On Sunday, August 28, 2022, the National Capital Trolley Museum celebrated the 85th anniversary of the arrival of the first PCC cars in Washington DC at its annual PCC Day. The first PCC’s, including “our” 1101, arrived in Washington DC on August 14, 1937. Capital Transit introduced its new streetcars with much fanfare: on August 24th, CTCo announced that the new cars would be shown to the public at the Peace Monument at 8 pm on August 27th.
Source: Evening Star; August 28, 1937
Revenue rush hour service started on September 4th, 1937 with car # 1101 on 14th Street. Two days later additional cars came into service, and from October 3rd PCC’s were providing all the base service on 14th Street.
Between 1937 and 1946, a total of 489 PCC cars were delivered to Washington DC. From 1948 on, streetcar service was exclusively performed by PCC cars.
Nearly 25 years after the introduction of the PCC cars in Washington DC, on January 28, 1962, DCTS 1101 wore a large banner across its dash: “D.C.Transit / Last Day / of Streetcars”, to commemorate the conversion of the last streetcar line (14th Street – the same line where PCC service began) to diesel bus operation.
Part of the PCC Day celebration at the Museum included a line-up of five of the seven Museum’s PCC cars in the yard; pictured left to right are Washington cars 1470, 1101, 1430; The Hague car 1329, and Toronto car 4602 (photo by Bill Monaghan).
In addition, visitors had the opportunity to take rides on three PCC cars that day: DCTS 1101, TTC 4602 and HTM 1329; for the latter it was the first revenue run in almost three years!
Photographs by Matt Nawn (top) and Bill Monaghan (bottom). HTM 1329 entering the yard using the back-up controller; DCTS 1101 leaving Dodge siding on the way back to the Visitor Center.
Other special activities included presentations by Museum members Jim Hogan, Matt Nawn and Harry Donahue on PCC-related topics, an N-gauge trolley and subway display by Maryland TTrack, a coloring contest for kids, a surplus book sale benefiting the 1470 truck campaign, and a continuous showing of Washington streetcar movies.
Model streetcar display by Maryland TTrack in class room
Coloring contest and model display
PCC Day was attended by 114 paying visitors (not including NCTM and BSM members), and can be called a big success. Thanks to all the volunteers and staff who made it happen!
Photographs in this article are property of the National Capital Trolley Museum, unless noted. Unauthorized distribution is prohibited. Thank you.