Duluth Street Railway No. 78
Streetcar No. 265 was acquired by the Museum
in 1973 and restored to service in 1982.
Here it passes through the Glen on the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line.
Photo by Eric Hopp
Description
Twin City Lines class L-8 streetcar was built at Snelling
Shops in December 1915 as their first No. 1791. It was sold
to the Duluth Street Railways in May 1916 for use on its
Morgan Park extension and renumbered No. 265. In September
1929 it was rebuilt for one-man operation as part of a program
to meet rising costs and competition from paved roads and
the Model T. In September 1939 it was retired when Duluth's
streetcar system was abandoned and the body sold for use
as a cabin at Solon Springs, Wisconsin. The Museum acquired
it in April 1973 and moved it to rented space in the Northern
Pacific's Como Shops (today's Bandana Square) in September
1973, where restoration was begun. In September 1980 it
was moved to the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line's Linden Hills
Carbarn, where restoration was completed. Its first operation
occurred in July, 1982.
The original trucks under No. 265 came from a Chicago Transit Authority car. They were too stiff for No. 265's weight. The Museum recently had the good fortune of receiving three pair of trucks from Japan. Made in the United States, they were exported in the 1920's and used in Osaka. The Japanese kept them in excellent shape and they came to us freshly out of service. The pair of Brill 27-E trucks are similar to those used under TCRT cars before to 1905 and provide a much better ride. No. 265's former trucks were used to restore TCRT No. 1239.
.Materials
The streetcar's frame is made of steel. The body is made
out of wood, with canvas over the roof.
As-Built Technical Data
| Type | L-8 |
| Number of trucks | 2 |
| Truck type | Twin City #9 |
| Wheel diameter | 34" |
| Wheel type | Steel |
| Number of traction motors | 4 |
| Traction motor type | G.E. 200 |
| Gear ratio | 15:66 |
| Controller type | K-43-F2 |
| Weight | 41,700 lbs. |
| Width | 9' 1" |
| Length | 46' 8" |
| Underframe | Steel |
| Trolley base | G.E. #13 |
| Trolley wheel diameter | 7" |
Rebuild Changes
| Truck type | Twin City #9* |
| Traction motor type | G.E. 216 |
| Weight | 49,600 lbs. |
*Correction by Mr. Olson to the data in his book Information from The Electric Railways of Minnesota, by Russell L. Olson. Published by the Minnesota Transportation Museum.
