Philadelphia & Western

---

A "Stafford" car speeding by Beechwood-Brookline station. These cars, originally Nos. 60-70, were built in three series in 1924, 1927 and 1929. In the original configuration, they had center vestibules and smoking compartments, were two-man cars and had three doors per side, with one offset from the center to separate the smoking and non-smoking sections. Top speed, as delivered, only was 44 mph. In 1931, before the "Bullet" cars arrived on P&W property, the 60-70 series was modernized for one-man operation and received motors and gearing that allowed top speed of up to 70 mph. Traction historian Ronald DeGraw says some of these cars did not receive the speed upgrade until as late as 1946. By 1972, nine of the original 11 cars still were used in rush hour service. The term "Stafford" cars results from their usual assignment to the Strafford Branch, which Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co. abandoned after the last train in the early morning hours of March 23, 1956. After the modernization of the cars, they were renumbered 160-170.
Ed Havens collection Back to P&W page
To State-by-state listings
Back to Home Page