Philadelphia Transportation Company 8042



Facts and Figures


Current Number8042
Railway RepresentedPhiladelphia Transportation Company
BuilderJ.G. Brill Company
Built In1923
Builder's order id21708
Currently in (State)Pennsylvania
--(Locality)Washington
Totally out of svc date1957
(Initial retirement date)
Car Typestreetcar
-subtypePeter Witt
-designation
Statusundergoing restoration
More infohttp://www.pa-trolley.org/Roster/PTC8042.htm
Gauge5'2.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedSE
Length46'6"
Width8'6"
Height
Weight
#Seats57
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP
TrucksBrill 39E2
BrakesSME (MD35)
CompressorCP-27
ControlK-68A
MotorsGE 275 (2)
Voltage (if not 600DC)

Car 8042 in the shop at PTM in 2019
Hicks Car Works
photo: https://hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2019/07/visit-to-arden.html

Car 8042 in the shop at PTM
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
photo: https://pa-trolley.org/collection/test6/
Car History by Frank Hicks


Philadelphia Transportation Company 8042
This car was one of over 500 ordered in 1923 by PRT from Brill; the order was divided between single-end streetcars (like 8042), double-end streetcars and work cars. The majority - 385 of the cars - were Peter Witt style cars like 8042 that had front entrance and center exit doors. Originally some cars, 8042 included, also had a turnstyle installed forward of the center doors to regulate fare collection; this was later removed. Between 1940 and 1941 nearly 150 of the 1923 cars were modernized, among them 8042. Improvements included herringbone gears, new braking equipment, interior refurbishment and a flashier paint job that gave the rebuilds the nickname "Paintliners." PTC 8042 ran in this configuration until retirement in 1957, when it was acquired by one of the Trolley Valhalla component groups and moved to New Jersey. TV's collection was later transferred to BVTA, and eventually, around 2000, 8042 was moved to the ECTM site in Scranton. In 2005 the car was sold to PTM and restoration work was begun. This is one of three 8000-series PTC cars preserved, and has the distinction of being the last car to run on the York-Willow Grove Line (Route 55) in Philadelphia in 1940.

Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Philadelphia Rapid Transit (Pennsylvania, Philadelphia)80421923 1940 NO NO
Philadelphia Transportation Company (Pennsylvania, Philadelphia)80421940 1957 NO NO
Trolley Valhalla (New Jersey, Tansboro)80421957 1975 YES NO
Buckingham Valley Trolley Association (Pennsylvania, New Hope)80421975 1999 YES NO
Electric City Trolley Museum (Pennsylvania, Scranton)80421999 2005 YES NO
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (Pennsylvania, Washington)80422005 present YES NO

Additional Media

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An extensive tour of restoration work on car 8042 from 2020
YouTube
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=244njL_68YA