Johnstown Traction Co. 713

In 1939, the streetcar system in Wilmington, DE, owned by Delaware Electric Power Company, converted its entire operation to trolley buses. J.G. Brill supplied 52 model 40SMT trolley buses (Nos. 601 – 652) from its nearby factory in Philadelphia. The company also bought three trolley buses from Mack Truck. In 1940, Delaware Electric acquired another six trolley buses from Brill (Nos. 656 – 660) similar to the first batch. In 1941, the system was renamed Delaware Coach Company, and it purchased a final group of six 40SMT vehicles (Nos. 661 - 666). Between 1938 and 1942, Brill produced over 600 similar SMT model coaches for numerous cities throughout the country. Delaware Coach did not buy more trolley buses, but it overhauled the vehicles in 1950. In 1956, American Transportation Enterprises acquired control of Delaware Coach and began to cut costs. This led to elimination of trolley bus operation in 1957. In 1959, the Johnstown Traction Company in Johnstown, PA purchased ten of Wilmington’s idle trolley buses. Johnstown renumbered these vehicles Nos. 710 – 719. No. 664 became No. 713. The Johnstown system was unusual since it was a relatively small city which was still running streetcars as well as trolley buses and motor buses, all privately owned. Johnstown had begun operating trolley buses at the relatively late date of 1951. The streetcars stopped in 1960, but the company president, Warren Reitz, favored electric power, in part, because abundant coal in the area provided cheap electricity. Johnstown’s trolley buses continued running until 1967. No. 713 operated on the Coopersdale route carrying workers to and from the city’s steel plants. Seashore had been unable to acquire one of Johnstown’s streetcars. However, Warren Reitz, Jr., who had succeeded his father as president of Johnstown Traction, donated trolley bus No. 713 to Seashore in 1969. The museum has restored the coach, including installing new doors. No. 713 operated at Seashore for the first time in 2007. In 1974, Seashore acquired one of the three Mack trolley buses that had operated in Wilmington – No. 654.