Bamberger Railroad 127
High-Speed Interurban

One of five cars built in 1931 for the Fonda, Johnstown and Gloversville Railroad, a 33-mile line between Gloversville and Schenectady, New York. This light-weight electric interurban car is built almost entirely of aluminum and had a top speed of 75 m.p.h.  The streamlined carbody was developed with the aid of wind-tunnel testing, earning the design its “Bullet Car” nickname. All five cars were resold in 1939 to the Bamberger Railroad for service between Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah, where they served until 1953.

After being retired from railroad service, many railcars were sold to the public as cheap “pre-fab” buildings. This car, for example, was used for 19 years by the Utah Pickle Company as housing for field laborers. It was acquired by the museum in 1972 as a body only. In order to make the car complete again, we must recreate the missing mechanical components from parts acquired elsewhere. Fortunately, the Pickle Company took good care of the body, and save for removing the seats, did not perform any major structural modifications. The car was repainted in 1997, and its mechanical systems are gradually being restored.   

 

Video of the last days of trolley operation on the Bamberger by motorman Gordon Cardall 

 

Additional Photos:
127 rear CH2 yard sm.JPG (96662 bytes) Bullet truck sm.JPG (122508 bytes) Bullet on lifts sm.JPG (117022 bytes)

In January 2004, Car 127 received its second "new" truck. Here the car is being towed out of the carhouse after receiving its second truck.

Here are some of the OERM volunteers that assembled truck #2 for car 127.

 Car 127 is seen in this view suspended above its trucks on a set of hoists. 
     
127 at Alpine sm2.jpg (178108 bytes) 127 CH2 yard 3 sm.jpg (241302 bytes) 127 Mapes Rd sm2.jpg (123472 bytes)
127 takes a trip around the wye and is placed inside the Abbenseth Carhouse for display, July 2007
     
Bamberger 125 Salt Lake terminal.jpg (249253 bytes) Bullet interior GE pic.jpg (64485 bytes) 127 Johnstown b.jpg (98811 bytes)
Sister car 125 at the Salt Lake City terminal

Bullet car interior on the FJ&G

127 in Johnstown New York, 1930s
     
127 drawing.jpg (115116 bytes) bamberger 125.jpg (121227 bytes) 127 repainting 1997.jpg (159261 bytes)
Andy McGinnis drawing Sister car 125 in service, late 1940s,  photographer unknown 127 being repainted in 1997
        
 BRR 127 9-4-09 sm.jpg (121321 bytes) BRR 127 9-4-09 b sm.jpg (111796 bytes)
In 2007 the car received an indoor home, and in June 2009 the hand-painted car numbers were applied, further improving its appearance.
  

Links:  

Bamberger Railroad photo album from Don's Rail Photos web site

Bamberger Railroad page on Utah Rails.net

Biography of Simon Bamberger on Utah History to go

Brill Bullets on the Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville RR

  

Other Traction page

Page updated 7/16/09