The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Transport Company #846
Type: Steel Streetcar
Built - 1920, St. Louis Car Co. Seats - 55 Length – 45’ 0” |
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Electric streetcar systems began appearing in America in the late 1800s, and by 1915, most cities with over 10,000 residents had a local trolley. These street and interurban electric railroads formed the backbone of the industrial revolution, quickly becoming very important to urban society.
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Milwaukee was no different. By 1920, The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company (TMER&L) controlled almost all streetcar tracks in the city, as well as building interurban lines out into the country and developing the power grid in southeastern Wisconsin. TMER&L eventually became WEPCO in 1938, which evolved into the present-day We Energies. During the 1920s, more modern, faster, and larger streetcars were built and added to the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company’s (TMER&L) roster. The TMER&L built the 800-series in 1920 and the 900-series between 1924 and 1929 to replace the older heavy cars. Two of these unique cars are now preserved at ETRM, which operates on the last bit of TMER&L trackage left. One of these, car 846, is currently the only operable TMER&L streetcar. 846 was modernized for one man operation in 1925 and new light fixtures were added. Treadle doors came later. Milwaukee had their own designs for their streetcars and each class was similar in size and looks. This is an 800 class car which can be identified by the slimmer middle front window and a slight arch to the standee windows. 846 operated mainly over the Route 10/Wells line, which operated around the downtown area, before reaching out over the north side of the city. Part of this line ran over the massive Wells Street Viaduct; 90 feet tall and almost a half mile long. Streetcars were very important to Milwaukee, as they transported kids to and from school, and parents to shopping and workplaces. Postwar car-centric lives put an end to almost all electric rail systems in North America. The #10 line which was the last line to not be abandoned or converted to buses. Due to the large expensive viaduct along the route, the railroad was reluctant to abandon, but eventually did on March 2, 1958. |
Tom Fleming photo
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846 is one of only a few surviving streetcars from the system. No. 978 is also here at ETRM awaiting restoration, with the other several at other museums across the country. 846 was built in 1920, and donated in 1958 to the Kentucky Railway Museum. In 2002, the East Troy Railroad Museum received the car and performed an amazing restoration. The car now regularly runs on the last TMER&L trackage: the six miles between East Troy and Mukwonago, Wisconsin.
Car 846 (at left) at the end of the Route 10 line on a Railfan fantrip just before the end of service. Photographer unknown, Sean Bowen collection.
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Car 846 Ownership History:
The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company #846 - 1920-1938 The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Transport Company #846 - 1938-1953 Milwaukee and Suburban Transit #846 - 1953-1958 Kentucky Railway Museum - 1958-1983 Appleton Trolley Museum and Railway - 1983-2002 East Troy Electric Railway - 2002-Present |
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