Prototype News

Updated: March 19, 7:50 p.m. EST

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said he was resigning Wednesday to ensure the railroad “continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence” of the Trump administration.

Late Wednesday, Reuters reported that the White House had asked Gardner to resign. Amtrak officials declined to comment on whether or not Gardner was forced out.

“I am so proud of what the Amtrak team has accomplished to bring passenger rail service to more people and places across the country over these past 16 years, and I thank the Board for their trust and support,” Gardner wrote. “We did a lot together to make Amtrak safer, more modern, and a better travel experience for all our customers. From my start as an Amtrak intern back in the 1990s to ending as CEO, it has been my honor and privilege to lead this great American company, and I wish Amtrak every success. See you on the rails.”

Gardner’s sudden resignation came weeks after billionaire and presidential advisor Elon Musk said the government should privatize the national passenger carrier. Amtrak pushed back on that idea.

Amtrak has not named a successor. A spokesperson for the railroad said they did not have any additional information beyond the statements from Gardner and the board. Roger Harris remains president of the railroad.

Amtrak’s board of directors thanked Gardner for his service in a statement posted to the railroad’s website.

“As Stephen departs today, we thank him for his 16 years of service to Amtrak. We will build on his accomplishments and wish him every success. We look forward to working with President Trump and Secretary Duffy as we build the world-class passenger rail system this country deserves,” the board wrote.

Gardner became CEO in 2022, just a year after he had been promoted to president as part of a management restructuring. Before being elevated to president, Gardner was senior executive vice president and chief operating and commercial officer for Amtrak. Gardner first came to Amtrak in 2009 and previously worked on rail and transportation policy for the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation under U.S. Sen. Tom Carper and others. He also held various positions with Guilford Rail System and the Buckingham Branch Railroad in Virginia.

In a statement, Rail Passengers Association President Jim Mathews thanked Gardner for his time at Amtrak.

“On behalf of America’s passengers, I want to thank Stephen for working during his long tenure to build a better railroad. Under Stephen’s leadership, Amtrak recommitted to operating a truly national network, while making concrete investments to upgrade service and ensure the long-term viability of the U.S. intercity passenger rail system,” Mathews said. “In every interaction I’ve had with Stephen – and there were many – there was never any doubt that he loved trains, loved passenger rail, and loved Amtrak. He has been a good colleague and a great partner to this Association. We wish him every success, and look forward to continuing to work with President Roger Harris as Amtrak continues to grow and modernize.”

This is a developing news story and will be updated when additional information becomes available. —Justin Franz 

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The Rocky Mountaineer’s U.S.-based operations in Colorado and Utah have been rebranded “Canyon Spirit” and will expand to Salt Lake City in 2026. 

The luxury tour train’s operator, Armstrong Collective, announced the news on March 18. The Rocky Mountaineer, which has operated in British Columbia and Alberta since the 1990s, expanded to the United States in 2021 with excursions between Denver and Moab, Utah, along the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. 

“We could not be more excited to bring our Canyon Spirit train to Salt Lake City and to expand our Rockies to the Red Rocks route further into the beautiful state of Utah,” said Tristan Armstrong, CEO of Armstrong Collective, Canyon Spirit’s parent company. “Although the name of our train is changing, our world-class service and onboard experience will remain the same. Our family and team members all look forward to sharing the beauty of the American Southwest with even more guests from across the United States and around the world.”

Beginning next year, passengers will have two different riding options: the existing Rockies to the Red Rocks excursion, a two-day trip from Denver to Moab via Glenwood Springs, Colo., and a day-long extension across the Utah desert to Salt Lake City. While onboard the train, guests are treated to attentive service from onboard hosts, rich, historical storytelling of the areas the train travels through, and dining options that feature locally sourced and regionally inspired dishes paired with local beer, wines, and spirits.

