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The Interurban Car 26
Through a long series of fortunate events, the classic interurban coach Wisconsin Power & Light #26 survived into the 1990's with its' carbody nearly intact. After decades of service as a lakeside cottage, it was donated to Friends. In turn, the donating family, the Doedens of Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, have undertaken a campaign to restore the car to operation. Included here are the basic plan for the restoration, the intentions for its future and photographs showing the restoration process. See the slide show tribute to the return to operations of Car26. The file is approximately 6MB, so broadband is recommended. The file is in Microsoft Video format. Open/Download Video
The carbody was in restorable condition, as revealed by a professional evaluation made in January, 1997. Some of the original interior woodwork was only a coat of varnish away from being ready to accept passengers. The exterior, however, required a considerable amount of restoration. After the woodwork is completed, the car will then get hardware: original Brill 27E trucks with traction motors are being readied at the East Troy shops, as are other necessary mechanical items. Ongoing Car 26 fundraising will allow the trucks and traction motors to be rebuilt, and mechanicals to be acquired and overhauled. The Doedens have set up the Interurban Car 26 Restoration Association to assist Friends in a complete historical restoration of the car to operating condition. Fundraising has begun for a thorough refurbishment by master restorer Glenn Guerra, with over $130,000 in hand toward the eventual goal of $280,000. Car 26 was moved from East Troy to Plymouth, Wisconsin on November 21st, 1998 by Rick Volkmann of Volkmann Railroad Builders of Milwaukee for the body portion of the project. Glenn Guerra has completed his exhaustive research into the original construction of the car. Actual work began on November 30th, 1998. He has amassed a huge collection of builder's and other photographs, drawings, and contemporary descriptions to augment his own set of shop drawings. There were six public Open Houses of the project to help with fundraising and volunteering for the project. The installation of the mechanicals such as wiring, trucks, and controls will take place now that Car 26 has returned to East Troy. It is now a permanent exhibit as its restoration continues.
The Interurban Car 26 Restoration Association has set out its goals and plans in the publications below: We are posting updates on the Car 26 project as it develops: Please see the messages from master restorer Glenn Guerra below. Also, we have a Car 26 Photo Gallery page.
For further
information about this project, you may contact: Don Lenz via e-mail at dwlenz@earthlink.net, or
Friends
of East Troy Railroad Museum
THE INTERPRETIVE PLAN GENERAL BACKGROUND Car #26 of the Sheboygan Light, Power and Railway Co. is an artifact from the expansive years of the Wisconsin interurban railroad industry. This interurban industry in Wisconsin and the rest of the mid-west started from horse-drawn city streetcar lines. With the advent of electrically powered cars, the companies were able to expand their service out of the larger cities and into the rural areas and eventually these lines connected with other urban centers. These companies were referred to as interurban railroads. A building boom followed and by 1908 it was possible to ride on electric railroads from Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, to mid-state New York. Soon after, however, the automobile started to appear. The industry reached its peak for new miles in one year in 1903, and by 1916 the total miles in use peaked. From that point the companies were less prosperous, and the cars and services reflected the austere conditions of the companies. By 1940 the industry was largely gone. The companies that survived reverted to streetcar lines although a few continued to connect large cities, but after World War II the city bus put the streetcars out-of-business. Car #26 comes from the expansive years of the industry and gives us insight into the mood of that era. When times are good and the future appears bright, we tend to express ourselves with some degree of lavishness as in Car #26. When compared to other forms of travel in that era, Car #26 takes on the appearance of great comfort and convenience reflecting how the owners of the railroad felt about the future. Following this beginning of great expectations, Car #26 had a life similar to the industry as a whole. When forced with austerity, the railroad modified the car so it could be operated by one person. This modification eliminated the conductor and also consisted of closing one of the entry doors in each vestibule. When the car was no longer needed by the railroad, the electrical equipment and trucks were removed and it was sold and became a vacation cottage near the shores of Lake Michigan.
