Trolleybuses in Philadelphia
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia trolleybus
system, or trackless trolley system as it is known by its operator, forms part of the public transportation network serving Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania
, United States
. It opened on October 14, 1923, and is now is the second-longest-lived trolleybus system in the world. One of only five such systems currently operating in the U.S., it presently comprises three lines, and is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), with a fleet of 38 trolleybuses (or "trolley buses" or "trackless trolleys", other common American English
terms). The three surviving routes serve North and Northeast Philadelphia
and connect with SEPTA's Market–Frankford rapid transit
line.
Of more than 300 trolley bus systems in operation worldwide (as of 2011), Philadelphia's is the second-oldest, exceeded in longevity only by that of Shanghai
, China (in operation since 1914). This also makes it the oldest system in the Western Hemisphere
.
The city's first trolley bus line was route 80-Oregon Avenue, an east-west route in South Philadelphia
which ran from 22nd Street to Delaware Avenue, a distance of 5.6 miles (9 km). Service began on October 14, 1923, with a fleet of 10 vehicles: nine 23.2 feet (7.1 m) built by the J. G. Brill Company (a major U.S. streetcar manufacturer) and called the "Rail-less Car" model, and one experimental unit built by the Commercial Truck Company (the only trolley bus ever built by that company). A tenth Brill unit was acquired the following year. All were replaced by more modern Brill T30 trolley buses in 1935. By this time, and continuing until the 1970s, the most common term in North American English
for this mode of transportation was trolley coach, but in Philadelphia the mode has always been commonly called the trackless trolley.
After the opening of route 80, 18 years would pass before a second trolley bus line was opened. Route 61-Ridge Avenue became a trolley bus line on October 5, 1941, converted from streetcar operation. It was a much longer (11 miles) and more heavily used route. It ran from the Manayunk neighborhood
, in the northwest, to the city center
(locally known as Center City), and ultimately it was the only trolley bus route ever to serve Philadelphia's city center. PTC purchased 50 new, larger Brill trolley buses for this conversion, bought another 10 in 1942 and six vehicles from Pullman-Standard
in 1944.
A total of five additional routes were opened later: 29-Tasker-Morris
in 1947, 75-Wyoming Avenue
in 1948, 59-Castor Avenue
in 1950, 66-Frankford Avenue
in 1955, and lastly 79-Snyder Avenue
in June 1961. However, routes 80 and 61 were converted to diesel buses in May 1960 and March 1961, respectively, so the system never had more than six routes in operation concurrently. The conversion of route 79 may have been prompted by a desire or need by PTC to make use of some of the trolley coaches made surplus by the conversion or routes 61 and 80 to diesel buses.
The five trackless routes in place in mid-1961 continued to be served by trolley buses for the next four decades, and three remain so in 2011. The rush hour
service on route 66 includes several express trips, and two sections of Frankford Avenue are equipped with a second set of trolleybus wires (in each direction) to enable trolley buses on express runs to pass those on local service. Route 66 also has "Night Owl" (all-night) service.
, 59
, 66
, 75
, and 79
used trolley buses, but were converted to diesel buses for an indefinite period starting in 2002 (routes 59, 66, 75) and 2003 (routes 29, 79). In the case of routes 59, 66 and 75, which are based at SEPTA's Frankford
depot (garage)
, the initial reason for the conversion to buses was major reconstruction of the garage and the adjacent Market-Frankford "El" viaduct and station. That work necessitated the temporary removal of the overhead trolley wires
used by trolley buses both at the garage and along the deadhead
route (running along Frankford Avenue, directly beneath the El viaduct) connecting routes 59 and 75 to the garage. Other reasons prompted the suspension of trolley bus service on routes 29 and 79, in 2003.
The 110 AM General
vehicles that had provided service on SEPTA's then-five trolley bus routes never returned to service. However, the authority in early 2006 ordered 38 new New Flyer
low-floor
trolley buses, enough for routes 59, 66 and 75. In October 2006, the SEPTA board voted not to order additional vehicles for routes 29 and 79, and those routes permanently became non-electric.
The pilot new low-floor trolley bus arrived in June 2007, for testing, but not in passenger service. The production-series vehicles were delivered in 2008 and began to enter service in April, enabling a resumption of trolley bus service in Philadelphia after a nearly 5-year suspension. Trolley bus service resumed on routes 66 and 75 on April 14, 2008, and on route 59 the following day, but was initially limited to just one or two vehicles on each route, as new trolley buses gradually replaced the motor buses serving the routes over a period of several weeks.
