Cleveland Transit System 109 Runs

Congratulations to the Northern Ohio Railway Museum on getting their fourth car, and second passenger car, running. They announced on their Facebook page (no log-in required) that Cleveland Transit System 109 was made operational under its own power this week for the first time since arriving at NORM in 2013. The photo above is from the museum's Facebook post. Car 109's status has been updated in the PNAERC roster.

CTS 109 is one of 18 single-unit "Bluebird" cars built for the opening of the system's heavy rail rapid transit line in 1955 by St. Louis Car Company (there were also 35 married-pair sets of largely identical cars in the 200-series). Three of the single-unit cars still exist: 112, which has been at NORM for 35 years and is complete but deteriorated; 113, an ex-Trolleyville car now at Seashore in similar condition; and car 109. This example, by far the nicest of the preserved "Bluebirds," was retained by its home system as a historic car and was stored in good repair under Terminal Tower for many years. It came to NORM in 2013 along with two of the museum's other three operating cars, Shaker Heights historic car 12 and Shaker Heights line car 024. And kudos to NORM on their plan to retain 109's pantograph (though it will need to be raised) rather than replacing it with trolley poles.