Brooklyn & Queens Transit 1001

www.nycsubway.org

Built in:1936 by St. Louis Car Company (ord#1600)
Out-of-service/Retired:1956
Type of car:streetcar (PCC, prewar)
Current Owner:Branford Electric Railway Association(East Haven, Connecticut)

Car History by Frank Hicks


Brooklyn & Queens Transit 1001
The first true PCC car ever built was this car, B&QT 1001. PCC referred to the Electric Railway Presidents Conference Committee, which was a group of street railway company representatives that in the early 1930's developed a design for a modern, standardized streetcar. The resulting PCC car was streamlined, rode smoother and quieter than other contemporary streetcars, and used a number of revolutionary electrical and mechanical systems. It was extremely successful and several thousand PCC's were built by two companies between 1936 and 1952. B&QT was one of the more active sponsors of the PCC development program and hosted two pre-PCC test cars during the early 1930's. The very first order was placed by B&QT for 99 cars built by St. Louis in 1936, and the first of these cars was car 1001. These were the only production PCC's ever ordered by B&QT, and as the most modern cars on the system they saw service right up until the end of B&QT streetcar service in 1956. BERA acquired 1001 after its retirement. At the time it was still a very modern car - only four years earlier PCC's had been rolling off the production lines. The car has operated consistently at Branford since its acquisition. In the 1960's it was rebuilt and restored to its as-delivered condition, and currently it is undergoing another more thorough rehabilitation.

Ownership History:Brooklyn & Queens Transit #1001 1936-1940 / New York City Board of Transportation #1001 1940-1953 / New York City Transit Authority #1001 1953-1956 / Branford Electric Railway Association(East Haven, Connecticut) 1956-present



Facts and Figures


Status:operated occasionallyGauge:4'8.5"
Construction:steelRoof type:AREnded:SE
Length:46'0"Width:8'4"Weight:33360#
#Seats:59#Wheels/Conf.:8 (B-B)Total HP:220
Trucks:Clark B2Brakes:Air-ElectricCompressor:PC-2
Motors:GE 1198A (4)Voltage (if not 600DC)

PHOTO PHOTO