Although Kuhlman is remembered today as a builder of interurbans, they only made up up 15% of their total output (approximately 5,000 cars of all types), which consisted primarily of streetcars, and in its later years small numbers of all-steel transit bus bodies. Although they went out of business in 1932, many of their street cars remained in service into the 1960s, albeit having been rebuilt or remodeled one or more times. Most of the firm's customers were located in Illinois, Michigan, New York and Ohio, and the cities of Cleveland, Toledo and Detroit were the firm's largest customers. Kuhlman's first bus bodies were constructed in the early teens and within a decade the line had become an important component of their integrated business model, which sought to furnish their customers with vehicles for the rails and the road. In addition to building their own line of all-metal transit bus bodies they supplied all-metal bodies to various third parties which included their parent company J.G. Brill, the Kent, Ohio plant of American Car & Foundry (Twin Coach) and their Cleveland neighbor, the White Motor Co. for whom they supplied 'standard' transit bus bodies, particularly on the Model 50 chassis. Although the effects of decreased streetcar ridership (declined 300% between 1921 and 1931) and General Motors 'street car consipiracy' certainly constributed to Kuhlman's demise, it was the Depression that put the proverbial 'nail into the coffin'.

The G.C. Kuhlman Car Company had its beginnings in a furniture business established in 1865 by a German immigrant named Frederick Kuhlmann (b. Aug. 1828 in Braunschweig, Germany - d. Apr. 1906). A trained cabinetmaker, Kuhlmann emigrated to the United States, departing from the port of Bremen, Germany on board the Bremen Ship Julia, arriving in New York on October 1, 1853 (one source says 1848). On October 11, 1853, he married Anna Maria Goetz (b. July 9,1829-d. Nov. 8, 1907), another German who immigrated from Bavaria in 1848, and to the blessed union was born seven children; Charles (b. Oct. 1855 - d. Sep. 23, 1907); Gustav C. (b. Feb. 22, 1959 – d. October 4, 1915), William E. (b. Oct. 22, 1862 – d. Feb. 7, 1923), Anna (b. Jun. 2, 1868 - d. Dec. 20, 1944), Lena (b. 1870 - d. May 17, 1899), Minnie (b. Apr. 15, 1873, m. Theodore Klause, a druggist) and Frederick Gustave (b. Feb. 23, 1877 - d. May 4, 1944) Kuhlmann.

After a decade of working as a carpenter and pattern-maker for various Cleveland firms and street railways (C. & E. R.R. included) Kuhlmann established his own woodworks at 488-490 St. Clair St., Cleveland, Ohio. The 1880 US Census indicates that Charles, Gustav and William (all listed as sawyers) were working for their father’s furniture works, F. Kuhlmann & Sons, having completed their public schooling and woodworking apprenticeships.

The Cleveland City Directories and other references list two spellings for the Kuhlmann family after 1890. Frederick and his son Charles, William and Frederick Jr. used Kuhlmann, while Gustav C. preferred to use Kuhlman, likely in an attempt to establish a different identity for himself and his business.  No record of the firm's specific business activities prior to the 1890s can be found aside from their numerous entires in the Cleveland City Directories, which yield the following information:

1861: Frederick Kuhlmann, pattern maker, res. St. Clair

1864: Frederick Kuhlmann, carpenter, C. & E. R.R., h. 488 St. Clair

1865: Fred. Kuhlmann, cabinet maker, h. 488 St. Clair

1866-1867: Frederick Kuhlmann, sash & blind mnfr., s & h, 490 St. Clair; George Kuhlmann*, carpenter, 488 St. Clair, h. 563 St. Clair.

*Born in 1838, George Kuhlmann was Frederick's brother, who after emigrating, worked with his brother before establishing his own carpet manufacturing business.

1868-1873: Frederick Kuhlmann, planing mill (sash, door & blind mnfr.), 490 St. Clair, r. 488 St. Clair

1874: Frederick Kuhlmann, sash, door &c. mnfr., 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. 488 St. Clair; Charles Kuhlmann, carpenter, F. Kuhlmann, bds. 488 St. Clair

1875: Frederick Kuhlmann, planing mill, 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. 488 St. Clair; George Kuhlmann, sash mkr, F. Kuhlmann, r. Brooklyn; Gustav Kuhlmann, sawyer, F. Kuhlmann, r. 488 St. Clair

1876: Frederick Kuhlmann, sash and blind mnfr., 490 St. Clair, r. 488 St. Clair

1877: Friedrich Kuhlmann, doors, sash and blinds mnfr., 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. 488 St. Clair; Charles Kuhlmann, carpenter, F. Kuhlmann, r. 488 St. Clair

1878-1879: F. Kuhlmann, Mnfr. Sash, Doors and Blinds, 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. same; Charles Kuhlmann, machine operator F. Kuhlmann, r. 488 St. Clair; Gustav Kuhlmann, machine operator F. Kuhlmann, r. 488 St. Clair

1880: Frederick Kuhlmann, Sash, Door and Blind Mnfr., 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. same; Charles E. Kuhlmann, machine opr., r. 488 St. Clair; Gustav C. Kuhlmann, sawyer, r. 488 St. Clair

1881: Frederick Kuhlmann, Sash, Door and Blind Mnfr., 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. same; Charles E. Kuhlmann, with F. Kuhlmann; G. C. Kuhlmann, with F. Kuhlmann; William Kuhlmann, with F. Kuhlmann, res. 488 St Clair

1882: Frederick Kuhlmann, Furniture Manufacturer, 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. same; Charles E. Kuhlmann, cabinetmaker, r. 36 Canfield; Gustave C. Kuhlmann, clk., r. 488 St. Clair

The 1883 directory lists William for the first time, he having embarked upon a slightly different career path as a carriage maker: F. Kuhlmann & Sons, (Frederick, Charles E. and Gustave C.), House Decorators and Furniture Mnfrs., 488-490 St. Clair; Charles E. Kuhlmann (F. Kuhlmann & Sons), r. 36 Canfield; Frederick Kuhlmann (F. Kuhlmann & Sons), r. 488 St. Clair; Gustave C. Kuhlmann (F. Kuhlmann & Sons), r. 488 St. Clair; William Kuhlmann, carriagemkr., res. 17 Seymour av.

During the early 1880s the Kuhlman works began building horse-drawn trolleys or 'horsecars,' small, short-wheelbase two-axle trams pulled by a team of horses upon rails laid into a city's main thoroughfares. These all-wood conveyances featured from six to ten wooden bench seats, easily accessed via full-length running boards placed on both sides of the vehicle. The earliest North American horsecars were produced in 1832 by John Stephenson, a New York City stage coach builder and by the 1880s 400+ street railways operated 6,000 miles of track, primarily located in major population centers spanning from the Eastern Seaboard to the Great Lakes. Cleveland's first horse-drawn street railway appeared in 1860, and by 1880 the city boasted of nine different horsecar lines.

1884-1887: F. Kuhlmann & Sons, (Frederick, Charles E. and Gustave C.), cabinet makers, 488 St. Clair; Charles E. Kuhlmann (F. Kuhlmann & Sons), r. 267 Lake; Frederick Kuhlmann (F. Kuhlmann & Sons), r. 488 St. Clair; Gustave C. Kuhlmann (F. Kuhlmann & Sons), r. 488 St. Clair; William Kuhlmann, carriagemaker, res. 17 Seymour av.

In 1888, the senior Kuhlmann retired, the business being renamed Kuhlmann Bros. albeit for a short period: Kuhlmann Bros., (Charles E. and Gustave C.), hardwood interiors, 490 St. Clair; Charles E. Kuhlmann (Kuhlmann Bros.) r. 488 St. Clair; Frederick Kuhlmann, retired, 488 St. Clair; Gustave C. Kuhlmann (Kuhlmann Bros.) r. 488 St. Clair; William Kuhlmann, carriagemaker, res. 17 Seymour av.

Gustave married Mamie A. Walsh (b. Oct. 1860 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada-d.Nov.7,1947) in 1889 and to the blessed union were born three children: Sterling G. (b.1892-d.1893), Dorothy (b.1896-d.1921) and Pomeroy Albert (b.Jul.8,1898 – d. Dec.31,1960) Kuhlman.

In addition to building horsecars, the Kuhlmanns suppleid various types of rolling stock to regional railways, the ‘Equipment Notes’ column of the September 1888 issue of the Street Railway Journal mentioning they were completing a dozen boxcars for the East Cleveland Railway:

“Kuhlmann Bros., Cleveland, O., hard wood interiors; received, among other orders, one for quarter and white oak for twelve box cars for the East Cleveland Railway Company.”

Electrification of Cleveland's street railways commenced in the late 1870s and by 1894 all but two lines had been electrified. Gustave C. Kuhlman was determined to be a leader in the field of streetcar construction and a disagreement with his brother Charles about the direction of the family business caused a split, with Gustave establishing a firm to manufacture street cars and Charles electing to specialize in woodwork for the home or office. Their younger brother William's carriage works was discontinued and he went into the cabinetmaking business at a shop located on East 57th street, near Euclid.

The 1890-1891 Cleveland directories confirm a reorganization of the family's woodworking business had taken place; Kuhlmann Bros., under the direction of Gustav C., had become Kuhlman Co. (one 'N')  - which for the first time advertised “Street Car Work” - while Charles E.'s advertisements offered 'Fine Furniture and Mantel Work" down the street at 127 St. Clair: Kuhlman Co. (Gustave C. Kuhlman), Car Supplies and Hardwood Interiors, 488 and 490 St. Clair, r. 1228 Lexington av.; Charles E. Kuhlmann, Manufacturer of Fine Furniture and Mantels, 134 St. Clair, cor. Court Place, r. 396 Grand av.; Wm. Kuhlmann, mach. hand, r. 61 Dellenbaugh

In 1891 St. Clair street was re-numbered, 488 and 490 St. Clair becoming 732 and 734 St. Clair: Kuhlman Co. (Gustave C. Kuhlman), Hardwood Interiors and Car Supplies, 732 and 734 St. Clair, r. 1228 Lexington av.; Charles E. Kuhlmann, Manufacturer of Fine Furniture and Mantels, Court Place, cor. St. Clair, r. 396 Grand av.; Wm. Kuhlmann, foreman, r. 61 Dellenbaugh av.

