On November 26, 1832, the New York and Harlem Railroad opened what is often cited as the first successful horse-drawn streetcar line in the United States along Fourth Avenue in Manhattan. Cars ran on rails set into the street, which reduced friction and allowed horses to pull heavier loads more smoothly than on cobblestones. The new system offered a more comfortable and reliable ride than ordinary horse-drawn wagons. It quickly gained popularity and inspired similar lines in other cities. Streetcars changed patterns of urban growth by making it easier for people to live farther from where they worked. The technology laid the foundation for later cable cars and electric trolleys.
