Scrapping the 250

We recently received some photos taken back in February 1995 by Dave Diamond showing the scrapping of North Shore 250 (thanks to Zach Ehlers for making these available). This was a 1917 interurban combine we had acquired from The Wisconsin Electric Railway Historical Society in about 1989, when that group folded. TWERHS had gotten it in the early 1970s from the Indiana Railway Museum in Westport in the same deal that led CA&E 318 on its ill-fated trip north.

Anyway, the 250 had deteriorated in Westport, deteriorated more in East Troy, and was kind of a wreck by the time we got it (photos here). As far as I know, nobody else wanted it, and we didn't need a third North Shore combine, so in 1994-1995 it was stripped of parts and scrapped. You North Shore fans may want to avert your eyes.

Scrapping took place on the streetcar line just northeast of the ruling curve. You'll notice that one end was removed and sold to a fan; that end has recently returned.

The car is lifted off its trucks.

And then it's pivoted away from the tracks.

The trucks were allocated to Michigan Electric 28, which used the same type of Baldwin MCBs.

Looks like someone needs to stand on the back of the old Caterpillar forklift to give it some extra weight!

The car was tipped on its side, possibly to more easily salvage equipment off the roof or underbody. As photos at the bottom of this post show, it was then tipped upright again, burned, and cut up for scrap.