Milwaukee Electric & Light

Company History: The TMER&L (yes, for some reason “The” was included in the reporting marks) was established in 1896 with the re-organization of the Milwaukee Street Railway. Lines radiated from the city of Milwaukee to Watertown, Sheboygan, East Troy, Burlington, and Kenosha with a total of 191 miles of route. The line was electrified with 600 volt DC trolley wire. The Golden Age of Traction ended in the mid-1920’s when automobile ownership began making serious inroads. Traffic slumped further during the Great Depression. In 1938, the electricity generating business and the railway were separated into two companies. Traffic rallied during the war, then fell again right after. The railway was sold to Kenosha Motor Coach Lines in 1945. Abandonments begun during the Depression, resumed. The Waukesha interurban business was sold in 1949 and became the short-lived Milwaukee Rapid Transit & Speedrail. In 1952, the railway was sold again and became the Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corporation. Streetcar service ended under that company in 1958.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.