General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

WOOD/ IRON/ GLASS/ COPPER/ TEXTILES/ LEATHER

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

853.0 cm

Width

255.0 cm

Height

374.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Railway Transportation

Category

Public transportation

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Toronto Railway

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Toronto

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

1892-1921

Canada

Unknown

Function

ELECTRICALLY POWERED PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON RAILS

Technical

Built in 1892 by the Toronto Railway Company (TRC) as an open-car, it was convered to closed operations when open cars were banned by Toronto. The TRC was committed to modernizing transit operations, and the early 1890s, it facilitated the first electric, horseless streetcars in Toronto. The TRC also committed itself to implementing a handful of safety features: while early "open" car designs allowed customers to enter the car from either side, as of 1894, customers could only enter from the curb "near" side of the car; some models included fishnet lifeguard plows at the front of the cars; and car bodies were offset by four inches to the right while roofs were tapered on the passing side to allow for wider load distribution and safer passing. Eventually the TRC developed a removable door that could be fitted to the open car entrances to account for passenger comfort in the colder months.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

'306' PAINTED IN GOLD OUTLINED IN BLACK ON SIDES & ON EITHER SIDE OF FRONT & BACK/ BLUE METAL PLATE WITH WHITE PAINTED '1' ON FRONT/ GOLD PAINTED 'ENTER/ BY REAR DOOR' ON DRIVER'S DOOR/CAST LETTERING ON STOVE READING 'THE GURNEY FOUNDRY CO. LTD./ TORONTO'/ CAST LETTERING ON CONTROLLER READING 'CANADIAN GENERAL/ ELECTRIC CO. LIMITED/ PETERBORO___/ CAN___' WITH PATENT DATES

Missing

N/A

Finish

LOWER CAR BODY PAINTED BROWN/ CREAM PAINTED UPPER & LOWER WINDOW FRAMES, EDGING ABOVE BOTH SET OF WINDOWS/ RED ROOF/ RED PAINTED FLOOR/ BLACK PAINTED STEPS, RAILS, 'COWCATCHER', UNDERCARRIAGE/ BRASS COLOURD PARTS/ INTERIOR: STAINED & VARNISHED WOOD CEILING, DOORS/ BROWN PAINTED WINDOW CASINGS/ RED UPHOLSTERED SEAT CUSHIONS & BACKS/ DRIVER'S AREA CEILING PAINTED CREAM, WALLS & WORKING PARTS PAINTED BROWN

Decoration

LINE OF SMALL GOLD PAINTED SQUARES FRAMES SIDES & FRONT SIDES/ CAST BLACK ENAMEL PAINTED RAISED DESIGNS & FILIGREE ORNAMENTATION ON STOVE/ B&W ILLUSTRATIONS OF VINTAGE CARS MOUNTED ON INTERIOR WALLS/ UPPER ROW OF WINDOWS ON EITHER SIDE CONTAIN ETCHED GLASS, SOME WITH SUPERIMPOSED T & R FORMING SYMBOL