East Troy RR Museum gives 2 PCCs to Kenosha

Sloan · **Posted:** Sat Nov 05, 2011 9:11 am

Kenosha — Two More PCCs Acquired

Rail Transit Online, October 2011

Kenosha Transit has been given two PCC streetcars by the East Troy Railroad Museum, which no longer needs them for its current operations. The cars, originally owned by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Toronto Transit Commission, are in excellent condition and have been re-gauged. They were transported to Kenosha on a flatbed truck at no cost to the city.

There are now eight PCCs in Kenosha, most built in 1951, seven of which are operable. However, the traction power system for the loop line connecting the railroad station with a redevelopment area and the lakefront can only handle three cars at one time, although the system will be upgraded if a planned extension is ever built.

The city has obtained a federal grant for the project but is holding off on construction due to economic conditions. The two East Troy vehicles will also need some modern improvements including wheelchair lifts and video security systems.

FLO · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:07 am **Posts:** 328

Adding to an old thread...

Below are photos of seven of Kenosha's PCC streetcars painted in historic livery. The first six are ex-Toronto cars.

Photos are linked from flickr (they are not my photos). Click the image for a higher res version.

4606: (Chicago Surface Lines 'Green Hornet')

4609: (Pittsburgh Railways Company)

4610: (Toronto Transit Commission 'Red Rocket')

4615: (Johnstown Traction Company)

4616: (Cincinnati Street Railway)

4617: (ex Toronto Transit Commission). From the East Troy Electric Ry.

2185: (ex Philadelphia Transport Company). From the East Troy Electric Ry.

For more info, links to the Kenosha Streetcar Society:

http://www.kenoshastreetcarsociety.org/home

https://www.facebook.com/kenoshastreetcarsociety

googanelli · **Posted:** Sun Dec 29, 2013 11:23 am

I took my family through there in August and had a great time. The staff was quite friendly and offered to show us the barn with all the cars in them. We also took the Metra. I'd certainly recommend anyone going up there to see this group.

Joe

Mr. Ed · **Posted:** Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:23 pm

One correction if I may. The last car is a SEPTA (South East Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) car, not PTC (Philadelphia Transport Co.). Septa replaced PTC when the government took over the area transit operations. They rolled PTC and Red Arrow along with a few smaller transit companies into SEPTA. The ad line was Save Every Person Traffic Anxiety.

Later!
Mr. Ed

FLO · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:07 am **Posts:** 328

Thanks Ed. Car was built for PTC originally, so I put that in the caption. I didn't feel like doing all the "nee" stuff.

G. W. Laepple · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1182

For the record, the actual name was "Philadelphia Transportation Company."

FLO · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:07 am **Posts:** 328

G. W. Laepple wrote:

For the record, the actual name was "Philadelphia Transportation Company."

Yes, you are correct. Thank you for catching that.

On the subject of abbreviated names, I just noticed that if a name was longer than the car, the lettering could be abbreviated a bit, as in "PHILA. SUBURBAN TRANS'N CO". Some great photos of the PST line and examples of that lettering are on the Cent'l Elec RRfans' Assoc'n blog, here:
http://cerablog.com/2013/05/24/a-victim-of-success/

diningcartim · **Joined:** Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:34 pm **Posts:** 197

Let me add to the reviews and say it is a fun ride. It is pretty easy to find if you get off of I-94 on your way between Chicago and Milwaukee. You can do the entire side trip off the highway and back on in less than an hour if you are pressed for time.

I understand they may be expanding the route in the not too distant future.

filmteknik · **Posted:** Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:30 pm

Does anyone ride for actual transit purposes or is this just a tourist and preservation thing?

Steve

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Steve -

The line actually goes past quite a few housing units and ends up swinging by the METRA station. I can't guarantee it of course since I have never been there during either the morning or evening "rush hours", but my guess is that there must be some commuter traffic at least. The fare is certainly reasonable.

Les

Rainier Rails · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:36 pm

Thanks, FLO, for linking to the photos!!

So, does anyone know what paint scheme the eighth streetcar is in?

Here's some interesting videos on YouTube of the mechanical functions of the Kenosha ex-TTC streetcars:

1. Accelerator (in the shop): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSAjvLucGzs

2. Accelerator (on the route): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Gs6_lr8QU

3. Accelerator (again on the route, but with a better angle): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqnsNhDVefs

4. Reverser (bench testing a traction motor in the shop): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNcJpPfBl4E

5. Accelerator (again in the shop, but removed from the underbody): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EA_M3A36Qk

6. Traction motor (in the shop): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhEZo06Zd0

7. B3 truck (in the shop, bench testing before installing): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GdNfBKpXTM

8. Two trucks (again in the shop, this time on the rails): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcIZaLTnuaM

9. Another accelerator video (again on the route): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZGyFSn1G2M

10. Comparison of two field shunt sequences of the accelerator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm4dKJuqcNM

11. GE floating control (this is in the #2185): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tKx8tNmD6w

12. B1 contactor failure (sticky): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UElJtAleqxE

13. Another contactor video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F_goa-kCdg