(71 units) and AM General
(110).
The original fleet of ten 23 in 2 in (7.06 m) Brill "Rail-less Cars" of 1923–24 was replaced in 1935 by eight Brill T30 vehicles, another short vehicle. With the conversion of the major Ridge Avenue route (61) to trolley buses in 1941, Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) again turned to Brill for the needed additional vehicles. PTC purchased 60 Brill trolley coaches (as such vehicles were then commonly called in the U.S.) in 1941–42, this time of the larger model 40SMT that the manufacturer had introduced in 1938. In 1944, six new trolley coaches were purchased from Pullman-Standard
, but that small batch was not followed by any other purchases from Pullman. In 1947, PTC purchased another 65 Brill vehicles, these being ACF-Brill model TC44, Brill having merged in 1944 with American Car and Foundry Company
. Some of these 1947 TC44 trolley buses remained in service on the Philadelphia system as late as 1981.
The next purchases were from the Marmon-Herrington Company
. PTC brought 28 of that builder's model TC46 in 1949 and then 43 of the larger model TC49 in 1955. These were the last trolley buses acquired for more than two decades. Most of the older, pre-war trolley buses were scrapped in the 1960s. SEPTA took over the transit system in 1968, and by the 1970s the normal operating practice was for the Brill TC44 trolley buses to be used on the two South Philadelphia
routes, 29 and 79, and Marmon-Herrington vehicles to be used on the three Northeast Philadelphia
routes, 59, 66 and 75.
to place a joint order with AM General
for new trolley buses, 110 for Philadelphia and 109 for Seattle. Numbered 800–909 in SEPTA's fleet, these 40 feet (12.2 m) vehicles were model 10240T, but had the same body style as Flyer Industries'
model E800, used on several other U.S. and Canadian trolley bus systems from the 1980s to the 2000s, because the two manufacturers had worked together on the body design. These 219 vehicles were the only trolley buses AM General ever built. The first one built, SEPTA's No. 800, was tested on the Dayton trolley bus system
in late 1978. The remainder of SEPTA's 110 AM General trackless trolleys were built in 1979, and they arrived and entered service in 1980. They were the system's first air-conditioned
trolley buses. The last active Brill and Marmon-Herrington trolley buses were retired in 1981.
Because of service reductions in the 1980s and 1990s, the number of trolley buses needed for scheduled peak-period service on the five routes had declined to only 51 (plus spares) by at least the mid-1990s. Forty-four of the 110 AM Generals were placed in storage and later used for parts; in 2002, those 44 were sold for scrap. The remaining 66 were placed in storage when all five routes were converted temporarily to diesel buses in 2002 and 2003. That conversion later was made permanent for routes 29 and 79. The stored AM General trolley buses, which were already 24 years old by then, did not return to service and all were scrapped in mid-2006, but earlier the same year, SEPTA placed an order with New Flyer Industries for 38 new low-floor trolley buses. Philadelphia's AM General trolley buses operated in service for the last time on June 30, 2003, the last day of trolley bus service on route 79. They were the last AMG-built trackless trolleys in service anywhere, because the only other transit system to use such vehicles, Seattle, retired its last AM Generals in March 2003. For the 38 new vehicles from New Flyer, SEPTA reused the same fleet-number series as had been used for the AM Generals; the Flyers are numbered 800–837.
SEPTA placed its order for these trolley buses in February 2006. The first vehicle was delivered in June 2007, and the remaining 37 were received by SEPTA during 2008. These trolley buses have a diesel-driven auxiliary power unit
, which provides electric power to the motors to enable limited operation away from overhead trolley wires
.
in 1981, when withdrawn from service in Philadelphia. Number 205 is in operating condition, and in 2009 it became the first trolley bus ever to operate at the museum (powered normally, from overhead wires
), when it tested the first section of a short trolley bus line that is under construction there. The Seashore Trolley Museum
's collection includes ex-Philadelphia trolley bus 336, a 1955 Marmon-Herrington
TC49; it is not currently in operating condition. A few other ex-Philadelphia ACF-Brill and Marmon-Herrington trolley buses have been saved by private individuals, including one Marmon TC46. No other types of Philadelphia trolley buses, such as AM Generals or earlier types of Brill vehicles, have been preserved.
