Sometime late in WW2 the U.S. navy acquire five or six Baltimore style streetcars for use carrying personnel around their expansive facility at Indian Head, MD. The only positive information I have is a picture of NPF#8 with a cargo door replacing two window and a 1946 Navy Public Works listing indicating the presence of five streetcars. One other item:
The “One other item:” is . . . what ?
This kind of thing was common at that time - almost-dead branch lines being reinvigorated with some cast-off power and old coaches to move the personnel to and from an important wartime facility. One of the older books I have by Don Ball (?) devotes almost an entire chapter to this kind of thing.
Is there a history of the base or the unit(s)/ “commands” that were there at the time ? It might be mentioned there.
I did find a marginally-related article - about the original electric locomotive for the line back in 1905, on page 9 of 10 of this 2014 issue:
http://baltimorestreetcar.org/pastwire/livewire-julaugsept2014.pdf
Perhaps you could contact Mike / wanswheel here, who is just astounding at these kinds of searches. Perhaps he’d be willing to help, or point you in the right direction.
- Paul North.
I believe the Maryland Rail Heritage Library (a joint operation of the Balto. Streetcar Museum and the Baltimore Chapter NRHS) has at least some information on this specific operation, which cars went down, etc.
Drop us a line at info --at-- baltimorenrhs dot org and I’ll check the files and consult with the other archivists at the next available opportunity.
Alexander D. Mitchell IV
MRHL archivist
President, Baltimore Chapter NRHS