Birneys were arguably the first "lightweight" streetcars.  They were heralded as safety cars because of such things as their high-strength stressed-skin metal construction and design features that included a "dead man" control that brought the car to a halt if the controller or foot pedal were released. In spite of a wobbling ride and lack of power Birneys were popular for a time.  The public enjoyed new equipment and seemingly renewed transit company interest in marginal neighborhood lines.  Management appreciated their economy and the reduced headways made by the purchase of more Birneys than would have been possible with regular cars.  Birneys also proved less of a power drain (they weighed about half what the streetcars that preceeded them did) and were easier to maintain.  Also, they were the first cars to be designed for one-man operation

Although Portland's Birneys were leased from the Emergency Fleet Corporation in January of 1919, they were purchased in 1922.  They were to be the only Birneys ever used in Portland.  The Birneys were originally meant as replacements for the old City & Suburban Railway Company 100's.  Portland Railway, Light & Power used these old "C&S standards" on short lines, stubs and as trippers.  Thus, the new Birneys were employed almost exclusively for stub service.  The narrow gauge cars were used on the Willamette Heights, Irvington, 13^th and 16th Street Lines, with 13th probably being the last line on which they operated.  Their standard gauge twins were used on the Murraymead and Eastmoreland stub lines.

Car #13 is said to have gotten its name in the paper once while working on the 13th Street Line.  Seems it was Friday the 13^th and the succession of "13s" struck a reporter as being very unlucky.

The Birneys' color scheme was maroon with gold detailing and natural wood windows at first (1910s).  Some were apparently repainted in gray & green with a black stripe in the 1930s like the new “Broadway” Master Units. In the last years (1940s) they were painted maroon with cream livery (by the '40s only the standard gauge units may have remained in operation).

One Portland Birney survives, albeit in a horribly "remuddled" way.  Paul Class, of Gales Creek Enterprises, restored Car 801 to its a color close to its original maroon livery and placed it into the original Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant in downtown Portland in the 1970's as part of the restaurant chain's theme.  Unfortunately, the car was heavily remodeled in 1983 for placement in the new Old Spaghetti Factory then under construction in the John's Landing area.  The car was repainted to green and cream and a fake clerestory roof was placed on top!  So, although diners can still sit in the last vestige of Portland's Birney cars, this trolley bears little resemblance to the originals. It might be best to avert your eyes from the roof while approaching the car and just enjoy it from the inside where the Birney ambiance remains.

Two Classes:  Two of the Birneys that came with this lot, as order 1157B, had basically the same specifications and builder's date, but were standard gauge. Originally numbered 801& 802, they were assigned numbers following the rest of their class (24 & 25) after the arrival of the Broadways in 1932 (which took the 800 series numbers).

Retirement:  1933 = 9-10, 14; 1936 = 5;  1938 = 801 (24) ; 1941 = 1-4, 6-8, 11-13, 15-23 & 802 (25).  This last bunch all went on September 18 according to company records.

Technical Notes:  Car's 801-02 were renumbered 24-5 on April 30, 1932.  Mechanical rear doors (operated from the front) were installed in the following cars on October 4, 1926: 1-9,11-12, 15-21 & 23.  Car 23 was not planned for this installation, but was damaged in a collision in July, 1926, so they were added during rebuilding. The only cars never to receive these doors were 13 & 25.  Car #14 was listed as unserviceable in 1928, but as can be seen, it was officially retired in 1933 (probably moldered in storage for several years).