The Berkshire Street Railway consisted of Bennington Electric Railroad, Bennington & Hoosick Valley Railway, Bennington & North Adams Street Railway, Hoosick Falls Railroad, Hoosac Valley Street Railway, Pittsfield Electric Street Railway and the Vermont Company.

The Berkshire Street Railway was the only street railway that operated in four states. At its peak, the BSR operated over 170 miles of both leased and owned tracks. These tracks connected North Bennington, VT with Hoosick Falls, NY to the west, and Bennington to the south. From Bennington the trolleys ran South through North Adams, Great Barrington and Pittsfield , MA on the way to Hunttington, MA or Canaan, CT.

Hoosac Valley Street Railway

The core of the railway was chartered as the Hoosac Valley Street Railway in Massachusetts in April of 1886. It started as a 6 mile horse car line between Adams and North Adams. The Hoosac Valley was electrified in October 1889 by a syndicate that included several officials of the Thomson-Houston Electric Company in Lynn, Massachusetts. Between 1895 and 1903 the railway extended its line to include Williamstown, MA. (a college town) in 1895, Cheshire,MA. in 1902 and Briggsville, MA. in 1903. By 1906 the Hoosac Valley Street Railway Company had tracks extending to the Vermont border, near present day route 7. The plan was to interchange and connect with the proposed Bennington and North Adams Street Railway.

Pittsfield Street Railway and Pittsfield Electric Street Railway

The Pittsfield Street Railway began operating its 3.3 mile horse car line in 1886. The tracks ran from downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts to the south shore of Pontoosuc Lake. The Pittsfield Street Railway was sold for $17,000.00 to Pittsfield Electric Street Railway, in October of 1890. Horse cars were used until in July of 1891, when permission was granted for 2 trial runs of electric cars. The line was extended to Dalton Center in 1896. By Summer of 1902 tracks ran from Downtown Pittsfield to Main Street in Cheshire, MA. for connection with the Hoosac Valley Street Railway.

Hoosick Railway

The Hoosick Railway Company, ran from Hoosick Falls, New York to Walloomsac, NY. where it interchanged with the Boston & Maine. This electric railroad began operating in 1894.

Bennington Electric Railroad Company

28 November 1894 the Vermont legislature incorporated the Bennington Electric Railroad Company. The railroad did not begin construction until 1897, when it was bought by the same people who controlled the Hoosick Railway. The BERC had been given authority to construct a trolley line in Woodford, Bennington, Shaftsbury and Pownal in 1894. On the 9^th of November 1897, the consolidation of the Bennigton Electric and Hoosick Railway formed the Bennington and Hoosick Valley Railway.

Bennington & Woodford Electric Railway

The Bennington & Woodford electric Railway, only operated for a few summers. For more information click here.

Bennington & Hoosick Valley Railway

The Bennington & Hoosick Valley Railway had tracks that ran from North Bennington, Vermont to the New York boarder. The railway connected to the former Hoosick Railway in New York. Bennington and Hoosick also connected to the Hoosac Valley Street Railway.

By July, 1899 the electric railway had 16 miles of tracks running from North Bennington, VT to Hoosick Falls, NY. There were 3 grade crossings with the B & M Railroad and 1 grade crossing with the Rutland & Bennington Railroad. A brick car barn was constructed in North Bennington. Some of the line was poorly ballisted, there were two "water passes", described in the Empire State Railroad Commissions 1898 report as being "made by placing one tie above the other". O.R. Cummings', Berkshire Street Railway, describes this line's condition based on New York 1898 and Vermont 1902 & 1904 railroad commissioners reports. The details in these reports show that the line was hastily constructed with many problems, under-passes with grade crossings on one ramp, with poor visibility, bridges with insecure approaches and 10 mile per hour speed limits that could not be met.

Credits: Information on the Berkshire Street Railway is from:

Transportation Bulletin, A publication of the Connecticut Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Vol. 72 January-December 1972, BerkshireStreet Railway, by Cummings, O.R..

Transportation , A publication of the Connecticut Valley Chapter of National Railyway Historical Society, Vol. 6 part 2 May 1952, Shaw, Donnald E..