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
system, or trackless trolley system as it is known by its operator, forms part of the public transportation network serving Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It opened on October 14, 1923, and is now is the second-longest-lived trolleybus system in the world. One of only five such systems currently operating in the U.S., it presently comprises three lines, and is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), with a fleet of 38 trolleybuses (or "trolley buses" or "trackless trolleys", other common American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
terms). The three surviving routes serve North and Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000,...
and connect with SEPTA's Market–Frankford rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line.
History
The first trackless trolley (trolley bus) service in Philadelphia was operated by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, which had been established in 1907, by the merger of several then-independent transit companies operating within the city and its environs. Through a reorganization, the company became the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) on January 1, 1940. The PTC was transferred from private to public ownership on September 30, 1968, when SEPTA (formed in 1964) took it over.Of more than 300 trolley bus systems in operation worldwide (as of 2011), Philadelphia's is the second-oldest, exceeded in longevity only by that of Shanghai
Trolleybuses in Shanghai
The Shanghai trolleybus system serves the city of Shanghai, in the People's Republic of China. Of more than 300 trolleybus systems in operation worldwide , the Shanghai system is the oldest...
, China (in operation since 1914). This also makes it the oldest system in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
.
The city's first trolley bus line was route 80-Oregon Avenue, an east-west route in South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
which ran from 22nd Street to Delaware Avenue, a distance of 5.6 miles (9 km). Service began on October 14, 1923, with a fleet of 10 vehicles: nine 23.2 feet (7.1 m) built by the J. G. Brill Company (a major U.S. streetcar manufacturer) and called the "Rail-less Car" model, and one experimental unit built by the Commercial Truck Company (the only trolley bus ever built by that company). A tenth Brill unit was acquired the following year. All were replaced by more modern Brill T30 trolley buses in 1935. By this time, and continuing until the 1970s, the most common term in North American English
North American English
North American English is the variety of the English language of North America, including that of the United States and Canada. Because of their shared histories and the similarities between the pronunciation, vocabulary and accent of American English and Canadian English, the two spoken languages...
for this mode of transportation was trolley coach, but in Philadelphia the mode has always been commonly called the trackless trolley.
After the opening of route 80, 18 years would pass before a second trolley bus line was opened. Route 61-Ridge Avenue became a trolley bus line on October 5, 1941, converted from streetcar operation. It was a much longer (11 miles) and more heavily used route. It ran from the Manayunk neighborhood
Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Manayunk is a neighborhood in the northwestern section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. Located on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it contains the first canal begun in the United States . The area's name comes from the language of the Lenape Indians...
, in the northwest, to the city center
Center City, Philadelphia
Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...
(locally known as Center City), and ultimately it was the only trolley bus route ever to serve Philadelphia's city center. PTC purchased 50 new, larger Brill trolley buses for this conversion, bought another 10 in 1942 and six vehicles from Pullman-Standard
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
in 1944.
A total of five additional routes were opened later: 29-Tasker-Morris
SEPTA Route 29
SEPTA Route 29 is a former streetcar and trolley bus line and current bus route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Gray's Ferry neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the...
in 1947, 75-Wyoming Avenue
SEPTA Route 75
SEPTA Route 75 is a trolleybus route in North and Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects to the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station, and runs primarily along Wyoming Avenue...
in 1948, 59-Castor Avenue
SEPTA Route 59
SEPTA Route 59 is a trackless trolley line that runs from the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station's Arrott Terminal to Bells Corner in Rhawnhurst, primarily along Oxford and Castor Avenues...
in 1950, 66-Frankford Avenue
SEPTA Route 66
SEPTA Route 66 is a trolleybus route in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects the Market–Frankford Line at the Frankford Transportation Center to either Morrell Park, Torresdale, or Holmesburg, primarily along Frankford Avenue, which includes and the historic,...
in 1955, and lastly 79-Snyder Avenue
SEPTA Route 79
SEPTA Route 79 is a former trolley bus and current bus route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Point Breeze neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the Delaware River...
in June 1961. However, routes 80 and 61 were converted to diesel buses in May 1960 and March 1961, respectively, so the system never had more than six routes in operation concurrently. The conversion of route 79 may have been prompted by a desire or need by PTC to make use of some of the trolley coaches made surplus by the conversion or routes 61 and 80 to diesel buses.
The five trackless routes in place in mid-1961 continued to be served by trolley buses for the next four decades, and three remain so in 2011. The rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
service on route 66 includes several express trips, and two sections of Frankford Avenue are equipped with a second set of trolleybus wires (in each direction) to enable trolley buses on express runs to pass those on local service. Route 66 also has "Night Owl" (all-night) service.
