Unique and Custom

Toronto Transit Commission 2890 at Seashore Trolley Museum

Built Ottawa Car 1923 - Toronto Transportation Commission 1923-1963 - Accessioned 1999 - Conventional cars became available for historic preservation from Toronto in the mid-1960s. Seashore, unfortunately was in a down syndrome for acquisitions, having had six Montreal cars dumped and, fearful of taking so many, lost three. Accordingly, Seashore had no representation from Toronto, largest and most enduring street railway on the North American Continent. At about the same time some Upstate New York members persuaded Seashore to accept Lake Erie & Northern Interurban Car 797, then homeless and imperiled at the failed Rail City Museum. At Seashore, No. 797 sat for decades untouched and unseen. Some members of the Halton Museum in Ontario inquired discreetly if there might be some way for them to acquire Car 797, as it would - be much more meaningful in their local collection than Seashore's National one. The details are entertaining but lengthy; suffice that No. 797 went home to its old haunts in Ontario and Seashore got Car 2890, a "Small" Peter Witt Car in fair condition, having had substantial restoration at Halton, but nonetheless surplus to their needs. ("Large Witts", far fewer in number, were slightly more massive and equipped to tow trailers) Curatorial for sure - unique custom car from largest car class of largest system. bm&mvp