Second and Third hand Dayton Trolley Coaches

Dayton's Second-Hand Trolleys

From:

Cincinnati	Columbus	Edmonton
Fort Wayne	Indianapolis	Kansas City
Little Rock	Oakwood Street Railway	Dayton Street Transit
Dayton-Xenia Railway	Peoples Transit

Compiled by Harvey I. Hylton

(With the assistance of Don Brabson, Ed O'Meara, Thomas McNamara, Cliff Scholes, NATTA Databook II, and the MVRTA archives).

The Electric Trolley Bus (ETB) system in Dayton, Ohio, probably had more second-hand trolleys than any other ETB city. During the final lean years at City Transit, survival was made possible only by the purchase of used ETB's from other cities, where good useable vehicles were available at bargain-basement prices. (Columbus Marmon-Herrington's went for $50 each!) Some of these "boomers" were approaching 40 years service when they were finally retired, which speaks well for the durability of ETB's.

Early model Brill and Pullman-Standard ETB's were acquired by City Railway Company from the Dayton Street Railway in 1941, Peoples Street Railway in 1945, and by the new City Transit Co. from the Dayton-Xenia Railway in 1955, and the Oakwood Street Railway in 1956. Most coaches retained their same fleet numbers after transfer into City Railway/City Transit Company, as did the City Railway Marmons and Pullman-Standards after the City Railway Company became the City Transit Company in 1955.

The following list gives their original fleet numbers and from whence they came. I hope it will be useful in clarifying a confusing history.

Brill	ACF-Brill TC-44	PULLMAN-STANDARD
MARMON-HERRINGTON	BROWN-BOVERI of CANADA (BBC)	Preserved

BRILLs

Transferred to City Railway Company from Dayton Street Railway in 1941

19 coaches. All with 2 GE 1154 motors. (Dayton Street Railway Company initiated Ohio's first ETB system on 23 April 1933.) The Dayton Street Railway Co. had been renamed Dayton Street Transit Co. by the time it was sold to City Railway in 1941. Buses retained same fleet numbers after transfer to City Railway Co.

DST Number	Year Model Configuration	Total transferred
#100-180 (numbered by 5's)	1933 T-40 with rear exit doors.	17
#185-190 (numbered by 5's)	1935 T-40 with center exit doors.	2

All except 185-190 were scrapped by 1950. 185-190 stuck around long enough to be painted for City Transit

Transferred to City Railway Company from People's Street Railway in 1945:

44 coaches. GE propulsion. People's Railway had changed their corporate name to People's Street Transit Company prior to selling out to City Railway in 1945. Buses retained same fleet numbers after transfer to City Railway Co in March 1945.

People's Number	Year Model Motor	Total transferred
1-8	1936 T-40 2 GE 1154 motors	8 coaches
9-18	1938 T-40 2 GE 1154 motors	10 coaches
19-40	1940 T-44S single GE 1213 motor	22 coaches
41-44	1942 T-44SMT single GE 1213 motor	4 coaches

Many of the T-44's survived until at least 1962 at City Transit Co. While these early Brills were originally new in Dayton when purchased by their first owners, Dayton Street Railway and People's Railway, they became secondhand when City Railway acquired their original companies.

ACF-Brill TC-44

Purchased used by City Transit Company in 1956 & 1958

10 each 1946 TC-44 purchased by City Transit in 1958, from Indianapolis, who had earlier (1953) purchased them from Fort Wayne. All had General Electric MRC controller and 1213 motor.

City Transit Number	Indianapolis Number	Fort Wayne Number
48	784	171
49	782	169
50	788	175
51	785	172
52	783	170
53	789	176
54	790	177
55	787	174
56	781	168
57	786	173

These coaches were scrapped in 1969

11 each 1947 TC-44 purchased in 1956 from Little Rock, Arkansas; had GE MRC and 1213 motors.

City Transit #	Little Rock #
58	621
59	602
60	623
61	616
62	610
63	619
64	601
65	606
66	609
67	608
68	604

These coaches were scrapped in 1968

PULLMAN-STANDARD

Transferred/Sold into the new City Transit Company-1955 from City Railway

71 Coaches. All with GE propulsion. No change in fleet numbers after transfer to City Transit Co. in 1955.

City Transit #	Year \| Model \| Motor	# coaches
106-186 (# by 10s)	1937 \| 34PD-100-40CX \| 2 GE 1154	9
206-286 (# by 10s)	1941 \| P-S lot #6650 \| 1 GE 1213	9
306-376 (# by 10s)	1944 \| 45WS-102-450S \| 1 GE 1213	8
401-445 consec. #	1947 \| P-S lot #6783 \| 1 GE 1213	45

Some 200s and 300s still at City Transit Co. in 1963 and rebuilt one last time, and were put out to pasture in 1968-69; many of the 400s lasted until 1973 at the MVRTA, and all were gone by the of 1973.

From Dayton-Xenia Railway in 1955:

13 coaches. All had a single Westinghouse 1442 motor, which led to their early retirement at the predominately-GE powered City Transit Co. Many D-X Pullman's had their fleet number changed (some twice) after transfer to City Transit Co. because of conflict with ACF/Brill #s.

12 each 1940 P-S lot #6626: (Re-numbered as follows:)

Original D-X #	City Transit Renumbering #1	City Transit Renumbering #2
50	49
51	51
52	52
53	53
54	54	47
55	55
56	56
57	48
58	50
59	47
60	46
61	57	46

1 each 1947 P-S lot #6783A; D-X #62, renumbered as City Transit #45 (DX #62 had also temporarily been Oakwood #35 on lease for several days.

