Brief History of Interurbans Under Restoration

The T is restoring these cars, for static display, with a federal matching grant that is based on volunteer labor and donated services. The goal is to achieve operational capability in the event an opportunity arises for their use. The main volunteer skills needed are mechanical and electrical. However, anyone, skilled or unskilled, is welcome to volunteer. Other assistance is needed from those who have access to original parts, photographs, drawings, schematics, old NTTC company newspapers, or anything else that may pertain to an accurate restoration of these cars.

Those interested in volunteering or providing restoration information may contact Lee Lavell, Trolley Restoration Supervisor, at 817-820-0247.

Project Updates

The T has purchased ex-Chicago & Lake Erie freight motor 646 from the Indiana Railway Museum. This car was previously converted to a diesel-electric locomotive. The car will be used for parts in the restoration of motorcar 25. Most notable of these parts are the Taylor MCB-27 trucks with four 100 horsepower traction motors. The carbody will be donated to the Texas State Railroad.

Major progress has been made in restoration of car 25. This includes replacement of car siding, roof, ceiling, restroom, windows, and significant rewiring. Herzog Transportation has agreed to assist in rework of the Taylor MCB trucks..

Reworked trucks being carefully installed on Car 25.

The interior details were painstakingly restored.

Fiully restored, Car 25 is placed on exhibit at the Intermodal Transportation Center at 1001 Jones Street in downtown Fort Worth.

The motorcar under restoration is number 25. This car was ordered in 1913 along with numbers 26 through 28. Car 25 came with Baldwin trucks and four 75 horsepower traction motors. Trailer cars 407 through 411 were ordered in 1919. Our trailer car is number 411. This car came with Brill MCB-27 trucks. The exteriors of these interurbans were originally green with gold trim. The interiors had double row lighting, brass fixtures, bench seating, and mahogany woodwork with a natural finish.

As time passed, more and more people turned to the private automobile for transportation. In late 1924 the NTTC made significant changes to the interurban fleet. These changes were designed to give the cars a more luxurious appearance. The exteriors of the cars were painted red and white, with black and tile red trim. One end of the trailer cars was modified to convert the back half into a parlor room, dubbed a "salounge". This was achieved by removing the doors, bulkhead, and steps on one end of the car. A canopy and drumhead were added to the rear to enhance the effect. The bench seats were removed and replaced with wicker chairs.

In 1927 additional changes were introduced to further the previous enhancements as well as give the cars a more modern appearance. The natural mahogany interiors were painted and the brass fixtures were nickel plated. The double row, bare bulb lights gave way to single row, enclosed lights. The trailer cars saw replacement of the bench seats in the front half with revolving parlor chairs. The green cork linoleum was replaced in the front half with brussels carpet and with blue and white blocked linoleum in the rear half, or salounge. The salounge retained the previously appointed wicker chairs. The exteriors of these cars remained the same. For reasons unknown, car 25 did not receive all of the 1927 enhancements. Double row lighting and brass fixtures were retained to the end.

The end was 1934. The internal combustion engine was taking it's toll across the country. The ever popular automobile and motorization of electric rail transit systems finally brought an end to the once proud interurbans. Buses of Texas Motor Coaches replaced Fort Worth to Dallas service. The two cars we have were sold to a banker in 1935 and moved to Eagle Mountain Lake to be used as housing. There they remained, until 1995, when they were donated to the T by the landowner of the time.