The History of AMTRAN
Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway Company
The history of public transportation in Blair County spans almost 150 years. On July 4, 1882, the first public transportation system for the City of Altoona began operation. With an initial capital of $40,000, the "City Passenger Railway Company of Altoona, PA" commenced business with 18 horse-drawn cars. These horse cars were operated from a car barn and stable at First Street. The route traveled down Chestnut Avenue and Eleventh Avenue, across from the 17th Street Bridge, and up Eighth Avenue to Seventh Street, covering a 3.5-mile trip that required 72 minutes.
Due to the high costs associated with feeding and caring for the horses, the mode of power was switched to electric in 1891. The Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway Company (A&LVER) was established with 18 electric streetcars. The advent of electric cars facilitated the development of suburban properties. Customers no longer needed to live within walking distance of their jobs.
Growth
During this period, the company experienced sustained growth that continued for 40 years. By 1893, smaller companies had emerged to provide service in Hollidaysburg, Bellwood, and Tyrone, expanding the trackage to nearly 20 miles.
In 1894, the A&LVER developed Lakemont Park to encourage weekend ridership. At that time, motormen and conductors earned about 12.5 cents an hour.
With the construction of a route along Sixth Avenue to 58th Street in the Eldorado neighborhood in 1906, the Altoona streetcar system was completed. The line comprised nearly 54 miles of track, mostly single-tracked with passing sidings, but with double track on the main route from Hollidaysburg through Altoona's Central Business District and on to Juniata. Much of this route was on private right-of-way with both tracks on the same side of the road.
Merger and More Growth
By 1907, several smaller companies merged with the A&LVER. The "other railroad," as they were nicknamed, had a total of 91 cars. Within 10 years, demand for service had grown to the point that customer stops were made every five minutes from 5:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. As ridership increased, so did the number of employees, cars, and buildings. Most of the property was located along Sixth Avenue in Altoona next to Mansion Park Stadium, where operations still are today. By 1918, the tracks spanned 55 miles, operated 105 streetcars, and another 14 trailer cars.
The company's growth significantly influenced the development of Altoona. Due to the availability of streetcar service, the City of Altoona was able to develop areas around Logan Boulevard, Mansion Park, Pleasant Valley Boulevard, and Plank Road. The Altoona Suburban Company, Inc. promoted residential properties in the suburbs that had access to public transportation.
In June 1923, the A&LVER incorporated to become the Logan Valley Bus Company. One month later, the first bus ran on the Pleasant Valley route. The fare for a railway car was seven cents, while the fee for the bus was ten cents. During this period, employees of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) were the company's major customers. Hundreds of employees arriving for work would depart from the buses, while railroad workers completing their shift would crowd onto the buses and head home. Because the PRR shops worked around the clock, the street railway provided all-night service: once an hour to Hollidaysburg, once an hour on an Eldorado-East Juniata route that only ran at night, and once every 90 minutes to Tyrone. There was another special night owl car designated "City Night Car via Juniata" that ran every 40 minutes.
By the 1930s, several factors, including the advancement of the automobile, severely impacted the company. By 1934, the number of streetcars decreased to 67. In 1937, the company lost the Bellwood route when a flood destroyed a bridge on that line.
WW II Comeback
The company made a strong comeback in the early 1940’s due to the outbreak of World War II. Gas rationing and the heavy wartime demands on the Pennsylvania Railroad's construction and repair plant brought unprecedented ridership. In 1946, more than 15 million passengers were carried. In 1943, the few hundred shareholders received a dividend of $5 per share, the largest ever paid by the company. However, by 1950, ridership again declined as automobiles and gasoline became plentiful.
After 63 years of service, the Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway's last streetcar run occurred on August 7, 1954. In December 1956, the company announced that it had filed with the Public Utilities Commission to terminate bus service and cease operations on March 31, 1957, due to ongoing operating losses.
AMTRAN
To protect the public interest, on May 27, 1958, the City of Altoona and Logan Township joined together to create the first public transportation authority in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the "Transportation & Motor Buses for Public Use Authority." This new authority took over the public bus operation from the Logan Valley on November 1, 1959. From 1958 through 1977, the authority was generally known as the Altoona & Logan Valley Bus Authority. In 1977, the bus authority adopted the business name of AMTRAN (for Altoona Metro Transit).
Over the years, AMTRAN has purchased and restored some of the original buildings of the Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway, which now serve as their operations, maintenance, and administrative facilities along 5th Avenue.
AMTRAN will soon celebrate its 70th Anniversary (1958-2028) as the first public transportation authority in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Today, AMTRAN carries 500,000 people a year.