The new three-day Rockies to the Red Rocks Extension journey will begin operating on April 21, 2026. It will travel weekly with one westbound departure from Denver and one eastbound departure from Salt Lake City. The three-day rail journey, including overnight hotel accommodation in Glenwood Springs and Moab, will start at $2,123 USD plus tax per person and is available to book at www.thecanyonspirit.com. —Justin Franz 

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For the second year in a row, elected officials in Alaska have introduced legislation that would require the state-owned railroad to be privatized. On February 26, Republican Rep. Kevin McCabe introduced House Bill 120 that, if enacted, would request proposals from companies to purchase the Alaska Railroad and its assets. Similar legislation was introduced in 2024 but never passed. 

The purchaser would have to promise to operate the railroad for at least 50 years, the Alaska Beacon reports. The railroad was built by the federal government in the early 20th century and then transferred to the state in the 1980s. Some in the state have said the railroad could be more efficiently operated by a private operator. The railroad itself, however, has been opposed to efforts to sell it. —Railfan & Railroad Staff

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The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has raised more than $283,000 to restore New York Central L-3a 4-8-2 “Mohawk” 3001, more than halfway to its initial $500,000 fundraising goal. To help meet that goal before May 1, a new grant has been established that will match every dollar given up to $20,000. 

The 3001 is the largest surviving NYC steam locomotive and the only member of the L-3a class to escape the scrapper’s torch. The locomotive was under the care of the City of Elkhart, Ind., and has been on display at the National New York Central Museum for decades. In October, FWRHS launched an effort to restore the locomotive for use on its popular Indiana Rail Experience excursions. 

FWRHS owns three other steam locomotives, most notably Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 765, which it has operated since the 1970s. For the last few years, it has managed the Indiana Rail Experience, an excursion operation on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad, which has trackage in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Much of that track is former NYC, meaning locomotive 3001 will be right at home. NYC 3001 will also join the fleet of seven Budd streamlined cars built in 1941 for the NYC “Empire State Express” and purchased from Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in 2023.

According to FWRHS, a mechanical evaluation of the locomotive has been performed by FMW Solutions with financial support from former Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. The group estimates that it will take $4.3 million to restore the locomotive to operation. Donations can be made online at AmericanLoco.org. FWRHS is also encouraging people to join its pledge list. —Justin Franz 

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The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has raised more than $283,000 to restore New York Central L-3a 4-8-2 “Mohawk” 3001, more than halfway to its initial $500,000 fundraising goal. To help meet that goal before May 1, a new grant has been established that will match every dollar given up to $20,000. 

The 3001 is the largest surviving NYC steam locomotive and the only member of the L-3a class to escape the scrapper’s torch. The locomotive was under the care of the City of Elkhart, Ind., and has been on display at the National New York Central Museum for decades. In October, FWRHS launched an effort to restore the locomotive for use on its popular Indiana Rail Experience excursions. 

FWRHS owns three other steam locomotives, most notably Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 765, which it has operated since the 1970s. For the last few years, it has managed the Indiana Rail Experience, an excursion operation on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad, which has trackage in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Much of that track is former NYC, meaning locomotive 3001 will be right at home. NYC 3001 will also join the fleet of seven Budd streamlined cars built in 1941 for the NYC “Empire State Express” and purchased from Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in 2023.

According to FWRHS, a mechanical evaluation of the locomotive has been performed by FMW Solutions with financial support from former Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. The group estimates that it will take $4.3 million to restore the locomotive to operation. Donations can be made online at AmericanLoco.org. FWRHS is also encouraging people to join its pledge list. —Justin Franz 

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by Roger DuPuis II and Bill Monaghan, Jr./photos as noted

Shortly before 5:00am on June 16, 2024, green and cream Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) streetcar 2326 rolled out of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s venerable Callowhill Depot in West Philadelphia to enter service on Route 15 – Girard Avenue. It marked the return of streamlined trolleys following a four-year absence during an intensive in-house rebuilding program that kicked off as the COVID-19 pandemic descended. The milestone also marked the third distinct era of regular PCC car operation on the system since 1938.

