The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company D13
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Dave's Electric Railroads |
Built in:1920 by Differential Car Company
Out-of-service/Retired:1982
Type of car:dump car (side dump motor)
Current Owner:Illinois Railway Museum(Union, Illinois)
Car History by Frank Hicks
The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company D13
Wisconsin's great interurban system was TMER&L, also known as "the TM" and the Milwaukee Electric. The TM had a huge fleet of work equipment, most of it homebuilt at the Cold Spring Shop complex. Some of the exceptions were a series of motorized side dump cars; these were used in track construction and miscellaneous other projects. Car D13, part of this fleet, operated systemwide on the TM until 1939; during this time it was rebuilt with a "wing" on the left side of each operating cab. In 1939 the East Troy line was abandoned with the exception of the segment from East Troy to Mukwonago, which was bought and operated by the city of East Troy. Car D13 was one of two pieces of equipment leased from the TM to operate the line; in 1950 the Municipality of East Troy bought the car outright. It was used in switching service until 1982, when METR replaced it with a diesel; at that time it was acquired by TWERHS, the trolley museum that operated over the METR. When TWERHS folded in 1988, D13 was sold - along with most of the rest of the TWERHS collection - to the Illinois Railway Museum, which has continued operating it and has largely restored the car. It is one of only two operational side-dump motors in existence.
Ownership History:The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company #D13 1920-1938 / The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Transport Company #D13 1938-1950 / Municipality of East Troy Railroad #D13 1950-1982 / 1st preserved by The Wisconsin Electric Railway Historical Society 1982-1988 / Illinois Railway Museum(Union, Illinois) 1988-present
Facts and Figures
| Status:undergoing restoration | Gauge:4'8.5" |
| Construction:steel | Roof type:AR | Ended:DE |
| Length:40'6" | Width:8'7" | Weight:79700# |
| #Seats:n/a | #Wheels/Conf.:8 (B-B) | Total HP:660 |
| Trucks:TMER&L M100AB | Brakes:AMM | Compressor:D3-F |
| Motors:GE 207 (4) | Voltage (if not 600DC): |
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