Northport Traction Company
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Long Island Rail Road (parent company) |
| Founded | April 17, 1902 |
| Defunct | 1924 |
| Headquarters | Northport, New York , United States |
Area served | Town of Huntington, New York |
| Products | Trolley transportation |
| Parent | Long Island Rail Road |
Northport Traction Company provided trolley transportation within the Town of Huntington, New York, operating from 1902 until 1924. Its service consisted of a single route connecting East Northport to Northport Harbor, now recognized as Cow Harbor Park. Unlike the adjacent Huntington Railroad, Northport Traction did not pursue expansion beyond this corridor, and no documentation suggests any plans for extensions.
History
The Hicksville and Syosset Railroad, a subsidiary of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), extended its line to Northport in 1868, situating the station in the village at the site currently known as 219 Laurel Avenue. Later, in 1873, the Smithtown and Port Jefferson Railroad introduced a new line running south of Northport toward Port Jefferson, establishing what became known as "New Northport Station" in East Northport. This development redirected passenger traffic from the original station, which after closing in 1899 transitioned into a freight terminal called the Northport Branch.
With passenger rail service withdrawn from downtown Northport and influenced by the successful trolley operations in nearby Huntington, LIRR created the Northport Traction Company on April 17, 1902. The trolley route commenced at "Northport East Station," proceeded along Larkfield Road to Laurel Road and Vernon Valley Road, then turned northwest onto Laurel Road. It crossed Fort Salonga Road (currently NY 25A), passed by the former site of the original Northport Station, continued along Main Street, and terminated near Northport Harbor at a car barn adjacent to what is now Northport Memorial Park.
Following World War I, an increase in automobile ownership alongside rising operational expenses caused a decline in trolley ridership. As a result, LIRR ceased trolley operations and abandoned the line in 1924. Today, segments of this former route are covered by the HART H40 bus service. Remnants of the trolley tracks can still be observed on streets such as Main Street, where many historic structures along the former trolley path are registered on the National Register of Historic Places.
External links
- Streetcar lines on Long Island
- Railway companies established in 1902
- Railway companies disestablished in 1924
- Defunct public transport operators in the United States
- Defunct New York (state) railroads
- Companies affiliated with the Long Island Rail Road
- Transportation in Suffolk County, New York
- Northport, New York
- 1902 establishments in New York (state)
- 1924 disestablishments in New York (state)
- American companies disestablished in 1924
- American companies established in 1902