Kenyon F. Karl on 06/08/19

Builder: Jewett Car Co.
Description: Convertible
Secondary Use: None
Type: City and Suburban Streetcars
Year: 1906
Retired from Service: 1956
Acquired by the Museum: 1956
Note: As of February 2018, No. 4547 is stored, needing installation of rebuilt motor and minor repairs.
Fund: 600

Brooklyn Rapid Transit 4547

From New York, New York

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History

The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) was formed in 1896 through the merger of most of the streetcar lines in Brooklyn, NY. In 1899, the BRT acquired the elevated lines in Brooklyn. In 1905-06, the BRT purchased 450 convertible streetcars from four different builders. This included Nos. 4500 – 4549 from Jewett Car Co. The convertible cars had removable side sashes extending from close to the roof to 12 inches above the floor. For summer service, the side sashes were replaced with widow guards and curtains for rain. For strength, the BRT convertibles had a steel band around the base of the car. The BRT and New York’s Third Avenue Railway System became among the country’s largest operators of convertible cars. In 1923, the BRT was reorganized as Brooklyn Manhattan Transit. No. 4547 ran on the De Kalb Ave. line in Brooklyn until 1934. For regular service in the 1930s, the BMT replaced the convertible cars with PCCs and other newer cars. In 1940, New York City acquired the BMT. About this time, No. 4547 and about 80 other Brooklyn convertible cars were transferred to work service. No. 4547 became a sand and salt car. It was not altered, but bags of sand and salt were carried on the floor and seats. In 1953, the city formed the New York City Transit Authority to operate the city’s subway, bus and streetcar lines. No. 4547 continued in work service in Brooklyn until the last Brooklyn streetcar lines were converted to buses in 1956. The city temporarily renumbered No. 4547 to No. 4558. In 1956, the New York City Board of Estimate passed a resolution providing for the sale to Seashore of No. 4558 (ex-No. 4547) along with IRT subway car No. 3352 for $1 each. No. 4547 had suffered extensive corrosion from salt. Restoration did not begin until 1981. Seashore completed restoration in 1988 and placed the car in regular service. No. 4547 is the museum’s only full convertible car.