|
Presidents Conference Committee Cars
1938-1953
In order to retire the ex-Toronto Railway Company,
ex-Toronto Civic Railway and Toronto&York Radial Railway cars that they have
gained ownership of many of the streetcars from these companies. They were
part of the original TTC fleet but were aging as the years went past. In
1921 the TTC acquired it's first cars, the Peter Witt streetcars. The TTC
was looking into purchasing it's second order of a different type of
streetcar. A design would change the way streetcars would look on the
streets of Toronto. Canadian Car and Foundary is where the TTC would look
for it's new street car fleet, the Canadian Car and Foundary was authorized to
manufacture PCC cars in Canada by the St. Louis Car Company. The PCC was a
new design of streetcar, streamlined design, finger tip control and foot
controls. It was different from the other cars the TTC had. In 1938
the TTC took delivery of it's first PCC cars 4000-4139. In the 1938
Canadian National Exhibition they were displayed for the public to see.
After a ceremony on Wynchwood Ave they were put into service on the St. Clair
line. Following the introduction of these cars to the TTC system.
Following the order of the 1938 PCCs the TTC ordered PCC cars 7 more times after
the original order.
1940 50 Canadian Car and Foundary PCC A2 (4150-4199)
1942
60
------------- ; A3 (4200-4259)
1944
15
------------- ; A4 (4260-4274)
1945
25
------------- ; A5 (4275-4299)
1947-48
100
------------- ; A6 (4300-4399)
1949
100
------------- ; A7 (4400-4499)
1951
50
------------- ; A8 (4500-4549)
Classes A6 and up are "all electric" streetcars, they
feature MG sets, battery powered motor drum brakes and doors. Other
features are standee windows, a slanted windshield and forced ventilated
traction. 250 were ordered, 100 were equipped with couplers to be used in
Multiple Unit operation on the Bloor streetcar line.
All the streetcars listed above are part of the original order
of streetcars that were put out by the Toronto Transportation Commission. In the
period between 1950-1953 the TTC had acquired 200 second-hand PCC cars from
Birmingham, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Kansas City.
Starting in 1950 the TTC took delivery of 102 second hand PCCs
from Cleveland, this would start a three year trend of purchasing second hand
streetcars from other cities. The TTC bought these streetcars to replace
all the remaining streetcars the TTC acquired through the ownership of the
Toronto Civic Railways and Toronto Rail Company, which were 40 years and a bit
older and were long due for retirement. Below is information on the cars
that were ordered.
4550-4574 1949 A9 PCC St. Louis Car Company (ex-Cincinnati)
acquired in 1950 by the TTC.
4575-4607 1939-40 A10 PCC St. Louis Car Company (ex-Cincinnati)
acquired in 1950 by the TTC.
4625-4674 A11 Pullman PCC (ex-Cleveland) acquired in 1952-53 by
the TTC.
4675-4699 A12 St. Louis Car Company PCC (ex-Cleveland) acquired
in 1952 by the TTC.
4700-4747 A13 Pullman PCC (ex-Birmingham) acquired in 1952-53 by
the TTC.
4750-4779 A14 St. Louis Car Company PCC (ex-Kansas City)
acquired in 1952 by the TTC.
Rebuild
During 1972-75 173 "all electric" streetcars A6
(4300-4399) and A7 (4400-4472) were rebuilt in the TTC's D.W Harvey shops in
order to be able to operate for another 5 to 10 years.
Retirements
Due to the opening of the Bloor-Danforth line in 1966 290
"air electric" streetcars were retired between 1966-74. Between
1968-82 most of the second hand streetcars were retired. The list below shows
where most of the cars retired were sold of to which transit cities expressed
interest in them.
1966-68 Alexandria, Egypt purchased 130 A1,A2,A3,A4,A5 and A10
streetcars.
1971-72 Tampico, Mexico purchased 9 A3 and A10 streetcars.
1973 San Francisco, California purchased 11 A-1A streetcars.
1976 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania purchased 30 A-13 and A-14
streetcars.
1978 Cleveland, Ohio purchased 9 A-11 streetcars that were sold
to the TTC earlier in 1952-53.
Specifications
Model- St. Louis Car Company President Conference Committee
streetcar
Model year- 1947-49 and 1951
Fleet Numbers- 1947-48 A6, 1949 A7 and 1951 A8.
Length- 46 feet 5 inches
Width- n/a.
Tare Weight- 37,200lbs
Motor- 4 Westinghouse 1432
|
