Twin City Rapid Transit Company

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Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT) operated the streetcar and local bus common carrier system in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area from the 1890s until 1970. For many years the TCRT corporate umbrella included four operating subsidiaries which functioned as a unified transportation system: Minneapolis Street Railway Company, the St. Paul City Railway Company, Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company, and the Twin City Motor Bus Company. Other TCRT subsidiaries included the Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company, Rapid Transit Real Estate Corporation, and the Transit Supply Company. The Minneapolis Street Railway Company (MSR) and the St. Paul City Railway Company (SPCR) began continuous service in the 1870s as horsecar carriers. In 1886 the two properties began to operate under a single group of owners when Minneapolis businessman Thomas Lowry and his associates gained control of both. Electrification of the horsecar lines began in Minneapolis in 1889 and in St. Paul in 1890.

The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (a New Jersey corporation) was incorporated in 1891 as a holding company, with the MSR and the SPCR as wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. The TCRT was succeeded in 1939 by a new Minnesota corporation of the same name. A management change in 1949 brought New York financier Charles Green to the presidency of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company. Green and his associates decided to abandon the streetcar lines and convert to buses as quickly as possible, apparently in order to maximize their short-term profit. The company's entire streetcar fleet was scrapped and replaced by buses in an aggressive conversion plan completed in 1954 under TCRT president Fred A. Ossanna, a former associate of Green's who managed to oust him in 1951. Ossanna and four of his associates were convicted in 1960 of defrauding the TCRT of company assets, including scrap metal and real estate, during the conversion. Twin City Rapid Transit Company changed its name in 1962 to Minnesota Enterprises Incorporated, and in 1970 this firm became MEI Corporation. MEI left the transit business in 1970 with the takeover of its Twin City Lines subsidiary by the Twin Cities Area Metropolitan Transit Commission, an agency created by the Minnesota Legislature and charged with maintaining and improving public mass transit in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

From the guide to the Corporate records., 1872-2001 (bulk 1890-1965)., (Minnesota Historical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn MacKinnon, George E., 1906-1995. George E. MacKinnon Papers, 1927-1995. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Pamphlets relating to street railroads in Minnesota, 1887- Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Ause, John. Nicollet Car Station, 1911, Twin Cities [i.e. City] Rapid Transit, Minneapolis / John Ause. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Metropolitan Transit Commission. Twin City Lines v. Metropolitan Transit Commission, et al., [ca.1960]-1975. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Metropolitan Transit Commission. Labor contracts, 1934-1981. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Tuckey, Edson Newton, 1869-. An historical account of the street railways of Minneapolis and St. Paul, [undated]. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn George E. MacKinnon papers., 1927-1995. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Corporate records., 1872-2001 (bulk 1890-1965). Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Olson, Russell L. Street railway research files, 1881-1996. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Twin City Rapid Transit Company. Corporate records, 1872-2001 (bulk 1890-1965). Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Metropolitan Transit Commission. Published records and reports, 1958-1995. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Metropolitan Transit Commission. Subject files regarding the Twin City Lines, 1959-1977. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Ause, John. person
associatedWith Duluth-Superior Traction Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Duluth-Superior Traction Company. corporateBody
associatedWith MacKinnon, George E., 1906-1995. person
associatedWith MEI Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Metropolitan Transit Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Minneapolis Anoka and Cuyuna Range Railway Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Minneapolis Anoka and Cuyuna Range Railway Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Minneapolis Street Railway Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota Enterprises Incorporated. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Olson, Russell L. person
associatedWith Rapid Transit Real Estate Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith St. Paul City Railway Company (Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith St. Paul Railway Company (Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith Transit Supply Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Tuckey, Edson Newton, 1869- person
associatedWith Twin City Lines (Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith Twin City Lines (Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith Twin City Motor Bus Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Twin City Motor Bus Company. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Minnesota
Minnesota--Saint Paul
Twin Cities Metropolitan Area
Minnesota--Minneapolis
Minnesota--Twin Cities Metropolitan Area
Subject
Architectural drawings
Bus lines
Bus lines
Electric railroads
Electric railroads
Horse railroads
Horse railroads
Local transit
Local transit
Local transit
Pensions
Pensions
Street-railroads
Street-railroads
Street-railroads
Trolley cars
Trolley cars
Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minn.)
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1881

Active 1996

Information

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