The Shore Line Trolley Museum's rail car roster documents significant details of each member of the collection. As the configuration of any given car likely changed several times during its service life, the information that is presented reflects the state of the car as it exists in our collection. Typically, this implies the configuration when the car was last in regular service. However, some cars have been restored to be authentic to a different period in their lifetime. Furthermore, some cars have non-authentic equipment installed either because the original equipment was not present on the car when it was acquired, or because the equipment was damaged. In these cases, the correct configuration is documented, and a footnote advises of any discrepancies.

The following columns are present in the roster table:

Car Number

The car number which the car carried in service. Often, a car carried several different numbers during its service lifetime. For example, a car may have started life as a passenger car in one city, been renumbered for bureaucratic reasons, sold to another city and renumbered again, and then converted to work service and renumbered yet again. The car is listed under the car number which is correct for the period of the car as it is configured. Other car numbers are given a partial entry which refers to the main entry.

Owner

The operating company which owned the car. Where the car was owned by different companies during its lifetime, a partial entry is given for each ownership, along with the city and car number. In many cases, the names of operating companies changed over the years, or companies were acquired. Under these circumstances, the multiple names are not individually listed.

City

The city in which the car was operating under the owner and car number listed.

Builder

The company which built the car body. Trucks, motor and brake equipment were usually supplied by other companies and installed either by the car builder or by the owner.

Num Trucks

Single-truck (ST) or double-truck (DT). Each truck carries two axles, or four wheels. On single truck cars, the truck is rigidly mounted under the center of the car body. Each truck of a double truck car is mounted on a pivot near the ends of the car, to allow the trucks to follow the curvature of the track and permit a heavier and longer car.

Truck Type

The manufacturer and model number of the truck(s).

Motors

The number of traction motors (the motors which propel the car), their manufacturer and model number. The majority of the equipment listed was made either by General Electric (GE) or Westinghouse (WH).

Ends

Double-ended (DE) or single-ended (SE). Double-ended cars can be operated from either end of the car. Single-ended cars have a definite front and a back, and require a loop or wye track to turn around. The choice of endedness was dictated primarily by a system's track layout.

OpenClosed

Open cars have open sides and running boards from which passengers can board and alight. Closed cars have an enclosed body design, with access via doors. Some closed cars have open end platforms. Convertible designs have removable panels allowing the car to operate in either an open or closed configuration.

Roof

The style of roof: Traditional "railroad" (steam coach) style, with a curved transition over the platforms, "deck", in which the raised clerestory stops abruptly before the platform, and "arch", with a smooth, curved roof lacking a clerestory.

Type

The classification of the car according to function. The first word is the major class: streetcar (passenger), rt (rapid transit), and work.

Length

Length of the car, in feet.

Compressor

The model number of the car's air compressor, if applicable.

Weight

The weight of the car, in pounds. This figure is taken from builder's data, and may not be entirely accurate where installed equipment has been changed on the car.

Seats

The number of passenger seats, if applicable.

Controls

The type of traction motor controls installed. The "K"-type series-parallel controller design was the most prevalent in streetcars, superseding the earlier "R"-type design, and the model numbers were standardized between General Electric and Westinghouse. A K-type controller directly controls the flow of current to the motors and grid resistors, using a metal camshaft, operated via an insulated crank handle by the motorman. Heavier cars that require more current than a K-type controller can safely handle, or multiple-unit cars, use a group switch design. A master controller, similar in appearance to the K-type controller, energizes control wires which operate heavy-duty electrical contactors inside the group switch under the car. For group-switch equipped cars, the manufacturer and model number of the group switch system is given.

Brakes

Information about the brake system of the car.

Structural

The materials used for the structural members which support the weight of the car. Even steel cars have some amount of wood in them in seats, windows, etc. A car listed as "wood" uses wooden timbers as the main structural support, and usually has a turnbuckle to stiffen the car body against center sagging. "Composite" cars use a steel underframe but wooden upper members.

Guidebook

The page or pages on which information about or photos of the car appear in the latest edition of the museum's guidebook.

Other #s

Other roster numbers by which the car has been known.

Comment

Indicates additional comments about the car, attached to the end of the roster table.