The Trolley Park News
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THE TROLLEY PARK NEWS Special No. 2, 1989 Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society Bulletin Vol. 28, No. 2 Extra fares: Stub lines often charged an additional fare. Kenton Traction Company charged a 5 cent extra fare, as did the Park Rose line. I'm not sure if the Errol Heights charged extra (editor’s note: no, Errol Heights was actually free). One also paid extra if going beyond the end of the Kings Height line to Mt. Calvary Cemetery. This was even true on Sundays, when they had through cars. I remember the conductor coming around and collecting the extra fare. Early use of one-man cars: The Beaumont line should be included in any list of early one-man cars. The Arlington Heights and Kings Heights lines were also made one-man ahead of the bigger group. They did that by removing some of the transverse seats to the right of the Beautiful Niles interurban 1058 worked as a Troutdale shuttle before becoming a line (work) car in motorman on cars 452, 453, 459, 460 and 1930. In this unusual scene the conductor is adjusting something on the roof (Bill Hayes Collection). 461 (and possibly others). Also, I once saw 456 on the King’s Heights run. head out the open window to see what was A VISIT TO HELEN going on. Neither the conductor nor my Two of the 300's, cars 330 and 341, had their doors modified for one-man service. By Phil Hedene mother thought that sticking my head out However, while 341 became a oneman car, the window was a good idea. They let me to the best of my knowledge, 330 retained a elen Cosper was a friend of my know, verbally, that I should not do so, in a two-man crew. I have a good picture of it H aunt’s who lived out on the manner that I still remember! But, after modification. TROUTDALE line. One day, in, I would momentarily, I did see what was guess, about 1922, we went to visit her. happening! After the Greeley Street cut-off opened, Since neither my mother nor my aunt drove two-man cars were no longer needed on the in those days, we travelled by PRL&P. Saint Johns line, so 195-199 became trippers on the Broadway line and their Mother and I took the Broadway line, PORTLAND STREETCAR trailers, cars 350-354, went into storage. walked to the 28 shuttle, and then rode the TRIVIA Cars 195-199 could sometimes still be seen Montavilla line out to Montavilla Station on the Saint Johns line, but only as trippers. on NE 91st. We met my aunt en route, and By Arthur Brinkerhoff That was because Saint Johns service together took the Troutdale train (probably needed 18 or more cars during rush hour, one of the 1050’s) to the Cosper's. ere is a second group of edited and 466-485 weren't always available. H remembrances from member Art Expecting 20 cars to cover an 18-car All I remember of the trip was that the car Brinckerhoff, who moved to San Francisco schedule would have been cutting it too pulled across the track at Ruby Junction in 1939, but still cherishes childhood close. and prepared to back around the leg of the memories of streetcars. wye before going on towards Troutdale. Being young and inquisitive, I stuck my Page 2 The Trolley Park News Special #2, 1989 Open cars were retired early: Opens 200-215 were retired in late 1926. Open cars 216-240, likewise, except for the ten left for use as baseball trippers (which were 216-217, 219, 221-222, 224 228-229, 231 and 238). The ten baseball trippers retired in 1933, except for 219, which may have been retired in 1930. Cars 241-251, which had been rebuilt from open to closed, were retired June 20, 1927. Numbers 304 and 308 retired in June 1928 (due to fire), while 303, 307 and 309-357 retired in 1933. Conversion of the 1300’s opens to 1100’s closed: 1301, 1306, 1307 and 1311 became 1134-1137 respectively; 1302, 1303 1305 and 1314 became 1130-1133 (not sure which, except 1314, which became 1133). I am not sure about 1304, 1308, 1309, 1310, No. 195 and a 350 class Fuller Trailer, still lettered for the Portland Consolidated Railway Co., are 1312, 1313 and 1315. Apparently 1130- seen at N. Philadelphia and Jersey streets in their heyday. After the Greeley Street cutoff was built in 1133 changed in 1909 and 1134-1137 in 1918 these cars were reduced to tripper service or placed in storage. (Mark Moore). 