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No. 's 400-439 (except 420) : Multiple Unit Cars
Built
1907
Class
K & L (varied, see notes)
Body
American Car Co.
Trucks
Two, Brill 27 GE-1
Motors
Two, GE-58 (37.5 h.p.), later some had four motors (see notes).
Controllers
 Two, GE-K28F (m.u.)
Brakes
National Emergency J or C (see notes)
Length
41' 4"
Width
8' 2.5"
Weight
36,580 lbs.
Seats
Two, longitudinal
Capacity
38 passengers (87 with standees)
Gauge
Narrow (42")

 
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.




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