Toledo Railway & Light Company ordered semi-convertible cars from Cleveland builder G.C. Kuhlman in 1910.  Semi-convertible cars had lower side panels that remained fixed and large windows that could fully retract into pockets in the roof.  It made for a very well-ventilated car.  The car had another distinctive feature.  Many trolleys had a “railroad roof” with a raised clerestory for ventilation and light.  Many others had a flat deck roof, which was simpler to build and maintain.  But the Kuhlman’s had both, a clerestory in front, and a simple deck roof over the rear platform.  This combined style roof was known as an empire roof.

This car has been well travelled.  After retirement it was moved a small recreation area alongside Lake Erie known as Sages Grove.  It was used as a cottage.  It stayed here until the mid-1960’s 1960s when the car was acquired by Trolleyville U.S.A..  Later Trolleyville divested itself of the car and it went to the Grand Rapids Electric Railway Museum.  This museum was located west of Toledo, Ohio.  Later when this Museum dissolved, the car was acquired by the Museum in 2000.  588 is the only remaining car from the Toledo Railway fleet.

Builder	Kuhlman Car Company
Type	Electric Street Car
Description	Description: Single End Double Truck Railroad/Deck Roof Semi Convertible
Year Built	1910
Retired	1948
Acquired	2000
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Trucks	Shop AB (temporary)
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Control
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Compressor