Search by Name

Search by Name

ALLEN MORRISON Obituary

MORRISON--Allen S., 84, on January 6, 2019. Born in Lexington, Kentucky on May 10, 1934, he spent his childhood in Louisville, until age 11, and then Cincinnati. After graduating from Northwestern University in 1956, he lived abroad for a brief time, in Paris, where he earned a Diplome de Langue Francaise from the Ecole Pratique de Langue Francaise in 1958. That same year, he settled in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York, where he resided for the rest of his life. He taught French and French literature at Columbia University for almost 10 years and earned a PhD in French lit. from Columbia in 1968. A trip to Mexico rekindled a childhood love of streetcars, and his interest soon expanded to South America. In the 1970s, Allen Morrison embarked on what would become decades of pioneering research into the history of street railway systems throughout Latin America, many of which had used vehicles built in the U.S. He authored three books on the subject, starting with "The Tramways of Brazil" in 1989, and ultimately became widely regarded as the world's foremost expert on the history of electric transit in Latin America. His web site www.tramz.com entitled Electric Transport in Latin America, established in 1998, was one of two honored by the Association of American Geographers in 2005 as Best Web Site. He made arrangements to ensure that the site would be preserved after his death.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by New York Times on Jan. 31, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for ALLEN MORRISON

Not sure what to say?





Carlos Cedillo

May 22, 2025

My condolences to Allen, I'm a Mexican historian and the research he made on the trams in Monterrey city has been invaluable to me. He was a true researcher and I wish I could met him and bonded over our mutual interest for trams.

Saiyiji

February 6, 2022

Saiyiji

February 6, 2022

Saiyiji

February 6, 2022

Saiyiji

February 6, 2022

Saiyiji

February 6, 2022

I am a bus fan from China.In 2021, I found tramz.com when I was looking for information on the Mercedes trolleybus in Quito.After browsing this site, I was shocked at the work of Mr. Morrison. It is a miracle that takes countless hours and effort to accomplish. Among the bus fans in China, there is almost zero information about trolleybuses in South America. I would like to translate the articles on Mr. Morrison's tramz.com into Chinese. I strongly believe that language should not be a barrier to stop the flow of knowledge. so I sent him an email to get permission, but received no reply.
Until today, I did not know that Mr. Morrison had passed away.I am an atheist, but after browsing tramz.com, I think Mr. Morrison was the god of trolleybus. bus fans are a very small group, and those who follow trolleybus are a minority. Mr. Morrison should be called a historian because his work has fully documented the valuable history that is often overlooked. Words cannot express the respect I have for Mr. Morrison and the regret I feel for his passing.
I believe that Mr. Morrison would have been happy to see the results of his work benefiting fellow fans from another continent. I still want to translate tramz.com and introduce it to Chinese bus lovers. This is solely out of my appreciation of Mr. Morrison's work as a bus lover. I will not ask for any form of salary and will allow anyone to legally use my translations, just like tramz.com does now. If anyone who owns the copyright of tramz.com reads this message, please contact [email protected].
May Mr. Morrison rest in peace.
Attached are the photos I took of the trolleybuses in China. These photos were taken in Taiyuan, Shanghai and Guangzhou. I believe Mr. Morrison will also be interested in the Chinese trolleybuses.

Hamilton Furtado

December 2, 2020

Allen Morrison became a respected name in Brazil among public transport enthusiasts and researchers due to his huge work on Latin American trams and trolleybus as well as his impressive photo catalog on the subject.
In August 2017, I had opportunity to write him a few lines expressing my compliments and gratitute for such a relevant, comprehensive work, and congratulating him for his “tramz” site’s 20th anniversary, saying that:

“Because of your exhaustive work, important, historical information has been surveyed, organized and preserved. And because you have gently published it, we have the opportunity to take account of such a valuable content unavailable elsewhere. Your site is undoubtedly a reference on the subject.”

To which he dearly replied as following.

“Dear Hamilton Furtado:

Thank you very much for your message. I don’t often receive kind words like that, so I am very grateful. I am happy that you like my work. I traveled to Brazil 17 times and have many happy memories of your country. I wish that I could return now to see the new metros and monorails in São Paulo. And my favorite tramway in Campinas (I hope it is still running). But I am too old now for long airplane flights.

Best regards,

Allen Morrison
New York”

I wrote him again earlier this year, with no response, but only now I managed to sadly find his obituary over the web. I sincerely wish God’s comfort and peace for all his family and friends.

Ken Allisburg

April 25, 2020

I met Allen over 62 years at an E.R.A. Meeting in N Y C. We remained close friends . An intelligent, fun , knowledgeable trolley fan , Allen and I went on many a fan trip together. He made many trolley videos from around the world and one of my favorite parts was always his inclusion of a local cat. He had a great wit and I will miss him dearly. May he Rest In Peace.

Ahmed Alaoui

July 25, 2019

RIP and don't return so nerdy. Love, AA

Roy Budmiger

March 9, 2019

I wish to express my sincere condolences to Allen's family and his friends. Allen shared his thoughts and his knowledge to streetcars with me as a penpal for 15 years. I will truly miss him. Roy B. (Oslo)

Roland Dussart-Desart

February 20, 2019

A great researcher, a nice friend and an outstanding inspiration for further publications

February 11, 2019

May cherished memories live on bringing comfort to grieving family and friends as your dear one Rest In Peace.

January 31, 2019

To the family of Allen Morrison. Very sorry for your loss. May you have underserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor 1:3; JF

January 31, 2019

My sincere condolence to family and friends of Allen Morrison, may you have peace and may the God of everlasting comfort, comfort you at this time of sorrow
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Showing 1 - 15 of 15 results

Make a Donation
in ALLEN MORRISON's name

Memorial Events
for ALLEN MORRISON

To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one.

How to support ALLEN's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor ALLEN MORRISON's life and legacy
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more