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Private company

Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway

US street railway company

The Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway (later, the Belt Railway) was a street railway company in Washington, D.C., from 1875 to 1898. The sixth and final company to start during the horsecar era, it operated on a loop, or "belt," around downtown and the National Mall. The company was purchased and absorbed by the Anacostia and Potomac River Railroad after a failed attempt to convert to a system that used compressed air for motive power.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

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1888 WDC Streetcar Map
Photo: Volcycle at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

The Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway (later, the Belt Railway) was a street railway company in Washington, D.C., from 1875 to 1898. The sixth and final company to start during the horsecar era, it operated on a loop, or "belt," around downtown and the National Mall. The company was purchased and absorbed by the Anacostia and Potomac River Railroad after a failed attempt to convert to a system that used compressed air for motive power.2

The story

The Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway Company was the last streetcar company to begin operations during Washington's horsecar era. It was incorporated on March 3, 1875, and began operation later that year. Known colloquially as the Belt Railway, its circular route went from the Capitol along 1st Street SW; south of the Mall on Maryland and Virginia Avenues SW; north on 12th Street SW/NW, the old Ohio Avenue NW (now obliterated by Federal Triangle) and 14th Street NW to O Street NW; east on O Street NW for ten blocks; and then south on 4th Street NW, G Street NW and 1st Street NW.

From Wikipedia’s article on Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Sources

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