"Patriotic" BTC cars

[JULES KAYE]

In Mr. Michael R. Farrell's "WHO MADE OUR STREETCARS GO?", there is a picture on Page #234 of a PCC emblazoned with RED CROSS slogans; on Page # 259, there's a Semi on the #4 with "WOMEN TAKE WAR WORK" on the dash. according to the caption: ".....during WW2, many cars were painted in patriotic motifs...."

How many BTC cars sported patriotic paint/slogans during the War? Did any of the "Witt-less Witts" also carry such patriotic messages? And, after WW2, did any cars ever carry any other sort of "patriotic" messages? Appreciate any info........ Jules

[70sbsmmbr]

Jules as far as I know several PCC's and semi's had patriotic slogans during that time. the older guys can answer it better. JVE can probably
answer about the PCC's. In the Baltimore Semi book it lists something like a dozen semi's that were used. These were double ended one man
cars which could be used on any route in the system at the time. 5748 which is at Seashore and the only Baltimore semi saved was one.
I'll let others try to answer.

[JULES KAYE]

Hi, 70s: Appreciate the reply; yes, I agree.....the older fellows, I'm sure, can certainly shed a good deal more light on this subject; certainly will be interesting...... Jules

[JULES KAYE]

While I could not locate any pictures of a "partiotic" BTC car, I recalled seeing this 1942 photo from Chicago awhile back, showing a CSL car bearing the slogan "FLY FOR NAVY":

http://www.davesrailpix.com/cta/htm/cta1110.htm

[brilliner]

Some of the wartime ballyhoo cars encouraged women to join the military or become civilian employees at Fort Meade or other military bases in the area. Supporting the Red Cross was another popular theme on the ballyhoo cars. Other cars sported appeals to buy War Bonds.

The ballyhoo cars continued after the war. Bob Janssen took a picture of a PCC on the 25 line painted for the Red Cross. Around 1954-55 car 7338 was painted in a
"Green Cross for Safety" color scheme. I believe that there was also a GM coach painted in this color scheme. Fr. Mueller's book shows the "spaghetti bus" which was a 1600 series coach painted for San Giorgio spaghetti. That was done circa 1952 or 53.

[JULES KAYE]

Hi, brilliner: Thanks for the additional info; yes, I've seen the pic of the "San Gorgio" bus in Fr. Mueller's book. In Hilton's "THE TIME OF THE TROLLEY", there is a photo of a LARY PCC, done up as a WW 2 fighter plane, emblazoned with "BECOME A TROLLEY PILOT: BE A HOME FRONT ACE".

It would indeed seem that the "big city" properties during the War had one (or more) "patriotic" cars in service. Yes, Patriotism was indeed first and foremost in Jimmy Stewart's America, during the War years...... Jules

[Donald H.Flayhart]

5628, 5632, 5686, 5728, 5733.

[PCC7407]

Car 7049 was the first PCC. It advertised the Red Cross. It was white with red lettering and big red cross emblems.
Car 7389 was the second, and third. It was used twice, in the same unknown colors for two campaigns. The third one was for wartime homeless and foster children. Maybe Don Flayhart could shed some light on its' first campaign. No color photos of this car are known to exist of either of 7389's campaigns but the black and white photos show 4 distinct colors.
Car 7409 was next. It advertised the Red Feather campaign of the Community Chest. It was also white with red lettering and designs.
All the above cars were during the war, and all were repainted normally by 1946.
In 1954, there was an extensive "Green Cross For Safety" campaign. BTC painted an 1100 series bus, a Ford bus, a small Pullman trackless trolley, and PCC 7338 in a green and white scheme with red lettering. No one seems to remember which buses, or which trackless trolley was used, but car 7338 bore remnants of the scheme right up to the end of service. Seems as though when BTC repainted the car back into yellow they neglected to open the rear windows, and the sill behind the windows displayed the green paint. It could only be seen when the rear windows were open.

[JULES KAYE]

PCC7407: Truly appreciate your posting this fascinating info; the sheer variety of what was on the streets of Baltimore so long ago can NEVER be matched again, I'm sure!

Up here in NJ, the only "patriotic" schemes I can remember were the Bicentennial paint jobs given the ex-TCRT PCC's then in operation on the Newark City Subway (circa 1974).

I'm pretty sure some of TNJ's ex-PS Fishbowls were likewise painted for the Bicentennial, back in the mid-70's, if my memory serves correctly. Again, I thank you for taking the time to share this most interesting info..... Jules.

[JULES KAYE]

With pics of "patriotic" BTC cars as rare as they are, I thought I'd share these two WW2 photos from Pittsburgh, depicting Pittsburgh Railways PCC's #'s 1473-1474 as "WAR BOND CARS". This car must have been quite striking in "living color" (note, however, that #1473 sports a more "sedate" livery):

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/jfp094.htm

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/jfp093.htm

[JULES KAYE]

This postwar view shows Pittsburgh Railways PCC #1417, letting folks know of the arrival of the AMERICAN FREEDOM TRAIN in 1947:

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/wvp140.htm

[JULES KAYE]

.....man, did this topic die fast.........

[Dan Lawrence]

Probably because nobody has "Patriotic" paint schemes anymore. In Baltimore recently the only vehicles that got a scheme not the standard one were the LRVs that got Orioles paint/raps back in the 90's.

[Donald H.Flayhart]

At least one issue of the BTC publication TRANSIT TOPICS sported a photograph showing a "Patriotic" double-end one-man car upon its front cover. Operationally, it is unclear if this car and its sister units were rotated upon various streetcar lines thruout the system, possibly limited to just those routes assigned to a car's home base, or merely working the same route over-and-over. Perhaps in the files of the BSM/NRHS Library there reposes a TO or two which could enlighten us concerning the use of these specially painted remodels.

DHF