Edmonton Car 1 had an interesting journey between the end of Streetcar service in 1951 to opening of the streetcar tracks at Fort Edmonton in 1984, where Car 1 is now. After Edmonton shut down its streetcar system in 1951, the bodies were taken off their trucks and sold, the trucks sold as scrap.
Car 1, thanks to local transit buffs, was spared. Left alone on its tracks behind Cromdale barn, Car 1 was derelict by the 1960s. Car 1 was patched up for Canada’s Centennial in 1967 by interested ETS employees; afterwards the car was stored inside Cromdale. It would sit there until renewed interest in rail transit thanks to the LRT.
Cromdale barn, originally built in 1913 to house streetcars, would become the first home of Edmonton’s LRT; U2s 1002-1017 were built here. While the LRT was coming to life, Car 1 was parked off in the corner.
Edmonton’s 75th anniversary as a city in 1979; getting Car 1 running was a perfect way to celebrate. With LRT tracks and facilities to use, and a group of knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers to do the work, Car 1 rolled out of Cromdale under her own power for the first time in decades in October, 1979. Using the LRT tracks as a test line, Car 1 drove from Churchill Station to Coliseum, proving herself ready for passengers.
Next up, though, was the best part. Car 1 was going to run across the High Level Bridge. The overhead wires on the bridge were long gone; Car 1 would have to tow a generator for power, running on the CPR mainline track on top of the bridge, while in passenger service. On October 15th, 1979, Car 1 made the trek from Cromdale down the CN mainline to the downtown railyard, to the CPR connection, and onwards to the High Level Bridge.
The event was a roaring success; although the generator caused issues, Car 1 performed flawlessly.
The event would inspire the Car 1’s restorers to form ERRS and get Car 1 running at Fort Edmonton Park. Car 1 is still at Fort Edmonton in running order, still on her original ERR trucks.
