Frequently Asked Questions - DC Transit 1470
TTC 4602 pushes DC Transit 1470 onto number 14 track at the Car Shop on Wednesday, July 15.
Photo by Thomas Petersen.
Does the car run? What does the interior look like? What are your plans for the car? Over 10,000 people (thank you - that is a record for our Facebook page!) viewed our post announcing our acquisition of DC Transit 1470 last Friday - many asked excellent and reasonable questions about the car. We've selected a few of the questions and have posted both the questions and our answers below.
Before we begin, please note the following:
- It is still early - the car has only been on our property for one week. Everything mentioned below is subject to change.
- We can't release all of the details surrounding the acquisition, the exact condition of the car or our future plans. Again, most of this remains largely unknown and/or undecided at this time.
- All of the below information is presented to the best of our knowledge.
FAQs:
-Is it "DC Transit" or "Capital Transit" 1470?
Technically, both. The car was originally owned by the Capital Transit Company, which was eventually merged to create DC Transit System, Inc. The car is currently in a Capital Transit paint scheme. We are not sure which paint scheme the car will eventually be restored with.
-Does the car operate?
No. DC Transit 1470 was donated to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in the mid-1960s. To the best of our knowledge, the car has not operated since prior to its donation. The car was towed to the Car Shop after arriving at our facility.
-Could the car be made operational again?
It's a possibility - see the next question.
-Did the car sustain any damage prior to being acquired by the Trolley Museum? What is the condition of the car?
Yes, the car does have some damage. DC Transit 1470 was displayed outside for most, if not all, of its time in Virginia. Additionally, it did endure at least a couple floods while on display. The associated damage to the car will make restoration, at least to operational condition, slightly more challenging.
HOWEVER, upon inspection of the car at the Trolley Museum, we were very pleased to find that the damage was not as severe as once thought. The car appears to be in fairly good condition - initial inspection shows that the flood waters did not severely impact the body. The interior of the car, while worn, is largely complete and in decent condition.
What does this mean? Well, as to be expected with any unrestored street car, 1470 needs work. But, restoration of the car, cosmetically and to operational condition, is definitely possible, should the necessary funds become available in the future.
We want to thank the many volunteers at the Virginia Museum of Transportation who cared for the car though the decades. Their attention to the car saved it from incurring any severe damage. Additionally, we thank them for making the car available to us.
-What are your plans for the car?
We do not yet have any formal plans - we are still in the very early stages of assessing the car. For the time being, we are performing a series of inspections and small repairs to facilitate additional inspection. Display of the car in Street Car Hall is a possibility for the near future, although due to COVID-19 we remain closed for until further notice and do not yet have a date of reopening. Follow our Facebook page for updates.
-What can I do to help with the restoration of DC Transit 1470?
Donations are ALWAYS welcomed - we can even restrict your donation to any specific car or project, upon your request.
To donate to the restoration of DC Transit 1470, please write a check to: National Capital Trolley Museum, 1313 Bonifant Road, Colesville, MD 20905-5955 - *Put CAR 1470 in the Memo line so our Treasurer's Office can process it to the correct account. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
We aren't currently set up to receive donations electronically, outside of Facebook. If you are on Facebook, you may make a donation by credit or debit card - simply go to our Facebook page, find any post about DC Transit 1470 with a "Donate" button at the bottom, and click the "Donate" button. You can enter any amount, and your contribution is tax deductible - you will automatically be emailed a donation receipt. All donations made through those posts will be restricted to the restoration of 1470. THANK YOU for your generosity!!
Again, we wish to thank everyone for the incredible support and kind messages we have received over the past couple of days - none of us expected the reception to be as warm and exciting as it was. Thank you to everyone who Liked, commented, shared or even just viewed the post. And an extra thanks to those who "Liked" or Followed our page.
We remain committed to giving our collection of street cars, both from Washington and elsewhere, the best possible "retirement." We are just as excited as many of you are as to the possibilities of this special car; we know the future holds much promise. And with your help, we can get there.
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As a reminder, we recommend following us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on car 1470, the museum and the rest of the historic cars in our collection.
For more information on how you can get involved, visit our website at dctrolley.org.The National Capital Trolley Museum is supported in part by funding from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Montgomery County Government, and Heritage Montgomery and by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.