| Comments: These narrow gauge interurbans were designed
by the City & Suburban Railway for their Saint Johns run after termination
of steam dummy service in 1903. Original numbers were in the 600's
but PRL&P changed this when those numbers were assigned to city cars.
When C&S and Portland Railway merged in 1904 these cars were briefly
labeled "Portland and Suburban" until it was discovered that name was already
being used by a freight company (the new company became Portland Consolidated
Railway).
The Saint Johns cars made up a very loose "series." It is said
they were built one at a time using surplus railroad coach frames originally
from the Hammond Co. of San Francisco. Each car emerged somewhat
different from its sisters in seating, length and width. Photo analysis
reveals further features. A row of metal "buttons" along the side
indicates that several of these cars had removable (convertible) side panels,
while extra space before the two windows at each end is evidence that this
series was originally open platformed.
Retirement: 1933
Technical Notes: No. 197 was referred to in a 1912 inventory
as having been built by Hammond (clerks were possibly fooled by a Hammond
nameplate on the frame, but the body was most likely a C&S product).
No.'s 198 and 199 had Peckham 36L trucks in later years.
No.'s 196 and 197 were listed with 4 GE-269A motors in 1922.
Series was rebuilt to one-man in 1927
No. 196 was listed as unserviceable in 1928.
In 1932 No. 196 received trucks from work motor 919 (also ex-C&S)
and had motors reduced to two. |
