Twin Cities Rapid Transit #1583
In the early 1900s, most cities with over 10,000 residents had an electric streetcar system. The Twin Cities of Minnesota were no different. With over 500,000 residents in 1910, Minneapolis and St. Paul had an expansive streetcar system, which was in need of more modern cars.
The construction of 1583 was completed on April 19, 1913 at the Snelling Shops in St. Paul. TCRT built approximately 1,000 similar streetcars.
1583 was reconstructed in 1928 as a "front-exit" car and then was assigned to the North Side Station; it was usually assigned to the Chicago-Penn-Fremont Line. In 1933, the 1583 was rebuilt for one/two man operation. Fifteen years later it received its final rehabilitation along with new steel plating and Twin City Lines emblems. In January of 1954, the 1583 developed electrical and mechanical problems and was removed from service. In the 1950s, due to a rising use of automobiles and a conspiracy involving automakers, most streetcar systems in America were quickly abandoned. In 1958, the last streetcar ran in the Twin Cities. Scrapping and abandonment was extremely rapid with the TCRT, as the owners of the company wanted to rapidly abandon and destroy the cars and infrastructure so they could not be forced back into business. |
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On April 29, 1954, the 1583 body was sold to Transportation Sales Co., a dealer in used streetcar bodies. The car was moved to central Wisconsin, where it became a shed. 1583's body was eventually rediscovered along Adams County Highway C between Monroe Center and Big Flatts. The car was apparently being used as a storage shed for a repair business. It had a false metal roof over it, which protected the body from some twenty-seven years of deterioration from weather and sun.
In 1981, after buying the car for $1,000, Rick Volkmann (of a local rail track replacement company) and his crew moved 1583 to North Prairie, where the car was restored. When volunteer Paul Averdung made arrangements with the Village of East Troy to operate the railroad, 1583 arrived on the property and the car was restored as Duluth 253.
Several years later, Minnesota Transportation Museum wrote a letter to the East Troy Museum stating that the car was really Twin City Rapid Transit #1583. Windows and underbody parts were discovered stamped "1583," and it became evident that the car was not Duluth car no. 253. The car was also double ended; few cars on the TCRT system were ever double-ended, but there were no turning methods on the East Troy Railroad. The west-facing end is the original.
Today, the car continues to carry visitors on the last interurban trackage left in the state of Wisconsin: the six miles between East Troy and Mukwonago.
Several years later, Minnesota Transportation Museum wrote a letter to the East Troy Museum stating that the car was really Twin City Rapid Transit #1583. Windows and underbody parts were discovered stamped "1583," and it became evident that the car was not Duluth car no. 253. The car was also double ended; few cars on the TCRT system were ever double-ended, but there were no turning methods on the East Troy Railroad. The west-facing end is the original.
Today, the car continues to carry visitors on the last interurban trackage left in the state of Wisconsin: the six miles between East Troy and Mukwonago.
Car 1583 Ownership History:
Twin Cities Rapid Transit #1583 - 1913-1958
Private Owner - 1958-1981
Wisconsin Trolley Museum - 1981-1985
East Troy Electric Railroad - 1985-Present
Twin Cities Rapid Transit #1583 - 1913-1958
Private Owner - 1958-1981
Wisconsin Trolley Museum - 1981-1985
East Troy Electric Railroad - 1985-Present
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Car 1583 Fun Facts |