Chautauqua Traction Cars

The Chautauqua Traction Company had a relatively small fleet of electric interurban cars that ran along the western side of Chautauqua Lake from Jamestown to Mayville and Westfield.

The railroad submitted yearly reports to the New York State Railroad Commissioners with information about its condition, including the number of cars it operated as of June 30th.

• 1904: seven interurban passenger cars, one combination passenger-express car, and one mail, express and freight car.
• 1905: seven interurban passenger cars, one combination passenger-express car, two mail, express and freight cars, a rotary snow plow, and a sweeper car.
• 1906: seven interurban passenger cars, one combination passenger-express car, two mail, express and freight cars, a rotary snow plow, and a sweeper car.
• 1909: five closed cars (60 passengers), four open cars (80 passengers), four semi-convertible cars (44 passengers), one combination car (24 passengers), two semi-convertible cars (53 passengers), and three mail, baggage and express cars.

A 1903 article talks about the car produced for the company by the J. G. Brill Company. The article describes the cars as being black with green lines and gold lettering.

Photographs