Here is a link to a Ebay auction for a Fresno California restaurant made from a couple of streetcars. It looks like one of the "Dragons" and a Birney.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=15825

http://www.spcrr.org
hees@ix.netcom.com

> Here is a link to a Ebay auction for a
> Fresno California restaurant made from a
> couple of streetcars. It looks like one of
> the "Dragons" and a Birney.

Interesting! Just about everytime I pass through Fresno I swing by the location and check out the car bodies. The cafe has been closed for some years and has been signed "for sale" since closing.

The location is in an industrial/commercial area. Within 300 feet of the site is a wig-wag protected crossing.

A very unique treasure. Yes, it is made up of a birney car and a "dragon."

Brian Norden

bnorden49@earthlink.net

Does either OERM or WRM have a "dragon?"

Hazleton had similar beasts.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association

> Does either OERM or WRM have a
> "dragon?"

> Hazleton had similar beasts.

Yes, OERM has the body of Fresno Traction 51, part of a group of 36 cars ordered by SP for the PE, FTC, Stockton and San Jose. Like the car being offered for sale as part of the restaraunt, the 51 had part of one wall removed, along with all of the underframe except for the flat center section. This was the only way to use the full interior space while it was a building.

Although anything is restorable (or perhaps more accurately, the basis for a replica), the carbody is not in good condition. I suppose one good one could be made from the two surviving cars, but it looks as the owner of the restaranut property is still clinging to the dream that these carbodies are worth mega-bucks!

The most complete survivor of the Dragon design is at the Perth Tramway Museum. They have a very complete carbody, even has the bolsters.

Orange Empire Railway Museum
jsmatlak@earthlink.net