This opposition to trolley that had taken place in Philadelphia was quickly forgotten despite its successful banning in Washington and NY. Grand civic celebrations marked the opening of the new trolley lines and massive investments in new electric lines increased track mileage roughly five-fold from 1890 to 1903. It created class segregated neighbourhoods that characterized American cities well before the arrival of the automobile.

• The lesson from the opposition to the trolley was that the urban residents were not blindly fighting technological change, but rather demanding that such change be guided by values other than the maximization of corporate profits.

•  Even where the opponents failed to restrict the trolley their efforts forced street railroad to build aesthetically pleasing and safe overhead systems.

• This opposition also shaped research and invention in streetcar technology, encouraging the development of underground-conduit systems and quieter gearing.

• Opponents were often able to extract significant concessions from the streetcar companies (for example, street paving in Philadelphia).