  Searay215 Member Username: Searay215 Post Number: 34 Registered: 04-2007 |
Not sure if this has been posted before, but can anyone tell me why there are 2 1950's DSR Street Cars at the ANG Selfridge air base? And who owns them? These photos were taken yesterday http://img.photobucket.com/alb ums/v248/photo215/DSR/11230815 43a.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/alb ums/v248/photo215/DSR/11230815 42a.jpg Thanks | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3765 Registered: 07-2004 |
There is one there to my knowledge. They're letting the transit museum in Mt. Clemens keep them there. | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 2948 Registered: 11-2007 |
I don't know about now, but during warm weather you can visit the air museum on base and buy a fare onto the streetcars for a half hour ride on the tracks on/off the base. I did it and it was a lot of fun. A society owns them, and I was told they were bought back from Mexico City and restored. | ||
Searay215 Member Username: Searay215 Post Number: 35 Registered: 04-2007 |
Thank you Detroitnerd and Bigb23....I appreciate it. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3766 Registered: 07-2004 |
Those streetcars could use a barn. And they need some work too. The old PCC cars are incredibly durable, though. Know what I heard? The reason Mexico City retired them wasn't because they were breaking down, but because too many of them had been destroyed BY EARTHQUAKES to justify maintaining the fleet. | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 2950 Registered: 11-2007 |
I might want to add that I think that there were 4-5 street cars there at the time, two running and in the process of restoration. As far as off base travel, I think I rode those pre - 9-11. | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 546 Registered: 04-2008 |
There have been extensive discussions on that(those) streetcars on DetroitYES in the past. Try the "Search" function. | ||
Searay215 Member Username: Searay215 Post Number: 36 Registered: 04-2007 |
I am not so sure this on came back from Mexico as it had a Woodward destination on the front where they put where its going. Just a thought.. Thanks to all!! | ||
Bc_n_dtown Member Username: Bc_n_dtown Post Number: 92 Registered: 09-2006 |
Both PCCs belong to the Michigan Transit Museum. The cream one with the red trim was former DSR car #268 brought back from Mexico City around 1981 and repainted into its original DSR livery, while the other is a former Toronto PCC purchased by MTM in 1996. They were fortunate to retrieve car #268 in time since the last remaining former Detroit PCCs were destroyed in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, while awaiting restoration. BTW Searay215, I wouldn't put much credence in the "Woodward" sign destination to determine the car's Mexican history. Those roll sign curtains are easily interchangeable and probably came from a retired Detroit bus. I even have a couple of those roll signs in my basement. | ||
Searay215 Member Username: Searay215 Post Number: 37 Registered: 04-2007 |
Your right Bc_n_dtown....and thanks for the info. | ||
Bc_n_dtown Member Username: Bc_n_dtown Post Number: 93 Registered: 09-2006 |
Here's a photo of former DSR PCC #268 (ex-Mexico City 2268) when it first arrived at the Michigan Transit Museum in June 1981, and prior to being repainted in DSR colors. (Joseph Testagrose collection photo)  ...and speaking of the 1985 Mexico City quake. According to the numbers assigned to the cars when they left Detroit in 1956, this was what was left of what would have been former DSR PCC #231 after that magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Mexico City on September 19, 1985.  The last of the ex-Detroit cars ran until 1984, and were undergoing restoration at the time of the quake. Salvageable parts from the destroyed cars were used to build 17 new cars. (source: The Tramways of Mexico City) | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3772 Registered: 07-2004 |
How long does a bus last, again? | ||
Searay215 Member Username: Searay215 Post Number: 38 Registered: 04-2007 |
Its a shame that the transit museum painted it then let it go to hell. There is much rust and in total state disrepair. I know they don't have a budget, but could have given it to the Henry Ford Museum unless there is one already there. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3775 Registered: 07-2004 |
Haha. Henry Ford? Why do I think the Henry Ford museum would have probably put it in an exhibit called, "What the motor coach saved us from"? I imagine it depicting streetcars as place where child molesters lay in waiting, with a mannequin of a school child having her head cut off by the steel wheels. | ||
Searay215 Member Username: Searay215 Post Number: 39 Registered: 04-2007 |
