(Miller Library, PTM)
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| Trolley Display Building, 2005 (John Smatlak photo) | 4100 car on Dormont at Washington and
McFarland Roads (Miller Library, PTM) |
| Car Number | 4140 | Car Builder | Pressed Steel Car Company |
| Year Built | 1911 | Year Acquired | 1972 |
| Type | SE City - High Floor | Seats | 53 |
| Length | 47'2" | Width | 8'2" |
| Height | 11'6" | Weight | 48,000 lbs (24 tons) |
| Max Speed | XX mph | Status | Stored inoperative, Trolley Display Building |
Car 4140 was quite modern for its day - an early example of steel construction in streetcar design. Its function is the same as 1905-vintage car 3487 (including pulling unpowered trailers up and down Pittsburgh's substantial hills), but is much lighter and therefore less costly to operate.
Even though these cars could not be operated with just one crewman, like the more modern "low-floor" cars that followed, they were retained for service on busy routes into the late 1930s because of their ability to move large crowds when a trailer was attached.
A number of them were converted for work service after their passenger days were over. 4140 first became a snow scraper, than a towing car, in use as recently as 1968. Note the heavy steel plates added to the back end to strengthen the car for towing purposes.
Click on the thumbnails below for larger photos (will open in new window):
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| 4149 on Route 88, Frankstown (Homer Woessner collection) |
Sister car 4116 as the Cordicar in 1954,
advertising Cordic & Co's move to KDKA (William P. Nixon collection) |
Sister car 4116 as the Cordicar in 1954,
advertising Cordic & Co's move to KDKA (William P. Nixon collection) |
4140 from the rear; note the heave steel plates and
the rear door for tow duty. (John Smatlak photo) |
Last updated October 17, 2005
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Museum. All rights reserved.
