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"Lake Harriet Trolley" by Cindy Lindgren The Minnesota Streetcar Museum (MSM) is a museum I've been a part of since 2001. I started volunteering during the 2003 operating season and I'm still going strong. We currently operate five vintage Minnesota streetcars (with another one currently being restored) on two separate demonstration lines: one at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis and the other at Excelsior, MN on Lake Minnetonka. The Minnesota Streetcar Museum grew out of the restructure of the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) during the winter of 2004-2005. Click on the MSM link above for more information on the two lines as well as the history of streetcars in Minnesota. Below are photos of the various streetcars we operate, the one we're currently restoring, and other various photos. Click on any of the photos below for the full size photograph.
Our "mother car," this streetcar was built by Twin City Lines back in 1908 in the St. Paul Snelling Shops. It ran in the Twin Cities for 46 years until 1954 when it was donated to the Minnesota Railfans Association, which became the Minnesota Transportation Museum. It's been running at Lake Harriet since 1971. A Twin City "Standard" car, it's over 46 feet long, and just over 9 foot wide. In it's final configuration as a single or dual man car, it has air operated doors at the front and the rear, as well as two fareboxes.
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Twin City Lines #1300 - May 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - August 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - August 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - August 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - August 2009
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Twin City Lines #1300 - May 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - August 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - August 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - August 2009
Twin City Lines #1300 - Oct 2005
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This streetcar was built by Twin City Lines back in 1915 in the St. Paul Snelling Shops as TCL #1791. It ran in the Twin Cities for not even a year when it was sold to the Duluth Street Railway and renumbered #265. DSR #265 ran in Duluth until they discontinued streetcar operation in 1939. Then it's carbody was sold off and became a summer cabin in Solon Springs, WI. It was acquired by the museum in 1973 and returned to operation in 1982. Ironically, it's been at Lake Harriet as a "museum piece" longer than it was in actual operation from 1915 to 1939. DSR #265 is also a Twin City "Standard" car, being over 46 feet long, and just over 9 foot wide. In appearance, it's been restored to how it would have looked in Duluth in the late 1920's.
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Duluth Street Railway #265 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #265 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #265 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #265 - May 2006
Duluth Street Railway #265 - May 2006
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Duluth Street Railway #265 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #265 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #265 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #265 - May 2006
Duluth Street Railway #265 - July 2003
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One of 141 PCC's purchased by Twin City Lines from the St. Louis Car Company after World War II, it was built in December, 1946 and delivered to TCL in 1947. It ran here until all 141 of our PCC's were sold off in 1953 to Newark, Cleveland, and Mexico City. TCL #322 was one of the PCC's that was sold to Newark, NJ for their subways. She ran in Newark until 1978 when she was again sold to the Shaker Heights Line in Cleveland, OH. We got her back in August of 1990 and returned her to service at Lake Harriet in May, 2000, after almost a ten year restoration. Rather wide for a PCC, the Twin City Lines PCC's were 9 foot wide match our wooden "Standard" streetcars.
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Twin City Lines PCC #322 - August 2009
Twin City Lines PCC #322 - August 2009
Twin City Lines PCC #322 - August 2009
Twin City Lines PCC #322 - August 2009
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Twin City Lines PCC #322 - August 2009
Twin City Lines PCC #322 - August 2009
Twin City Lines PCC #322 - August 2009
TCL PCC #322 & DSR #265 - July 2003
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Another Twin City "Standard" car in our collection, TCL #1239 was built in 1907 and was one of the last built in the Minneapolis 31st Street Shops. It was sold by Twin City Lines in 1953, and became a year round home out of Big Lake, Minnesota. When the owners wanted to sell it and build a home there, we acquired it in 1987. Restoration kicked in high gear at our Excelsior Carbarn in 1999 and it returned to service in September, 2004. Just like TCL #1300 and DSR #265, it's also just over 46 feet long, and over 9 foot wide. Since it would have resembled TCL #1300 in it's final configuration, we restored it back to it's original appearance as a "Gate Car" - where everyone boarded and exited thru the rear of the car, with the one farebox in the back.
