
of different types of system come into this category:
- Traditional Street Running Tramways, known as trolleys or
streetcars: most of these are systems that have been in
operation since the early 20th century. Many cities had such a system
at one time though few now remain in operation. Of those that remain,
some have lost their mass transport function and now operate mainly
as tourist attractions. These are included in the Tourist
Railways pages. Other examples still retain that essential transport
role and are listed here.
- Modern Tramway Systems: usually known as light rail transit,
these are purpose built systems with tram-like characteristics, which
may or may not include on-street running.
- Heavy Rail Metro: rail systems with high capacity dedicated tracks,
generally serving densely populated areas. Long established systems may
be underground (Subway) or overhead (Elevated or
"El"). Newer systems tend to be underground and are usually
referred to as rapid transit. All the systems may closely
resemble conventional surface level rail lines in suburban areas.
- Other modes: specialist systems such as funiculars, monorails, and
so on.
The various systems are listed here by the principal cities that they
serve.
- Atlanta GA
- MARTA
modern heavy rail metro and proposed light rail transit with street
running
- Baltimore MD
- Boston MA
- MBTA Subway heavy rail metro first opened in
the 19th century
- Buffalo NY
- NFTA Metro Rail light rail transit with street
running, elevated and underground sections
- Charlotte NC
- Lynx
light rail transit, mainly on segregated tracks following a former rail
route
- Chicago IL
- CTA
heavy rail metro with origins in the 19th century, much modernised
and extended, with elevated, underground and surface level sections.
The heart of the system is The Loop, an elevated circuit of track
in downtown Chicago. The colloquial name "El" or "L" is often applied
to entire system (not just the elevated sections)
- Cincinnati OH
- Clearwater FL
- Cleveland OH
- RTA
Rapid Transit a heavy rail metro surface line and light rail
lines running on segregated tracks. The light rail lines share the
heavy rail line for part of their route. The website also refers to
a trolley service, but this is actually operated by small buses
- Dallas TX
- DART Rail light rail transit with street running
- Denver CO
- RTD
light rail transit with street running
- Detroit MI
- Houston TX
- Indianapolis IN
- IU Health People Mover monorail connecting the Methodist,
University and Riley Hospital sites. Operated by IU Health (Website contains no
details of people mover)
- Irving TX
- Jacksonville FL
- Skyway monorail. The website also refers to a
trolley service, but this is actually operated by road vehicles
built to resemble trolley cars
- Jersey City NJ
- Las Vegas NV
- Little Rock AR
- River Rail tramway system using replica streetcars
- Los Angeles CA
- Metro Rail light rail transit primarily on
segregated tracks (Blue, Green and Gold Lines) and underground metro
(Red and Purple Lines)
- Memphis TN
- MATA heritage tram system that also performs
an essential public transport service
- Miami FL
- Metrorail light rail transit primarily on
segregated, elevated tracks
- Minneapolis - St Paul MN
- Morganstown WV
- West Virginia University PRT Personal Rapid
Transit System connecting downtown Morganstown with the various
University campuses. Primarily for the use of students and staff
but can be visited and toured by members of the public by prior
arrangement
- Newark NJ
- PATH modern heavy rail metro linking New York
and New Jersey
- Newark Light Rail light rail transit with street
running
- AirTrain Newark monorail linking Newark Liberty
International Airport with rail station (for Amtrak and commuter
services)
- New Orleans LA
- NORTA
traditional street running trams (streetcars)
- New York NY
- New York City Subway heavy rail metro, the first
sections of which opened in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Although known as the "Subway", it includes elevated and surface
level sections as well as underground
- PATH modern heavy rail metro linking New York
and New Jersey
- Staten Island Railway heavy rail metro using
a former railroad right of way on Staten Island
- Airtrain JFK people mover system linking the
various terminals of JFK airport and connecting with the New York
City Subway and the Long Island Railroad commuter system
- Norfolk VA
- The Tide light rail transit with some street running
and shared tracks with heavy rail freight service operated by Norfolk
Southern
- Oceanside CA
- Sprinter light
rail transit on tracks shared with heavy rail freight service operated
by BNSF
- Philadelphia PA
- SEPTA
heavy rail metro and trolleys
- PATCO
heavy rail metro line, mostly at surface level, linking Philadelphia
with Lindenwold NJ
- Pittsburgh PA
- PAT
light rail transit with street running
- Phoenix AZ
- Valley Metro light rail transit with street
running in dedicated traffic lanes
- Portland OR
- Providence RI
- RIPTA proposed
tram system (When last checked website contained few details
of proposals)
- Sacramento CA
- Saint Louis MO & IL
- Metrolink
light rail transit on segregated tracks
- Salt Lake City UT
- UTA Trax
light rail transit with street running
- San Antonio TX
- San Diego CA
- San Diego
Trolley light rail transit with street running, unusually operating
under the traditional name of "Trolley". Some of the tracks are shared
with freight operator San Diego & Imperial Valley.
- San Francisco CA
- San Jose CA
- VTA light rail
transit with some street running
- Seattle WA
- Tacoma WA
- Tampa FL
- Trenton NJ to Camden NJ
- Tucson AZ
- Washington DC
- Metrorail
modern heavy rail metro
- DC Streetcar proposed trams
- The US Capitol has its own subway system with three
lines connecting the Capitol building to nearby office facilities. These
are normally only accessible to the general public as part of a guided
tour (Unofficial website)
