newsletter 4-12

A piece of Parkersburg history survives in Kennebunkport, Maine at the Seashore Trolley Museum. The story of streetcar 115 is truly one of survival.
The streetcar was built in 1927 by the Kuhlman Car Company of Cleveland, Ohio. It was one of fifteen identical cars constructed during the booming period prior to the Great Depression when automobiles were just beginning to compete with public transportation.
Car No.115 was purchased by the West Virginia Traction and Electric Company, a division of the West Virginia Utilities Company. The car was assigned to the Sabraton Line, part of the Morgantown streetcar network. Not long after it was out into service, the Morgantown business was purchased by the Monongahela West Penn Public Service Corporation (MWP).
During the hard times of the Depression, the Sabraton Tin Plate Mill closed and streetcar ridership dropped considerably. The transit company decided to close their Morgantown operation and junked much of their fleet, but the relatively new status of No.115 resulted in its transfer to Parkersburg to serve what was known as the Viscose Line.
In 1943 MWP sold its Parkersburg interests to a New England based firm which continued streetcar service under the name “City Lines of West Virginia”. By 1947 the war rationing of fuel and rubber tires had ended and City Lines began to motorize their public transit, eliminating the need for electric streetcars.
The company offered their remaining cars for sale and several of them were purchased for use as storage sheds, rustic cabins, and even hay barns. Luck was once again with No.115, as it was purchased in1947 by a former streetcar motorman to be used as a fishing camp. The motors, wheels, and most interior parts were discarded and the frame was stabilized on stones after it was moved to the camp area.

Car No.115 still had the original canvas and wood roof, which was intended to resist electricity if the power wires accidentally fell on the car. The new owner recognized the fragility of the canvas construction and completely covered the roof with corrugated metal sheets. A heavy coat of aluminum paint protected the exterior, and the inside was furnished with basic camp necessities. The car remained in the camp location for 43 years, having only three owners during that time.
In 1990 the owners wanted to use the land for a different purpose and looked for a suitable new home for this historic streetcar. The Historic Harmar Bridge Company in Marietta expressed an interest in receiving the donation, and after some weeks of preparation, car No.115 was fitted with a set of mobile home axles and wheels bolted under the frame. On a cool October Sunday morning the car was on the move to Marietta, Ohio, aided by a large team of volunteers.

After considerable restoration, including painting and replacement of the original glass windows, the Historic Harmar volunteers had exhausted their resources and could proceed no further. With vandalism on the rise, the decision was made to contact the Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine. Representatives from the museum were thrilled over the condition of the streetcar body, and were astonished to find the original canvas roof still intact in 2002, under the metal sheets that were installed by the first private owner.
Streetcar No.115 was once again on the move, this time on a large flatbed trailer, and now survives in Kennebunkport, Maine. The volunteers of the Seashore Trolley Museum stated that the total restoration might take as long as 20 years, their intention is to refurbish the car to its original condition.
From its origin in Cleveland, through its service in public transit, and its new life as an historic relic, streetcar Number 115 has been a survivor.