The advent of gas, diesel, gas-electric, and diesel-electric motive power allowed railroads to stop keeping little steam engines maintained for routes with few passengers or goods. Put a truck motor on the front end of a passenger car and drive a single unit to all of those jerkwater stops.
Traction companies, also, profited by being able to field vehicles when the catenary wires were out of order, or to use non-electrified lines to connect electrified segments.
Thanks for this link. I saw a Doodlebug on a period movie the other day and was excited to see it.
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