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| THE 3-PART "ARTICULATED" STREETCAR |
LESSER-KNOWN D.S.R. OPERATIONS:
| The DSR articulated train—renumbered #4000-4002 at the time of photo—is seen parked at the Woodward Carhouse Yard in Highland Park. The 122-ft train ran on four trucks with four motors. Three conductors and a motorman were required to operate this 3-part streetcar. Plans were to purchase ten of these articulated streetcars, but no others were purchased . [Photo courtesy of the Schramm Photo Collection] |
During the 1990's the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) operated over a dozen Neoplan articulated
buses along the streets of Detroit. But those DDOT "artics" weren't the first bendable transit vehicle to ever operate on
the city's roadways. Another type of articulated vehicle had arrived in Detroit some forty-five years earlier.
On Wednesday, February 20, 1924, the first three-car articulated train built in the United States arrived in Detroit. Built
by the Cincinnati Car Co., the 122–foot eight–inch long streetcar made a two day trip from Cincinnati, Ohio under its
own power, using the old interurban rails that linked cities across the Midwest. After the train arrived at West Fort Street
and Woodmere, a DSR crew took over and operated it to the Woodward Carhouse in Highland Park. The very next
day, Thursday, February 21, 1924, the car made its debut on the heavy Woodward Avenue line. It's reported that the
train had carried 500 passengers during one evening trip from downtown to the State Fairgrounds on its first day.
buses along the streets of Detroit. But those DDOT "artics" weren't the first bendable transit vehicle to ever operate on
the city's roadways. Another type of articulated vehicle had arrived in Detroit some forty-five years earlier.
On Wednesday, February 20, 1924, the first three-car articulated train built in the United States arrived in Detroit. Built
by the Cincinnati Car Co., the 122–foot eight–inch long streetcar made a two day trip from Cincinnati, Ohio under its
own power, using the old interurban rails that linked cities across the Midwest. After the train arrived at West Fort Street
and Woodmere, a DSR crew took over and operated it to the Woodward Carhouse in Highland Park. The very next
day, Thursday, February 21, 1924, the car made its debut on the heavy Woodward Avenue line. It's reported that the
train had carried 500 passengers during one evening trip from downtown to the State Fairgrounds on its first day.
| Photographed during its first day of operation, articulated train #5000-5002 is seen here traveling southbound along Woodward Avenue—between Adams and Park streets—at Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit. [Photo courtesy of the S. Sycko Transit Collection] |
But unfortunately the articulated train turned out to be a failure due to it being underpowered as a result of only having
two of its four trucks powered. Because of poor acceleration the train couldn't accelerate fast enough to meet schedule
demands on heavy routes with frequent stops, and tied up the cars behind that couldn't pass. As a result, according to
a July 18, 1974 Detroit News article, the train was regulated to outlying routes, such as the "Northwestern Belt"—
later called the Oakman line—which ran from Highland Park to Dearborn, and the heavy passenger Baker line, both of
which carried workers to the Ford Rouge plant. Since the train failed to meet expectations, plans to purchase additional
3-part streetcars were scrapped by the DSR.
The train's three cars were originally numbered #5000, 5001 and 5002, then later renumbered as #4000, 4001 and
4002. But during its later years the cars were renumbered again, this time as #99-1, 99-2 and 99-3. The Motor City's
only articulated streetcar remained in service through World War II. It was formally retired on Friday, January 24, 1947,
after nearly 23 years of service.
two of its four trucks powered. Because of poor acceleration the train couldn't accelerate fast enough to meet schedule
demands on heavy routes with frequent stops, and tied up the cars behind that couldn't pass. As a result, according to
a July 18, 1974 Detroit News article, the train was regulated to outlying routes, such as the "Northwestern Belt"—
later called the Oakman line—which ran from Highland Park to Dearborn, and the heavy passenger Baker line, both of
which carried workers to the Ford Rouge plant. Since the train failed to meet expectations, plans to purchase additional
3-part streetcars were scrapped by the DSR.
The train's three cars were originally numbered #5000, 5001 and 5002, then later renumbered as #4000, 4001 and
4002. But during its later years the cars were renumbered again, this time as #99-1, 99-2 and 99-3. The Motor City's
only articulated streetcar remained in service through World War II. It was formally retired on Friday, January 24, 1947,
after nearly 23 years of service.
| Click here to return to "THE DSR YEARS" Main Page. |
The first of ten such trains the DSR had plan-
ned to purchase, this 3–part streetcar carried
134 seated passengers, cost the department
$29,771 and required three conductors and
a motorman to operate. Unlike the streetcar
trailers used back then—-which were separate
cars attached to the rear of regular streetcars
during rush hours—the "articulated" train was
an integral unit, which could allow passengers
to walk from car to car at will. There were four
motors to power the train, two motors in the
front truck and two in the rear; while the two
center trucks were not powered. The motor-
man sat on the right side of the train (instead
of the center) to enable him to view boarding
and alighting passengers.
One retired motorman once recalled that the
three-section train "...was one of the easiest
outfits to handle..." "But you had to be awful
careful going around corners not to pick up
your speed until the last truck made the
curve. Otherwise it would derail every time."
ned to purchase, this 3–part streetcar carried
134 seated passengers, cost the department
$29,771 and required three conductors and
a motorman to operate. Unlike the streetcar
trailers used back then—-which were separate
cars attached to the rear of regular streetcars
during rush hours—the "articulated" train was
an integral unit, which could allow passengers
to walk from car to car at will. There were four
motors to power the train, two motors in the
front truck and two in the rear; while the two
center trucks were not powered. The motor-
man sat on the right side of the train (instead
of the center) to enable him to view boarding
and alighting passengers.
One retired motorman once recalled that the
three-section train "...was one of the easiest
outfits to handle..." "But you had to be awful
careful going around corners not to pick up
your speed until the last truck made the
curve. Otherwise it would derail every time."
| The DSR's three-car train is seen here at the Woodward Carhouse, and renumbered for the third time as #99-1 to 99-3. Now battered and worn, the car's days were definitely numbered. Although originally purchased for the very heavy Woodward line, the car spent its nearly 23 years on lighter and less frequent routes such as Baker. [Photo courtesy of the S. Sycko Transit Collection] |
The above article was complied from numerous sources, including (but not limited to) the newspaper article "Bendable: Detroiters once rode on a 3-part
streetcar" (The Detroit News—Thursday, July 18, 1974) courtesy of the Stan Sycko Collection, and "DETROIT'S STREET RAILWAYS Vol II: City Lines
1922-1956" (Bulletin 120 - Central Electric Railfans' Association) by Dworman, Henning and Schramm.
streetcar" (The Detroit News—Thursday, July 18, 1974) courtesy of the Stan Sycko Collection, and "DETROIT'S STREET RAILWAYS Vol II: City Lines
1922-1956" (Bulletin 120 - Central Electric Railfans' Association) by Dworman, Henning and Schramm.
. PHOTO LINK: Click "HERE" to view a Detroit News photo of the DSR's Articulated Train posing at the DSR Woodward
Carhouse in Highland Park — taken on February 21, 1924, the train's first day of operation in Detroit.
(WSU Virtual Motor City Collection (Detroit News) photo #48411)
Carhouse in Highland Park — taken on February 21, 1924, the train's first day of operation in Detroit.
(WSU Virtual Motor City Collection (Detroit News) photo #48411)
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