Birney for sale?

Evan · **Posted:** Sat Sep 10, 2011 9:15 pm

I was surprised to come across this on Barnhardt's web site. I was at MATA two weeks ago and the Birney was still in service.

http://www.trains-trams-trolleys.com/home/4103.htm

Harry Nicholls · **Posted:** Sat Sep 10, 2011 9:56 pm

MATA 636 is owned separately by Ed Landrum. Ed recovered the body from a creek bed near McKinney, TX years ago and had it in his back yard when MATA was formed. As Ed was one of the three main founders of MATA, he restored the car while MATA was working to get started. When the opening day parade was held, 636 was not quite ready to operate as a loaded trolley. The floor was not yet installed and Ed operated the car in the parade sitting on a stool on a piece of plywood.

The car was finished shortly thereafter. Ed leased the car to MATA and it has operated all of these 20+ years.

Harry Nicholls

filmteknik · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 3:06 am

Their site says it was donated to them.
http://www.mata.org/meet-fleet.shtml

Steve

Harry Nicholls · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:56 pm

Steve,

That may be. I wrote to explain the background, not who owns it now.

filmteknik · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:06 am

That may be. But you did say "is owned" which is a present case statement.

Steve

Charlie · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:14 am

So does anyone know why the birney is for sale?

Andy Nold · **Joined:** Tue Dec 14, 2004 5:45 pm **Posts:** 297

Yes.

The webpage is incorrect. Ed restored the car and leased it to MATA.

ebtmikado · **Joined:** Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:01 am **Posts:** 55

Charlie wrote:

So does anyone know why the birney is for sale?

Probably because the owner wants to sell it.

wesp · **Posted:** Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:11 pm

Is this the car that was damaged in a recent accident?

Wesley

Evan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:09 pm

No, that was #186, hit by a bus in June, already repaired and back in service. MATA's Facebook page has pictures of the repairs.