Trolley/interurban junction ‘shelter’ of the Mahoning & Shenango Railway and Light Company located on Robbins Avenue and Vienna Avenue. The Erie Railroad bridge and underpass are visible on the left of the photo.

The trolley shelter can be seen through the Erie Railroad overpass on Robbins Avenue.

Niles Bus Service

In 1892 the electric street railways brought to Niles the most important transportation improvement sinc the arrival of the first train in 1856; in December of that year the first single interurban car made a trial run over the three mile long line between Niles and Mineral Ridge. By June 1893 the interurban line was opened between Niles and Warren. Streetcars were also operating within the City of Niles. On January 11, 1895, the Mahoning Valley Electric Railway Company was granted permission to use Robbins Avenue for its track from Youngstown to Niles. Within a few years consolidation into one firm resulted; and crowded trolleys carried passengers between Niles and nearby cities.

The streetcars and interurban systems made it possible for Nilesites to move out to the edge of town and families were able to go further from home for relaxation and amusement. Just as the development of trucks after World War 1 affected the railroad; at the same time, the auto industry became affordable to the working classes. It wasn’t long before the ‘Tin Lizzie’ and ‘Merry Oldsmobile’ along with other makes were rattling along the dusty roads taking families to otherwise inaccessible places-making the streetcar obsolete and bring the passenger train to near extinction.

After several years of decreasing fares, the line between Niles and Mineral Ridge was abandoned in 1927, followed by the shutdown of the Warren to Youngstown run that came through Niles, on January 1, 1932.

The Mahoning and Shenango River valleys of western Pennsylania and eastern Ohio were served by local streetcars and interurban railways from 1893 to 1941. The separate companies were unified into the Mahoning & Shenango Railway and Light system in 1905.

In 1920 it was renamed the Penn-Ohio Electric System. At its peak, it provided service in and between Youngstown, Girard, Niles and Warren (Ohio), and New Castle and Sharon (Pennsylvania). The main interurban line from New Castle through Youngstown to Warren was converted to buses during 1931-32. The Youngstown - Sharon interurban survived until 1939. The last local streetcar line in Youngstown was converted to electric trolley buses in 1940. The final remnants, the local lines in New Castle, were converted to buses in 1941. A separate line, the Youngstown & Southern Railway, continued electric passenger service until 1948.

Niles Bus Depot located on East State Street near the Warner Theatre.

Niles Daily Times
June 12, 1931
The McDonald-Niles bus service was recently resumed by George Metzer, owner and operator of the service. A well-equipped Nash seven passenger sedan is used instead of the former bus with seventeen trips each day scheduled except for Sunday and holidays including evening service.

Niles Standard
January 22, 1943
Commencing next Monday morning, the Mineral Ridge bus will load and unload passengers in front of the new bus terminal on State Street according to R.A. Helwig, a representative of the P&O Bus Company. The Ridge bus will not pull into the bus station as other busses do.

The bus terminal also featured a restaurant that provided food for travelers.

Niles Daily Times
June 27, 1941
Although former attempts have come to naught, petitions have been placed in circulation and freely signed this week by Mineral Ridge residents in another effort to establish regular bus service between that community and Niles.

The Niles Board of Trade on several occasions has endeavored to interest the P&O Bus Company, and private bus owners in extending service to the Ridge, but all such efforts have failed.

A few years ago, Niles merchants were successful in securing bus transportation facilities between McDonald and Niles, but it is understood the operator of that line is dissatisfied with the earnings, due partially to the fact private cars take on passengers between the two communities, thus cutting down the number of passengers who avail themselves of bus service.

Ever since the abandonment of the old car line to the Ridge 20 years ago, residents of that community have been without means of transportation. For the past 10 years, citizens who are without private cars have been forced to ‘Thumb’ a ride or ‘hoof’ it to Niles.

It might be interesting to note the first street railway line in Trumbull County was operated between Mineral Ridge and Niles in the early 1890s. The old car barns were located on the present site of the Niles Lumber Company and the Niles terminal was at the end of South Cedar Avenue (then called Girard Street).

1947 school bus token for Niles Transit Lines.

Niles Daily Times
July 8, 1948
Sale of the Niles-Howland Transit Lines to a firm headed by Clarence A. Bister of St. John Avenue, Niles was announced today by Henry E. Davis, treasurer of a group of Niles men who have operated the bus service for the past 18 months. The Niles-Howland Transit Lines was started at the request of a group of Howland people nearly two years ago. The request was presented to the transportation committee of the Niles Merchants Division, Homer H. Hoffman President. I. Glontz, who was engaged in operating a bus service in Niles, agreed to operate the line.

Later, Glontz sold the entire operation to a company operating as the Berline Enterprises Inc. and when that organization sold out its Niles bus service to the Niles Transit Lines, a local group of men agreed to operate the Niles-Howland bus service in order to facilitate the ultimate sale and continued operation of the Niles system.

In addition to Davis, the group consisted of John Burnside, President; Homer H. Hoffman, vice-president; and William Z. Davis, secretary. Although the Niles-Howland line operated at a loss for some time, it was felt by the owners that their efforts made it possible to keep a bus service for Niles.

Photograph of type of bus used by Niles Transit Lines.

Niles Daily Times
December 20, 1951

A meeting in an effort to arrange some trial bus service by the Niles Transit Lines in the Russia Field area has been arranged by Mayor Edward P. Lenney to be at the Niles Transit Lines office.

Legislation granting a 25 per cent fare increase for the Lines was approved by City Council last night but is not effective until signed by the Mayor. Mayor Lenney said he would withhold signing the resolution pending a meeting to discuss all possibilities of extending bus service to Russia Field. The area has been without bus service since suspension of operations by the McDonald Bus Lines last month.

