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Paul Ward Collection
Louisville Railways
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In 1929 Louisville Railways ordered 3 sample cars from Brill, St Louis Car and Cincinnati Car - the idea being to test the 3 samples and then place a large order for new cars. Louisville operated many types of old cars and a large number of modified Birney cars.
This photo shows the St Louis car called a Rail Sedan which was a popular car used by several different companies including the East St Louis and Suburban Railways. These St. Louis rail sedans only ran on the East St Louis system, and one additional car went to Louisville. There were no other cars built.
The MSRy 400s were the most modern ever used by the system, and they were bought when MSRy was able to one-man the "south of Market" lines. A Market Street Railway official was asked why the 400s were exclusively assigned to such an insignificant line (35-Howard and 24th), and he replied that it would have been embarrassing to the company to intermingle the cars on more well-patronized lines, with older equipment. He added that the company would have bought as many of the cars as they could.
Happily, the MSRy also purchased some 1928 cars from the E St Louis and Suburban for use on the same "south of the slot" lines. After the SF court ruled their use illegal, and mandated the company to go back to two-man operation, all of the E St Louis and Suburban cars were scrapped at Funston Yard in 1940.
Louisville wanted to order more of the Brill cars but was unable to do so due to financial problems - and the 3 sample cars remained until the end of streetcar services in about 1949. The Louisville car spent much of its life as a "hangar queen".
This photo shows the St Louis car called a Rail Sedan which was a popular car used by several different companies including the East St Louis and Suburban Railways. These St. Louis rail sedans only ran on the East St Louis system, and one additional car went to Louisville. There were no other cars built.
The MSRy 400s were the most modern ever used by the system, and they were bought when MSRy was able to one-man the "south of Market" lines. A Market Street Railway official was asked why the 400s were exclusively assigned to such an insignificant line (35-Howard and 24th), and he replied that it would have been embarrassing to the company to intermingle the cars on more well-patronized lines, with older equipment. He added that the company would have bought as many of the cars as they could.
Happily, the MSRy also purchased some 1928 cars from the E St Louis and Suburban for use on the same "south of the slot" lines. After the SF court ruled their use illegal, and mandated the company to go back to two-man operation, all of the E St Louis and Suburban cars were scrapped at Funston Yard in 1940.
Louisville wanted to order more of the Brill cars but was unable to do so due to financial problems - and the 3 sample cars remained until the end of streetcar services in about 1949. The Louisville car spent much of its life as a "hangar queen".
Paul Ward collection
