Builder: Barney & Smith Car Co.
Secondary Use: Railway maintenance
Type: City and Suburban Streetcars
Year: 1895
Retired from Service: 1952
Acquired by the Museum: 1952
Note: No. 1059 needs some structural work and much cosmetic attention.

Boston Elevated Ry. 1059

From Boston, Massachusetts

Back to Search

History

Barney and Smith built No. 1059 for the West End Street Railway in 1895 as part of a large fleet of 20-foot, single truck electric cars to expand service. No. 1059 is similar to West End Street Railway No. 235 also built in 1895 and in the Seashore collection. The 20-foot cars generally ran on medium traffic routes since the West End also had a fleet of larger, 25-foot, double truck cars for heavier routes. No. 1059 had open platforms at first, with vestibules enclosed sometime between 1901 and 1905 in accordance with a 1900 Massachusetts law that required all cars regularly operated during the winter to have enclosed platform vestibules for the protection of the motorman. This type of enclosure was known as the “West End Front” and consisted on one small window on either side of a large center sash, fabricated with a bay window to allow for the swing of the hand brake handle. Folding doors replaced the swinging gates previously used. No. 1059 was converted to a fare box transport car in 1916 and a rail grinder in 1935. The car remained in use when the West End was leased and operated by the Boston Elevated Railway in 1897. No. 1059 continued as a rail grinder when the Metropolitan Transit Authority acquired the Boston Elevated in 1947. This 20-foot closed car came to Seashore in 1952 complete and operational. Although it is identical to car 235 in many respects it has two defining features. First, it is our only car built by Barney & Smith, which won its only contract from the West End in 1895. Second, it rides on a homemade truck, the only surviving example of the West End 57 design. This simple, but good riding “short” truck was built in three varieties, and placed under many of the West End’s single truck cars.

Technical Information

Seats: 26
Control: K-28N
Brakes: Hand
Compressor: None

Trucks

Number: 1
Manufacturer: West End
Model: 57E

Motor

Number: 2
Manufacturer: General Electric
Model: 86

Weight and Dimensions

Length: 29’ 8.00"
Width: 7’ 7.00"
Height: 11’ 5.00"
Weight: 19382 lbs.

Additional Images

Russell Monroe in 1965

At North Point in Sept. 1948 from Seashore Trolley Museum Library