How J.G. Brill Built America’s Streetcars And Lost Everything

J.G. Brill once built the streetcars that moved America’s cities. From Philadelphia to Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, and New Orleans, its electric cars carried millions of people through the streets long before highways and buses took over. But Brill’s machines did not disappear because they were weak or outdated. They were durable, efficient, and perfectly suited for dense urban life. What destroyed them was a new transportation economy built around asphalt, diesel buses, and the private automobile. This is the story of how America forgot the streetcar giant that once built its cities. #JGBrill #StreetcarHistory #TransitHistory