North Texas Traction Company's "Birney Car" Number 560 should arrive at the Texas and Pacific Depot on, Saturday, February 8. It has been in Odessa, Texas these many years, but still has the Fort Worth markings and number.
NTTC No. 560 was built by American Car Company in 1920 and was retired in 1936.
The "Birney" classification was named for Charles O. Birney, a design engineer for Stone and Webster Engineering Company. About 2500 of theses cars were manufactured. Also know as the "Birney Safety Car", it was a light- weight steel car. It was the first streetcar to be equipped with "deadman safety pedal".
The car is 26 feet long. It seated 28 passengers on hard wooden benches. It was notoriously rough riding, since it had a wheelbase of only 7-feet. Top speed was about 30 MPH.
NTTC Car 560 does not have trucks, running gear, seats or electrical equipment. All of these items will have to be obtained elsewhere. While the search for them is going on, the Trolleymeisters will be busy repairing the carbody, the roof and replacing doors and windows.
The Trolleymeister Organization, headed by Harold Wareham, has been taking up collections to make a down payment on the car.
Harold is in hopes of acquiring several joints of genuine Fort Worth streetcar rail to set the car on for display. The organization has received a table saw, joiner, planer and other woodworking tools to expedite the restoration of the two North Texas Traction Company Interurban Cars. A temporary building will be constructed for them.
Persons wishing to join the Trolleymeisters in their restoration project or wishing to donate money, labor or items for the restoration projects should contact Harold Wareham at 817-732-6306.
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