I was and am part of the team that brought 3072 to OERM. The car has turned out to in much better condition than was originally thought with very little rust, a complete interior, and all of its motors, controls and accessories. About the only thing missing are the tail light lens, which were stolen many years ago. (Anybody know where there are any spares?) It still needs to go over the pit for a mechanical assessment, but so far it appears it may be in nearly operable condition.
Los Angeles PCC's were delivered in 4 batches:
A. 3001: represents the 1937 delivery pre war body, Westinghouse equipment
B. 3072: represents the 1938 delivery, pre way body, GE equipment
C. 3100: represents the 1943 delivery, war time body (minor changes on the prewar car), GE equipment
D. 3165: represents the 1948 delivery, postwar all - electric
OERM has long had its representatives from Groups A, C and D. Groups A and B are similar in body design and were both called Type P or P-1, although the 3072 was one of the cars that got the modernization treatment from LAMTA in the early 60's with sealing the frpnt windows in rubber. None of OERM's other pre-war cars received that modification. (The San Diego PCC's at OERM have the first design, with overhead vertical windshield wipers, LA 3001 and 3100 wear the second look, and 3072 along with 3165 have the last mods applied to the cars.)
The 3072 survived because trolley fan/ aerospace engineer Jack Richer outbid Cairo and Chile by $50 back in 1963. Jack is believed to have asked for 3072 because he believed it was one of the last cars to get a major overhaul before service ended. After a few years in Norco in Jack's front yard, his neighbors or the mobilehome management persuaded him it didn't fit the neighborhood decor, so he moved it to tiny speck of a town called Little Lake, just south of the Owens Valley. He ran it occasionally on about 180 feet of track, somehow powered by a lot batteries. When he died around 1999, it was given to an individual who had it placed in his parents rural backyard in Inyokern, where it sat quietly, and unmolested , until last week when it made its final trip over Highway 395 and 15 to Orange Empire Railway. Museum.
| Attachments: |
LARY3072(small).jpg [ 58.85 KiB | Viewed 8194 times ]
|
|