Management of the Niles Transit Lines have said that schedules and equipment do not permit such an extension now. Also, doubts have been expressed that such a run would be profitable. Mayor Lenney expressed belief, however that the large number of industrial plants in the area makes it a potentially profitable run.

Niles Daily Times
February 21, 1952

Vote on a resolution requiring Niles Transit Lines to provide bus service to the Russia Field area and a section of the Hartzell-Vienna Avenue area is scheduled for the March 5, 1952 City Council meeting. This followed a legal opinion by City Solicitor, Mitchell F. shaker, last night that a municipality can request such service by a transit concern if it deems such to be in the public interest.

Fourth Ward Councilman, Paul Griffiths, utility committee chairman, expressed belief that the Niles Transit Lines is on the verge of bankruptcy, cannot afford such an extension of service and that a complete loss of service may face the city. The Transit Lines last Friday discontinued several weeks’ trial tripper service to the Russia Field area which had been requested by the city with the lines claiming small usage of the tripper service.

Bus stop located on Main Street in front of the Antler Hotel. ca 1949

Niles Daily Times
August 8, 1952
Recommendations that Niles City Council approve a petition by the Niles Transit Lines for limited bus service to prevent taking off of all service August 15, 1952 was made today by the Chamber of Commerce’s Retail Merchants Division. It notes that the Chamber’s Transportation Committee and Retail Division has carefully studied the request to discontinue service on West Park Avenue and North Main Street routes.

Under the plan, service would continue on the Robbins-Hartzell, Mason-Robbins and South Side runs with discontinuance of North and West Side runs as unprofitable. Belief is that Ohio Greyhound could provide through service on the North Side although whether it would agree to do so is an unknown factor.

Notice was presented to Council by the Transit Lines two weeks ago that discontinuation of all busses would be necessary, August 15, as a result of declining use in recent months.

Niles Daily Times
November 28, 1952
Interest in re-establishing bus service in Niles has been expressed to City Council by two Niles residents and a Youngstown resident. Separate proposals for starting bus service was received from John Kerest of the Liberty Bell Line, Youngstown; Frank Yuhasz, Niles; and Harry Berline, Niles. Speaking before Council, Kerest has a definite proposal for scheduling bus service and wishes to begin immediately, while the other two have tentative plans for such service.

Council agreed that in view of the fact that Yuhasz and Berline are Niles residents, that it is only fair to allow them until December 6 for presenting definite plans. Council will then be able to consider the merits of each proposal and possible plans by any other parties interested in Niles bus service.

Niles has been without bus service since the Niles Transit Lines suspended operations November 8 after its management and Council failed to reach an agreement on route changes requested by the company. Transit management has stated that company was on the verge of bankruptcy and couldn’t continue operations. The transit firm had operated in Niles since 1947.

Evening bus service until 11:30 pm will be maintained every night this week by the Liberty Bell Lines to determine if such service is feasible the company management announced today. If the experiment results in expenses only being met, evening service will be permanently established after this week, it is announced.

This week’s service after 7 pm will see busses leaving on the Mason Street run on the hour, Hartzell Avenue hourly on the half-hour, South Side at 10 minutes to the hour and West Park 20 minutes after the hour. Night service to North Main Street, via Hartzell Avenue, will be on the hour.

It is emphasized that if public response to evening service proves satisfactory to the extent of meeting expenses, it will be established as permanent, however, if use of evening service is light, it will be discontinued.

This week’s evening service is on a trial basis and is not included in the franchise signed by the bus lines with the city last week. The lines had not endeavored to maintain evening service after 7 pm since its start of Niles operations a few months ago, because of a tendency for use of busses to fall off after that hour.

Old Robbins Avenue underpass, 1952.

Old Robbins Avenue underpass, 1952. The Erie (closest) and the B&O (in the background).

Efforts to interest bus operators in re-establishment of city bus service in Niles will be pushed as final completion of the Grade Separation Project nears, city officials report. Niles has been without a city transit line since the Liberty Bell Lines suspended service in Niles in March 1953, after several months of service.

The Liberty Bell Lines, a Youngstown area company had maintained bus service in Niles for a number of months after the city lacked service for a few weeks late in 1952 when the Niles Transit Lines suspended operations after having operated in Niles since 1947.

Officials have recognized that the extensive detours necessitated by the railway grade separation project of the past years would have added to the problem of establishing bus schedules. This situation has now been partially alleviated by the opening of the North Main Street railway underpass to traffic several weeks ago while the Robbins Avenue underpass is expected to be open to traffic by late summer or early autumn.

Mayor Edward P. Lenney, who at this Wednesday’s Council meeting recommended that Niles voters be given an opportunity to voice their sentiments on a city payroll tax at November’s election, has pointed out that money derived might enable the City to transfer funds to the transit lines to keep municipal bus operations in the black.

Niles Daily Times
May 6, 1954

Announcement that a party has expressed interest in a possible operation of transit line service in Niles, along certain routes, was made at last night’s City Council meeting. The importance of taking the matter under consideration, now that the Grade Separation Project is nearing completion and resultant detours will soon be over, was cited.

There is still a faint hope of Niles receiving city bus service, something it has lacked since two years ago this month, according to reports by City Council. Niles lost bus service in the Spring of 1953 after having had such service steadily from 1940 to 1952 and off-and-on in 1952-53.

The Boardman Transit Lines had hoped to include the city school bus service contract in any service it might consider starting in Niles. However, a three-year contract was awarded by the Niles City School Board Monday night to a Niles firm, Mrs. Hanna Rogers of Niles, who has provided school bus service for the past several years.

The Niles firm was the only one to bid on the school project although it was reported in Council that the Boardman firm had planned to bid but failed to present its bid in time because of a misunderstanding.