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Twin City Lines #1239 - June 2009
Twin City Lines #1239 - June 2009
Twin City Lines #1239 - June 2009
Twin City Lines #1239 - August 2009
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Twin City Lines #1239 - June 2009
Twin City Lines #1239 - June 2009
Twin City Lines #1239 - June 2009
Twin City Lines #1239 - August 2009
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DULUTH STREET RAILWAY #78 Built by the LaClede Car Company in 1893, DSR #78 is the oldest streetcar in our collection, as well as being one of the oldest operating streetcars in the country. It ran in Duluth until 1911, when it was sold off and became a storage shed/chicken coop in West Duluth, MN. Acquired by our museum in 1971, her restoration wasn't started until 1984, and then she finally returned to operation in 1991. Originally running at the Como-Harriet line when completed, she was subsequently moved to our Excelsior line in 1999. At just under 33 feet long, she's quite a bit smaller than our Twin City "Standard" cars, and a fun streetcar to operate.
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Duluth Street Railway #78 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #78 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #78 - August 2009
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Duluth Street Railway #78 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #78 - August 2009
Duluth Street Railway #78 - August 2009
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WINONA RAILWAY & LIGHT COMPANY #10 Our sixth streetcar, Winona #10 was built in 1913 by the St. Louis Car Company. It's a double ended, single truck streetcar that was perfect for a smaller city like Winona, MN. Winona #10 is a real hybrid. Where it's outside body is covered with steel, it's interior is still constructed out of wood. Being double ended, the seatbacks will flip directions at the end of the line, a first for our museum! It was retired in 1938, and became a cabin along the Mississippi River. We acquired it in 1999 and started major restoration after TCL #1239 was complete in 2004. Currently, all the interior wood has been removed and restored, windows have been worked on, seats are being constructed, and we've dropped the rusted frame to replace it. The truck underneath will be built from scratch. When complete, Winona #10 will see service at Lake Harriet.
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Winona #10 - 1999 (photo by Carl Barthelemy)
Winona #10 - June 2009
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Winona #10 - June 2009
Winona #10 - June 2009
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TWIN CITY LINE BUSES The Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) has a number of original Twin City Line buses. Some from during the streetcar era, some that came after. TCL #1399 was a 1955 General Motors Company model TDH-5105, the very style of bus that replaced the streetcars in the Twin Cities.
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Twin City Lines GM Bus #1399 - May 2000
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Twin City Lines GM Bus #1399 - May 2000
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STEAMBOAT MINNEHAHA The Museum of Lake Minnetonka (MLM) was also created back during the reorganization of MTM during the winter of 2004-2005 for the operation of the Twin City Line Trolleyboat Minnehaha. The Minnehaha was built by Twin City Lines back in 1906 as one of six (eventually seven) steam engine driven boats created to service Lake Minnetonka that were based out of Excelsior. It was scuttled and sank off Big Island on the lake in 1926. It was eventually raised out of the lake in 1980, with restoration beginning in 1990 and completed in 1996. Being built by TCL, it "looks" just like a Twin City streetcar, complete with the same paint, same seats, same type of windows, and many other touches. It's truly the jewel of Lake Minnetonka.
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
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Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
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Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
Steamboat Minnehaha - August 2009
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OUR TRACK DEDICATION CEREMONY - MAY 2006 During the summer of 2005, our one mile of track at Lake Harriet got completely replaced, ensuring the Museum's survival at Lake Harriet for a long time as our current track was in dire need of replacement. On May 20, 2006, we held a dedication ceremony at the Linden Hills Station with our Chair of the Board of the Minnesota Streetcar Museum Jim Vaitkunas, Hennepin County Commissioner and Chair of the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Peter McLaughlin, and Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Jon Gurban. Below are a few of the pictures from the ceremony...
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Twin City Lines PCC #322 coming down the track
The Band
Our Superintendent Jim Vaitkunas says a few words...
Putting in the "Golden Bolt"
Member Keith Anderson tightens the "Golden Bolt"
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Getting ready for the ceremony
The Band
...and so does Peter McLaughlin
Putting in the "Golden Bolt"
"The Golden Bolt"
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CLASSIC CARS AND STREETCARS - MAY 2009 Our second annual antique auto show was held the last Sunday in May of 2009. We had a wonderful turnout and great weather. I was foreman on the streetcars that afternoon and made sure both our operating streetcars ran flawless that afternoon.
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They start arriving
Classic lineup
It looks good enough to eat
Vintage cars all in a row
Pink? PINK?!? I like it!
Passing streetcars |
This calliope rocks!
What year is it again?
You have to love the color on this MG
El Camino
It's Motorman Mike!
Salmon colored Chevy |
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