Shaker Heights Rapid Transit 94
The Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights was unusual in that its developers included a rapid transit line as part of the original community design. Good transportation to the city, it was felt, would make the neighborhood all that more attractive to prospective land purchasers.
The premise has been highly successful and the transit system works splendidly. Ownership was assumed by the City of Shaker Heights in 1944. Twenty-five cars like 94 were purchased four years later to modernize the operation.
After over 30 years service, 94 and similar cars were replaced with new vehicles. Several of these Pullman-built PCC cars have been preserved by trolley museums. 94 is the only Pullman-built PCC car in the museum’s collection and is it’s only PCC with General Electric control.
After acquisition of the car in 1987 time was spent stripping the exterior paint, priming, re-painting the surfaces, and repairing rust holes following several years of outside storage in Cleveland. The painting and body work was restarted in 2016 by a group of volunteers from the Cleveland area.
The photo above shows the car repainted in the original 1948 paint scheme. The car is part of the exhibit in the Trolley Display Building.
Car Number
94
Year Built
1948
Length
50'0"
Height
10'2"
Seats
58
Year Acquired
1987
Car Builder
Pullman Standard Company
Type
STREET & INTERURBAN RAILWAY PASSENGER CARS
Width
9'0"
Weight
43,100 lbs. (22 Tons)
Motors
GE 1220
Location
Trolley Display Building Exhibit