The Smithonian's streetcar trailer

Many thanks to Wesley Paulson, who has sent along the only photos I've seen of Washington & Georgetown 212 showing the car since it went to the Smithsonian.

W&G 212 is a single-truck trailer built by Stephenson in 1892 as a cable car trailer but modified it for use as a horse-drawn car in 1897 when the cable powerhouse burned down. In 1898 it was again rebuilt for use with the new electric cars and remained in service until retirement in 1913. Amazingly it stayed in storage until 1937, when it was rehabbed for historic use - still wearing its post-1906 number, 1512 - and used for fan trips and company celebrations until the end of streetcar service in Washington 25 years later (photo here). This car and the motor car with which it was used in historic service, car 303, were given to the Smithsonian in 1975. Both were restored but only car 303 was put on public display. The trailer, backdated to W&G livery, is in storage in Maryland in the back of a Smithsonian warehouse. These photos were taken by Wesley in the 1990s.