Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 2168



Facts and Figures


Current Number2168
Railway RepresentedSoutheastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
BuilderSt. Louis Car Company
Built In1948
Builder's order id1666
Currently in (State)Maryland
--(Locality)Baltimore
Totally out of svc date2005
(Initial retirement date)1992
Car Typestreetcar
-subtypePCC, postwar
-designationClass A-46
Statusoperated often
More infohttp://home.comcast.net/~trolleydriver/FPT9.htm
Gauge5'4.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedSE
Length46'5"
Width8'5"
Height10'3"
Weight37990
#Seats51
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP220
TrucksClark B2
BrakesElectric
Compressorn/a
ControlGE 17KM12N1
MotorsGE 1220A1 (4)
Voltage (if not 600DC)
NotesOriginally 5'2.5" gauge

Car 2168 in operation at BSM in 2009
PhillyTrolley.org
photo: http://www.phillytrolley.org/2168_gulf-oil/2168_baltimore_70s_gulf-oil-paint_02.html

Car 2168 in operation at BSM in 2011
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/splattergraphics/5605899331/
Car History by Frank Hicks


Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 2168
One of a handful of Philadelphia PCC cars preserved with authentic historical restoration in mind is car 2168. The acronym PCC refers to the Electric Railway Presidents Conference Committee, 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 extremely successful and several thousand PCC's were built by two companies between 1936 and 1952. Philadelphia, the city in which 2168 ran its entire service life, was one of the larger operators of PCC's and owned 570 at one time or another. This car was part of an order of 110 cars numbered 2091-2200 which made up Philadelphia's second and largest order for postwar PCC's. These cars were built as one-man cars and during their service lives saw service all over the steadily shrinking Philadelphia city system. Car 2168 was completely rebuilt by SEPTA in early 1973 and it emerged in a unique yellow-and-white livery which earned it the nickname "the banana car." This livery was not deemed a success and the car was later repainted in the more common "Gulf Oil" orange blue and white livery. Later yet, in 1986, it went through the SEPTA General Overhaul (GOH) program and was again rebuilt and modernized. In 1992 car 2168 was taken out of regular service and painted in 1960's-era PTC green, and used on fan trips during the 1990's. In 2005 the car was put up for sale and purchased by the Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys organization, which transferred it to BSM and began restoration work on the car to return it to its condition in the 1980's.

Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Philadelphia Transportation Company (Pennsylvania, Philadelphia)21681948 1968 NO NO
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Pennsylvania, Philadelphia)21681968 2005 NO NO
Baltimore Streetcar Museum (Maryland, Baltimore)21682005 present YES NO

Additional Media

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Car 2168 in operation at BSM in 2016
YouTube
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBKbxWuOcIs