A Connecticut Valley M-55 *PIC*

Aaron B. · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2001 8:47 am

I was searching the net yesterday when I stumbled upon a website on the Mount Dora Scenic Railway (MDSR) . I know there was a recent thread of messages concerning the operation of Reader Railroad's #4 on this railroad. I was looking around the site when I found the photo gallery. The first gallery is on there doodlebug and the second is on #4. In the first gallery I found a picture of an M-55 gas car (doodlebug?) (Not there main doodlebug!) . It says that the car was to be refurbished at Edwards Motorcar Company. Is this M-55 MDSR's? If so why is it in a New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad paint scheme? Thanks in advance!

Photo & Link: The photo is of the M-55 I am asking about, and the link is to the Mount Dora Scenic Railway's website.

Aaron B.

http://www.doradoodlebug.com

norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

Evan · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2001 9:40 am

M-55 is ex #121 from Valley Railroad, Essex, CT. Sister car #120 is at TMNY, Kingston NY. Edwards Motorcar repowered M-55 with a Chevy engine. #120 still has a 6-cyl Continental engine. (Actually, #120 is down due to repairs on the motor.) The attached picture is of #120 at TMNY.

Valley RR

n2xjk@ulster.net

David Wilkins · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2001 10:22 am

Both cars are originally Brill Model 55s. The Model 55 was the smallest Brill motor car offered in the 1920s, if I am correct. My copy of "Interburbans Without Wires" is at home. Brill originally built them with gas engines. The Kentucky Railway Museum is in possession of Frankfort and Cincinnati RR #M-55-1, which was built in the 1920s. Years ago, the F&C replaced the gas engine with a Cummins diesel, which it still had today.

wilkidm@hera.wku.edu

Aaron B. · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2001 7:02 pm

Thanks for the information regarding both M-55's!

Photo & Link: The photo is of the M-55 I am asking about, and the link is to the Mount Dora Scenic Railway's website.

Aaron B.

http://www.doradoodlebug.com

norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

Howard Pincus · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2001 7:52 pm

The Valley Railroad's M-55 was a companion to the other car at Kingston. They were both originally built by Brill for Sperry, as early rail defect detector cars. They were not converted from passenger "doodlebugs" as were most other Sperry cars. They were both sold to Remington Arms at Bridgeport, CT, and used for moving materials (ammo) around the plant complex. The car that is now VRR M-55 went to Empire State Rwy. Museum (via donation?) at Middletown, NY, about 1965, and was moved in late 1970 in the hospital train that brought ESRM equipment to the Essex, CT site of the a-borning Valley Railroad. It was used a few times as a M of W tool car, but a balky, gas-guzzling old engine was too much to mess with.

About 1981, it was decided that a small, self-propelled passenger car would be useful, and plans were drawn to rebuild the car. The original engine was removed and discarded. The roof and underframe, and part of each end is original. The rest of the car, especially the sides, is all new fabrication, hot-riveted together in the Essex shop--a beautiful job. The interior was redone with salvaged CNJ coach interior mahagony; traps came from a New Haven streamlined coach! A gorgeous Imron paint job was applied, and then the car sat for almost ten years, sans engine. The recent move to Florida was apparently part of a "get the car finished" plan; the Mt. Dora/Edwards people are to install a driveline and engine, as I have been told.

hpincus@mindspring.com

Howard Pincus · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2001 11:24 pm

"Interurbans Without Wires" was open on the table in the Essex shop for much of the project!! The reconstruction of the car was based on numerous photos and drawings from the book.

The Kingston car shows the original Sperry door and side layout.

The VRR number obviously was selected to reflect the Brill model number.

hpincus@mindspring.com

Aaron B. · **Posted:** Sat Jun 16, 2001 8:38 am

Thanks once again for the information regarding both M-55's!

Photo & Link: The photo is of the M-55 I am asking about, and the link is to the Mount Dora Scenic Railway's website.

Aaron B.

http://www.doradoodlebug.com

norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

J.David · **Posted:** Sun Jun 17, 2001 10:21 pm

Howard:
I thought that you knew me better than think that I would discard that engine! It and the old torque converter, radiator, etc. were donated to the folks at Kingston as a spare for their No. 120.
J.David

jdconrad@snet.net

Howard Pincus · **Posted:** Sun Jun 17, 2001 10:56 pm

> JDC:

Yes, you are correct, and have jogged my memory! Just one of those details that was lost in the canyons of my mind!

Any date for the return of M-55?

hpincus@mindspring.com