During the Kuhlman Co.'s early years it focused mostly on single-truck, open air designs, but as ridership increased they introduced larger double-truck cars that were more often than not fully enclosed. For the uninformed, a truck is the 4-wheeled apparatus that connects the body of the trolleycar to the rails. Trucks on electric cars featured a rudimentary spring suspension combined with an internal gearset and electric motor. Power was delivered from the 'live' overhead electric wires to the truck-mounted motors via a contol box located in the car and controlled by the operator. Kuhlman did not manufacture its own trucks or electric components, all of which was supplied by various manufacturers who included their Philadelphia competitor, the J.G. Brill Co.

The 1893-1894 directories indicate the Kuhlman Co. was now conscentrating on street cars exclusively: G.C. Kuhlman Co. (Gustave C. Kuhlman), Street Cars, 732 St. Clair, r. 1228 Lexington av.; Charles E. Kuhlmann, Manufact’r of Fine Furniture and Mantels, Court place, cor. St. Clair, r. 396 Grand av.; William Kuhlman, cabinetmaker, r. 61 Dellenbaugh av.

By now Frederick G., the youngest Kuhlman brother, had left the woodworking field taking a position as bookkeeper, and later president, of the Progressive Fixture & Brass Co., a manufacturer and distributor of light fixtures and electrical supplies located at 2173 E 2nd. Ave., Cleveland. Later in life Frederick Jr. served as a plumbing inspector for the City of Cleveland and during the Second World War worked at the Euclid Road Machinery Co., a Cleveland-based manufacturer of motorized construction equipment.

1895-1896: G.C. Kuhlman Co. (Gustave C. Kuhlman), St. Railway Cars and Interior Wood Work, 732 St. Clair, r. 1032 E. Madison ave.; Charles E. Kuhlmann, Mnfr. of Mantels and Sideboards, Court pl. cor. St. Clair, r. 396 Grand av.: William Kuhlmann, foreman, C.E. Kuhlmann, r. 61 Dellenbaugh av.

A November 26th, 1895 fire destroyed Kuhlman’s main factory and woodworking department, the November 27, 1895 edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reporting:

“Car Factory Burned

“The Cabinet Department of Kuhlman’s Factory is a Total Loss – Value $10,000, Insurance, $18,000.

“Part of the car factory of F. Kuhlman was damaged by fire last night to the extent of $10,000. The factory is located at the corner of Oregon and Perry streets and is several hundred feet long. A large business has been done there in recent years in the manufacture of woodwork of street cars and the construction of cars complete.

“The woodwork or cabinet department is a two and one-half story frame building, 100 by 50 feet in dimensions. In it was valuable machinery and a large number of unfinished cars. About 7:45 o’clock last night fire broke out on the ground floor where an engine and boiler are located. The exact cause of the fire in unknown, but in a few moments the entire building was a mass of flames. The engines responded promptly, eight in number, and the firemen did splendid work. The confined the flames to one building, though others were in danger for a time.

“The woodwork department is a total loss. The floor timbers burned away and the machinery was precipitated down to the ground floor, which was, for a time, a mass of molten iron and burning wood. Mr. Kuhlman would place no estimate on the loss, but competent judges think it is about $10,000. The insurance is $18,000.

“For two hours the firemen labored on the burning building. Street car traffic was blocked for over an hour.”

The fire necessitated a removal of Gustave C. Kuhlman’s car building operations to two disused car barns located at Broadway and Aetna St. in the Cleveland suburb of Newburg.

The 1897-1900 Cleveland directories include the following entries: Charles E. Kuhlmann, interior woodwork, 221-225 Oregon; G.C. Kuhlman Co., cars, 1949 Broadway, r. 1032 E. Madison.

The move to the Broadway car barns had been temporary and Gustave began searching for a suitable property to relocate the business to. One prospective site was located in Elyria, Ohio a prosperous city located 30 miles southeast of Cleveland, the April 18, 1901 edition of the Elyria Republican reporting on a recent visit by Kuhlman:

“Looks Like Elyria

“What Kuhlman Says About Car Shop Location

“The Clevelander Visits Elyria and Meets the Chamber of Commerce Committee

“C. G. Kuhlman, proprietor of the Kuhlman car shops, which it is proposed to bring to Elyria, was in town on Thursday and had an extended conference with the committee from the Chamber of Commerce, which was appointed to investigate the affairs of his company and to report the sense of the Chamber to him. That the conference was in a large degree satisfactory to both parties is shown by Mr. Kuhlman's closing remark, ‘Well It looks like Elyria.’

“Mr. Kuhlman Himself.

“Mr. Kuhlman is a tall slender man of about forty. He is pleasant and unassuming in conversation and while his entry into the car manufacturing business was from the mechanical side, still he bears a reputation for considerable business shrewdness.

“He presents his own case briefly as follows: He is sole proprietor of his business, valued at present at something like $15,000. He is crowded in Cleveland and lacks the facilities for turning out large orders which he receives from time to time. For this reason lie has decided to form a stock company capitalized at $250,000 and to move to some location where he would have a little more room. Lorain, Berea and Elyria have been the places under advisement. As a neighborhood he prefers Elyria to either of the other towns. He is also much pleased with the proposed location upon the Beebe farm. The only question is to what extent Elyria people will interest themselves financially in his enterprise.

“What Mr Kuhlman Wants.

“Berea has already offered Mr. Kuhlman a bonus of several thousand dollars to locate there and some stock has been subscribed conditionally upon the removal of the works to that town. Part of the Cleveland capital subscriptions may be withdrawn if the factories move out of that city. This leaves some doubt as to the amount Elyria will be asked to contribute, but in all probability $50,000 to $75,000 in subscriptions will be asked for.

“Mr. Kuhlman visited the proposed site on the East Side. Its advantages impressed him. For receiving materials and making long shipments of cars the L. S. & M. S. just to the south of his plant would be a great convenience, while cars to be delivered to local or Cleveland companies could be placed upon the C.K. & W. track to the north and sent to their destination on their own wheels.

“The committee is not at liberty to make public at this time all that transpired at Thursday's conference, but all seem much encouraged at the outlook.”

The May 2, 1901 edition of the Elyria Republican announced the $300,000 reorganization of Kuhlman and the apparent loss of the connected factory to the city of Cleveland:

“Small Chance For Kuhlman Works: The Company has been reorganized in Cleveland with $300,000 Capital

“They Will Build In Cleveland: That is the present probability although Berea Stands a Show. Option was closed.

“There is a very small likelihood that the Kuhlman Car works will come to Elyria. The option, which Mr. Kuhlman spoke of as preventing a decision on his part has been closed and a new company has been organized with $300,000 of Cleveland capital invested. The management of affairs is now in Mr. Kuhlman’s hands and there is no especial reason why these works should locate here.

“The site is yet selected and hence all hope cannot be said to be in vain. It is understood on good authority, however, that those in charge of the enterprise favor keeping the works in Cleveland. If some suburb of Cleveland is chosen, Berea is likely to be the lucky winner.”

Kuhlman's board of directors decided upon the northeast Cleveland suburb of Collinwood for their new factory site, the May 9, 1901 edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reporting:

“To build In Collinwood

“Kuhlman Car Co.’s New Plant Will be Located in Cleveland’s Suburb

“The stockholders of the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co. met yesterday and elected a board of directors. It was decided at this meeting to proceed at once with the erection of the new plant of the company, which is to be built in Collinwood.

“Those elected to the board were: Fayette Brown, Frank Rockefeller, G.C. Kuhlman, C.C. Bolton, T.P. Howell, R.A. Harmon and I.H. Morley.

“Last evening the directors met and elected officers. Those chosen were: Fayette Brown, president; T.P. Howell, vice president; C.A. Ricks, secretary and treasurer; G.C. Kuhlman, general manager.

“The Kuhlman company recently completed a deal whereby it acquired a large tract of land on Adams avenue in Collinwood. The property will be used as the site for a large, new car manufacturing plant. The works on Broadway will be abandoned. The new establishment will be much larger and the company expects to enlarge its field. Negotiations are now pending for additional land in Collinwood to be used by the same company for its shops. The stockholders decided yesterday that the erection of the new plant should be started at once.”

The June 1, 1901 issue of Electrical Review announced Kuhlman's reorganization to the trade:

“The Kuhlman Car Company of Cleveland Ohio, which is a reorganization of the old G.C. Kuhlman company, has just been incorporated with a capital stock of $300,000. It is said that the growing demand for Kuhlman cars has warranted the company in extending its operations and in erecting a large plant in which steam as well as street and interurban electric cars will be built. The new factory will have a capacity of 600 cars per year and will be erected within a few miles of Cleveland.”

The group of Cleveland investors that financed the new operation included Fayette Brown, Frank Rockefeller, C.C. Bolton, T.P. Howell, R.A. Harmon, Charles A. Ricks and I.H. Morley. Gustave C. Kuhlman was given the title of plant manager and a new factory was constructed at the intersection of Adams Ave. and the L.S. & M.S. Railway (Lake Shore & Michigan Southern – became New York Central Railroad in 1914), near 140th and Aspinwall in the northeast Cleveland suburb of Collinwood. Offices were relocated to the 10^th floor of the recently constructed Williamson Building, Cleveland’s highest structure at the time. Constructed in 1900, the 16-story Williamson building was located at 201-215 Euclid Ave. and survived until 1982 when it was imploded to make way for the 45-story Sohio Building which is now known as the B.P. Tower aka 200 Public Square.

Kuhlman's new slate of officers included Fayette Brown (b. 1823 - d. 1910), a major player in Ohio's iron ore manufacturing. Born on December 17, 1823 in Trumbull County, Ohio, upon reaching his majority Brown became a clerk in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania wholesale hardware firm of which he became a partner. In 1851 he moved Cleveland, where he became junior member of the banking firm of Mygatt & Brown, becoming its president in 1857. He closed the firm at the start of the Civil War, serving as a paymaster in the Union Army. He returned to Cleveland at War’s end, becoming an agent and eventually manager of the Jackson Iron Co., a position he retained into December, 1887. His financial resources enabled him to acquire substantial interests in many Cleveland businesses, several of which he served as president: the Union Screw Co., Brown Hoisting Machinery Co., National Chemical Co. and the G. C. Kuhlman Car Co. He served as chairman of the Stewart Iron Co., Ltd., and was a director of H. H. Brown & Co., one of the nation’s largest iron-ore concerns.

