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| In addition to accessibility 2711 can accommodate Mr. Conductor's birthday party specials, with folding table space for the cake. | 2711 lays over at Darby Loop of Route 11 on Main Street in Darby, Pennsylvania |
| Car Number | 2711 | Car Builder | St. Louis Car Company |
| Year Built | 1947 | Year Acquired | 1999 |
| Type | Single-end PCC | Seats | 45 |
| Length | 46'8" | Width | 8'5" |
| Height | 10'3" | Weight | 38,060 lbs |
| Motors | WH 1432K | Status | 2711 is part of the operating fleet |
Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) had a large fleet of PCC streamliners, of which 2711 (with sister car 2723) represents one of the more recent. Originally built for service on the busy 23-Germantown Avenue line, the car came equipped for 2-man operation - almost unheard of in 1947, but traffic on the route more than covered the extra operating cost.
As PTC gave way to SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) in 1968, the 2700s continued in service and remained after several trolley lines had been discontinued. Because of their age, many cars went through a general overhaul rebuilding in the 1980s to extend their useful life another ten years, including the replacement of the hand-cranked windows with windows from school buses, and seating from scrapped former transit buses. But once that time was up and new cars were acquired, the cars were surplus.
2711 was acquired by PTM and rebuilt by Adtranz (Bombardier Transportation) as a handicapped-accessible car in 1999. This was achieved by modifying the outward-opening center doors of the car with a removable center support, making it possible to accommodate an external wheelchair lift. The interior of the car was also reconfigured to provide longitudinal bench seating in the front half of the car, which can be folded up to carry as many as ten wheelchairs at a time. A folding table was also mounted in the car, allowing PTM to use this car for birthday parties, charters and other special events. The exterior of the car was repainted to reflect its as-delivered paint scheme for PTC (green and cream, separated by a maroon belt rail).
Click on the thumbnails below for larger photos (will open in new window):
| Special re-engineered center doors allow access by the wheelchair lift | Visitors with special needs can be accommodated | 2711 was the poster child for advertising photos used to introduce the new cars in 1947 |
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