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Over a long period it got kicked out by the Navy Yard and its landlord.  The PCCs stored at the Navy Yard disappeared overnight after an extended period of unpaid rent and reportedly were shredded.  I'm not sure about the other cars but nothing has been in good shape for some time.

 

Photos: Brooklyn Trolley Museum

 

Brooklyn Historic Railway Association PCCs disappear

Last edited by Bill Robb

There are a few trolley cars in storage in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn.  They are privately owned.  The last I spoke with owners, a few years ago, the intention was to restore some old line along the Red Hook waterfront, restore the trolleys and use them for a catering hall they were opening.  The idea was to use the trolleys to transport guests from the parking area to different locations in the catering hall and to also to open up the restoration shop and trolleys to the public for a fee.  

i think the Brooklyn Trolley Museum effort is finished.  

 

The Shore Line Trolley Museum put out this press release regarding the Red Hook Cars: 
Source: http://shorelinetrolley.org/news/

February 11, 2014

Branford Electric Railway Association, Inc./Shore Line Trolley Museum

PRESS RELEASE regarding Red Hook Trolleys

The Shore Line Trolley Museum has been the recipient of 3 PCC type streetcars donated by the O’Connell Organization of Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY. These three cars were previously part of an attempt to set up a trolley line in the area several years ago that did not work out. The cars have been moved to an off-site location well outside the NYC metro area in one last attempt to save them.

Some time ago, our organization was contacted by the O’Connell Organization to assist in trying to find these cars new homes, similar to what we have done for other museums. Over a year has now been spent in doing so, with several museums, transit systems currently running or contemplating heritage operations (such as San Francisco and St. Louis), even trolley car brokers and rebuilders (Gomaco and Brookville), all declining them as intact vehicles due to their location and damage from salt water from Hurricane Sandy. As our own museum also suffered considerable damage from Sandy, we can fully understand the lack of interest.

In a last ditch effort to save these cars, they were removed from the waterfront location they have been at for these many years on Sunday, February 9, 2014, loaded during the day and leaving at Midnight per NYC DOT regulations. They will be stored and given one more try via the internet and other media to find them a home. If by the end of spring we are unsuccessful, the cars will have any salvageable components removed for use in the streetcar preservation community and the remainder disposed of. The cars are not and will not be located at our museum, but are at a safe site, away from vandals and thieves.

We would like to commend and thank the O’Connell Organization for their sincere efforts in trying to save these cars, including a substantial donation to pay for their movement to a temporary refuge. Most other firms would have not had the patience to have had these cars on site as long as these have been there, nor willing to pay the considerable haulage cost to give them a chance. The O’Connell Organization truly did the right thing. At this point it will be up to the museum community or interested others to step up and save these cars or to let them go.

The cars are: Former Shaker Heights car 70 (which also ran in Minnesota) and ex-Boston cars 3321 and 3299. Boston 3321 is noted as the last streetcar built by the Pullman Company.

Those seriously interested in preserving these cars can contact Bill Wall, President Emeritus, c/o Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River Street, East Haven, CT 06512 for further information.


 
I used to build props on the dock in Red Hook that was home to these 3 years ago.  There was one that was in very good shape that was kept indoors in a print shop on that dock. I wonder if this was part of this group for sale. If so it really was in much better condition.  I would call it museum static display condition. That whole area was hit bad in Sandy. Hope they get a good home. I liked eating lunch out there at Fairway, looking at the cars, tug boats and Statue of Liberty. There is a restored Lehigh Vally covered barge open as a museum a block away too.

Hi - the cars that were in Red Hook were on the pierhead at the end of Van Brunt St. behind the now famous Fairway Market.  The trackage was built in the late 90's using salvaged ex-LV branchline rails and went from the inside of the warehouse jutting out from Van Brunt, between the buildings, across Van Brunt, and along side the now Fairway waterfront property to Conover St.  The tracks that were on public property on Conover were torn up rather spectacularly by the city a couple of years ago.  The three cars (Shaker 70, Boston 3299 and 3321) were moved elsewhere until something can be figured out what to actually do with Sandy flooded PCC's that have been sitting outside in the elements for over a dozen years.  3303 which was the restored car was moved out of the building recently and is now behind Fairway where the others were. The poles were salvaged real Brooklyn trolley poles from Coney Island Yard, hard ware was a combination of new and salvage, the wire was actually from a reel of SBK 2-0 round wire. 

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