For many years Thomas P. Howell (b. 1862 - d. 1938), a longtime business associate of Fayette Brown’s, served as manager of the National Chemical Co. He was also a director of the Brown Hoisting Machinery Co., Standard Airship Co., Crescent Transit Co., and G.C. Kuhlman Car Co.

After graduating from Kenyon College, Charles A. Ricks (b. 1868 - d. 1914), the son of Judge A.J. Ricks of Massillon, Ohio, was connected with the Standard Oil Company, after which he helped organized the Kuhlman Car Co, serving as its Secretary and Treasurer, until his untimely death in 1914.

The Kuhlman Car Co.'s listing in the 1902 Cleveland directory follows:

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Offices 1007 and 1008 Williamson Bldg., Factory, Adams Av. at L.S. & M.S. Ry., Collinwood, O. Fayette Brown, Pres., res. 874 Euclid av.; T.P. Howell, Vice-Pres., res. 149 Handy; Chas. A. Ricks, Sec. & Tr., res. 230 Oliver; G.C. Kuhlman, Gen’l Mgr., res. 748 Genesee av. Tels.: Bell Glesn 125; Cuya. Crest 496.”

An artist’s rendering of the new plant was pictured and described in the October 6, 1901 edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

“New Plant of John C. Kuhlman [sic] Car Co.

“The new plant of the reorganized John C. Kuhlman [sic] Car Co. at the crossing of the Lake Shore tracks and Adams avenue in Collinwood will be complete and in operation by the middle part of December, and expects to begin the year with the largely increased capacity which it affords. The new site occupies thirty acres of land, the greater portion of which is covered with substantial brick buildings. In all there are eleven buildings, and with the exception of trucks and upholstered seats, will furnish a place for the manufacture of every part of cars.

“At the lower end of the plant are three buildings exactly alike. These are the erecting, finishing and painting buildings, and the cars will go successively through these, the painting being the last step in manufacture. The other buildings are for the manufacture of the different parts.

“The company was reorganized last May with Fayette Brown, president; T.P. Howell, vice president; C.A. Ricks, secretary and treasurer; and John C. Kuhlman [sic], general manager. The old company has a plant on Broadway in Newburg whose capacity of 120 cars a year was not adequate to the demands caused by the extension of the carious suburban lines and the constant improvement in city cars. The new plant has a capacity of 600 cars a year and will employ about 450 workmen.”

In addition to their boxcars, interurbans, and streetcars Kuhlman also manufactured auxiliary equipment such as rotating snow sweeper cars that were used by operators in the snow-belt to keep the tracks clear of snow. Another Kuhlman innovation was the sleeping car, essentially a luxury Pullman-style electric coach that could be used on overnight runs from Cleveland to Detroit, the October 1, 1902 edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reporting:

“Electric Sleepers

“Lake Shore is Having Several Built for Immediate Use

“An electric sleeping car service between Cleveland and Detroit will soon be established. The Kuhlman Car Co. of Collinwood has contracted to build several sleepers for the Lake Shore electric road, and when they are completed a fast night service will be started between here and Detroit. It is thought that the run can be made in about 10 hours, so that one can take a sleeper here at 9 pm and be in Detroit at 7 am. The cars are to be of the same class as the up-to-date Pullman.”

Perley A. Thomas (b.1874-d.1959), the founder of the Thomas Car Works, an early street car manufacturer who later found success in the school bus body business, worked as an engineer for Kuhlman during the early 1900s. He left in 1909 to take a position as chief engineer with the Southern Car Co., founding the Thomas Car Works in High Point, South Carolina in 1917.

During 1903 associates (stock brokers, directors and shareholders) of Philadelphia's J.G. Brill began acquiring large blocks of stock in the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co. from its Cleveland-based directors and by early 1904 had acquired a controlling interest in the firm. The March 17, 1904 issue of the New York Times announced the official transfer of ownership:

“The J.G. Brill Company of Philadelphia, it is stated, has secured control of the G.C. Kuhlman Street Car Manufacturing Company of Cleveland, and will reorganize it.”

The official date of the takeover was March 16, 1904 at which time the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the J.G. Brill Company. Kuhlman was a logical acquisition for Brill, both firms controlled their respective markets; Kuhlman controlled the Great Lakes just as Brill controlled the Eastern Seaboard. At Kuhlman’s annual shareholders meeting a new slate of Brill-backed directors were elected, and the firm existing Cleveland-based executives were replaced by men from Philadelphia. The Philadelphia-based executives included Samuel W. Curwen, president; John A. Brill, vice-president; and James Rawle, Treasurer; its new Cleveland-based executives including Charles A. Ricks, Sec. & Asst. Treasurer; H.E. Haddock, Superintendent; and D.B. Dean, Sales Manager. Gustave C. Kuhlman remained plant manager during the short transition, resigning several months later.

The 1904-05 Cleveland directories list the firm's new officers:

G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Office and factory at Adams Av. at L.S. & M.S. Ry., Collinwood, O. S.W. Curwin, Pres., res. Philadelphia; J.A. Brill, Vice-Pres., res. Philadelphia; James Rawle, Treas., res. Philadelphia; Chas. A. Ricks, Sec. & Asst. Treas., res. Lake Shore Blvd, Glenville; H.E. Haddock, Supt., res. Collinwood; D.B. Dean, Mng. Sales Dept., 1487 Euclid av. Tels.: Bell Glen 125; Cuya. Crest 496.

The purchase followed Brill’s 1902 acquisition of another competitor in the interurban and street car field, St. Louis, Missouri’s American Car Company. One of the largest builders of both street and interurban equipment Brill was purchasing numerous smaller competitors at the time to increase its market share as the industry took off.

Brill's history dates to1847 when a 31-year-old German cabinetmaker named Johann Georg Brill (later known as John George or J.G.) emigrated to the Unites States, taking a position with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Murphy & Allison, an early manufacturer of rolling stock. In 1868  Johann and his son, Georg Martin, established thier own cars works in the style of  J.G. Brill and Son at the intersection of 31st and Chestnut Sts., Philadelphia.  Their business expanded as the nation's workers moved to the suburbs  and they were soon supplyingone-third of the country's trolleys and interurbans. To meet increasing demand between 1902 and 1908 Brill acquired several smaller manufacturers of like equipment; the American Car Co. (1902), G.C. Kuhlman Car Co. (1904), John Stephenson Co. (1904), Wason Mfg. Co. (1907), and the Danville Car Co.  (1908).

A little over a year after the Kuhlman acquisition, both J.G. Brill and Kuhlman Car were mentioned as possible takeover targets in the news. The scheme for creating a second ‘car trust’ (the first resulted in the creation of American Car & Foundry) was the brainchild of two Manhattan promotors, E.H. Power and W.T. Van Brunt, and the New York banking house of Kean Van Cortlandt & Co. St. Louis Car’s Co.’s president, George J. Kobusch, was anothjer major proponentes of the scheme, which was outlined in the June 23, 1905 edition of the Newark Advocate:

“Twenty Plants To be Merged

“Deal For Big Combination Which Includes the Newark Factory

“The Jewett Car Works Will Continued to Grow and Prosper Under the New Corporation

“A message from St. Louis, printed below, tells of the progress that is being made towards merging the big car manufacturing plants of the United States. The merger which is about to be effected will include the Jewett plant as announced in this paper some time ago.

“The merger will result in strengthening and enlarging the Newark factory. Some building is now being done at this plant and this improvement was started after the merger was under way. This shows that instead of the combination resulting in closing the Newark plant, it will continue its growth. The Jewett plays an important part in Newark's prosperity.

“St. Louis, Mo., June 23. — A deal involving the merging of the 20 leading car manufacturing plants of the United States, including the Jewett Car company of Newark, Ohio, under one central management, and representing a total of $50,000,000 capital, has been practically closed.

“President George J. Kobusch of the St. Louis Car company, has been prominent in negotiations, which have been under way for several months, and the company of which he is the head is the largest individual concern going into the consolidation.

“The negotiations have been principally carried on, however, through James Stewart, of the St. Louis firm of James Stewart & Co., who is now said to be in the East closing the final details of the deal, and it was through him that options on the various car manufacturing plants in the leading cities were obtained. The majority of these options expire July 1, but there is a privilege of extension for six months beyond that date. The outlook now is, however, that all the details of the great consolidation scheme will have been perfected by the time and the union of the companies will go into effect simultaneously with the expiration of these options.

“The central organization will have control of the combined plants, practically purchasing the various individual plants, the present owners and management in many instances retaining an interest in the stock of the consolidated companies.

“Among the car manufacturing companies expected to be included in the consolidation are the following: St. Louis Car company of St Louis; American Car company of St. Louis, Jewett Car company of Newark, O.; Niles Car company of Niles, Ohio; Kuhlman Car company of Cleveland; McGuire-Cummings Car company of Paris, Ill.; Cincinnati Car company of Cincinnati; Brill Car company of Philadelphia; Stevenson Car company of Elizabeth, N.J, Wasson Manufacturing company of Springfield, Mass.; the Bradley company of Newburyport, Conn.; Jones & Co., of Troy. N. Y.; Beekham Manufacturing company of Kingston. N. Y.; McGuire Car Manufacturing company or Chicago; Laconia Car company of Laconia, N.H.”

Ultimately the poor financial condition of a number of the firms involved scuttled the whole affair and Kobusch made no further mention of it.

In 1904, the Rochester Railway Co. of Rochester, N.Y. placed an order for twenty 12-bench double-truck open cars with Kuhlman. Upon delivery they determined the operation of the side-loading open cars was potentially dangerous for the fare collector, who was forced to walk on the running boards on the outside of the coach, which was often already under way. The line also discovered that riders were no longer thrilled by riding in an open car during the 6 months of inclement weather most Great Lakes operators were faced with.