Almost as remarkable, perhaps, is the fact that these cars were rehabilitated for use on the purely street-running Girard line, a route whose future was in doubt at several points over the course of its existence. The line has a new lease on life; newly refurbished cars intended to keep rail service alive as SEPTA prepares to modernize the fleet and infrastructure of its entire trolley system, which is made up of two suburban and six city lines — the latter including five subway-surface routes and Girard.

The rebuilding program was designed to keep the 1947–48 green and cream trolleys roadworthy until a new generation of low-floor articulated cars can be built and delivered by Alstom Transportation Inc. between 2027 and 2030, according to initial estimates. The entire modernization program could take up to a decade to implement, SEPTA has said.

ABOVE: SEPTA’s venerable Callowhill Depot was built in 1913 by Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. Today, it serves two trolley routes and several bus routes. In the depot are 9000-series Kawasaki light rail vehicles assigned to Route 10 and one of the system’s Route 15 PCC cars awaiting the call to duty in September 2024. —Roger DuPuis II photo

The newly outshopped trolleys have been dubbed “PCC-III” cars, reflecting the extent of work performed. Probably very little of the cars’ original fabric remains, as they have undergone three substantial overhauls in the past 40 years, in addition to previous work.

SEPTA is one of the nation’s most diverse transit operations, and the system’s roots are deep and complex. The multimodal undertaking serves five counties in the Philadelphia area, and its commuter rail operations extend into the neighboring states of New Jersey and Delaware.

The Girard Avenue route, which traces its roots to a horsecar line opened in 1859, has earned its own special place in the Philadelphia transit story as the last bastion of a once-mighty PCC fleet. Our purpose here is not to provide a definitive history, but to give readers who are not intimately familiar with the system a sense of how these cars, and the line, survived.

ABOVE: PCC-III 2332 heads west at Girard Avenue and 16th Street on July 5, 2024, under the gaze of figures in Parris Stancell’s “A Celebration of Poetry” mural. The artwork was completed in 2004 and is one of thousands created under the successful Mural Arts Philadelphia program. —Bill Monaghan Jr. photo

Another change was looming as this article was being finished, with the authority renaming its rail transit routes under the so-called SEPTA Metro “wayfinding” plan. The rainbow-colored rebranding will see Route 15 become the G, and it will be shown as yellow on maps and signs.
Given that this article mostly focuses on the system as it existed prior to those changes, legacy route numbers for Girard and other lines will be used throughout. And a substantial legacy it is — Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. first assigned the number 15 to Girard Avenue service in October 1912.

Enter the Streamliners

The PCC car (named for the Electric Railway Presidents’ Conference Committee) was born after North American transit executives banded together in search of solutions to the sharp decline in streetcar ridership fueled by increased use of autos, buses, and the financial impacts of the Great Depression. Philadelphia Rapid Transit (1902–1940) ordered the system’s first 20 “air-electric” PCC cars from St. Louis Car Co., and they entered service on Route 53 in 1938. PRT and successor Philadelphia Transportation Co. (1940–1968) purchased 260 PCCs of the prewar “air-electric” design through 1942.

After World War II, PTC purchased 210 cars of the “all-electric” postwar design — notable for their standee windows and lack of air-operated components — in 1947 and 1948. The surviving Girard Avenue rebuilds started life in this group.

The last trolleys acquired in the pre-SEPTA era were 90 secondhand PCC cars bought in 1955 — 50 from St. Louis Public Service and 40 from Kansas City Public Service — to continue modernizing the fleet as older cars were retired.

ABOVE: PCC car 2332 is partially primed during the overhaul process at SEPTA’s Woodland Shops on February 8, 2021. —Bill Monaghan Jr. photo

The Ride Downhill

Philadelphia Transportation Company came out of World War II on a relatively high note. In 1946, the fleet included 1,900 trolleys serving 58 routes and 560 miles of track, and reports show the system carried more than 600 million riders that year. In that context, the purchase of new PCC cars made sense — especially considering there were still large numbers of Brill-built conventional cars, including some Nearside types dating to 1911.

