Philadelphia's first order of PCC Cars arrived from St Louis Car Company in 1938. These cars had a belt driven air compressor for door operation and final braking. They were one-man operated cars and numbered 2001-2020. Three additional "Brilliner" cars, 2021-2023 were added in 1939. An additional order for 1940/41 delivery of 130 air cars was placed with St. Louis Car Company; 2031-2080 were one-man and 2501-2580 were equipped with a center conductor's booth and could be operated either by one-man or with a conductor during peak periods on heavy lines. Because of Philadelphia's major war-time production industries, a 110 car order for 1942 delivery was authorized; 2081-2090 were one-man and 2581-2680 were one/two-man air cars.
Two large orders of 100 and 110 cars were placed with St Louis Car company for standee window equipped post-war all-electric type cars. Two-man cars 2701-2800 were delivered in 1947 and one-man cars 2091-2200 were delivered in 1948. In 1955, PTC obtained 90 second hand cars from Missouri. Fifty cars from the St. Louis Public Service Company 1500 series were numbered 2201-2250 by PTC. Forty cars from the Kansas City Public Service Company 725-799 series were numbered 2251-2290 by PTC. Both of these car series were unique. The St Louis cars were built in 1939/40 with a standard air-car body but with a prototype all-electric control. The 1946 built Kansas City cars, while having standard all-electric car basic framing and controls, did not have the standee windows and instead had an single main window at each seat with a vertical proportion that many considered more attractive than the standard design. Problems due to a less than succesful modification by PTC of St Louis's non-standard control pedal arrangement coupled with the prototype all-electric braking equipment caused the St Louis cars to be withdrawn from service shortly after their arrival.
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