That problem had already been explored by Brill, who had constructed an experimental semi convertible coach for the Montreal Electric Railway in 1904. During the winter, the coach was boarded and exited at the ends, while during the summer months the exterior windows on one side were removed, creating a side loading coach, with built-in ‘air conditioning.’ This was accomplished through the use of convertible split bench seats, which were made in sections. During the winter (or inclement weather) one third of the bench could be rotated with its back latched against the exterior wall, forming a full length bench seat and aisle. During warm weather the seats would be unlatched and swung back to the transverse bench creating a traditional side-loading open air car, which was preferred by its passengers during warm weather.

100 semi-convertible 53-passenger coaches were sold to the Cleveland Electric Railway. The right side was curved and equipped with 12 windows that could be lifted into the roof, the left side straight with 12 regular window casings. Inside there was a row of forward- facing cane seats along the movable right side, and a longitudinal seat along the left side. Another peculiar series of cars constructed by Kuhlman were the ‘Washington Window’ specials constructed for the Washington D.C. and Northern Ohio Traction & Light Companies. These cars featured dummy arched window tops which gave the coach a modern window and interior, with the outward appearance of an older model.

Another notable Kuhlman product was a hybrid gasoline-powered railcar constructed in 1906 for the New York Central Railroad. The 224 h.p. 3'-9" long eight-wheeled car could reach sustained speeds of 65 mph, the April 19, 1906 issue of the Elyria Chronicle reporting:

“Lake Shore Gasoline Car Is A Beauty: Will Make a Trial Trip Between Akron and Cleveland

“Cleveland. April 19.—Some day this week the new gasoline car which the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railway is having built for use on its new electrically equipped lines is expected to make a trial trip from Akron to Cleveland and through to Willoughby. The car creates its own power from gasoline and will be able to travel more than a mile a minute.

“The car was built at the Kuhlman shops in Collinwood and a short time ago sent to Akron to be equipped with gasoline engines at the Akron plant of the Wellman, Seaver & Morgan Co. The engine is one specially designed by Frank L. Chase, president of the Jamestown, Chautauqua and Lake Erie line.

“Unlike the Strang car which was in Cleveland a few weeks ago, the motors are under the car instead of in a separate compartment in front. One of the troubles of the Strang motor, it is claimed, was that I caused a vibration owing to the fact that it was directly connected with the body of the car. The engines in the new Lake Shore car are set on the trucks and are not connected with the body.

“Gasoline and not electricity is the motive power of the car. A small electric motor will be used to store electricity in dry batteries for lighting. The motor will also compress air for the brakes. 220-horsepower engines themselves, however, operate with gasoline and not the electric current. The car is operated by a controller at the end, as in the ordinary trolley car.

“The car is one of the finest pieces of workmanship ever turned out in America, it is claimed. The main part of the car seats twenty-six passengers, the smoking compartment seating sixteen. The interior finish is mahogany, inlaid with line of white holly in rich design.

“The length of the car body is 34 feet 4 inches over end panels and 43 feet 9 inches over vestibules.

“Tests of the new car have been in progress at the Akron factor and the car is expected to in Cleveland almost any day this week. It will probably be run over many of the roads in the part of the country and in the east, as railroad men are interested in the transition railway cars are undergoing. The cars costs about $12,000, half being for the engines.”

The 1906-09 Cleveland directories list the Car Co. as follows:

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Office and factory at E. 140th (Adams Av.) at L.S. & M.S. Ry., N.E. (Collinwood); S.W. Curwin, Pres., res. Philadelphia; J.A. Brill, Vice-Pres., res. Philadelphia; James Rawle, Treas., res. Philadelphia; Chas. A. Ricks, Sec. & Asst. Treas., res. Lake Shore Blvd., Bratenahl; H.E. Haddock, Supt., res. Collinwood; D.B. Dean, Mng. Sales Dept., res. The Alberta; Tels.: Bell Glen 125; Cuya. Crest 496.

A short history of J.G. Brill Co. and its various holdings were included in the June 1907 issue of Moody’s Magazine:

“The J. G. Brill Co. Common and Preferred Stocks — On May 21, 1907, the outstanding $4,580,000 7% cumulative preferred stock and $5,000,000 common stock of this company was admitted to the Philadelphia Stock Exchange 11st and authority was granted to list the remaining $425,000 of preferred stock held in trust upon official notice that it has been issued for the purpose specified.

“The authorized capital is $10,000,000, divided equally into 7% cumulative preferred stock and common stock, par value, $100. Of the preferred, $4,580, is now outstanding, having been issued for cash and in exchange for property and securities, the remainder, $420,000, has been deposited in trust to provide for the payment of a mortgage on the John Stephenson Co. plant. The common stock is all outstanding and was issued for property and in exchange for securities. Stock is full paid and non-assessable. The preferred is entitled to cumulative dividends at the rate of 7% per annum, and no more and has preference over the common as to assets and accrued dividends in the event of liquidation. Both classes of stock have equal voting power. Stock is transferred at company's office, Arcade Bldg., Philadelphia, and registered by Real Estate Title Insurance 8: Trust Co., Philadelphia.

“The company was incorporated Aug. 1. 1906, under the laws of Pennsylvania and organized Feb. 6, 1907. The new company has acquired the entire property of J. G. Brill Co., a corporation chartered in 1887 in Pennsylvania, and which was the successor of J. G. Brill & Co., which began business in 1869. The property acquired from J. G. Brill Co. consists of a large car and truck building plant, at 62nd St. and Woodland Ave., Philadelphia, covering 28 acres of ground and including numerous substantial buildings, erected in 1890, and since; also other valuable real estate in the city of Philadelphia. The new company has also acquired from J. G. Brill Co. and other owners the entire capital stocks of the following companies (except qualifying shares held by directors), viz:

. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stock Owned    Total Issue

American Car Co. of St. Louis, com. stock . . . . . . .$499,993          $500,000

American Car Co. of St. Louis, pfd. stuck . . . . . . . .$500,000         $500,000

G. C. Kuhlman Car Co., Cleveland, com. stock. .....$299,993          $300,000

G. C. Kuhlman Car Co., Cleveland, pfd. stock . .  . . $500,000        $500,000

J. Stephenson Co., Elizabeth, N. J., com. stock . . . $299,993          $300,000

J. Stephenson Co., Elizabeth, N. J., pfd. stock . . . . $300,000         $300,000

Wason Manufacturing Co., Springfield, Mass . . . . . $299,500         $300,000

“All of the companies acquired are engaged in the manufacture of electric and steam railway cars, trucks for electric cars, and kindred appliances. Their combined capacity is about 3,500 cars and 6,000 trucks per annum, having a value of about $8,000,000. The cars made by these companies are in use in the principal cities in this country and in Europe, South America, Philippine Islands, Africa, Japan, Australia and lndia.

“The American Car Co. was organized in 1902 in Missouri, as the American Car & Truck Co., taking over a business established in 1889. The company’s plant is located on the Old Manchester Road, in St. Louis, covers about 11 acres of ground, and is well adapted to its business. The capital stock of the company was purchased in Sept., 1902, by J. G. Brill Co. and associated interests.

“The G. C. Kuhlman Co. was organized in 1899 in Ohio. The company's plant is located on the border of Cleveland, and was constructed in 1902. Owns 30 acres of ground on which are substantial buildings of modern type. On March 15, 1904, the entire capital stock was acquired by J. G. Brill Co. and associated interests.

“The John Stephenson Co. was organized Aug. 10, 1900, in New Jersey, for the purpose of acquiring the business of the John Stephenson Co., Ltd. The business taken over by the latter corporation was established in 1831. Company owns 89 acres of ground in Elizabeth, N. J., with a water front on which were erected in 19(1) car building shops and structures so equipped that they constitute an industrial plant of the highest type. All the stock was purchased by J. G. Brill Co.

“The Wason Mfg. Co. was incorporated in 1862 in Mass. and took over the business founded by T. & C. Wason, in 1845. Company has a thoroughly equipped plant at Springfield, Mass, and owns about 25 acres of ground. Has a large export trade. The stock of this co. was purchased by the J. G. Brill Co., April 1, 1907.

“There is no bonded debt on any of The J. G. Brill Co.’s properties, except on the John Stephenson Co.’s plant. The debt on this property, secured by mortgage, is $400,000. The bonds bear interest at the rate of 5% per annum and mature Dec. 31, 1925, and are callable on any interest date at 105 and interest. Pfd. stock of The J. G. Brill Co. has been reserved for taking up these bonds. No bonded debt may be created hereafter without the authorization and approval of 75% of the preferred stock.

“See pages 1943 and 194-4 of Moody's Manual for 1907 for general financial statement.”

Although he was no longer active in the streetcar business, Gustave C. Kuhlman called upon his years of experience in procuring lumber and hardwood into the establishmen tof his own wholesale lumber business. The 1906 Cleveland directory states his office was located on the 3rd floor of the 13-story Citizens Building (No. 311 Citizens bldg.) at 1240 E. 9th Street, Cleveland.

The January 5, 1907 issue of the Electric Railway Journal announced the purhase of 20 of Kuhlman's new Brill-based semi-convertible cars by the Toledo Railways & Light Company:

“New Semi Convertible Cars For Toledo - The illustration shows one of 20 cars which were recently delivered by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company to the Toledo Railways & Light Company The new cars are generally similar to the advance lot of 10 cars for this company shipped by the same builders at the beginning of last year Their construction includes the Brill groove-less post semi convertible window system as well as other specialties As will be noted from the two types of platforms these cars are for operation in one direction only The front platform contains the motorman's compartment which is formed by the conjunction of two hinged doors extending diagonally across the car The entrance from the platform to the passenger compartment is through a door of the Brill semi accelerator pattern its location at the side rather than in the center of the bulkhead makes access to the car more convenient for passengers The platform is of the familiar Detroit type The interior finish is cherry The dimensions are Length over end panels 30 feet 8 inches over vestibules 40 feet 8 inches width over sills including sheathing 7 feet 111 4 inches over posts at belt 8 feet 2 inches height from floor to ceiling 8 feet 47 5 inches from track to under side of sills 2 feet 8 inches size of side sills 4 inches by 7 inches end sills 5 inches by 6 inches The car bodies are mounted on the Brill N0 27 F1 truck with a wheel base of 4 feet 6 inches.”

