Kansas City Public Service 1545




Facts and Figures


Current Number1545
Railway RepresentedKansas City Public Service
BuilderAmerican Car Company
Built In1919
Builder's order id1226
Currently in (State)Arkansas
--(Locality)Fort Smith
Totally out of svc date1950
(Initial retirement date)1949
Car Typestreetcar
-subtypeBirney safety car
-designation
Statusstored inoperable
More info
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedDE
Length27'10"
Width7'8"
Height9'10"
Weight15400
#Seats28
#Wheels/Conf.4
Total HP50
Trucks[Brill 79E1]
BrakesSME [(M28)]
Compressor[WABCO DH16]
Control[K-63BR]
Motors[WH 508A (2)]
Voltage (if not 600DC)
NotesBody only, on truck

Car 1545 in storage at FSTM in 2009
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod-pepin/9339612436/

Car 1545 in storage at FSTM in 2023
Facebook
photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=372012282172723&set=pcb.6380719242034077

Car History by Frank Hicks


Kansas City Public Service 1545
One of two surviving Birneys from KCPS, 1545 was the last single-truck Birney to operate in Kansas City on May 1, 1949. Stored for a time, in 1950 the car was bought by Jay Maeder and moved to his hometown of Milwaukee. Jay Maeder was the president of Speedrail, successor to the Milwaukee Electric interurban system, and on September 2, 1950 he was the motorman on an NMRA charter when he ran a signal and collided head-on with another train. Maeder survived, but ten passengers were killed in the wreck and Speedrail went out of business shortly thereafter. The devastated Maeder donated 1545 to the Ohio Railway Museum in December 1952 and it was moved to Worthington, Ohio in June of 1953. ORM was one of the earliest operating trolley museums and 1545 was soon repainted and operational; for a time, before ORM built its bridge over Route 161, 1545 ran on an isolated stretch of track south of Route 161. After ORM began its long decline in the mid-1970's, 1545 was heavily vandalized and damaged by arsonists. In December 1982 the car was sold to the FSTM, which stripped it of its truck, motors and control equipment to restore Fort Smith Birney 224. The body has been retained intact and is in storage.


Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Kansas City Railways (Missouri, Kansas City)15451919 1926 NO NO
Kansas City Public Service (Missouri, Kansas City)15451926 1950 NO NO
Private owner 15451950 1953 YES NO
Ohio Railway Museum (Ohio, Worthington)15451953 1982 YES NO
Fort Smith Trolley Museum (Arkansas, Fort Smith)15451982 present YES NO