All of the D-X coaches probably scrapped by early '60's; at least two were repainted into City Transit colors

From Oakwood Street Railway in 1956

15 Coaches. All had dual GE 1154 motors. P-S 1935 model 35F-100-38CX. Very little use after 1956 transfer into City Transit Co.

Oakwood fleet #20-34; no # change after sale to City Transit Company.

The above 3 groups of Pullman-Standard ETB's were transferred into the new City Transit Company in 1955 and 1956. While not secondhand to Dayton, they represent secondhand ownership by the City Transit Company.

MARMON-HERRINGTON

Fleet #	Model	Built	Purchased	New/Used	Original Owner	Their #
501-520	TC-48	1949	1949	New	City Railway Co.	501-520
521	TC-48	1948	1956	Used	Little Rock Ark	631
522	TC-48	1948	1956	Used	Little Rock Ark	633
523	TC-48	1948	1956	Used	Little Rock Ark	629
524	TC-48	1948	1956	Used	Little Rock Ark	632
525	TC-48	1948	1956	Used	Little Rock Ark	634
526	TC-48	1948	1956	Used	Little Rock Ark	630
527	TC-48	1949	1956	Used	Oakwood St Ry	36
528	TC-48	1951	1956	Used	Oakwood St Ry	39
529	TC-48	1949	1956	Used	Oakwood St Ry	37
530	TC-48	1949	1956	Used	Oakwood St Ry	38
531	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1472
532	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1488
533	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1487
534	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1495
535	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1493
536	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1497
537	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1486
538	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1479
539	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1491
540	TC-48	1951	1965	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1481
541	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	622
542	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	649
543	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	647
544	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	614
545	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	653
546	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	608
547	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	626
548	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	613
549	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	650
550	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	641
551	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	645
552	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	648
553	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	639
554	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	654
555	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	646
556	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	642
557	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	655
558	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	631
559	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	643
560	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	633
561	TC-48	1948	1965	Used	Columbus Transit Co	607
450-459	TC-44	1947	1947	New	City Railway Co	450-459 (10 Coaches)
601	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2543
602	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2522
603	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2555
604	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2553
605	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2556
606	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2525
607	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2502
608	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2539
609	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2523
610	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2533
611	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2534
612	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2542
613	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2506
614	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2517
615	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2524
616	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2538
617	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2510
618	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2503
619	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2501
620	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2551
621	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2521
622	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2513
623	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2541
624	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2519
625	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2540
626	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2537
627	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2554
628	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2535
629	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2526
630	TC-44	1947	1959	Used	Kansas City Public Service	2520
650	TC-44	1947	1962	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1338
651	TC-44	1947	1962	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1339
652	TC-44	1947	1962	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1344
653	TC-44	1947	1962	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1341
654	TC-44	1947	1962	Used	Cincinnati St Ry	1340

Cincinnati St Ry sold 1338, 1339, 1340, 1341 and 1344 for $300 each, less tires, on September 13, 1962

All Marmon-Herrington's, except #450-459, were equipped with GE 1213 motors and MRC controls. These 10 exceptions had Westinghouse 1442 motors and "E" controls.

Most Marmon-Herringtons (with the exception of 450-459) remained in MVRTA service until the Flyer E-800 fleet arrived in 1977.

BROWN-BOVERI of CANADA (BBC)

From Edmonton Transit System: 2 each HR-150-G Coaches.

In 1995 the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) purchased these two coaches from Edmonton as "gap-fillers" until the new SKODA ETB's arrived. As of April 2002, one coach (#110) is in daily revenue service; the other (#109) is parked awaiting parts. They are part of a 100-coach fleet built in 1981/82 for Edmonton by BBC. Some of these were loaned to Toronto, Ontario, but not 109/110. These coaches were moved into storage in 2004.

The BBCs utilize a GM of Canada "New-Look/Fishbowl/Dreamliner" 5307 body, with a fixed-frequency, variable-voltage GTO chopper, and DC series motor built by BBC. The propulsion package is fitted into a "cradle," the same as if the bus was diesel-powered.

They retain their same fleet numbers originally given by Edmonton. MVRTA installed wheelchair lifts at the front door prior to their use in Dayton.

Number	Build Date	Model
109	Dec 1981	2B9-546PD-4-BE-010
110	May 1982	2B9-546PD-6-BE-011

THIRD AND FOURTH-HAND DAYTON ETB'S: (Preserved Coaches)

Several of the Dayton "2nd-hand" trolley coaches have found a 3rd or even a 4th owner--as preserved vehicles at museums, etc.

The third hand bus:

Number	Model	Owner(s)	Where
376	1944 Pullman	City Railway Co	At Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport, Me.

The following coaches are presently in the hands of their 4th (!) owners, having passed through ownership at MVRTA from City Transit Co. in 1972:

Number	Model	Owner(s)	Where
404	1947 Pullman	City Railway Co	Privately owned
426	1947 Pullman	City Railway Co	Privately owned in the Dayton area
435	1947 Pullman	City Railway Co	At the Illinois Railway Museum, Union IL
501	1949 Marmon TC-48	City Railway Co	In the MVRTA Historical Collection
515	1949 Marmon TC-48	City Railway Co	At Carillon Park, Dayton OH
559	1948 Marmon TC-48	Ex-Columbus #643, City Transit/MVRTA #559. #559 was the MVRTA "Fall" , then the "Santa" Bus.	Is now the "Santa" trolley at the San Francisco CA Municipal Railway
604	1947 Marmon TC-44	ex-Kansas City #2553 City Transit/MVRTA #604	Now at the Ohio Museum of Transportation, Lakewood OH

Data for this saga came from Don Brabson, Ed O'Meara, Thomas McNamara, Cliff Scholes, NATTA Databook II, and the MVRTA archives.

Back to Rosters

Back to Main Page