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Cleveland OH cts231
Cleveland Railway / Cleveland Transit System
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4095, built by GC Kuhlman in 1930, in 1947 at Broadview and Pearl Rds, the junction of those two branches of the W 25th St. line. The line originally had 3 branches (east to west): Broadview, State and Pearl. The first and last of these were bustituted early, while State Rd was operated until the end of streetcar operation. W 25th St. had trailers up to the end of trailer use, with a 2-man crew.
It's not well known that Cleveland was two-man operated until post WWII, and then retained some two-man operation even after one-man service began. Many older cars were never one-manned. All of the 4000s were converted in due course since they were designed as one-mantwo-man cars complete with dead-man controls. Some older 150s and 1300s were converted to one-man during the 1930s, used briefly, and used two-man because the City would not allow one-man operation with the existing unemployment.
It's not well known that Cleveland was two-man operated until post WWII, and then retained some two-man operation even after one-man service began. Many older cars were never one-manned. All of the 4000s were converted in due course since they were designed as one-mantwo-man cars complete with dead-man controls. Some older 150s and 1300s were converted to one-man during the 1930s, used briefly, and used two-man because the City would not allow one-man operation with the existing unemployment.
Bill Vigrass photo courtesy the Dan Borgnis collection; caption by Bill Vigrass and Cliff Scholes
It was not until 1946 or 47 that one-man operation of old type cars began.
PCCs were one-man from the very beginning in 1946.The Superior line was converted to PCCs with great confusion since the old time motormen had a hard time learning how to(1) operate a new type car at what seemed to be supersonic speeds, and (2) collect fares at the same time. It took several months to straighten out operations.Then it became what I always thought was the finest surface line ever to operate in Cleveland, suitably named Superior.The Louisville 4250s were the smoothest quietest cars ever to run on Clevelands street. They always ran on Superior or St Clair-Euclid Beach because they had no back-up controller.The Pullmans had a back-up controller so were used where there was a wye (St. Clair-Nottingham Clark Ave.-Denison-W.100th St.) or where needed for carbarn moves (as W 25th St).That was the high point of street transit in Cleveland.
PCCs were one-man from the very beginning in 1946.The Superior line was converted to PCCs with great confusion since the old time motormen had a hard time learning how to(1) operate a new type car at what seemed to be supersonic speeds, and (2) collect fares at the same time. It took several months to straighten out operations.Then it became what I always thought was the finest surface line ever to operate in Cleveland, suitably named Superior.The Louisville 4250s were the smoothest quietest cars ever to run on Clevelands street. They always ran on Superior or St Clair-Euclid Beach because they had no back-up controller.The Pullmans had a back-up controller so were used where there was a wye (St. Clair-Nottingham Clark Ave.-Denison-W.100th St.) or where needed for carbarn moves (as W 25th St).That was the high point of street transit in Cleveland.
