Corgi Vintage Bus Lines US55032
St.Louis Car Company PCC Streetcar Diecast Model
Kansas City Public Service Co, Destination Grand 8th/Swope Park, Kansas City, MO | |
| 1:50 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| St.Louis Car Company PCC Streetcar | | 11" | | 1.5" |
The following is an excerpt from "Streetcars of the Two Kansas Cities — Recalling the Final Years" an article by Don Hutchinson that appeared in Electric Lines magazine in the September–October 1990 Issue. Hutchinson has also assisted in efforts to make the Corgi version as accurate as possible.
I was a 13-year-old rail fan and model railroader when I made my first trip to Kansas City in 1948. Arrival in Kansas City was a thrill in itself. The Kansas City Union Station, which was the third largest in the country, was very busy at the time. I remember coming up the escalator to the long passageway which led to the waiting room door. I thought we were going outside. Instead we came into the terminal proper. Its size — with a huge ceiling and enormous waiting room — was overwhelming. We went outside and walked to a station on Main Street. It wasn't too long until a black and cream PCC car came gliding to a stop. I was about to take my first streetcar ride. I made several trips to Kansas City in later years. Each trip always included several streetcar rides. The Swope Park Line was my favorite because of the long right-of way in the middle of the parkway. The sway of the car and the clickety-clack of the rails had a soothing effect on a hot summer day. People seemed happy going to the park and were in a carefree mood. The ride was faster on this section of the line, since there were fewer stops and fewer vehicles in the way.
Designed to fulfill a need for a streetcar that could compete with cars and buses, the Presidents' Conference Committee (PCC) Streetcar was first built in 1936. The PCC was a gathering of the Presidents of United States electric street railways, who collected research to be used in the production of a high-performance streetcar. The resulting design was efficient, comfortable and had advanced features such as noise reduction, magnetic braking and resilient wheels. The PCC streetcar was so successful that it was exported to other nations (St. Petersburg, Russia had a fleet of more than 2,000) and many are still in service today with museums and heritage railways. © Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
Corgi's 1:50 scale PCC Streetcar has a chassis that is constructed entirely of diecast metal. When held to the light, a fully rendered passenger cabin and conductor station can be viewed through the multitude of individual transparent windows. The front of the car features a pad-printed route/destination, separately applied wipers, transparent headlight and bumper. The pole on the top of the car rotates and pivots and can be raised or lowered for display. On the underside are two pairs of pivoting axels with rotating metal track wheels and simulated wooden racks and bumpers.
© Copyright 2003-2013 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The Corgi "Vintage Bus Lines" range presents highly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of mass-transit vehicles.
Corgi "Vintage Bus Lines" diecast vehicles feature:
- Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
- Detailed rotating wheels with rubber tires.
- Realistic panel lines and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
© Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
