Photo © 2015 John Stefani, used with permission
As promised on Wednesday, here’s a few photos of a recently uncovered streetcar at an undisclosed location in Essex County. When streetcars ended their reign at the end of the 1930’s many of the cars were older, and in poorer condition and being of little value to anyone at the time, many were sold as scrap. Some were purchased and used for storage, or converted to chicken coops, or various other uses. This one here was moved to a building lot and used as the backbone of a house.
Photo © 2015 John Stefani, used with permission
The home around the remaining car was carefully demolished, and the car preserved as best as it can to be removed and restored for a future use by the new owner. At this time the future plans are not yet public, but will be eventually.
Photo © 2015 John Stefani, used with permission
A large piece of the one side of the car is missing, but structurally, it should be restorable.
Photo © 2015 John Stefani, used with permission
This is a perfect example of history hiding in plain site.
Photo © 2015 John Stefani, used with permission
Even the numbering remains, and this can be confirmed as car # 351
Photo © 2015 John Stefani, used with permission
It’s very cool to know that this car has survived all these years, and is nearly a century old.
Photo © 2015 John Stefani, used with permission
I’m looking forward to the day it’s restored and can be seen again.
Have a great weekend everyone, see you back here Monday!
The SW&A logo also is still able to be seen on the side of the car. I went out there yesterday and a lot of the original windows are still in place. I can’t believe the local media has not picked up on this story yet.
I’ve visited the site as well. Whoever brought the car there probably kept it largely intact and attempted to preserve it within a structure built on top and along two sides of it. I believe that subsequent owners butchered the car in order to “weatherproof” the structure by eliminating and replacing windows, stripping apart the interior, strapping and insulating the interior. It’s a shame, but at least some of the original car is being salvaged.
just where is the site? I would LOVE to see this, before it’s all fixed up!! Thank you John Stefani for your wonderful pics!!!
The structure around the car has been completely removed, and it is being prepped to move. The intention is to move it intact to be incorporated into a restaurant and used as a dining car. Grand ambitiions1
I think I saw where the street car is located….but upon studying the pics I took and then studying these pics here……it doesn’t quite look the same, maybe it’s another car???? I will email Andrew with some pics and a location, in case he chooses to add that info……I was so thrilled to stumble upon this amazing site!!!
I think they just published in the Star that this will be part of the new Penalty Box restaurant on University. Been waiting for that new place to go up for quite a while now.. wonder what’s taking so long.