American Car Company Streetcar, 1922

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THF100440 / American Car Company Streetcar, 1922
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Artifact Overview

Faced with growing competition from automobiles, streetcar companies economized. Charles O. Birney designed a small, single-truck streetcar that could be operated by one person rather than the usual two-member crew. The Birney Safety Car included a "dead man" controller that stopped the vehicle if the operator unexpectedly let go. This Birney car operated in Fort Collins, Colorado, from 1924-1951.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Streetcar

Date Made

November 1922

Creators

Place of Creation

Location

at Henry Ford Museum in Transportation - Streetcars

Object ID

53.34.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of National Railway Historical Society.

Material

Cane (Plant material)
Leather
Steel (Alloy)
Wood (Plant material)

Color

Black (Color)
Red

Dimensions

Height: 117.625 in
Width: 92 in
Length: 343.625 in
Weight: 17000 lbs

Inscriptions

Painted on each side: 26 / FORT COLLINS MUNICIPAL RAILWAY / 26 Painted by door on each side: PLEASE HAVE / EXACT FARE READY Handle marked: PAT. JUNE 5, 1917 Air brake handle marked: T 23981
Keywords
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