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NOVEMBER
2006 "Special" Members Private Tour
The TECO LINE STREET CAR system held a private tour for the Florida Garden
Railway Society. There is actually three parts to this gathering.. 1st, the behind the
scenes tour of the Car Barn, 2nd- A private Streetcar tour from end to end on the
Streetcar line, and 3rd, the tour of the Tampa Streetcar Preservation and Restoration
facility.
We were met by Eric, the head maintenance guru and given a tour behind the scenes
at the "Car Barn" in Ybor City. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes and its all
supported by a crew of 16 employees. 11 Trolley operators, 4 maintenance personnel
and 1 cleaning person. It was a nice cool day for a ride on our own private trolley. We had a
private tour guide "JoEllen" a volunteer and Bob from Hartline who took us through Ybor City,
then back down thru the new Channelside district and all the way to the end of the line at
the Downtown Convention Center.
When we had completed the tour, we were taken to the Tampa Streetcar Preservation
and Restoration facility across the street from the car barn. Stephen McGee gave us a
run down on how they find the cars that they restore and what its takes for the process.
There is so much information and close to 80 photos for this tour.
Click on each photo for the Enlarged picture Enjoy!
The FGRS members before the tour
The Entrance to Ybor City
A view of #430 from the front.
All the dual axle Streetcars were build in Indiana
A side view of the enclosed Streetcar
This is #163, I Birney which you
will read about towards the end of the photos.
Please don't miss this story....#163 ran in service from 1923 thru 1946 and
was stripped down and sold.
Here is our Raffle Meister Bruce taking a toru
of the restored interior of #163
A bunch of hoodlums looking for trouble :-)
A view of our Private Open Air Streetcar inside
the Car Barn
The car barn has 3 stalls for maintenace and a
loop whcih leans to the Streetcar Wash
Eric explains who the 1300 Volts of Street
Power is converted and rectified down to
600 Volts DC for the Streetcars
A different view...
The gang heading around the loop
towards the "Wash"
Here is a view of the Streetcar Wash...
...Brushed engauged..3 seconds later....
...Bam, its water time!
A Streetcar axle being torn down for inspection The 2 inside bays with a walk under inspection
area.
Some of us heading into the pit for a view
from the ground up
entries...The ramp leading to the under belly
