CRP&L Co. Cars 537-585       

537-585 - There is very little information about this number series. It appears that around 1907-08 the CRP&L renumbered all the active streetcars acquired from the interurban companies when they took over Columbus streetcar service on their lines. This included the East Mound Street - Camp Chase line; the Steelton-Summit line; and the Worthington line.    There is evidence (photo or written) of only eight of the cars in the series. It's likely there were many more perhaps 25-40 cars. The eight include both open and closed cars.

Car 540 – Standard gauge, closed body, air brakes, two controllers and two trolley poles.

Car 547 – Standard gauge, closed body, air brakes, two controllers and two trolley poles.  May have been built by the Laconia Car Co.

Car 551 – Standard gauge, closed body, air brakes, two controllers and two trolley poles.  Same as No. 547.

Car 554 – Standard gauge, body 29’, length over bumpers 37’, 44 seating capacity, 4-GE-54 motors, 25 HP, 2 controllers, and 2 trolley poles.  It was sold to the D.C.& P. Traction Co. March 1917 for $1450.  May have been built by the Laconia Car Co.

Car 560 – Open car, photo on Town Street around 1910.

Car 571 – There is a picture of this car, but no data.

Car 574 – Open body with 13 cross seats, and no center aisle.  May have been built by the Laconia Car Co.

Car 575 – Open body with 11 cross seats, and no center aisle.  May have been built by the Laconia Car Co.

Car 540 possibly at the Merritt Street car house. The Steelton line was standard gauge.

Photo from the Jim Kehn Collection.

Car 547 on the North Columbus - Worthington line.

Photo from “Memory Book" compiled by Mrs. H. V. Cottrell, historian for the Clinton League – ohiomemory.org

Car 551 stopped on the Fourth Street Bridge just east of Columbus Union Station.  The photo was taken in 1914 on the standard gauge Steelton-Summit line.  Unlike the vast majority of CRP&L Co.'s 1914 era streetcars this was more like an interurban with small vestibules and two motor trucks.

Photo from the Donald A Kaiser Collection.

Car No. 560 is on West Town Street at the Toledo & Central Ohio Railway crossing. In 1909-11 the steam railroad grade crossings through Franklinton were eliminated. Car 560 an open standard gauge streetcar is coming from Camp Chase headed to Columbus and East Mound Street.

Photo from the Russ Thompson Collection

Car 574 at the Merritt Street carhouse. This is an unusual open car for Columbus in that it doesn't have maximum traction trucks.

Photo from the Alex Campbell Collection.