Conditions changed quickly; transit ridership dropped by nearly half between 1946 and 1954. The rise of auto ownership, suburbanization, and the postwar loss of manufacturing jobs combined to hit Philadelphia hard.

In 1952, PTC drafted a plan to replace all but 14 trolley routes with buses or trackless trolleys within a decade. In 1955, management of the system was taken over by National City Lines, the conglomerate tied to General Motors and other automotive interests seeking expansion of bus transit over rail. New plans called for replacing all street-running trolley routes, saving only the handful of subway-surface lines connecting Center City with West and Southwest Philadelphia.

Girard Avenue would have been among the casualties if the 1955 plan had been realized. It was not, but Philadelphia’s transit system was dramatically transformed. More than 1,000 General Motors buses were purchased, similar numbers of superannuated trolleys were junked, and by 1958 only 14 trolley lines remained. The 1952 target had been achieved in six years, and all non-PCC cars were eliminated from the fleet.

ABOVE: Car 2322 was chartered on October 19, 2024, for the 20th annual OcTrolley Fest, celebrating transportation heritage and local history in suburban Darby borough. Behind the trolley at 10th and Main streets is the Darby Free Library, which traces its roots to 1743. —Roger DuPuis II photo

That was where things stopped, for a time. Some of the earliest PCCs and the clunky secondhand St. Louis cars were scrapped, but there were no more major changes for the time being. In part, this was because city officials’ views had shifted, and some increasingly opposed the private operator’s anti-trolley policy. As early as 1960, Mayor Richardson Dilworth proposed a municipal takeover of PTC. The idea was slightly premature, but it pointed toward bigger things to come.

Regional authorities would be formed to replace failing private transit companies around the nation in the 1960s and 1970s. PTC officials saw the writing on the wall and spent as little as possible on the trolley network ahead of the inevitable transition.

Trolleys in the Early SEPTA Years

SEPTA’s $47.9 million takeover of PTC was consummated on September 30, 1968. Among the new authority’s assets were 14 trolley lines and 465 cars built between 1940 and 1948. Of these, only about 400 cars were still operable.

A PCC overhaul program was launched in 1973, though this effort was much less intensive than later projects. Its most noticeable outcome was the adoption of a new paint scheme after several others had been tried since SEPTA took over. Dubbed “Gulf Oil” for its resemblance to the oil company’s corporate colors, the orange, white, and blue livery brought a dash of color to the rails. But new paint could not hide the real problems — declining ridership and insufficient funding made it harder to keep the cars in good repair, with safety and reliability suffering as a result…

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by Otto M. Vondrak/photos by the author

The steel door rolls up on the enginehouse as the train crew prepares for their day in rural Lakeville, N.Y. The morning yard crew have wrapped up their work, and now it’s time for the road train to head up to “the city.” The throaty chant of Alco 521 prime movers barks from within as two mighty Century-series locomotives are awakened from their slumber. They wear a gleaming coat of gloss black with bright yellow trim and lettering, a clear sign of company pride. The two units will team up to haul 40 cars north to the interchange near Rochester, and most likely bring an equal number back. What began as a grassroots effort to preserve 12 miles of an old Erie Lackawanna branch line has grown over the last six decades into a nearly 400-mile system across four lines in New York and Pennsylvania.

The Early Years
The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 connected the Hudson River with Lake Erie, and brought increased commerce and prosperity to the cities along its route. Some of the earliest railroads to provide competition to the canal followed this east-west routing, but investors soon turned their eyes to the south. Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad was organized in 1851, and by 1853 rails had reached Avon, 19 miles southward. Connections were made south to Corning, and west to Attica. A branch was built from Avon to Mount Morris in 1859. Through a series of mergers and leases, R&GV came under control of Erie Railroad by 1869. In 1882, the short branch from Conesus Lake Junction to the steamboat pier at Lakeville opened for business.

