Stamford Street Railroad

The Stamford Street Railroad Company, often shorted to the Stamford Company, was a street railway company serving Stamford, Connecticut. It began in 1886 as the Stamford Horse Railroad Company, and operated independently for nearly a decade until it was acquired by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1895. It was then acquired by the Consolidated Railway Company (renamed the Connecticut Company shortly thereafter) on September 26, 1905. The Connecticut Company continued to operate streetcars in Stamford until November 1933.

Stamford Horse Railroad Company
Starting in 1866, there had been discussions about creating a horse-drawn streetcar company to service Stamford, Connecticut. A charter for such a company was secured in 1870, but it expired before any plans could be made.

A new charter such a service was licensed in 1886, creating the Stamford Horse Railroad Company. Beginning on January 31, 1887, horse-drawn streetcars began running in Stamford.

During its early days, the Stamford Company lost money, and had numerous disputes with the Borough of Stamford.

The Stamford Horse Railroad Company went bankrupt in December 1888.

Stamford Street Railroad Company
Following its bankruptcy, the Stamford Horse Railroad Company underwent a period of reorganization. As part of the reorganization, the company was sold, and the Connecticut General Assembly approved its use of electricity to power its cars. The Stamford Horse Railroad Company was reorganized as the Stamford Street Railroad Company in 1889. Despite its name change, the Stamford Company continued to run horse-drawn streetcars into the early 1890s.

As a subsidiary
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad acquired a controlling stake in the Stamford Street Railroad Company on or about April 1, 1895.

Around the time of its acquisition by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, the Stamford Company was in an unfavorable financial condition, and incurred a deficit of $27,381.88, per report filed on September 30, 1895. In the years following its acquisition, the New Haven Company paid considerable sums of money to improve its financial standing, restore its depleted working capital, and to provide part of the funds needed for electrification, and other projects.

On September 26, 1905, the Consolidated Railway Company (the Connecticut Company) acquired the assets of the Stamford Company.

The Connecticut Company continued to operate streetcars in Stamford until November 11, 1933, when the last streetcar left Stamford for good at 11:35pm.

Operations
During the time of the Stamford Horse Railroad Company (from 1886 to 1888), the company charged a fare of fare within 5¢ the Stamford borough limits. Customers could also buy 11 tickets for 50¢. Tickets came with one free transfer.

During the 1890s, the Stamford Street Railroad ran up the Post Road (contemporary U.S. Route 1) to Norwalk, where it connected to local streetcars there.

As of its September 26, 1905 acquisition by the Consolidated Railway Company (the Connecticut Company), the Stamford Street Railroad had 18.389 miles of main track, and 0.390 miles of sidings, for a total track length of 18.779 mile.

Rolling stock
As of its September 26, 1905 acquisition by the Consolidated Railway Company (the Connecticut Company), the Stamford Street Railroad had 33 streetcars.