East Troy Electric Railroad #21
Type: Replica Streetcar
Built - 1975-80 Seats - 48 Length – 32' 0" Width – 8’ 11" Height – 13' 3" Weight – 24,000 lbs. |
|
|
In the late 1800s, the trolley car was first invented and began flourishing across the world. For years, electric streetcar systems plied the city streets and electric interurban lines weaved across rural America. Streetcar systems were very important to cities and their suburbs as they carried passengers to school, work, and shopping centers.
|
Open-style streetcars like #21 were popular in the late 1800s, with designs lasting much longer in warmer climates. Even though they were never fun to ride in frigid temperatures, open cars did operate in Wisconsin. Milwaukee had open-style streetcars in the late 1800s, and the Sheboygan Light Power and Railway Company, which operated between Sheboygan and Elkhart Lake, ran open cars very similar to our replica #21.
Car 21 is a replica 1890s streetcar. It was built in the 1980s by Paul Averdung, who owned the Wisconsin Trolley Museum in North Prairie, Wisconsin. A few years later, the operation and the car were moved to East Troy, where the last section of Milwaukee Electric Railway was still in service as a village freight railroad. While mostly built from scratch, the brass work is cast from original parts off a scrapped open car, and the truck (the part the wheels rest on) was taken off of an old Milan, Italy, streetcar. Standard railroad wheels and parts from electric trolley buses were also used in the construction. |
|
The car was given number 21 because a plate with that number was found attached to the truck, but the car is very similar to open car #21 run by the Sheboygan Light Power and Railway Company. Interestingly, car 26 is the only remaining car from that railroad and also operates at the East Troy Railroad Museum.
The car is a favorite in good weather and is affectionately called "Bucky" for its unique single-truck riding quality.
The car is a favorite in good weather and is affectionately called "Bucky" for its unique single-truck riding quality.
For More Information
| Car 21 Fun Facts |