Finding Their Niche

Finding Their Niche

by Art Peterson

All photos are from the Krambles-Peterson Archive

Randy and Frank’s recent commentary on CA&E 451 wearing that Cleveland Southwestern-inspired scheme during its Trolleyville days reminded me that several properties adopted eye-catching schemes/introduced upgraded services in the mid-1920s in an effort to stave off the inevitable. Especially post-World War One, the industry was caught in a cycle where rising costs could not be met by increases in the rate of fare, resulting in abysmal rates of return. In addition, the companies faced stiff challenges from the private automobile and from buses, which seemed far more modern.

Cleveland Southwestern 205 – Cleveland Public Square – ca. 1928

The May 7, 1927 issue of the Electric Railway Journal noted that the management and employees of the Cleveland Southwestern (officially the Cleveland Southwestern Railway & Light Co. since its 1924 reorganization) had designated March 31, 1927, as the property’s “Dress-Up Day.” That was the first day the trainmen wore their new dark gray whipcord uniforms. In addition, the company offered commission incentives to the ticket agents to seek out additional passenger traffic.

Unfortunately, the identities of these employees are lost to history.

Cleveland Southwestern 205 – Cleveland Public Square – Ralph A. Perkin Photo

A spotless 205 along with an unidentified curve-side car pose at Public Square, Cleveland. Note how the film renders the color differences between the heavyweight and the lightweight (see also the shot of the 212, below). Notes from one of Ralph’s shots of a Cleveland Southwestern lightweight indicate these cars were blue, ivory and yellow, while this heavyweight appears to be just blue and yellow.

Despite its best efforts, Cleveland Southwestern would fail again in 1930, and be absorbed by the Columbus, Delaware & Marion the following year. In a deficit situation for the final two years of its existence, Cleveland Southwestern abandoned operations in 1933.

Cleveland Southwestern 201-Class Car

The “Cleveland Chapter of the Cloche Hat Wearer Society” prepares to board one of the 201-series parlor car conversions. With a 1925 inauguration date for the parlor car service using the big Kuhlmans, this service directly overlapped the era of the Cloche Hat as high fashion – 1922 to 1933.

The parlor service proved popular in those early years – Electric Railway Journal reported that the road transported 32,000 parlor car passengers during 1926. Interior views reflect some alternate configurations in the heavyweight parlor cars – some cars had parlor seats on both sides of the aisle, while other interiors reflected just one side being equipped with parlor chairs.

Cleveland Southwestern 212 – Kamm’s Corner – ca. 1928 – Vernon Burke, Jr. Photo

Although the print has some damage to it, this is a great shot of one of the dozen curve-sides Cleveland Southwestern ordered in 1924. These were big cars (as curve-sides go) – 40’-6” long, with eleven side windows. As delivered, they came in dark green with gray roofs and black trim, making the mid-'20s color change quite a transformation. Five of the 12 cars would be sold to the Dayton & Western, running there until 1936.  C&LE would scrap them a few years later.

Kamm’s Corner is on the west side of Cleveland, specifically the intersection of Rocky River Drive and Lorain Avenue, where Kamm’s 1900-vintage general store/post office building still stands. Since 1923, West Park has been part of the City of Cleveland.

Kentucky Traction & Terminal 303-311 – 1928

The details on the back of this print absolutely make me regret that there wasn’t a stable color film sooner! George’s notes on the print indicated that there were three distinct schemes used on the city cars, with a special interurban car livery. A unique scheme was applied to the freight motors, plus there was a separate one for the buses. There’s no record of what scheme the 211 wore, but here are the comparative color details for three of the schemes:

Element	Interurban Car	City Car	Bus
Roof	Atlas Yellow	Pigskin Brown	Straw
Letterboard	Apple Green	Lemon Yellow	Medium Green
Sash Belt	White	White	Pigskin Brown
Wide Stripe	Pigskin Brown	Light Blue	Double Deep Orange
Body	Double Deep Orange	Bright Red	Pigskin Brown
Skirt	Medium Green	Deep Red	Dark Green

As delivered, KT&T’s 300-309 series interurbans (the very first order of curve-side cars, ready for shipment by February 17, 1922) were no slouch in the color context – they came in yellow with black lettering and striping edged in silver. KT&T 211 was one of 27 single-truck curve-sides (with an overall length of just 26’-2”) the property acquired mid-1923. KT&T placed four additional orders for curve-side cars, though two of those (in 1927 and 1929) were for single replacement cars.   

Despite being able to post 35% reductions in track and car maintenance due to using the lightweight cars, the interurban operation in Lexington lasted until only January 12, 1934, while the city car system made it to April 21, 1938. None of the city cars were resold, but five of the interurban cars were sold in 1941 to Shaker Heights, though they were never used in service.

Monongahela West Penn “West Virginia” – ca. 1926

There could be no clearer indication that Monongahela West Penn (the property name used from 1923) was under American Water Works & Electric Systems control than the arrival of two near-clones of the typical West Penn-style interurban from Cincinnati in 1926. MWP 775 and 776 were equipped with air brakes for the MWP application, where the typical West Penn car would have used electromagnetic track brakes. As built, the 775-776 rode on Cincinnati arch-bar trucks, again, quite different from what West Penn would have used.

From September 5, 1926, car 776 was run as the “West Virginia,” wearing this old gold and blue livery to commemorate the colors of West Virginia University. Re-equipped with deep spring leather seats and reflecting “a seat for every passenger” policy, MWP proudly noted it had spent $21,367 to purchase and to upgrade this car. Four daily round-trips were made by the deluxe car on the Clarksburg-Fairmount run, saving 25 minutes compared to existing schedules (only four intermediate stops were made). The service didn’t last long – the car finished out its days as car 776.

Acknowledgements: Richard Wagner’s “Curved-Side Cars” book, along with Hilton & Due “The Electric Interurban Railways in America” and CERA B-110 on “West Penn Traction” were essential to this piece.

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