Western Railroaders' Hall of Fame & Museum newsletter Return to home page

Keeping Track

The Official Newsletter of the Western Railroaders' Hall of Fame & Museum

Volume 1, Number 1 -- Page 1 of 4

SAN FRANCISCO MUNI TROLLEYS SAVED

San Francisco MUNI (Municipal Railway) PCC Trolleys 1108 and 1160 have been saved from the cutting torch by members of the Western Railroaders' Hall Of Fame & Museum (WRHOF&M).

WRHOF&M would like to give special thanks to (left to right) James Hogben, Capt. Leo Pfeifer, Steven Larson, Howdy Veihdeffer, Larry Wines, Ed Jones, Richard Olsen, and Gary Hogben.

Cars 1108 and 1160 were part of an order of cars built for Saint Louis Public Service, Inc. in 1946. San Francisco leased the cars in 1957 and purchased them in 1964. They are powered by four 55 horsepower General Electric 1220 A1 traction motors for a total of 220 horsepower. These trolley cars are all-electric (they are equipped with GE electric brakes). Each PCC trolley seated 53 passengers as originally built.

Len Tarr arranged a generous offer for storage of the trolleys at U.S. Truck Driving School in Rialto, California. Special Thanks to John Nichols, and the staff of U.S. Truck Driving School for providing safe temporary storage of the trolleys.

After more than a year of discussions, meetings, and planned efforts with San Bernardino area officials to locate a museum site and fund it, we were forced to look elsewhere. Officials were at first excited and helpful, but later, their enthusiasm went to building a minor league stadium, which they decided to build on the historic railroad yard site we had chosen (with access to 3 major railroads).

Due to being unable to find another suitable home in the San Bernardino area where operation of the trolleys could be arranged and business development could support their restoration and operation, we have been considering sites in other areas. We are presently concentrating site selection efforts in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California.

Special Thanks go to Lt. Colonel Peter Drinkwater, Captain Leo Pfeifer, and Ed Jones for making arrangements for temporary storage of our trolleys in the Antelope Valley.

Thanks also to the Antelope Valley Daily News, Antelope Valley Press, and Channel 3 for their coverage of the move.

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe hot shot passes car 1160 in Victorville, during a lunch break.

All rights are reserved.
No part of this material my be reproduced, stored in a retrival system,
or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the written permission of an officer of
Western Railroaders' Hall of Fame & Museum.

Mr. James G. Hogben

President

Go to page 2

Return to home page