Post-2000
Until June 2002, five SEPTA routes used trolley buses, using AM General vehicles built in 1978–79. Routes 29SEPTA Route 29
SEPTA Route 29 is a former streetcar and trolley bus line and current bus route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Gray's Ferry neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the...
, 59
SEPTA Route 59
SEPTA Route 59 is a trackless trolley line that runs from the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station's Arrott Terminal to Bells Corner in Rhawnhurst, primarily along Oxford and Castor Avenues...
, 66
SEPTA Route 66
SEPTA Route 66 is a trolleybus route in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects the Market–Frankford Line at the Frankford Transportation Center to either Morrell Park, Torresdale, or Holmesburg, primarily along Frankford Avenue, which includes and the historic,...
, 75
SEPTA Route 75
SEPTA Route 75 is a trolleybus route in North and Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects to the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station, and runs primarily along Wyoming Avenue...
, and 79
SEPTA Route 79
SEPTA Route 79 is a former trolley bus and current bus route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Point Breeze neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the Delaware River...
used trolley buses, but were converted to diesel buses for an indefinite period starting in 2002 (routes 59, 66, 75) and 2003 (routes 29, 79). In the case of routes 59, 66 and 75, which are based at SEPTA's Frankford
Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Frankford is a large and important neighborhood in the lower Northeast section of Philadelphia situated about six miles northeast of Center City. Although its borders are vaguely defined, the neighborhood is bounded roughly by the original course of Frankford Creek, now roughly Adams to Aramingo...
depot (garage)
Bus garage
A bus garage or bus depot is a building where buses are stored and maintained. In many conurbations, bus garages are on the site of former car barns or tram sheds, where Streetcars or Trams were stored, and the operation transferred to buses...
, the initial reason for the conversion to buses was major reconstruction of the garage and the adjacent Market-Frankford "El" viaduct and station. That work necessitated the temporary removal of the overhead trolley wires
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
used by trolley buses both at the garage and along the deadhead
Dead mileage
Dead mileage, dead running or dead heading, in public transport, describes a practice of non-revenue running, especially in bus transport.- Causes :...
route (running along Frankford Avenue, directly beneath the El viaduct) connecting routes 59 and 75 to the garage. Other reasons prompted the suspension of trolley bus service on routes 29 and 79, in 2003.
The 110 AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
vehicles that had provided service on SEPTA's then-five trolley bus routes never returned to service. However, the authority in early 2006 ordered 38 new New Flyer
New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
low-floor
Low-floor bus
A low-floor bus is a bus that has no steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. Being low floor improves the accessibility of the bus for the public, particularly the elderly or infirm, or those with push chairs, and increasingly, those in wheelchairs.In the modern...
trolley buses, enough for routes 59, 66 and 75. In October 2006, the SEPTA board voted not to order additional vehicles for routes 29 and 79, and those routes permanently became non-electric.
The pilot new low-floor trolley bus arrived in June 2007, for testing, but not in passenger service. The production-series vehicles were delivered in 2008 and began to enter service in April, enabling a resumption of trolley bus service in Philadelphia after a nearly 5-year suspension. Trolley bus service resumed on routes 66 and 75 on April 14, 2008, and on route 59 the following day, but was initially limited to just one or two vehicles on each route, as new trolley buses gradually replaced the motor buses serving the routes over a period of several weeks.