The Rochester Division proved to be a good investment for Erie, and provided considerable freight traffic through the first half of the 20th century. Passenger service between Rochester and Avon was discontinued in 1941. In 1956, Erie removed 19 miles of track from the middle of the division between Livonia and Wayland. From that point on, Rochester was served by Buffalo crews by way of the branch from Attica to Avon.

ABOVE: Acquired from Buffalo Creek & Gauley in May 1965, 2-8-0 17 ushered in the steam era on LA&L. An afternoon excursion train has just arrived in Livonia, N.Y., in August 1966. Passenger excursions contributed to the bottom line of the new short line in the early years while management worked to grow the freight customer base. —Albert J. Kallfelz, Jr., photo, Jeff Hagan collection

After the Erie Lackawanna merger of 1960, application was made in May 1963 to abandon nearly 12 miles of track between Avon and Livonia, due to decreasing freight traffic. This announcement caught the attention of local business owners who were concerned about the loss of rail service. At the time, the line generated about 150 carloads a year, earning roughly $4,500. Property taxes were estimated to be $6,200, and when you take into account additional operating expenses, it became obvious why EL wanted out. The ICC granted permission to abandon in January 1964.

A citizens’ committee had quickly convened to find a way to save its local railroad, consisting of banker Chester Haak of Security Trust Co., grain mill operator Oscar Smith, appliance store owner Harry Moran, and past Rochester mayor Peter Barry. Upon inspection, the tracks were found to be in reasonable shape, and the bucolic scenery encouraged the possibility of passenger excursions to augment freight revenue. In fact, it was Moran who pushed for steam trains as a potential tourist draw. EL management initially priced the line at a scrap value of $27,000, later increased to $30,000, and gave the committee until April 30 to raise the necessary funds.

What followed was truly a grassroots movement to save the railroad, with the local bank selling shares of stock for $10 each to start. The small community coming together to save its railroad soon became national news, with offers to purchase stock pouring into Chester Haak’s office. In all, 1,200 stockholders were able to raise $40,000. With additional financing, the tracks and right-of-way were purchased for $30,000; an additional $15,000 was set aside for a diesel locomotive, $10,000 for a steam locomotive, and $7,000 for rolling stock. The new Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad was incorporated in May 1964, with the New York State Public Service Commission granting an operating certificate in July. Approval from the ICC came in October.

ABOVE: Built in 1949, Alco RS-1 20 was purchased from Lake Erie, Franklin & Clarion in 1972. It is coupled to caboose 2603 (ex-Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh 252) sometime in the mid-1970s. Both pieces are now preserved at Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. —LA&L collection

There was much work to be done before the railroad could turn a wheel, however. The search for suitable motive power and rolling stock proved challenging. Passenger cars were the first to arrive on the property, beginning with a former Lackawanna “Boonton” combine with open vestibules that was repatriated from Canada. The gutted interior was made more comfortable with the installation of retired school bus seats. Two ex-Erie Railroad “Stillwell” heavyweight coaches (2508 and 2619) were purchased from EL’s active commuter pool in Suffern, N.Y., and shipped to LA&L. The three cars were painted Shell Oil Yellow with Tudor Brown trim.

Even though equipment was on the property, there was nothing to pull it with. While following up on leads for possible steam engine acquisitions, railroad management made the acquaintance of F. Nelson Blount, who was searching for suitable candidates to add to his private Steamtown collection in Vermont. He told LA&L of a General Electric 45-ton switcher that was available at a paper mill in New Hampshire. Purchased from Groveton Papers, upon arrival in Avon it was renumbered 97. While LA&L General Manager Reg Nugent spent several weeks making repairs and getting it ready for service, it was soon determined the 300-hp switcher with a top speed of 15 mph would not be a fit for heavy freight service. Fortunately, Vermont Railway had a 44-tonner for sale that was better suited to LA&L’s needs. The 97 was sold to local utility Rochester Gas & Electric, and locomotive 10 took its place in April 1965.

