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 Type:
PCC Streetcar
Built: 1951, St. Louis Car Co.
Acquired: 1996
Seats: 45
In 1929, the Electric Railway President’s Conference Committee was formed, with the participation of 28 operating companies and 25 manufacturers. The goal was to develop a modern streetcar – quiet, fast, and comfortable. Based on several years of research and testing, the first production PCC car was built in 1936. 5024 of these modern streetcars were built in the United States. The last car built for service in North America was San Francisco Municipal Railway car 1040, delivered in 1951, and rebuilt in 2010.
Toronto Transportation Commission 4617 was built in 1951, using a frame manufactured by the St Louis Car Company. The frame was shipped to Canada, and the car assembled by Canadian Car and Foundry. It was one of a group of 50 cars built for the Toronto Transportation Commission. The cars were designated TTC class A8, and numbered 4500 to 4549; we believe 4617 was number 4539. The car is single-end, meaning that it has operating controls at only one end. It is all-electric, utilizing electric power for both acceleration and braking. Like most PCCs built after World War II, it features standee windows, oval windows below the roof line and above the regular windows, to enable standing passengers to see the location of the car.
In 1987, TTC began a rebuilding program, reflected a commitment to continued operation of PCC cars. 19 cars from class A8 were rebuilt, involving a complete electrical, mechanical, and structural overhaul. The rebuilt cars were designated class A16, and numbered 4600 to 4618. Car 4617 was the next to last car rebuilt, and returned to service in 1992. It operated in Toronto until 1995.
4617 was built for city street operation in Toronto with the non-standard gauge of 4' 10 1/2." In order to operate the car on the East Troy Electric Railroad, the gauge had to be changed to the standard 4' 8 1/2.". Car 4617 was retrucked with ex-Chicago Transit Authority 6000-series trucks. The new trucks were installed in July 1998, and the various electrical cables and braking wires were reconnected. We also installed a trolley pole on the front end (a “back-up pole”) so that we can operate the car in reverse. We installed a rear headlight in 2009.
Photos
of 4617 |
