During World War II the Shaker Rapid became the property of the city of Shaker Heights. A priority after the war was to procure new cars for the line. Shaker Heights Mayor William Van Aken had visited Cincinnati, which operated the new PCC cars. He was impressed by their paint scheme – bright yellow with three green stripes on the belt rail and a gray roof. So, he ordered the 25 PCC cars to be delivered in 1948 be painted similarly. This paint scheme, with variations in numbers of green stripes, lasted on many cars until they were replaced in the 1980s. In 1951 Moreland Blvd was renamed Van Aken Blvd in his honor.
| Builder | Pullman Standard |
| Type | Electric Street Car |
| Description | Single End Double Truck Arch Roof Electric PCC |
| Year Built | 1948 |
| Retired | |
| Acquired | 1987 |
| Seats | 58 |
| Length | 50′ |
| Width | 9′ |
| Height | 10′ 2″ |
| Weight | 43,100 |
| Trucks | Clark B-2 |
| Motors | (4) GE 1220, 55hp |
| Control | GE |
| Brakes | GE |
| Compressor | n/a |