The first LA&L train made its way down the track on April 7. With no regular runs operating for the prior year or so, crews stopped at each crossing to clear flangeways with a pickaxe so trains could safely cross again. There was still much work to be done if the railroad was going to have a chance at capturing some traffic in time for the summer tourist season. Headquarters was established in the old depot in Livonia, built in 1860. Over the course of a weekend, volunteers from the Rochester Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society helped the crew make repairs and put a fresh coat of paint on the building. The first passenger train departed Livonia on May 9, with Reg Nugent at the throttle of the 10, hauling 400 passengers on four round trips. Also in that first year, the railroad hauled 50 carloads of freight. The new short line was taking its first steps, and its reputation for good service was growing by the minute.

ABOVE: LA&L 425 hustles its train past Howlett Farms grain co-op in Avon on September 20, 2023. —Otto M. Vondrak photo

In Search of Steam
West Virginia’s Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad became well known to railfans for maintaining steam power through the end of regular operations in late February 1965. The steam locomotives were put up for sale by a broker, and LA&L purchased 2-8-2 17 that May. Built as Savannah & Atlanta 504 in 1919, the BC&G shops in Dundon, W.Va., performed significant work to get the locomotive ready for movement to New York. A tender salvaged from a Pennsylvania Railroad 2-8-0 replaced the original. There were serious delays in completing the prep work, and the engine did not arrive in Lakeville until the end of October.

Steam power finally made its debut on LA&L on November 28, but decades of hard work in the coal fields with little in the way of preventative maintenance had taken its toll on the Baldwin. Further investigations showed significant issues with the boiler that were cost-prohibitive. It was withdrawn from service in June 1967, sold to a private owner, and eventually scrapped in March 1970. The search for a replacement began.

This time, the search for steam took LA&L management a little closer to home. Rail City Museum in Sandy Creek, N.Y., was home to a privately owned collection of steam locomotives and other vintage equipment opened by Dr. Stanley Groman in 1955. It was there LA&L found Huntington & Broad Top Mountain 38, a sturdy Baldwin 2-8-0 that was retired by the Pennsylvania coal hauler in 1954. En route to Rail City, the locomotive had the distinction of being one of the last steam locomotives to operate on New York Central east of Buffalo (pulling fan trips). LA&L purchased the 38 from Rail City in 1968, and it was shipped to the EL shops in Hornell, N.Y., for wheel work and a general overhaul. Most likely, this was the last steam locomotive to be serviced at Hornell. The tender was found to be in poor shape, and was replaced with a slightly larger tender from a Pennsylvania Railroad 4-4-2.

ABOVE: On a rare morning southbound run, LA&L 425 and 420 prepare to head downgrade into Lakeville at Conesus Lake Junction on June 2, 2011. The track in the foreground is the original main line that now ends at Bronson Hill Road. —Mike Stellpflug photo

By 1969, more than 50,000 passengers had been carried by LA&L. The steam crew usually consisted of W.D. Hutchins, a former NYC engineer who began his career in 1913, and Superintendent George Root as fireman. Aside from regularly scheduled excursions, LA&L also offered “mixed train” service, which allowed passengers to ride along as the steam-powered freight performed its work along the line every Tuesday through Friday during the summer season.

Here Come the Alcos

While the passenger traffic was healthy, the railroad was focused on expanding its freight business. The first big leap came in 1971, when Western New York Sugar & Syrup established a plant in Lakeville to turn sugar into syrup for food production. Revenue, in turn, jumped up to $40,000 in the first nine months of 1972. Traffic was quickly outpacing the little 44-tonner, so RS-1 20 was purchased from Lake Erie, Franklin & Clarion, beginning the Alco era on LA&L. Dressed in standard Alco glossy black with yellow stripes and lettering, LA&L adopted this look for its own fleet, adding a touch of modernity with the bold slant Eurostile typeface also used by Penn Central.