Current routes
Trolley buses currently still operate on only the following three SEPTA routes:| Route 59 SEPTA Route 59 SEPTA Route 59 is a trackless trolley line that runs from the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station's Arrott Terminal to Bells Corner in Rhawnhurst, primarily along Oxford and Castor Avenues... |
Margaret-Orthodox Station – Oxford Avenue – Castor Avenue – Bells Corner, Rhawnhurst Rhawnhurst, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Rhawnhurst is a residential neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, named for George and William Rhawn by area real estate developers. Roughly bordered by Cottman Avenue to the south, Pennway Street to the west, the Pennypack Creek to the north, and Roosevelt Boulevard to the east,... |
| Route 66 SEPTA Route 66 SEPTA Route 66 is a trolleybus route in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects the Market–Frankford Line at the Frankford Transportation Center to either Morrell Park, Torresdale, or Holmesburg, primarily along Frankford Avenue, which includes and the historic,... |
Frankford Transportation Center Frankford Transportation Center The Frankford Transportation Center is a transportation terminal in Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was once known as the Bridge Street terminal before a complete reconstruction in 2003... – Frankford Avenue – Torresdale Torresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This article is about a place in Pennsylvania; for the United Kingdom locations, see Torrisdale Torresdale, also formerly known as Torrisdale, is a neighborhood in the Far Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... /Holmesburg Holmesburg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Holmesburg is a neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Holmesburg was named for the descendants of John Holme who immigrated to Philadelphia in the 1680s and had no known relation to Surveyor General Thomas Holme. John Holme's descendants acquired land in Lower... |
| Route 75 SEPTA Route 75 SEPTA Route 75 is a trolleybus route in North and Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects to the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station, and runs primarily along Wyoming Avenue... |
Margaret-Orthodox Station – Wyoming Avenue – Nicetown |
Past fleet, through the 1970s
Philadelphia's first trackless trolleys were supplied by the J. G. Brill Company in 1923. Brill was based in Philadelphia, but was one of the largest manufacturers of trolley cars (streetcars, or trams) in the world from the 1890s to the 1920s (last making streetcars in 1941), and produced trolley buses from 1921 to 1954. Philadelphia purchased more trolley buses from Brill than from any other manufacturer, a total of 133. However, vehicles were also purchased from other builders, most notably Marmon-HerringtonMarmon-Herrington
The Marmon-Herrington Company, Inc. is an American-based manufacturer of axles and transfer cases for trucks and other vehicles. Earlier, the company built military vehicles and some tanks during World War II, and until the late 1950s or early 1960s was a manufacturer of trucks and trolley buses...
(71 units) and AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
(110).
The original fleet of ten 23 in 2 in (7.06 m) Brill "Rail-less Cars" of 1923–24 was replaced in 1935 by eight Brill T30 vehicles, another short vehicle. With the conversion of the major Ridge Avenue route (61) to trolley buses in 1941, Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) again turned to Brill for the needed additional vehicles. PTC purchased 60 Brill trolley coaches (as such vehicles were then commonly called in the U.S.) in 1941–42, this time of the larger model 40SMT that the manufacturer had introduced in 1938. In 1944, six new trolley coaches were purchased from Pullman-Standard
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
, but that small batch was not followed by any other purchases from Pullman. In 1947, PTC purchased another 65 Brill vehicles, these being ACF-Brill model TC44, Brill having merged in 1944 with American Car and Foundry Company
American Car and Foundry Company
American Car and Foundry is a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock. One of its subsidiaries was once a manufacturer of motor coaches and trolley coaches under the brand names of ACF and ACF-Brill. Today ACF is known as ACF Industries LLC and is based in St. Charles, Missouri...
. Some of these 1947 TC44 trolley buses remained in service on the Philadelphia system as late as 1981.
The next purchases were from the Marmon-Herrington Company
Marmon-Herrington
The Marmon-Herrington Company, Inc. is an American-based manufacturer of axles and transfer cases for trucks and other vehicles. Earlier, the company built military vehicles and some tanks during World War II, and until the late 1950s or early 1960s was a manufacturer of trucks and trolley buses...
. PTC brought 28 of that builder's model TC46 in 1949 and then 43 of the larger model TC49 in 1955. These were the last trolley buses acquired for more than two decades. Most of the older, pre-war trolley buses were scrapped in the 1960s. SEPTA took over the transit system in 1968, and by the 1970s the normal operating practice was for the Brill TC44 trolley buses to be used on the two South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
routes, 29 and 79, and Marmon-Herrington vehicles to be used on the three Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000,...
routes, 59, 66 and 75.
Post-1970s
In the late 1970s, SEPTA partnered with Seattle's trolley bus systemTrolleybuses in Seattle
The Seattle trolleybus system forms part of the public transportation network serving Seattle, in the state of Washington, United States. Opened on April 28, 1940, it presently comprises 14 lines, and is operated with 159 trolleybuses by the King County Metro, commonly known as Metro.Of the five...
to place a joint order with AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
for new trolley buses, 110 for Philadelphia and 109 for Seattle. Numbered 800–909 in SEPTA's fleet, these 40 feet (12.2 m) vehicles were model 10240T, but had the same body style as Flyer Industries'
New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
model E800, used on several other U.S. and Canadian trolley bus systems from the 1980s to the 2000s, because the two manufacturers had worked together on the body design. These 219 vehicles were the only trolley buses AM General ever built. The first one built, SEPTA's No. 800, was tested on the Dayton trolley bus system
Trolleybuses in Dayton
The Dayton trolleybus system forms part of the public transportation network serving Dayton, in the state of Ohio, United States. Opened on April 23, 1933, it presently comprises seven lines, and is operated by the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, with a fleet of 54...
in late 1978. The remainder of SEPTA's 110 AM General trackless trolleys were built in 1979, and they arrived and entered service in 1980. They were the system's first air-conditioned
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
trolley buses. The last active Brill and Marmon-Herrington trolley buses were retired in 1981.