The ‘Rolling Stock column of the February 16, 1907 issue of Electric Railway Review mentioned a recent order by a Syracuse, NewYork operator:

“Rochester Syracuse & Eastern Railway, Syracuse, N.Y., has placed an order with the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company for two cars for heavy interurban service. They will have a length over all of 53 feet 6 inches, will be equipped with Westinghouse equipments and Baldwin trucks and are for delivery next summer.”

The February 23, 1907 issue of Electric Railway Review announced a tenfold  recapitalization of Brill:

“J. G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, is reported to have announced that the plan for the reorganization of its company, which has been under way for some time, has been accomplished. The capital stock has been increased from $600,000 to $10,000,000, part of which has been taken by the three other companies associated with it, namely, G. C. Kuhlman Car Company, American Car Company and the John Stephenson Company. It is stated that negotiations are under way for the equipping of another car-building company in the east. James Rawle, formerly secretary of the company, has been elected president to succeed Martin G. Brill who died some months ago. No changes in the operation of the different plants will be made at this time under the new management.”

The ‘Rolling Stock column of the February 23, 1907 issue of Electric Railway Review announced 4 new contracts for Kuhlman:

“Camden Interstate Railway Huntington W Va has ordered 5 new cars from the GC Kuhlman Car Company

“Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company Akron 0 will soon receive from the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company 10 new convertible cars 45 feet in length

“Galesburg & Kewanee Electric Railway Kewanee Ill., ordered 3 single truck Brill semi convertible cars from the GC Kuhlman Car Company These cars will be 31 feet 4 inches length over all will be equipped with cross seats Brill 21 E and GE 80 double motor equipments

“Chicago Electric Traction Company, Chicago. has ordered 15 single-end semi-convertible compartment cars for interurban service from the G. C. Kuhlman Car Company. 10 of which are for delivery before May 20 and 5 prior to June 15. They will be 45 feet 6 inches in length over all, will have a seating capacity of 52 persons, thirteen windows on each side. the smoking compartment taking in four windows. The rear platform will be 6 feet, 6 inches long and the front platform which is enclosed for the exclusive use of the motorman will be 5 feet long. A speaking tube runs from the motorman's cab to the platform in the rear. The cars will be equipped with stationary seats. Magann storage air brakes. Brill trucks. 4 GE-BO motors to each car, Monarch deck roof. steam coach hood in front and destination signs of colored glass.”

The ‘Rolling Stock' columns of the March 2 & 7, 1907 issues of Electric Railway Review announced two more orders:

“Camden Interstate Railway, Huntington, W. Va., has ordered 5 cars from the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, 8 cars from the Niles Car & Manufacturing Company and 1 car from the Jewel Car Company.

“Grand Rapids Railway Grand Rapids Mich has ordered 10 cars from the GC Kuhlman Car Company.”

The ‘Rolling Stock' columns of the March 16 & 23, 1907 issues of Electric Railway Review announced five additional orders for Kuhlman cars:

“Chattanooga Railways Company Chattanooga Tenn has ordered 15 cars from the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company.

“Rochester Railway, Rochester, NY has placed an order with the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company for 15 cars to be 30 feet in length.

“Citizens Railway 6 Light Company Ft Worth Tex. has placed an order with the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company for five cars 30 feet in length

“Johnstown Passenger Railway Johnstown Pa is having twelve 8 bench 28 foot open cars built by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company.

“Columbus Railway & Light Company Columbus 0 has purchased from the GC Kuhlman Car Company 10 double truck cars These will be 28 feet in length inside 42 feet long over all equipped with longitudinal seats and General Electric air brakes These cars are for delivery by June 1.”

The ‘Rolling Stock' column of the April 20 & 27, 1907 issues of Electric Railway Review provide two more orders:

“San Antonio Traction Company San Antonio Tex has an order with the GC Kuhlman Car Company for 10 semi convertible cars 40 feet long over vestibule with a seating of 40 passengers to be equipped with 4 GE 54 motors to be for city service and for delivery on August 1.

“International Railway Buffalo NY has placed an order with the GC Kuhlman Car Company for 50 cars.”

The ‘Rolling Stock' column of the June 29, 1907 issue of Electric Railway Review annoucned a huge 300-car order from the Chicago City Railway:

“Chicago City Railway Chicago Ill., was reported in the Electric Railway Review of April 13 to have placed an order for 300 cars with The JG Brill Company. This order has been divided among the Brill plants as follows; G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, 150; the J.G. Brill Company, 100; and the American Car Company, 50.”

The 1906-1907-1908 editions of the Street Railway Journal Electric Railway Dictionary included the following entries which describe Kuhlman's most popular offerings at the time:

BRILL BAGGAGE AND EXPRESS CARS: The cars are powerfully framed and trussed for carrying heavy loads, are provided with one or two sliding doors at each side, and usually have doors at diagonally opposite corners to admit long pieces of material and for the motrnvan's use. A removable gate extending across the car behind the motorman, against which material may be piled, may be used instead of a compartment. It is usually advisable to have baggage and express cars of the largest capacity that conditions permit, as the difference in cost of handling is comparatively small ^nd the earnings arc increased proportionally to the tc image carried.

BRILL "CALIFORNIA" CAR: A single-truck car with closed compartment at the center, and long dropped platforms, each having two seats back-to-back with bulkhead between. A pair of angle irons, with the upper flange under the side sills, is offset and prolonged to support the long dropped platforms without strain to the body. Ingress and egress arc facilitated by the dropped platforms which have running boards only 13 ins. from the track, and 12 ins. from beard to platform. Sashes in the bulkhead, and side curtains which can be drawn to the floor, provide for stormy weather. Double-truck "Californias" are also built.

BRILL CENTER-VESTIBULE CAR. As there are no platform steps to be avoided, the trucks may be placed so as to reduce the objectionable overhang and thus enable the car to be satisfactorily operated on narrow and crowded streets where the curves are of short radius. The entrance and exit of passengers can be easily watched and controlled by the conductor. A heavy stirrup-iron, which connects the sills, allows the steps to be kept within the line of body and preserves the stiffness and strength of Us. The seating capacity is increased by a sliding seat in the vestibule.

BRILL COMBINATION CONVERTIBLE AND SEMICONVERTIBLE CARS: Where railways are laid out to enable cars to run in one direction and have the entrances all on one side, it has been found advantageous to have the entrance side convertible, with sashes and panels that can be raised into roof pockets, and the other side of the car semi-con vertí ble, with built-in panels and only the sashes to be raised into pockets. The Brill patented convertible and semi-con vertible systems are well suited to such a combination, as the sash arrangement of both is identical. Several types of cars have been built with this combination for both motor and trailer service.

BRILL CONVERTIBLE CAR: Large double sash windows slide into roof pockets in the same manner as in the Brill semi-convertible car. The panels also slide into the same roof pockets by means of metal guides on the posts which are straddled by the projecting edges of the two sheets of thin steel which compose the panels. These metal sheets are held f-in. apart by horizontal wooden slats and have spaces between which successfully airjacket the car against cold. The car is as substantially built and as weather-proof as a standard closed car, and costs no more for maintenance. No rattling of sliding sashes and panels.

BRILL DRAWING-ROOM CARS: Among those designed and built for officials, and for regular service, are cars with state-rooms, bath-rooms, kitchens and diningrooms, observation ends with windows which reach nearly to the floor, large platforms enclosed with dashes and gates of dull brass grill work. The compartments are finished in rich woods handsomely carved and inlaid, and the upholstering and appointments are all of the most luxurious character. Drawing-room cars are being profitably used on many interurban lines. A number of these cars have included the Brill semi-convertible window system, which adds to their comfort in summer.

BRILL INTERURBAN CARS: These companies (to not follow the common methods of building interurban cars, which are drawn largely from steam car practice. Their forms of construction are not excessively heavy. The proper form and amount of bracing and trussing reduces the weight and bulk. That these methods are correct ami that infinite care is given to their application in every case, is amply proved by the straight sills, tight joints and thoroughly satisfactory condition of the cars after they have been in service long enough to demonstrate their strL-n;-ith and durability. The Brill semi-convertible window system is frequently included in interurban car designs and is adaptable to the arched-top twin-window arrangement.

BRILL "METROPOLITAN" CAR: This combination opea and closed car is used in a number of large cities in conjunction with standard equipment. One-half of the car is simply a standard open car and the other half a standard closed. It was designed for the Metropolitan Street Railway, of New York, when the Board of Health of that city demanded that every fourth car in summer be closed, and has proved so popular that it is used as a regular part of the winter equipment, smoking being allowed in the open part. The car is designed to be carried on "Eureka" maximum-traction trucks.

BRILL "NARRAQANSETT" CAR: The summer excursion car for handling crowds safely, and the only practical double-truck open car. A double-step is provided by having the upper step on the middle web of Z-iron sills. The width over all is no greater than a single-step double-truck open car, as the sill step is within the line of the posts. The double steps of the Narragansett make it possible for women and children to get in and out safely and quickly. It is the safest open car. The Z-iron sills make it the strongest open car ever built. The seats are full standard length.

BRILL PORTABLE SUB-STATION CARS: Instead of building sub-stations which could only be used part of the year, a car containing a rotary converter and transformers may be placed on a siding wherever needed and connection made to the transmission Unes with a pole. The delivery of a heavy voltage of direct current over a long Une is expensive and as the percentage of waste is slight with alternating current, the car may be placed as far from the powerhouse as desired. The roof of these cars is constructed to be removable in a single piece to permit installation of machinery by crane.

BRILL SEMI-CONVERTIBLE CAR: Each pair of sashes is joined together with brass tongue-and-groove sliding connections and conducted into a pocket in the side roof by means of small metal roller-brackets, moving on bow-shaped steel guides, which extend from top-plate to lower ventilator rail, and are within the pocket. This is the improved patented system known as the "groovelesspost.'' Having the window pockets in the roof adds G ins. to 7£ ins. to the interior width; the pockets cannot be used for rubbish receptacles; the window sills may be as low as desired; the operation of the sashes is easier than with wall pockets.

