QUOTE: Originally posted by trolleyboy Okay Classic Juice #10 The changes in car design and crewing and the comming of the safety car' A lot of you will remember the Saftey car or the Birney from your own cities systems. Next to the Witt Birney's were likely the most common streetcar type out there, with most major and alot of the minor systems operating them,they came in two main forms the single or double truck models. They were designed for singleman operation as well, hence the safety car moniker. First a bit of run up back history to the avant of the one man car. To the uninitiated,the general appearance of trolley'sappearse tio have chaged little before the 1930's. One however can find many subtle changes beginning in the 20's. Monitor roofs , with their small openable clerestry windows, gave way to the arched roof with ventilators around 1910. Rear plateforms were enlarged for the new Pay as you enter PAYE fare system , and doors started to appear more commonly in the centre when Paye as you pass started with the Witt cars. More common use of bright colours, and the abandonment of fancy lettering and striping in the 20's also occured. Likley the biggest change was construction methods, in the 20's steel replaced wood as the construction medium. At the turn of the century (approx 1906 ) steel was used as an underframe, with a wood body previous to that cars were generally all wood. The first NA manufacturer tp do steel bodies was the pressed steel company of Pittsburgh which delivered it's first all steel cars to Montreal in 1907. Most companies however beleaved that heavier wood bodied cars ( steel underframe ) gave a smoother ride,some going even as far as to insist on concrete floors for extra added stability ! Nevertheless steel offered more strength ,was less fragile for external panel use, and could be more easily repaired with rivetting or welding. It was also more fireproof and held together better under vibration. As steel's advantages became better known and hardwoods became more scarce,the tide of opinion changed and by 1912 the star of the changeover took place. Wood interiors and wood framed canvas covered roofs remained in vogue for many years yet but after 1917 the all wood car was obsolete. While double truck cars became increasingly more popular after the turn of the century ,single truck trams continued to be built to the 1930's. Because they were shorter and lighter, and took up less street space,required less maintenance and consumed less energy.They were better suited to single man pay as you pass operations as well for smaller cities and less travelled routes. Money savings were the prime motivation in the 30's to single man cars as well. The unions of coarse were not happy with the loss off two man crewing. The main crux was what if the motorman passes out ot dies with no conductor who would save the passengers, this is a death trap etc etc. Enter the safety car ( and better motorman wages/ sorry conductors the union got less jobs but, more money for the remaining members ) Significant technical improvements / advances happen just prior to WW1 making 1 man operation safe and practical. With the "safety cars " the first was built by St louis car in 1913 for the illinois traction ( later terminal , thought you would like that Tom ). It featured a combination brake,sand and door mechanism plus a deadmans handle. The latter became the main feature to overcome the objections to one man operation should the operator become unconscious or dead.The handle has to remain depressed,otherwise the brakes and would automatically apply amd the doors would be made openable only by hand. Doors could not be openned while the car was moving nor could the car move if the doors were open. Hence the "safety car" name. This system was designed by J.M. Boisenbury ( Illinois Traction's superintendant of motive power ) he worked in conjunction with westinghouse. A foot positioned deadman's button which had to be stood on at all times was also developed at this time.( PCC's use these ) Safety cars of all shapes and sizes were built to double and single truck models.The most popular was the Birney designed by Charles O. Birney of Stone & Webster. his car standarized on a 28 foot 16,000 pound car first produced by Brill in 1916 ( The KW picture I posted on Sunday ) This was a rougyh riding but cheap to produce car essentilally the model T of the transportion systems.They were no frills minimal heating with rataan seats. The latter double truck models rode better but were still rough 47 feet long 40,000 pounds. The later still witt's and PCC's are also safety cars in that their safety appliances are the same ( deadman handle on the Witt , floor pedal on the PCC ) they were just more civilized to the ride characteristcs and of coarse they wer faster. Rob
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