Two Bells (Nostalgia from Bygone Streetcar Days)
By Jerry D. Kelly

     Like many of us this month, Two Bells will be on a SNOW Schedule and be brief.

     Here's an update. Many times, the "Y" on the north end of the #17 line has been talked about, when built, why, etc. I was able to review some UR&E/BTC records within the last month or so and the "Y" was built in 1930. Based on all I know and from my records this was when the Peter Witts were assigned to the system. It should bring to an end the question of when and why the "Y" was built.

     Did you ever wonder, if it seemed better for the company to run the #17 cars north on Harford Road to Hamilton Loop? This would have given riders a more direct route to "uptown" Baltimore as well as the Charles Village area. We will never know why this was done.

     As I hope, most of you know I love the history of streetcars in Baltimore and enjoy looking into what ran where and why. A lot of us enjoy this and it that seems most of the persons who enjoy this also share a like number of birthdays, give or take a few, with me. That is why it's so nice to see B.S.M. member Adam Paul has a web site for transit in Baltimore. Check it out at www.transarc.blue-moon.net. I think you will enjoy it and hope you can share some history with Adam.

     Good job Adam!

     Two jobs are in the works for upcoming Two Bell readers. The first is a story on the trolley system that only lasted a few years. This was at the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida. The line is not running, a lot of rail has been covered and one power car and the trailer have been sold. A full story will follow soon.

     The second is about a system that lasted a lot longer but also had a very sad ending. The system ran from 1907 to a date of the end of December 1941 or the first few days of 1942. I have just started research into this and while I have got a lot of information from a lot of nice people, a lot more is needed. The system operated on the Island of Corregidor, located in Manila Bay, in the Philippine Islands. I plan to visit as soon as I can.

    (Reprinted with permission from the Baltimore Streetcar Museum's quarterly newsletter, The Live Wire.  Copyright 1999, The Baltimore Streetcar Museum, Inc. All rights reserved.)