Brilliner was a tram designed by the J. G. Brill Company. The tram was designed to be a competitor to the successful PCC cars, but the design ended up being a failure for the company, with only several trams built. The tram utilized a clean, streamlined design, similar to a PCC car. It also used a boxy floor plan and a riveted steel body design. Due to the boxy floor plan, Brilliner cars could not clear the tight spaces required by the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC), the company's main customer.[1] The Brilliner was the company's last trolley design before merging with American Car and Foundry (ACF).
10 cars were built for Red Arrow Lines (these were the only double-ended variants as every other car was single-ended), 24 trams were sold to Atlantic City, 3 cars were sold to the PTC, and one of each was sold to Cincinnati and Baltimore.[2] One streetcar, Red Arrow Lines 5, is now on display at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.[3]
Gallery
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A Brilliner in service on the now-defunct Philadelphia Ardmore tram route (Route 103). -
A Brilliner in service with the suburban Philadelphia Red Arrow Lines at 69th Street Terminal.
References
edit- ^ "Philadelphia Trolley Tracks: A. W. Maginnis Collection". www.phillytrolley.org. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- ^ Editor (2013-03-03). "Photo of the Day – Brilliner in 1941". CERA Members Blog. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Red Arrow Lines 5". PA Trolley Museum. Retrieved 2023-09-10.