BRILL STANDARD CLOSED CARS: Single and double-truck closed cars longitudinal seats and drop-sash windows are still built in large numbers. For city service, the wide space between the seats is often an important advantage over the limited aisle space of the transverse seat arrangement, as greater carrying capacity is obtained and the movement of passengers in and out is facilitated. When cars are built with entrance at one side only of cither open or vestibuled platforms, it is usual to include the company's "semi-accelerator" doors at the body ends, which permit passengers standing on the platform without obstructing the passage from step to door.

BRILL STANDARD OPEN CARS: As usually constructed, the seats have reversible backs wiih the exception of the four against the bulkheads, so that the passengers, on all but two seats, face forward. The cars are sometimes built without bulkheads, vestibule ends with stout corner posts taking their place, thereby permitting all seats to have reversible backs. If bulkheads are used and weather conditions require protection for passengers outside of them, light but substantial vestibules may be employed to advantage. All open cars are provided with the company's "round-corner seat-end panels," which facilitate ingress and egress and permit the curtains to be drawn to the floor.

BRILL TOP-SEAT CARS: These companies build every type of single and double-truck top-seat car, with and without canopies and enclosures, with longitudinal seats on the deck, facing outwardly, or transverse seats. A form of stairway, which they have devised, reduces the length of the platforms, provides a covering for the motorman, and keeps him out of the way of passengers. Other features, developed by long experience, include a variety of window systems which adapt the cars to local conditions.

The October 2, 1909 issue of Railroad Age Gazette announced orders for 125 pieces of Kuhlman equipment:

“The Pittsburgh Railways Co. has ordered 80 cars from the Kuhlman Car Co.; The Cleveland Electric Railway has ordered 25 city cars from the Kuhlman Car Co.; The Toledo Railway & Light is said to have ordered 20 city cars from the Kuhlman Car Co.”

The unusual Kuhlman 'windspitter' debuted in 1909. Originally constructed specifically for Central New York's Oneida Railways, the unique cars employed a parabolic – tapered – nose and were nearly six feet longer than a 'standard' Oneida Railway’s Brill interurban. The front end design of these new cars was theoretically to reduce wind resistance, which gave rise to one of the car’s nicknames; Windsplitters. Other nicknames for the cars were “Bullmoose” – because of their big nose, and “Arrow cars” because of their front end configuration and possibly a connection to the railroad name that was derived from the Oneida Indian tribe. Both cars were equipped with four 70hp motors that - in service - were not enough power to maintain 'limited' service, they were generally used only in 'local' service.

Kuhlman Car's listing in the 1910-1911 Cleveland directories follows:

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Office and factory at E. 140th at L.S. & M.S. Ry., N.E. (Collinwood); S.W. Curwin, Pres., res. Philadelphia; James Rawle, Treas., res. Philadelphia; Chas. A. Ricks, Sec. & Asst. Treas., res. Lake Shore Blvd., Bratenahl; H.E. Haddock, Supt., res. 929 E. 146th, NE; D.B. Dean, Mng. Sales Dept., res. 2049 E. 77th SE; Tels.: Bell Glen 125; Cuya. Crest 496.”

The 1912-1915 Cleveland directories note a few more changes in top personel at the firm:

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Office and factory at E. 140^th at L.S. & M.S. Ry., N.E. (Collinwood); S.W. Curwin, Pres., res. Philadelphia; W.H. Heulings, Jr., V.-Pr., Res. Philadelphia; E.P. Rawle, Treas., Asst.-Treas., res. Philadelphia; C.C. Fenton, Sec.- Asst. Treas., res. 1646 Hollywood Rd., NE; L.A. Kling, Supt., res. 13234 Forest Hill Av. E.C.; D.B. Dean, Mng. Sales Dept., res. 13066 Forest Hill Ave. E.C.; Tels.: Bell Glen 125; Cuya. Crest 496.”

The May, 15, 1909 issue of the Syracuse Herald announced that the Syracuse, New York-based Beebe railway syndicate (named for Clifford D. Beebe) had order 15 new interurbans from Kuhlman:

“The expenditure of the Beebe Syndicate this year for new rolling stock will amount to a good sized fortune. Announcement was made to-day at the offices of the syndicate of the placing of an order for fifteen new cars of the large enclosed interurban type with the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co. of Cleveland, O.

“Ten of the cars will be for use on the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern and five on the Syracuse, Lake Shore and Northern Line. They will be delivered to the shops at Newark and Lakewood next fall…

“The cars will be fifty-three feet in length and will seat comfortably fifty-eight people. They will have toilets and smoking apartments. Each will be equipped with four 125 h.p. motors and all be so built that they can be operated by means of a multiple control in trains of two or more, or with trailers…

“They will cost, it is said, in the neighborhood of $12,000 each… It was also said today that the Beebe Syndicate has place an order for a fine new private car, which will be used by its officers and special parties when occasion arises over the entire system.”

The August 28, 1911 Chester Times states Detroit United Railways had ordered fifty pieces of new equipment from Kuhlman:

“Other orders placed included the following: Detroit United Railways, 50 cars from the Kuhlman Car Company.”

The October 1914 issue of The Goodrich, published by the B.F. Goodrich Tire Co., announcee Kuhlman's first foray into the field of automotive coachwork, and the start of their decades-long collaboration with the White Motor Co.:

“Cleveland Auto-Bus Extends Street Car Service

“The rapid growth of some of the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, has made it necessary for the Cleveland Railway Company to put a flexible system of feeders to work in the form of auto buses which run from terminals into territory not served by car lines.

“Three auto buses, carrying twenty-six passengers each are now in service. The bodies, mounted on three ton White chasses, were built by The G. C. Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, and conform as closely to standard car practice as conditions will permit. The wheel base is 183 1/2 inches, the underframe is of wood with side and end sill construction.

“A two leaf folding door closes against the edge of the top step, while the lower step to ds up against the bottom of the door. These are controlled by the driver who sits directly opposite the door. This permits one-man operation.

“An emergency door in the rear provides an exit in case of necessity. The tire equipment, mentioned last, but by no means the least important consideration, is Goodrich Wireless. These buses will be called upon to ‘make the schedule’ in all sorts of weather and the Cleveland Railway Company paid a worthy tribute to the Goodrich Wireless Truck Tire in putting it on these passenger carrying buses.”

In 1914 Kuhlman began production on its first truly modern interurban car whose conductor was stationed between the center-mounted entrance and exit doors. Popularly known as the 'Peter Witt' or 'Witt-type', the design was the brainchild of  Cleveland's first Street Railway Commissioner. The cars were based upon Witt’s two US Patents which are included at the conclusion of this history as appendix 1 and 2:

“Street Railway Car – US Patent No.1180900, filed - ‎Filed Sep 11, 1915 and ‎issued Apr 25, 1916 to Peter Witt.

“Street Railway Car – US Patent No.1243026, ‎filed Feb 3, 1917 and ‎issued Oct 16, 1917 to Peter Witt.”

Witt's designs reduced passenger boarding and exit times by positioning the conductor in a drop center well that provided a low step height from the street for quicker boarding.  After the fares were collected, passengers climbed two steps to access the front or rear seating platforms which were fitted with longitudinal seating on the left side of the car and forward facing seats on the right. The Cleveland Railway Co. purchased 201 of the 51' foot long Witt cars, all seating 59 passengers and built with Scullin rooftop ventilators. In the next decade and a half Kuhlman produced several thousand Witt-type cars, many of which were built as (or modified into) one-man cars by placing the fare box adjacent to the operator.

Gustave C. Kuhlman passed away after suffering from ‘locomotor ataxia,’ a syphilitic disorder that attacks the spinal column, on October 4, 1915 at the age of 56, the following day’s issue of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (October 5, 1915) included the following obituary:

“Gustave Kuhlman Dies; Founded Car Company

“Succumbs After Short Illness; Retired from Firm in 1903

“Gustave C. Kuhlman, 56, founder of the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., died last night at his home, 1900 E. 82^nd st., after an illness of several weeks.

“Several weeks ago Mr. Kuhlman suffered a nervous breakdown and was forced to spend much time at home and away from his business as manager of the Cleveland and northern Ohio district of the Martindale Mercantile Agency, 10539 Euclid Av. About three weeks ago he had a bad attack which forced him to bed. After this attack his condition remained critical.

“Mr. Kuhlman is survived by his wife, Mamie A. Kuhlman, a daughter, Miss Dorothy, a student at the High School of Commerce, and one son, Pomery, student at East Technical high. Two brothers, William E. Kuhlman, 7319 Dellenbaugh av. N.E., and Fred G. Kuhlman, 1198 E. 114th st., also survive.

“Mr. Kuhlman’s two brothers and his father were associated with him at the time he founded the car company, about 1880. He retired from the car manufacturing business in 1903, when the J.G. Brill Co. of Philadelphia bought the company’s plant at Adams av. N.E. and the New York Central railroad tracks.”

The Kuhlman Company's lsiting in the 1916 Cleveland directory follows:

G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Office and factory at E. 140th at L.S. & M.S. Ry., N.E. (Collinwood); S.W. Curwin, Pres., res. Philadelphia; W.H. Heulings, Jr., V.-Pr., Res. Philadelphia; E.P. Rawle, Treas., Asst.-Treas., res. Philadelphia; C.C. Fenton, Sec.- Asst. Treas., res. 1646 Hollywood Rd., NE; L.A. Kling, Supt., res. 13234 Forest Hill Av. E.C.; D.B. Dean, Mng. Sales Dept., res. 13066 Forest Hill Ave. E.C.; Tels.: Bell Glen 125; Cuya. Crest 496.

In 1916 Kuhlman built 60 steel cars, numbered 801 to 860, for the Toledo, Ohio’s Community Traction Company (CTC).

