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.
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File comment: Key System 271 at Birds Landing (end of wire) View is #1 (unrestored) end(Karl Johnson photo) 20160914_170044.jpg [ 78.8 KiB | Viewed 4746 times ] |
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File comment: #2 end after rebuilding (Karl Johnson photo) After primer coat of paint applied.JPG [ 59.86 KiB | Viewed 4746 times ] |
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File comment: #2 end sill before restoration (Karl Johnson photo) CIMG9292.jpg [ 97.44 KiB | Viewed 4746 times ] |