Last week, we discussed the brief history of the line for which this car, now in the Northern Ohio Railway Museum collection, was built. In addition to its background, this car itself has an interesting history. It was, as we said, built in 1926 for the Aurora, Elgin & Fox River interurban at the time that line was separated from the larger Aurora, Elgin & Chicago line. When Fox River line discontinued passenger service in 1935, the car and its six sisters were purchased by the Cleveland Interurban Railway, soon to be the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, and converted for rapid transit service. When replaced by newer cars, it went to Ohio’s Trolleyville museum, and came to NORM when that museum closed.

The car, itself, is interesting in that it is built in the style characteristic of US trolleys, large and small, in the period 1915 – 1925. It has a flat sided steel body and a canvas covered wooden arch roof. Folding doors, with a step that dropped down when the doors were opened, are at each end. As were so many cars of that era, it is double ended, able to operate in either direction. It’s styling is simple — austere, really, in contrast to the elaborate wooden cars of the 1890’s and early 1900’s. Although it was intended for interurban service, originally having such features as a lavatory, it is much smaller and lighter than the massive steel heavy interurban cars of its era. Rather, in size, construction and style, it more like a large urban car, such as those intended to connect suburban areas with a central city.

Also, as we mentioned in an earlier post, it once collided with an elephant!

Pictures: 1) #303 in it’s first life, Street Railway Journal, 2) #303 on the Shaker, Columbus Metropolitan Library, 3) sister #304 at Trolleyville, Trolleyville postcard and 4) #303 at NORM, Steve Heister.