The July 20, 1916 edition of the Syracuse Herald reveals the Salt City had recently purchased 25 new cars:

“New Cars Coming For State Fair: First Two of Twenty-five Promised For Next Week

“Can Santvoord Acts: Chairman of Public Service Commission Stirs Management of New York State Railways and Kuhlman Car Co. to Immediate Response

“All of the twenty-five new cars which the New York State Railways have purchased for this city will he delivered before the State fair. This information came today in a letter received by City Clerk Alsever from Chairman Van Santvoord of the Public Service Commission, second district.

“The first of the cars will come next week and the others will follow at intervals of two or three days. Mr. Alsever gave out this statement:

“At our request the general manager of the company yesterday took up the subject of delivery with the manufacturers and now informs us that the Kuhlman company advises it expects to ship the first two car July 27th or 28th, and thereafter ship at the rate of two cars every three days until the order is completed: that the only thing that might prevent delivery as stated is the possible non-delivery to the manufacturer of the door opening equipment, which latter is not made by the Kuhlman Car company.”

The 'News of the Electric Railways' column of the February 2, 1918 issue of Electric Railway Journal reported on a January 23, 1918 fire that destroyed 48 cars owned by the International Railway Co. of Buffalo, New York, 12 of which were brand new 'Peter Witt' cars:

“Forty eight Cars Burned; Damage at Buffalo Not as Great as at First Reported But Will Total $500,000

“Fire which swept through the Forest Avenue station of the International Railway, Buffalo, N.Y. on the night of Jan. 23 destroyed forty-eight cars and four snowplows and track sweepers. Twelve other cars were slightly damaged. The loss is estimated at $500,000. The burned cars will be replaced immediately but the company will move the location of the carhouse. Investigations made by the railroad officials failed to determine the cause the fire. After conferences with the J.G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, that promised to divert to Buffalo thirty cars now being built for other companies. These cars are of the double end type similar to those destroyed in the fire. The company has received twelve cars from the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, Ohio, on its second order for fifty cars and the other thirty-eight cars will be delivered within the next sixty days. The Forest car house was one of the oldest owned by the company. It was a one story brick structure 500 ft. x 150 ft. About eighty cars were operated out of it but fifteen cars were lying on storage tracks on property adjoining the station on the night of the fire and the balance were being operated on the three lines which run out of the burned structure.

“Within thirty minutes after the fire was discovered the entire building was in ruins. As soon as the power had been cut off at the power houses the firemen started to throw water onto the building but it was fully fifteen minutes before this was done. The frame roof fell onto the cars and every car in the house was destroyed beyond repair. About half of the burned cars were of the double end type. The others were near side pay as you enter cars. None of the company's new equipment was operated out of this carhouse. The loss of this equipment will seriously handicap the company until all the cars can be replaced. From the Forest car house are operated all the cars for the Elmwood Avenue line which is the main traffic artery to the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company, the Curtiss Aeroplane Company and other large war industries in the congested Elmwood Hertel Avenue section. Cars have been diverted from several of the company's other carhouses to handle a large part of this traffic.

“The rolling stock equipment of the company as last reported consisted of 945 motor cars and ninety-three cars. The company operates about 400 miles of electric railway.”

The February 2, 1918 issue of Electric Railway Journal implied that the City of Buffalo would step in to assist the International Railway after their devastating loss of January 23rd:

“City May Buy and Loan Equipment to Railway; Mayor of Buffalo Sees in This Possible Solution of Problem to Which War Department Has Assigned Colonel Arnold

“Unless orders are placed at once by the International Railway Buffalo, N.Y., for 100 new cars in addition to the 100 side exit Peter Witt cars now being received from the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, the city will buy the equipment and lease it to the railway. Mayor George S. Buck made this statement to E.G. Connette, president of the International Railway, at a conference attended by members of the new municipal electric railway commission. Col. Bion J. Arnold, Chicago, of the War Department at Washington, and John C. Brackenridge, who has been retained by the City Council to make a survey of traffic conditions on the city lines of the company.

“Colonel Arnold Promises Aid

“When President Connette said that several questions, including that of financing the purchase of the equipment, would have to be considered by directors of the company before such an order could be placed, the Mayor suggested that the notes of the International Railway covering the proposed equipment would be acceptable to banking houses, and Colonel Arnold of the War Department said that the government would aid in a situation involving transportation problems of workers in munitions plants and other war industries.

“It has been agreed that the company shall have additional time in which to consider the placing of a new order for 100 cars. The company has been directed to place in operation in the meantime during the rush hour periods all of its open cars as an emergency measure. Old cars not equipped with vestibules for the motormen may be rebuilt so as to afford the necessary protection and will probably be placed in operation until the new cars arrive…”

The 'Rolling Stock' column of the April 20, 1918 issue of Electric Railway Journal reported on recent orders for 75 new pieces of rolling stock:

“International Railway, Buffalo, New York, as noted in last weeks Electric Railway Journal, has ordered thirty new cars of the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co.; Capital Traction Company, Washington, D.C. as reported in the Electric railway Journal of March 16, ordered twenty new cars of the G.C. Kuhlman Co., delivery in July; Washington Railway and Electric Company, Washington, D.C., has placed an order for twenty-five new cars, delivery Jun and July, with the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., reported in last week's Electric Railway Journal.”

The 'Rolling Stock' column of the April 27, 1918 issue of Electric Railway Journal mentions that  the International Ralwya had ordered a total of 40 new Kuhlman cars:

“The International Railway, Buffalo, N.Y. has placed in operation the first of its new all steel interurban cars which were bought for the Buffalo Niagara Falls line. These cars are being built by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company. The total number to be supplied is forty. An illustrated description of these cars appeared in the issue of the Electric Railway Journal for March 3, 1917, page 378.”

An additional 25 cars destined for the Washington Railway & Electric Co. (bringing their total order to 50 pcs.) was mentioned in the 'Rolling Stock' column of the May 14, 1918 issue of Electric Railway Journal:

“Washington Railway and Electric Company, Washington, D.C., which recently ordered twenty-five new cars, as noted in the Electric Railway Journal of Apr. 3, from the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., this week added another twenty-five, making fifty in all. The specifications duplicated those published in this department in April 20, page 794. Delivery date of the new lot will be in October.”

While their parent company were major suppliers of trucks and truck bodies to the Allies during the first World War, little is knonw of Kuhlman's involvement save for news of a $143,000 order for truck bodies that appeared in the October 31, 1918 issue of Automotive Industries:

“Government’s Prices for Trucks; Complete List of Contracts Placed for ‘B’ Trucks and ‘A’ and ‘B’ Bodies

“Washington, Oct. 25 – Following is the complete list, together with prices paid, of orders placed by the Quartermaster Department for class B trucks, Class A truck bodies and class B truck bodies. In each contract on the B trucks the Government furnished the eleven major units:

“Class ‘A’ Bodies (price includes troop seats and export crating):

“Kuhlman Car Co., Cleveland, Ohio - 1,000 bodies at $143 each, total $143,000.”

Kuhlman's listings in the 1917-1919 Cleveland directories follows:

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Office and factory at E. 140^th at L.S. & M.S. Ry., N.E. (Collinwood); S.W. Curwin, Pres., res. Philadelphia; W.H. Heulings, Jr., V.-Pr., Res. Philadelphia; E.P. Rawle, Treas., Asst.-Treas., res. Philadelphia; W.M. Cunningham, Sec.- Asst. Treas., res. 13664 Euclid Av., E.C.; L.A. Kling, Supt., res. 13234 Forest Hill Av. E.C.; D.B. Dean, Mng. Sales Dept., res. 13066 Forest Hill Ave. E.C.; Tels.: Bell Glen 125; Cuya. Crest 496.”

Motorized surface transportation – as opposed to rail transit – began making serious inroads in the years immediately following the end of the First World War. As orders for interurbans and trolleys declined Kuhlman Car began manufacturing bus bodies, initially for the White Motor Car Co., their Cleveland neighbor. However bus bodies continued to remain a small part of their business and an occasional large order for rolling stock and street cars kept the firm’s 400+ employees busy into the mid-1920s.

The 1920 Cleveland directories list the Kuhlman Car Co. as follows:

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., Builders of Electric and Steam Railway Cars. Office and factory at E. 140th at L.S. & M.S. Ry., N.E. (Collinwood); S.W. Curwin, Pres., res. Philadelphia; W.H. Heulings, Jr., V.-Pr., Res. Philadelphia; E.P. Rawle, Treas., Asst.-Treas., res. Philadelphia; W.J. Clay, Sec.- Asst. Treas., res. 395 E 149th; H.K. Hauck, gen, Mgr., res. 15137 Terrace Rd. E.C.; D.B. Dean, Mng. Sales Dept., res. 13066 Forest Hill Ave. E.C.; Tels.: Bell Glen 125; Cuya. Crest 496.”

Just as General Motors was getting involved in the surface transportation industry, Henry Ford was hatching his own scheme which involved a Henry Ford & Son-designed street car, constructed by Kuhlman, the October 22, 1919 issue of Motor World provided the following details:

“Ford's Street Car Pronounced Success

“Inventor Believes Cheaper and Faster Transportation Solved Tests Soon

“Detroit, Oct. 20 - Henry Ford's internal combustion engine for his gasoline street car has been completed and given a successful tryout at the plant in Dearborn. Plans for sending the first gasoline propelled street car in a race against the Wolverine, over the Michigan Central tracks from Detroit to Chicago, practically have been completed and the test is scheduled within the next forty days, as soon as the car has been completed.

“Ford expressed himself as convinced he had solved the problem of cheaper and faster transportation. The engine is of the double opposed type and generates its own electricity for ignition and lighting. Opposing pistons are linked to the same throw and new designs of linked rod are used. All operations necessary for the control of the car are centered in the engine and all this is accomplished with a 75 per cent reduction in weight as compared with the power and control equipment of the electrical street car.

“‘The power unit which moves the car represents a new combination of functions’, said Sorensen. ‘It is an engine, an air compressor, an electrical generator and a heating and lighting plant all in one. The power that moves the car also compresses the air for the brakes and generates the electric current for the lighting and signal system, while a sirocco fan, bolted to the front end of the starter, draws air in through the housing of the engine where it is heated, then exhausted through heating pipes to warm the car. Another feature will be the front and rear drive, the power being transmitted by light, flexible shafts to both front and rear trucks. The combination includes a series of new applications which have been adequately protected by patents.’

