Electric cars at CTM go up for sale

The Connecticut Trolley Museum has announced that they are deaccessing a number of pieces of equipment in their collection. Among these are six electric cars: two interurban cars, a heavy electric, two rapid transit cars, and a locomotive. Among CTM's collection, this eclectic mix comprises some of the least historic and least restorable (in terms of current condition) cars so it's understandable why they are taking this step.

The two interurban cars are both North Shore Line cars: car 162, shown above in a 2010 photo, and car 710. The former is a 1915 Brill, part of the line's first order for steel coaches, and although badly deteriorated it is by far the better of the two - which is to say that it's probably salvageable for someone with enough money and determination (2015 photo here). The latter is a 1926 Cincinnati product and is in wretched condition, its roof having collapsed several years ago and the car's interior (and, for that matter, underbody) having been exposed to the weather for some time. At this point it is probably further gone than most car bodies in museums. Neither car is unique in preservation; the 1915 order is represented by car 160 at IRM while the 1926 order is represented just an hour down the road by car 709 at Branford. As a point of curiosity, both of these cars came to CTM from the never-opened American Museum of Electricity in Niskayuna, New York.

The heavy electric is Long Island Railroad 4153, an MP-54 built in 1930 by the Pennsy. Built to run on 600vDC, it was fitted with a trolley pole by CTM back in the 1970s and may have briefly run there. It's not unique in preservation either, with other examples of the type preserved at Seashore and in Syracuse, New York. This car was the subject of a cosmetic restoration at CTM just a few years back but it suffers from the same body rot problems that all other MP-54 types in preservation have. It's also far too big to be practical at CTM and to my knowledge it won't fit in any of their barns.

And speaking of "not unique" that brings us to the two rapid transit cars on the list, Chicago 4000-series elevated car 4175 and car 4409. The former is a 1915 "Baldy" motor car; the type is also represented by car 4103 at Fox River and car 4146 at IRM. The car is listed on the CTM site as a trailer and the reason is that when they acquired it back in 1985, it made a brief side trip to IRM where its motor truck was swapped out for a trailer truck. CTM wanted a Chicago trailer for whatever reason (the last 4000-series trailer is car 4043 at Northern Ohio) so they de-motored this one. Some work was done on car 4175 to backdate it but the work didn't get very far and it has mouldered for many years now (2015 photo here). Its highest and best use may be as a parts source to outfit Fox River's car. Car 4409, built in 1924, is one of three "plushies" that CTM acquired in the 1970s and is in the worst condition of the three. The other two are being retained by the museum. The commonality of this type need not be described.

And finally there's the locomotive, Canadian National 6714, built by GE in 1917. This was one of the 3000vDC electrics that ran Montreal commuter service until the early 1990s, an impressive tenure. It's one of four preserved (the other three are in Canada) so on its own it's not very historically significant, particularly given the somewhat unique nature of its construction. It has never operated at CTM and, like the Long Island car, cannot fit into any of the barns; it's basically been plinthed at the museum entrance for the 22 years it's been there. (I should mention that some other equipment, including trolley buses and a few steam road pieces, is also being deaccessioned as part of this move.)

On the whole, I think CTM is to be applauded for rationalizing their collection. None of this equipment is of strong historic significance, much less local significance, and none is likely to be restored to operation at CTM anytime soon. Their plan is to offer this equipment first to nonprofits and then to for-profit organizations, possibly scrappers although that's not really clear and may instead suggest individuals. They've also stated that preference will be given to preservation offers, as opposed to "parting out" offers. Some of this equipment - notably the North Shore cars - has been unofficially for sale for many years, but at an extremely high price that has squelched any serious interest. What offers will be entertained for this equipment at the present time remains to be seen.