Capital Traction 27 update

Many thanks to Wesley Paulson of the National Capital Trolley Museum, who has sent along this update of the restoration work being done on Capital Traction 27 (later DC Transit 766):

Restoration nears completion on Capital Traction 27 (Kuhlman 1918). Long familiar as "766", its post-1933 merger roster number, Capital Traction 27 now wears the livery from its early 1930s rebuild.  The Museum decided to restore the car to the 1930s time point to interpret a standard two-man car from that era.  A restoration to an as-built status was determined to be too extensive since the car retains most of the modifications from the rebuilding, including seating and mechanical changes.  It was necessary to remove modifications made by Capital Transit when the car was converted to one-man operation in 1944, including a treadle door and opening the platform doors on the "blind side" of the car.

Interior restoration included stripping paint and varnishing exposed wood surfaces, replacing the ceiling lining, and reupholstering the seats (not shown).  All window frames were rebuilt or replaced.  A traditional fare register will be installed but the original linkage through the car was destroyed in the 2003 fire, having been removed when the car arrived at the Museum in 1970. 

The current project does not include a mechanical restoration.  The car was rewired in this phase of the project, but new brake piping must be installed before the car can operate on its own.  Current plans are to display the car for its 100th birthday in Streetcar Hall.  And open the interior for inspection on special event days.

The restoration was supported by the 20th Century Electric Railway Foundation, the Chevy Chase Land Company, Monarch Paint Company, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the Maryland Historic Trust, Heritage Montgomery, and many generous individual donors.

Keith Bray, Bruce Thain and Ed Blossom provided professional services in support of the project over many years.