1913. The missing five retired in 1933 and 1309-1310 in 1936. scheduling very interesting on the 16th- and Thurman (end of Willamette Heights Williams Avenue line, as some cars were out line), and then went outbound to Westover Changing the 481-485 series for of Savier barn and some out of Piedmont. Terrace. This meant the first inbound WO Vancouver Service: My recollection is that The daily schedule finally worked out to from Ariel Terrace was at 7:28 a.m. In 1934 they started with 485 and worked Piedmont barn inheriting one extra car each and part of 1935 the WO service ran the downward. I am not sure that they did 481, day, except Saturdays, the Savier barn usual cars to S.W. Fifth and Sherman in the but if so it was the lowest number, as 467- inherited five extra cars back from rush hour, but in the daytime they ran two 469, 472, 474 and 480 had been transferred Piedmont. On Sundays, ten cars were used, cars 24 minutes apart and turned them back to Ankeny Division where they were used as four from Savier and six from Piedmont. at S.W. Fifth Avenue and Jefferson Street. regular Beaumont line cars. By then the However, the four cars from Savier and two On August 31, 1936 the Fifth and Sherman Beaumont line ran downtown all day, not from Piedmont would end up at the portion was abandoned by the WH, so they just in the rush hours. Piedmont barn while the other four from and the WO rush hour cars turned back at Piedmont would end up at the Savier barn. S.W. Third Avenue and Morrison Street. The 16th Street Line: The 16th Street With a set-up like that, you can imagine Here again, Westover used three cars at rush Line did not run in 1930-1931 as some have each barn was probably assigning their hour, and two cars during the rest of the reported. On June 6th, 1926, the Northern poorest cars (if they weren't going to get day, to downtown. end was combined with the Williams them back right away). Base cars were the Avenue, and the Willamette Heights was 400-439s, but some also of the 100-146 The Russell-Shaver Line: Which brings extended to S.W. Fifth and Sherman to series were used as trippers. However, one me to the Russell-Shaver line. In 1927, they cover the southern portion. This made Sunday I rode a 533-537 series on this line. used two cars, with three cars in the rush That series were usually assigned to the hours, including Saturdays. On Sunday, RS Northrup short-turn of the 23rd Street line. used two cars all day. John Labbe tells me that No. 420 was transferred to the RS line The quarterly OERHS newsletter is The Westover Line: At first, the Westover because crews on other lines didn’t like its now called The Transfer. Please send line was a stub. But, by 1928 (maybe swaying ride. I also know RS had Birneys 9, articles, photos, letters, or requests for earlier) three Westover cars were running 10, and 14 for a while. Those three were information, to Wayne Jones, Editor, clear down to S.W. Fifth Avenue and never transferred back to Savier, ending up Oregon Electric Railway Historical Sherman Street during in the rush hours. In on the outside storage track at Piedmont. Society, 3995 Brooklake Rd. NE, contrast, just one car ran as a stub in the However, Piedmont must have had more Brooks, OR 97303 or email to daytime and later in the evening. It is than three Birneys at one time because I [email protected]. interesting to note that three Westover line think they were used on the Irvington- cars made their first trip from N.W. Gordon Jefferson line. I don't recall seeing 400’s on Page 3 The Trolley Park News Special #2, 1989 and Morrison Street, instead of running the length of S.W. Third Avenue. Somewhere it was reported that 1001-1020, plus 1051-1056, were assigned to the Sellwood line. However, the Richmond line also used some of the 1051-1056 series cars, and, in as much as the Sellwood line needed 19 cars during the morning and evening rush hours, they must have occasionally had to use some of the 700’s. TAKE A HIKE AND A TROLLEY By Phil Hedene he Oregon outdoors society T known as the Mazamas has long existed for hiking, camping, and Car 310, one of the original Fuller cars built in 1902, is seen in Broadway Line service heading south on the enjoyment of nature. My dad had been Southwest Third and Morrison in the years prior to the Broadway Bridge opening in 1913. The old Chamber of Commerce Building is at left center. (postcard).