Well I see where this discussion has gone....have happy Thanksgiving anyway. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2471 Registered: 11-2003 |
And does the the Transit Museum also own diesel switch engine #1807 shown in one of Searay's photos? | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 591 Registered: 08-2008 |
This is a very informative link. Thanks for the photos and information. You might want to check out the MUNI in San Francisco to see if they have any former DSR cars. They've been buying and restoring vintage street cars, from many cities, for years, to run on their non-subway lines throughout San Francisco. The vintage street cars have become a tourist attraction as well as a serious mode of transportation, throughout the city. The drivers are entertaining tour guides who often dress to appear from earlier eras. I think it's called the Municipal Transportation System, or MUNI for short. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3777 Registered: 07-2004 |
Oh, Searay, one silly post does not a discussion derail. You're only at post no. 39. You'll see.  | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 3097 Registered: 10-2003 |
And here's the link to the DSR Streetcar Memories thread in the DYes Hall of Fame: https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/60222.html?11973366 49 Happy Reading! | ||
Expatriot Member Username: Expatriot Post Number: 26 Registered: 09-2007 |
I believe that San Francisco added a Detroit PUC car to their fleet last summer. These have become as popular as the cable cars with the tourists and are a great supplement to the overburdened transit system generally. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 596 Registered: 08-2008 |
ExP, you've got it. S.F. street cars are as popular as cable cars because they go around the entire city, whereas cable cars are limited to the runs up and down Powell, California and Lombard Streets to and from the wharves. In some cases the street cars take the long way around because they can't go into the subways or tunnels to the Sunset, Ninth & Irving, etc. Yes, they're a great supplement to the transit system generally but also because they're popular and sturdy as all hell. They weigh tons. I've often been in buildings along their routes that shake furiously upon their approach. It's fun riding in them. Some days I'd take a book and ride every old street car I could find around every route. | ||
Bertz Member Username: Bertz Post Number: 559 Registered: 11-2003 |
did any of the 1920s era cars survive? | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 728 Registered: 08-2007 |
Thanks Kathleen,I got a box of stuff from my moms, The DSR books might be in there.I should make the trip to Selfridge to see the real cars. | ||
Searay215 Member Username: Searay215 Post Number: 40 Registered: 04-2007 |
Reddog289, You will need to drive along the access road along the I-94 freeway to see them. Not sure who is allowed to drive there as I was with a 20 year retired army vet who has access to the whole base. If you go you will also notice that all the military housing is vacant. | ||
Gary Member Username: Gary Post Number: 368 Registered: 02-2004 |
I'm at Selfridge ANGB about once a month, I've never noticed the street cars, but I never travel on that part of the base that Searay215 mentioned. I'll have to look for them the next time I'm up there. | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 578 Registered: 09-2004 |
Actually the Henry Ford received a DSR Peter Witt streetcar for display there, and it sat outside for over a decade and saw no attention to the point where the steel was rusting through and the wood was rotting away. I believe it was acquired by the Illinois Railway Museum. Even after his death, the Museum continues the Henry Ford tradition of doing away with mass transit... As an aside, only one of those PCC's at the Michigan Transit museum/Selfridge is a former DSR car (it's the first photo). The second one is from Toronto's TTC. It really is too bad what sad shape they are in. Both were painted quite nicely just a few years ago. | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 579 Registered: 09-2004 |
MUNI in SanFran does have a DSR painted PCC (debuted in 2007 I think), but it's not an authentic Detroit car. I don't think any other Detroit PCC's exist other than the one at MTM/Selfridge, to my knowledge. Now, at least two 1920s era Peter Witt DSR cars do survive. I believe on the first page of the DSR Memory thread Kathleen posted above there is a link to the remaining DSR cars still out there. | ||
Lansingfire Member Username: Lansingfire Post Number: 128 Registered: 07-2007 |
http://www.pthinc.com/shopDeta ils.cfm?p=17993&cat=176 Some of you might want to purchase. |
