Key System 186

Facts and Figures

Current Number	186
Railway Represented	Key System
Builder	Bethlehem
Built In	1937
Builder's order id
Currently in (State)	California
--(Locality)	Rio Vista
Totally out of svc date	1959
(Initial retirement date)	1958
Car Type	rapid transit car
-subtype	two-car articulated set
-designation
Status	stored inoperable
More info
Gauge	4'8.5"
Construction	steel
Roof type	AR
Ended	DE
Length	110'6"
Width	8'10"
Height	14'2"
Weight	138890
#Seats	140
#Wheels/Conf.	12
Total HP	420
Trucks	Commonwealth
Brakes	AMM (M24D)
Compressor	GE CP28 (2)
Control	GE M (C6J)
Motors	WH 555C6 (4)
Voltage (if not 600DC)

Car History by Frank Hicks

Key System 186 In 1939 the Key System, which had previously operated interurbans to Oakland where passengers transferred to San Francisco Bay ferries, began running trains into San Francisco over the Bay Bridge. During the two years leading up to this service expansion a total of 88 two-car articulated interurban trainsets were built for through operation over the Bay Bridge. The first 23 cars to be built, numbered 165-187, were constructed with all modern components while the remaining 60 cars were constructed with parts stripped from older scrapped interurban cars. Car 186 was one of 37 that were actually owned by the California Toll Bridge Authority, and when Key System abandoned Bay Bridge service in 1958 the cars owned by the Authority were not scrapped but were held for resale. Car 186 was bought in 1959 by WRM for ten dollars, and in 1964 was moved to the museum's site in Rio Vista. Since that time the car has been stored in complete but unrestored condition.

Ownership History

Owner	Car Num	From	To	Preservation?	Loan?
Key System (California, Oakland)	186	1937	1959	NO	NO
Western Railway Museum (California, Rio Vista)	186	1959	present	YES	NO