THE FUTURE The car is now owned by The Friends of East Troy Railroad Museum through a donation from the Doedens family. The museum desires to rebuild Car #26 to the condition it was at the time of its arrival in Sheboygan in 1908. The rebuilding will include replacement of the missing electrical and mechanical components so the car will be capable of operating. The rebuilding project will convey some of the mood of the interurban industry in its expansive years including a demonstration of the travel accommodations for riders in 1908. The car will operate and be available for rides on special occasions to provide interactive experiences to riders so they can appreciate the feelings and sounds of travel in 1908. During the rebuilding of Car #26, a study of the construction, manufacturing processes, and modifications made to the car will be conducted. The general construction of the car and other wood-bodied cars is known, but the specific details are not. The information gathered from this study will add to the base of knowledge about car construction. A complete set of working drawings for the framing will be completed, They will show detailed information of all the joinery, fasteners, and materials used in the framing. The manufacturing processes will be studied. Tool marks left on wood reveal what tools were used to form it. Distinctions between hand tools and machine tools can be noted. The construction sequence can be noted by observing what pieces were put over other pieces. Since this project is following a similar project of a 1906 car of the same manufacturer, the comparison of findings will be of great interest. Interior moldings in both cars have the same profile but are made of different wood, a significant fact when considering the degree of "custom' work involved in the construction and design of the cars. By examining pieces as they are removed, modifications will be noted and it will be possible to determine if pieces are original or added. The notes from these findings will add insight into the work force and whether modifications or repairs were made, some not apparent until after the start of the rebuilding. With any artifact, consideration needs to be given to its value as a holder of history. If an artifact is tampered with, then the history held within is severely compromised. Careful consideration should be given to the artifact before tampering with it. Unlike a vase or a painting, Car #26 is more like an unexcavated village. If we excavate the village, we will forever compromise it but gain knowledge we did not have before. Some of the history of Car #26, the railroad, life in 1908, the carbuilder's craft, and workmanship of the era are all in the car as it is today. If we are observant and act accordingly, we will be able to bring this history to light during the rebuilding of the car. Does gaining the knowledge of this history justify the tampering that will take place during rebuilding? Yes, because there is no other way to retrieve that history except by rebuilding. The rebuilding of Car #26 to its 1908 appearance is recommended. There are reasons to rebuild the car to another configuration it had during its life, but its original one seems most significant. We feel the 'as built' configuration will have the most visitor appeal. One of the purposes of the museum is to educate visitors about electric railroads in Wisconsin, and when visitors come to the museum, Car #26 in its original configuration will gain their attention. The car will become the focal point of a larger exhibit. Side exhibits will cover the history of interurban railroads in Wisconsin, how these companies related to the industry in the mid-west, the history of the Sheboygan lines in detail, information on the car builders of the time and their craft, and how Car #26 was rebuilt.
SHEBOYGAN LIGHT, POWER, and RAILWAY CO. CAR #26 The purpose of this rebuilding plan is to explain how Car #26 will be rebuilt in a manner that supports and meets the objectives of the interpretive plan. GENERAL This car was built in 1908 by the Cincinnati Car Co. for the Sheboygan Light, Power and Railway Co. of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The car ran in daily service for 30 years connecting the towns of Sheboygan, Kohler, Sheboygan Falls, Plymouth, Crystal Lake and Elkhart Lake. Following its use as an interurban car, it was sold by the railroad and became a summer cottage near Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, along the shores of Lake Michigan. The car was donated to The Friends of East Troy Railroad Museum and moved to East Troy in November 1992. The car in its present condition does not reflect the configuration it had in 1908. Modifications include the conversion by the railroad to a streetcar configuration with a single door at each end. The car had much of its mechanical equipment removed when it became a summer cottage. During 53 years as a summer cottage, it had very few further modifications but suffered deterioration from the weather. The interpretive plan calls for the car to be rebuilt to the configuration it had in 1908. To rebuild the car to this configuration, most of the exterior will have to be repaired or rebuilt. The interior will need extensive refinishing. The original records of the car builder and railroad are gone, and much information will have to be gleaned from the car itself. SPECIFIC GOALS and METHODS The three specific goals of this rebuilding project are scholarship, originality and final appearance, They will be discussed in the following paragraphs. SCHOLARSHIP SCHOLARSHIP During the rebuilding of this car, we will endeavor to learn from the car. Since the original construction records and the railroad's maintenance records do not exist, careful observation and documentation will attempt to recreate some of the records. We will look for information about the materials used, manufacturing methods, how the railroad used the car, maintenance of the car, and the car’s construction. All materials used in the construction of the car will be documented. Wood species and cuts will be recorded. Metal parts will be identified by type of metal. Paint samples will be collected, their locations noted, and they will be analyzed for pigments and composition and number of coats. This data will help determine the correct colors and paint scheme for the car when displayed. Manufacturing methods will identify and note all the parts used and their order of use in the car. The parts of the car will be examined for indications of whether they were handmade or machine made. Note will be taken of possible sub-assemblies made prior to incorporation into the rest of the car. How the railroad used the car will be examined by looking at and noting the modifications. The car will be compared to photographs to note obvious modifications. Others will be noted by examining the car as it is being disassembled. Area of repair due to wear or damage will be examined and noted as they relate to everyday use. Maintenance of the car will be considered to retrieve information about the railroad's shop services. The design and workmanship of the modifications will be noted. Information from the paint samples will determine the number of times the car may have been in the shop. Car Construction will examine the joinery and fasteners of the car. Working drawings will be prepared for every part of the car. Photographs and physical evidence will determine the locations and types of mechanical components. Areas of decay, wear, and failure will be noted as they relate to the car’s construction.
