Olympia’s Streetcar Service Suspended
The city’s 'bob-tail' line has ceased operations following a sale to the Olympia Light and Power Company, leaving residents without transit until electric service begins.
The familiar rumble of the wheels of No. 4, of Coal Savage’s bob-tail line will be heard no more. The sale of the track to the Olympia Light and Power company has resulted in the withdrawal of that notable car from further use on the line, and thus Olympia is without a street car service. But this state of affairs will not last long, for it is estimated that within seventy days electric cars will be running between this city and Tumwater.
“The familiar rumble of the wheels of No. 4, of Coal Savage’s bob-tail line will be heard no more.”
The transition from horse-drawn 'bob-tail' cars to electric transit in 1892 mirrors the city's ongoing struggle to modernize its public transportation infrastructure. Today, Olympia continues to debate the expansion of transit lines to connect its growing urban core with surrounding areas like Tumwater.
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