J.G. Brill Company Streetcar, 1892
Add to SetSummary
Powering early streetcars was challenging. Horses needed care and feeding, and left messes in the street. Cable systems were complex and costly. Electric streetcars, introduced in 1888, solved these problems and expanded the industry. Soon streetcars connected city centers, neighborhoods, and increasingly distant suburbs. This trolley, built by the J.G. Brill Company of Philadelphia, carried riders in Cleveland from 1892-1903.
Powering early streetcars was challenging. Horses needed care and feeding, and left messes in the street. Cable systems were complex and costly. Electric streetcars, introduced in 1888, solved these problems and expanded the industry. Soon streetcars connected city centers, neighborhoods, and increasingly distant suburbs. This trolley, built by the J.G. Brill Company of Philadelphia, carried riders in Cleveland from 1892-1903.
Artifact
Streetcar
Date Made
1892
Creators
Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company
Place of Creation
United States, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Creator Notes
Streetcar made by J.G. Brill Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; controller made by Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company; wheels made by Standard Car Wheel Co.
Keywords
United States, Ohio, Cleveland
Public transit (Infrastructure)
Cleveland City Railway Company

On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Transportation - Streetcars
Object ID
54.5.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Cleveland Transit System.
Material
Wood (Plant material)
Iron (Metal)
Glass (Material)
Mahogany (Wood)
Color
Tan (Color)
Reddish brown
Gray (Color)
Red
Dimensions
Height: 125 in
Width: 92 in
Length: 30 ft
Inscriptions
Next to the door in the front bulkhead is a sliding door/plate marked: J.G.B. / CO./ PHILA Sign front right: SPECIAL Pane in upper glass: WOODLAND Undocumented locations : 0140 / Spitting On The Floor Of This Car Postively Prohibited