ORIGINALITY ORIGINALITY During rebuilding, we will attempt to keep the original parts and reuse them. As needed, we will make new parts that are the same as the original ones. All parts needing work will be evaluated on their value as historical artifacts and whether it would be more cost effective to rebuild the parts or replace them with new construction. As historical artifacts, parts will be evaluated to determine if keeping them for others to examine in the future would be of more value to history than rebuilding the parts. Parts only marginally acceptable will be saved and new parts made. Other parts that will be unavailable when the car is done will have samples retained for future use. APPEARANCE APPEARANCE The car will appear as it did when in service in 1908. The workmanship will be an indication of what was learned during the disassembly of the car. To have a perfect car is not the purpose of this rebuilding.
THE CAR The car will be displayed on East Troy Electric Railroad Museum track so it can be run occasionally on the line. One side of the car will have a platform for viewers to see into the car. Guided tours including the interior will be provided for groups with prior approval of the museum staff. Text and pictures will explain the car and lead viewers to side exhibits. The car restorer will make every effort to use the same materials and construction techniques as in the original construction. The result will be an accurate representation of how the car looked in 1908. THE INTERURBAN INDUSTRY This exhibit will list all the interurban railroads in the State of Wisconsin. This exhibit will cover the history of the interurban railroad industry in Wisconsin until its demise. This car is a surviving piece of equipment from the expansive years of the industry in Wisconsin. Pictures, videos, maps and text will be used to support this exhibit. THE SHEBOYGAN LIGHT, POWER and RAILWAY CO. This exhibit will go into detail about the company including corporate history and routes. The importance of the interurban to the people and their feelings about it will be discussed to better understand the significance of Car #26. This exhibit will be supported by pictures, maps, text and videos including interviews with people who rode and remember the interurban. Workmanship noted during the investigative portions of rebuilding will provide information about the shop facilities and maintenance. The examination of paint will point to the number of times the car was painted. THE CARBUILDER'S CRAFT This exhibit will feature the various car builders who made cars for the interurban railroad industry. This exhibit will be supported by pictures of cars of Wisconsin interurban companies and ads from trade journals. Information gathered during the rebuilding will be used to discuss the construction of the car, shop conditions, worker skills, tools, and materials. Photos and documentation from the work will be displayed along with the drawings prepared during the rebuilding. Extensive rebuilding of this car will allow a detailed look at the construction, Samples from the car and pictures will be used as displays. The working drawings will be used to show types of construction not usually seen. THE REBUILDING OF THE CAR The history of Car #26 from when it was new to present will be documented including dates of operation and modifications over the years as it was downgraded in service, conversion to a summer cottage, and how it was saved for posterity by the Doedens family. This exhibit will be supported by photos, maps, text, and video documentation showing how the museum rebuilt the car and the efforts expended to learn from the car. THE TRAVELING DISPLAY A slide show about the rebuilding of Car #26 will be prepared from material acquired from this project. The slide show and a speaker will be available for presentations at schools, historical societies, and other gatherings throughout the State of Wisconsin. Letters From Glenn: Notes on the Restoration |
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Last Update:
Last modified: October 05 2008 20:29:07. |
The Car 26 Association
commissioned well-known painter the late Russ Porter
to create a picture of how the car looked in service
in its earlier days. The colors are a reasonable
duplication of what Glenn Guerra uncovered during the
dismantling of the car.
A group of
former Car 26 riders get together at the July 2000
Open House in Plymouth
