| Comments: This series was the first group of regular
closed motors ordered by PRL&P following its takeover of the entire
city-wide system in 1907. Builder American Car Company provided a
classic city car design. American Car, a J.G. Brill subsidiary since
1902, would become PRL&P's standard supplier. Their first
foray into the Portland market had been the Council Crest cars, built to
J.G. Brill specifications in 1904.
PRL&P purchased cars in steady lots up to 1911. These lots
usually consisted of paired orders of narrow and standard gauge cars.
In the case of No.'s 400-439 the matching group were standard gauge cars
1001-1015.
PRL&P's standard gauge lines were mostly either of a suburban or
interurban nature, so it is not surprising that their standard gauge cars
were usually equipped for multiple unit operation (examples were No.'s
1001-15, 1016-1020 and 1070-1091). But cars 400-439 were the only
narrow gauge cars so equipped (note the large m.u. connectors next to the
headlight on each end). They were originally semi-permanently
coupled in two-car trains and assigned to suburban runs like St. Johns
and Vancouver that had been served by narrow gauge interurbans.
By 1910 No.'s 400-439 were being run as single cars and were replacing
the old Fuller Standard cars on lines such as North & South Portland.
After World War I these cars saw temporary assignment to the Mount Tabor,
Sunnyside and Alberta Lines.
Retirement: 1944 = 427, 432; 1946
= 404, 409-10, 412, 414, 418, 425; 1947 = 401, 407, 411, 415-15,
430; 1948 = 400, 403, 405-06, 408, 413, 417, 419, 421-24, 428, 431, 433-39.
Technical Notes: Remembered as a softly sprung, rough-riding
class.
Received Nelson Safety Fenders in 1912.
In 1922 No.'s 426, 430-38 were listed with snow scrappers.
Converted to one-man operation 1925-26.
No.'s 400-17 & 431-39 were given two additional GE-58 motors and
converted to Class "L" during 1923-26.
By retirement Class "K" cars 418-430 had had their original GE-58 motors
replaced with GE-269's. |
