Vancouver Trailers

Portland Vintage Trolleys

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89 & 90 : "Vancouver Open Trailers"
Built	ca. 1893
Class	?
Body	City & Suburban Ry. Co.?
Trucks	Two, C&S (at retirement)
Motors	None
Controllers	None
Brakes	Handbrakes
Length	35' 5.5"
Width	?
Weight	?
Seats	11 cross
Capacity	44 passengers
Gauge	Narrow (42")

Comments: A hodgepodge of old cars were inherited from previous companies and renumbered by PRL&P for inventory purposes. Of these, cars 26 through 88 do not appear to have actually been used after the takeover in 1906, and did not last long in the yards. Most of these low-numbered cars were small, and many were open trailers built by splicing together two horsecars or cablecars. PRL&P records listed them as "junked" in 1908, 1910 or 1911 and few details survive regarding them.

More is known about cars 89 & 90, which were retained a little longer than the others. They are thought to have been built by City & Suburban Railway. It is known that C&S built at least two open trailers from spliced horsecars for use with steam trains (although the car in this photo looks somewhat like a Low "convertible"). These trailers were likely used in service to Vancouver or St. Johns pulled by both steam and electric vehicles over the years.

Note: There was also a No. 91. It was listed as a closed trailer, but had a similar genealogy to 89-90 otherwise. No. 91 began as C&S No. 23. PRL&P inventories listed it as of "no value" in 1913. Like No. 90, it was stored at Piedmont Carhouse in 1916, and was scrapped in 1919.

Retirement: Both described as unserviceable 1912. Listed as stored "without equipment" at Piedmont Carhouse in 1916. Scrapped 1919.