Because of service reductions in the 1980s and 1990s, the number of trolley buses needed for scheduled peak-period service on the five routes had declined to only 51 (plus spares) by at least the mid-1990s. Forty-four of the 110 AM Generals were placed in storage and later used for parts; in 2002, those 44 were sold for scrap. The remaining 66 were placed in storage when all five routes were converted temporarily to diesel buses in 2002 and 2003. That conversion later was made permanent for routes 29 and 79. The stored AM General trolley buses, which were already 24 years old by then, did not return to service and all were scrapped in mid-2006, but earlier the same year, SEPTA placed an order with New Flyer Industries for 38 new low-floor trolley buses. Philadelphia's AM General trolley buses operated in service for the last time on June 30, 2003, the last day of trolley bus service on route 79. They were the last AMG-built trackless trolleys in service anywhere, because the only other transit system to use such vehicles, Seattle, retired its last AM Generals in March 2003. For the 38 new vehicles from New Flyer, SEPTA reused the same fleet-number series as had been used for the AM Generals; the Flyers are numbered 800–837.
Current fleet
The present Philadelphia trackless trolley fleet consists of 38 conventional-configuration (two-axle) trolley buses:| Fleet numbers | Quantity | Manufacturer | Electrical equipment |
Model No. | Configuration | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800–837 | 38 | New Flyer New Flyer Industries New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:... |
Vossloh Kiepe Vossloh Kiepe Vossloh Kiepe is a German manufacturer of electrical traction equipment for trams, trolleybuses and other transport vehicles, as well as air-conditioning and heating systems, and conveyor device components.-History:... |
E40LFR | Standard (two-axle) | 2007–2008 |
SEPTA placed its order for these trolley buses in February 2006. The first vehicle was delivered in June 2007, and the remaining 37 were received by SEPTA during 2008. These trolley buses have a diesel-driven auxiliary power unit
Auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft, as well as some large land vehicles.-Function:...
, which provides electric power to the motors to enable limited operation away from overhead trolley wires
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
.
Preserved vehicles
A few retired Philadelphia trolley buses have been saved for historical preservation, including at public museums. 1947-built ACF-Brills 205 and 210 were acquired by the Shore Line Trolley MuseumShore Line Trolley Museum
The Shore Line Trolley Museum, located in East Haven, Connecticut, is the oldest operating trolley museum in the United States. It was founded to preserve the heritage of the trolley car. The museum includes exhibits on trolley history in the visitors' center and offers rides on restored trolleys...
in 1981, when withdrawn from service in Philadelphia. Number 205 is in operating condition, and in 2009 it became the first trolley bus ever to operate at the museum (powered normally, from overhead wires
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
), when it tested the first section of a short trolley bus line that is under construction there. The Seashore Trolley Museum
Seashore Trolley Museum
The Seashore Trolley Museum, located in Kennebunkport, Maine, United States, is the world's oldest and largest museum of mass transit vehicles....
's collection includes ex-Philadelphia trolley bus 336, a 1955 Marmon-Herrington
Marmon-Herrington
The Marmon-Herrington Company, Inc. is an American-based manufacturer of axles and transfer cases for trucks and other vehicles. Earlier, the company built military vehicles and some tanks during World War II, and until the late 1950s or early 1960s was a manufacturer of trucks and trolley buses...
TC49; it is not currently in operating condition. A few other ex-Philadelphia ACF-Brill and Marmon-Herrington trolley buses have been saved by private individuals, including one Marmon TC46. No other types of Philadelphia trolley buses, such as AM Generals or earlier types of Brill vehicles, have been preserved.
See also
- List of trolleybus systems in the United States
- SEPTA City Transit Division surface routesSEPTA City Transit Division surface routesThe Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority operates the overwhelming majority of Philadelphia public transit within their City Transit Division. Although perhaps best known for the Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line, they are also responsible for all 73 of the trolley and bus...