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Traction Yearbook 81 Soft Cover 256 Pages
Traction Yearbook 1981 Soft Cover
256 Pages Inscription inside front cover
Index
From The Editor 2
Feature Trolley: Electroliner/ Libertyliner 4
Domestic News 15
Domestic News Photos 30
Canadian News 85
Canadian News Photos 89
Mexican News 99
Mexican News Photos 102
Banfield - Portland's Light Rail Project 110
Another Tale of Two Cities - San Diego and Calgary 115 Foreign News and Photos 128
The U-2 Light Rail Vehicle 155
Light Rail Vehicle Photos 165
Photos 185
World List of Light Rail / Streetcar Systems 227
Advertisers 231
Product / Service Review 239
Commercial Manufacturers / Suppliers / Dealers 241
Destination Sign Reproductions 247
Museums 248
Clubs 252
Classified Non-Commercial Ads 254
An Electroliner. A Libertyliner. The ultimate in a high speed luxury interurban car. Two were constructed. They still exist. but have been retired for a number of years. Sitting forlorn and still, shorn of their former splendor, they await their next move: a possible but doubtful resurrection by their current owners, SEPTA's Red Arrow Division; purchase by another line able to use them in the limited stop service for which they were designed. such as the Long Island Rail Road: transfer to a trolley museum, where they would see limited movement once again; or, the fate of fates, the scrapper's torch. Though it is doubtful these cars will go under the torch, one cannot help but wonder what the next step will be for these cars that so faithfully carried commuters between Chicago and Milwaukee, and in Philadelphia, for over thirty years.
They began life in the shops of the St. Louis Car Company in 1940, and on February 6, 1941, the two trains started operation on the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee. with municipal celebrations at every town served by the line. For over twenty years. each of the cars made five daily round trips between Chicago and Milwaukee, each car accumulated almost three and a half million miles during this time. The cars could attain speeds in excess of 100 mph; their speedometers went to 120, but the needle strained many times to pass that point.
When the North Shore was abandoned on January 21. 1963, the end for these magnificent units seemed certain. However, a foresighted Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company purchased them, not from their original owners, but just in time from the scrap dealer to which they had been sold. Resplendent in the Red Arrow colors. and having undergone a complete refurbishing, the carsentered service on the Upper Darby-Norristown route on January 26. 1964. They were an immediate success, and were especially popular with the homebound commuters who could refresh themselves in each train's bar-lounge car. For the next dozen or so years. the cars were in and out of service for numerous reasons. Before they were removed from service. they operated only during the evening rush hour.
Five years of inaction has not been kind to these fine cars, but there is the hope that they may someday see service again.
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