Manila’s Tram System
TRANSIT TRIVIA
During the American colonial period (1899-1946), Manila’s Tram System was expanded and upgraded even further.
The Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company (MERALCO) bought new electric trams. New tram lines were built all over Manila, with extensions outside of the city, such as those going to Pasig and Pasay.
The 1920s saw the peak of Manila’s tranvia system. The tram network helped in making the city grow, connecting neighborhoods, suburbs and towns.
in 1925, it had 52 miles of track and 173 cars, which in that year ferried 35.1 million commuters, in a city with a population of 365,700.
However, the rise of the automobile in the 1930s and competition from MERALCO’s new autobuses signaled the start of the tram’s decline. The Battle of Manila during the Second World War, dealt the killing blow to Manila’s tram system, which at a time was one of the best in Asia.
The start of American rule heralded a new period for Manila’s tram and transit system. Under the management of the Manila Electric Railroad and Lights Company, later Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), the trams were modernized and the tram routes were expanded. By the start of the 1930s, Manila’s tram system was one of the best in Southeast Asia.
Read more about Manila’s tram system by following the link below to our Manila Weekly article: The Trams of Manila. https://renacimientomanila.org/2021/11/the-trams-of-manila/
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