After several seasons, LA&L 38 was withdrawn from service in 1975 with serious mechanical issues. With the locomotive due for major boiler repairs, the decision was made to end steam operations for good. Diesel-hauled passenger excursions continued through the end of the 1977 season, but significant jumps in the cost of passenger liability insurance led to the decision to go freight-only in 1978. The 38 was sold to Sloan Cornell, and operated on his Gettysburg Railroad in Pennsylvania. In 1986, he moved it to Knox & Kane Railroad, operating over the former Erie Railroad Kinzua Viaduct in Pennsylvania. Taken out of service in 1989 and involved in an enginehouse fire in 2008, the 38 was subsequently sold to Everett Railroad, where it is being rebuilt for eventual operation.

In 1978, LA&L sold its 44-tonner to Cargill in Toledo, Ohio. To take its place, the railroad acquired Alco S-2 72 from South Buffalo Railway. To handle the increase in freight traffic, 72 could often be found teamed up with 20 on the daily road freight…

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In this issue, we have two remarkable stories, one about the return of Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) streetcars to the streets of Philadelphia, and one about the last intercity train operating with Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs). I’ve talked before about the longevity of North American railway equipment, as well as the tendency of the industry to prefer the tried-and-true, but what I think makes both of these examples so interesting is their industrial design.

Starting around the 1920s, a problem emerged — there were more and more new technological devices, but they looked awkward, complicated, or ugly. To try and make them function better, look better, and consequently sell better, manufacturers hired consulting designers. This was the birth of what we now call “industrial design,” and both the PCC and RDC are fine examples of this trend.

The PCC is the older of the two. Its genesis was declining ridership on streetcar lines, due in part to increasing automobile ownership and competition from buses. Starting in 1929, leadership from several transit firms collaborated on a new standard vehicle that would be more comfortable, cheaper to operate, and exciting to look at. A committee of engineers defined aesthetic and functional specifications, and the first cars rolled out in 1935.

What are they like to ride? You can find out for yourself in Boston; Philadelphia; Kenosha, Wis.; El Paso, Texas; and San Francisco, to name a few. Sure, floors are high, steps are steep, and seats are narrow, but surfaces are smooth, the interior is open and well-lit, and there are multiple boarding doors including mid-car. The PCCs may look a tad “retro,” yet they don’t look antique, and in many ways, they are closer in form and function to today’s light rail vehicles than to the trolleys of the 19th century. Standards set in the 1930s echo down through today’s transit equipment.

As with the PCC, the RDC was born from a challenge — can new equipment help stem losses? In principle, the RDC is a self-propelled passenger car, eliminating the need for fueling and maintaining a locomotive. Similar vehicles — colloquially called “doodlebugs” — have existed since the early part of the 20th century, and in almost all cases, these were designed to reduce operating costs on marginal services.

In 1949, Budd, a major car builder, designed a modern take on the doodlebug, creating the RDC. The equipment was made of stainless steel and carried the same styling as the company’s main line passenger equipment, building on a functional and aesthetic pattern set in the early 1930s by consulting architect Paul Cret. Where most doodlebugs looked quaint at best (or tired and downbeat at worst), the RDC looked like it belonged in the era of transistors, turboprops, and televisions. Just as importantly, it worked. One of the first adopters, Western Pacific, found that the equipment cost half as much to run as a conventional locomotive-hauled train, looked better, and was exceedingly reliable. Ultimately, Budd sold just shy of 400 units. Without them, it is likely that many branch line and secondary services would have ceased operations far sooner.

What is particularly interesting about both the PCC and the RDC, however, is how their innovative designs were the product of crisis. For both, falling ridership and increasing competition drove companies to get creative and to reinvest, producing equipment that improved the experience for the rider as well as bringing more efficiency to operations. They demonstrate — with style — that the best response to hardship is not to give up, but to think creatively.

—Alexander Benjamin Craghead is a transportation historian, photographer, artist, and author.

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