H J Adamcik Photo Collection - Birney Cars

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PRT had three groups of four-wheel Birney "Safety Cars". Cars 1000-1024 were ordered new in 1919 to re-equip the rural Delaware County lines that PRT aquired primarily in 1906 from the Media, Middletown, Aston and Chester Electric Railway. Ten additional cars, 1025-1034 were built in 1920 and purchased second hand by PRT in 1921 from the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Railway. They provided additional spares in Delaware County and for various short, light shuttle routes in West Philadelphia.

Birneys 1-5 were delivered in 1922 and owned by the City of Philadelphia. They were to provide service on the Route 59 Bustleton Surface Line constructed by the City as an adjunct to the Frankford Elevated. It was soon apparent that higher capacity was needed on this line and larger 5200 series cars were substituted by PRT with the City Birneys used on the West Philadelphia shuttles.

(Click on the thumbnails to see alarger image)

 PRT 1010 & 5 - 6th & Olive Terminus, Media 4-4-37  PRT 1017 - Swarthmore
 PRT 1019 - Media-Folsom line  PRT 1023 - 6th & Welsh, Chester - Circa 1930
 PRT 1031 - 52nd and Jefferson  PRT 5 - 23rd and Spruce 4-4-37
 PRT Birney - Darby 12-16-21  PRT Birney - Route 72 Shuttle at B&O RR
 PTC 1 & 8135 - Darby loop  PTC 1 - Main St., Darby
 PTC 1 - McDade Blvd & Wycombe Ave 6-21-47  PTC 1 - Wycombe Ave below Bailey Rd, Route 78
 PTC 1 - Wycombe Ave at Golf Rd 6-21-47  PTC 1026 - Darby loop Route 62 or 78
 PTC 1031 - 42nd and Chester  PTC 2 - 40th and Ludlow
 PTC 2 - 40th and Market  PTC 2 - 42nd and Spruce 3-10-46
 PTC 3 - Route 78 Darby  PTC 3 - Greenway Ave going to scrap
 PTC 4 - 42nd and Chester  PTC 5 - 42nd and Locust, NB


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