On September 14, 2016, the shop crew at the Western Railway Museum operated Key System trolley 271 (St. Louis Car Co., 1901) for the first time since 2009.

Both ends of the car suffer from rotten end sills, and for the past two years we have worked on rebuilding the #2 end of the car. We plan to make a couple of runs with the car on our Members' Day (Sept. 24), then begin work on rebuilding the #1 end.

This is the first car in our collection. A group of trolley enthusiasts chartered it for an excursion in 1946. They learned that the car was going to be scrapped the next week, so they passed the hat and bought it for $250. It was used for excursions, and finally moved to Rio Vista Junction in 1963.

Is this the car you were looking for seat handles for? Any interior photos? :)

Andy -

Yes, 271 is the car we needed the seat handle for, thanks a lot!

After we clean up the interior for Members' Day, I'll post some interior photos of the un-restored #1 end platform and the #2 end after restoration.

In addition to the wood work; Al and the shop guys had the trucks out for repairs to the journal boxes and replaced a missing journal box cover.

Not bad for a car that was built in 1901!

Ted Miles, WRM Member