Known as trams in some parts of the world and trolleys elsewhere, streetcars were a widely used form of public transport in the USA a century ago. In fact, more than 17,000 miles (27,360km) of streetcar tracks existed in American cities in the 1920s. Electrified streetcars operated on urban streets but the rise in motor cars' popularity and flight to the suburbs were factors in their decline.

Scroll through this gallery to discover the fascinating history of streetcars in the US and some places where they can still be ridden...