The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company D13



Facts and Figures


Current NumberD13
Railway RepresentedThe Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company
BuilderDifferential Car Company
Built In1920
Builder's order id
Currently in (State)Illinois
--(Locality)Union
Totally out of svc date1982
(Initial retirement date)
Car Typedump car
-subtypeside dump motor
-designation
Statusoperated occasionally
More infohttp://www.irm.org/player/tmertd13
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedDE
Length40'6"
Width8'7"
Height11'10"
Weight79700
#Seatsn/a
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP660
TrucksTMER&L M100AB
BrakesAMM
CompressorWABCO D3F
ControlWH HL (15B2)
MotorsGE 207 (4)
Voltage (if not 600DC)

Car D13 in operation at IRM in 2023
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/59632003@N07/53016573568/

Car D13 in operation at IRM in 2015
Illinois Railway Museum
photo: https://www.irm.org/gallery/TMERLD13/aad
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


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company (Wisconsin, Milwaukee)D131920 1938 NO NO
The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Transport Company (Wisconsin, Milwaukee)D131938 1950 NO NO
Municipality of East Troy Railroad (Wisconsin, East Troy)D131950 1982 NO NO
The Wisconsin Electric Railway Historical Society (Wisconsin, East Troy)D131982 1988 YES NO
Illinois Railway Museum (Illinois, Union)D131988 present YES NO

Additional Media

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Car D13 in operation at IRM in 2023
VideoPress
video: https://videopress.com/v/6eK0yLJR