“The power plant of the car weighs about 1,150 pounds and the entire car will weigh about seven tons as compared with the 12 and 14 ton electric cars. The car will be 37 feet over all, develop 90-horsepower and will seat 42 passengers. It can make 70 miles an hour and can be geared to a rate of speed conforming to the regulations of any city or state.

“Engines for five cars are on the way at the Ford experimental shops. The first will be of the private-car type for long distance demonstrations, and invitations already have been received from various municipalities for demonstrations. The car will take a 3 per cent grade at a rate of 20 miles an hour on high.”

The January 29, 1920 issue of Automotive Industries reported the car would be raced against an automobile and :

“Prepare for Test of Ford Street Car: Will Be Raced With Automobile and Later on M.C. Railroad

“DETROIT, Jan. 26 - The body for Henry Ford's gasoline street car, which was shipped to the tractor plant at Dearborn several days ago, has been fitted with the internal combustion engine, and plans for the test in a race with a fast passenger car are being completed. The car body is 37 ft. over all and will seat 42 passengers. The test car, which will be sent over the rails ahead of the Wolverine on the Michigan Central, will be a much heavier type than the proposed Ford street car, in order to conform to railroad transportation laws and conditions that will be confronted. It will be a double truck car, the weight of each truck with its four wheels exceeding 2000 pounds. The body was built by the G. C. Kuhlman Car Co. of Cleveland.

“The power plant will weigh in the neighborhood of 1500 pounds, and the new street car will weigh in its entirety about 7 tons, in contrast with the 12 and 14 ton street cars now in use in all cities. The Ford car develops 90 hp. and will be able to make 70 miles an hour, though it is so constructed as to permit of its being geared to conform to city and state regulations. It is equipped with air and foot brakes and will take a 3 per cent grade at a speed of 20 miles.

“The wastefulness of coal as fuel, according to General Manager Charles E. Sorensen, is just one of many reasons why the internal combustion engine and the individual power unit soon is destined to supersede present methods of steam as well as street railroads. He predicts its general adoption in the near future in view of the fact that it makes possible the use of lighter rail and does away with all the expensive paraphernalia of overhead transmission, transformers and costly power stations. Dangers of breaking electric wires are eliminated, and there is no possibility of complete tie-up, he says.

“Sorensen has figured out that on the basis of 5 miles to a gallon of gasoline he could make the New York to San Francisco run without a stop for fuel. Neither Ford nor Sorensen will contend that the engine is perfect or that it will be available immediately for commercial purposes. They admit it may have to be torn to pieces and rebuilt, but both are confident of the correctness of their theory, and insist that the individual power unit and the liquid fuel engine is destined to take precedence over steam.

“Tests of the car will be followed closely by railroad and traction companies in all parts of the country. Should it live up to expectations, it will probably result in a transformation of existing transportation methods.”

Although the car showed promise, Henry Ford abuptly abandoned the project after the  car - christened 'The Dearborn' - suffered an embarrassing mechanical breakdown during a July, 1920 road test.

Detroit United Railway ordered 50 Peter Witt-style streetcars in July of 1921. The city's first fleet of Peter Witt cars began arriving Oct. 8, 1921, sporting the same paint scheme used on the fleet older 'Birney Cars,' straw yellow body with brown doors and windows, cream trim and black undercarriage. Also included in the order were 23 circa 1916 Kuhlman 52-passenger trailers. When mated to a Witt-type car, the motorless trailer cars provided an economical way of increasing passenger capacity on heavily travelled lines.

The August 6, 1921 issue of Electric Railway Journal reported on the construction of a new style motorbus for the Trackless Transportation Co. of New York:

“The Imperial Omnibus in Service: Trial Tests Being Made in Actual Service on One of New York's 5 Cent Bus Lines - Takes Well with the Riding Public and City Officials

“The Trackless Transportation Company of New York, the originator of the low center of gravity, underslung, stepless bus has recently put one of these motor cars into service on the bus routes in downtown New York which are operated under the control of the department of plant and structures of the city. On this route there are many other types of motor buses but none of them are like this one in design. By means of actual service tests the company will soon be able to know what can be expected of the new bus under actual operating conditions.

“The motor bus is of a new type and has been especially designed for passenger service. Some of the factors sought are maximum of safety and comfort to passengers, low cost of maintenance and economy of operation.

“The bus, as shown in the accompanying illustrations, has a low underslung body with the floor but 26 in. above the level of the street. The entrance is at the right forward end, is spacious and has but one step. This allows ready egress and ingress of passengers with a minimum of delay. The bus has a seating capacity of twenty-nine on four cross seats on either side, two longitudinal seats over the rear wheels and a seat across the rear of the body large enough to accommodate five passengers. Standees to the number of twenty can be accommodated and this gives a maximum load of forty-nine passengers. An emergency door is provided at the rear. The windows are raised sash and when opened cause a wire guard to slide into place, thereby rendering it impossible for a passenger to put out his arms or head.

“The body is of steel aluminum construction and was built by the Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland. It is of the truss side type, with the lower member a structural steel angle and the top member a pressed steel letterboard. The posts are of pressed steel and the roof is of Haskelite. The interior finish is of birch, stained mahogany color with a white enamel roof. Illumination is furnished by seven dome lights. There is also a step light and light for an illuminated destination sign. Three exhaust ventilators are provided, mounted along the center line of the roof. Another ventilator is mounted on the dash of the bus.

“The chassis frame is of special design and of a channel section. A special Buda engine of the ETU type, with Fuller transmission and Clark internal drive rear-end specially designed make up the power plant. The transmission has four speeds forward and is mounted amidships. It has gears of very wide face.

“The rear axle carries 65 per cent of the total weight. The chassis weights approximately 5,000 lb. The rear springs which are of the compensating type are 60 in. in length and are hung below the axle. The front axle is of the drop construction type with spring pads forged on the top face in the dropped position. This spring arrangement using springs of elastic furnace chrome silico manganese steel, together with giant pneumatic tires gives very easy riding qualities and provides a maximum of comfort for the passengers. It is possible to substitute cushion type tires for pneumatic tires where desired, which would reduce height of floor about 2 in.

“The chassis as equipped has an electric starting and lighting system, speedometer, power tire pumps, fire extinguisher and Motometer. There are two forms of brakes. One is a service brake, which is of the propeller-shaft locomotive type that works on the drive shaft, the other is an emergency internal expanding brake on the rear axle. Two wheel gages are used. The rear wheels are placed 71 in. apart in order to reduce to a minimum the chance of overturning. The front gage is 66 in. which is desirable in order to give as small a turning radius as possible. The wheelbase is 183 in.”

An order for 3 Kuhlman-bodied 25-passenger Packard motor coaches was mentioned in the October 1, 1921  issue of the Electric Railway Journal:

“Auxiliary Motor Bus Lines to Akron Railway

“Announcement is made by A.C. Blinn, vice president and general manager of the Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company, Akron, Ohio, that auxiliary bus lines are to be established by the company in Akron within a short time. An initial order for three closed steel motor bus bodies has been placed with the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, Ohio.

“The buses will seat twenty-five passengers and in addition will have room for ten or fifteen standees. The entrance is on the right hand side at the front. Folding doors and steps are a part of the equipment. The buses are to be lighted by electricity. There will also be a buzzer system with push buttons at each side post. They are equipped with regulation heaters and fare boxes will be established at the right of the driver against the railing. The color is to be of a maroon with the name of the company in gold letters on each side.

“The seats are to be upholstered in leather of a dark green color, floors are to be covered with linoleum. Window screens are attached to the bottom of the side and rear windows, all windows having inside curtains. Both cross and longitudinal seats are to be used.

“The chassis is made by the Packard Motor Car Company, is to be equipped with approved type of wheels and pneumatic tires. The drive will be left hand. The springs are to be of longer and easier riding construction than used in ordinary commercial service.

“The cost of the new bus complete is approximately $8,000. First delivery of three buses is promised by the Kuhlman Car Company within eight or ten weeks.”

The October 5, 1921 issue of the Evening Independent (Massillon, Ohio) stated a fleet of similar buses was being put into operation in Canton, Ohio:

“Asks Traction Company To Install Line Here

“Steps to give Massillon greater transportation facilities were taken today by J. K. McCormick, chairman of the railroad committee of the city council, when he sent a communication to A. C. Blinu, general manager of the Northern Ohio Traction & Light company, at Akron, asking him to consider the plan of installing a motor bus line in Massillon to furnish transportation for a thickly populated section of the city which is not now reached by street cars.

“The N. O. T. recently announced its intention of installing auxiliary bus line service in Akron. At present three big steel automobile buses are being built by the G. C. Kuhlman Car company of Cleveland, builders of the Peter Witt type of street car.

“These three buses are to be put into operation as soon as they are completed. Similar buses also will be placed in operation in Canton. The busses, which will accommodate 25 persons, are built on the lines of a street car. They are expected to be in operation in Akron within the next two months.”

The 1922 Cleveland directory lists the current officers of the Kuhlman Car Co.:

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., (inc 1901): Samuel M. Curwen, Pres., res. (Phila, Pa);J.W. Rawle (Phila, Pa), V-Pres. (Phila, Pa); E.P. Rawle, Treas., Asst.-Treas., (Phila, Pa); R.H. Watts, Sec.- Asst. Treas.; H.K. Hauck, gen, Mgr.; D.B. Dean, Mgr. Sales Dept., Mfrs. Electric and Steam Cars E 140th and NYCRR, Tel Eddy 480.”

The January 1922 issue of Electric Traction mentioned that Kuhlman was supplying two types of bodies - city service, and interurban - for a fleet of 50-hp White buses ordered by the Rockford City Traction Co. of Rockforf, Illinois:

“Special Chassis Body Developed For Passenger Transportation

“Rockford City Traction Company to Use New Equipment in Feeder Service

“A special type of motor bus having new features of design which are important in passenger transportation but not available in most types of motor truck chassis has been brought out by the White Company. The new design adopted by the Rockford City Traction Company in the six buses recently ordered for use in feeder service, is one of the first in which both chassis and body have been developed especially for bus work. It gives railway companies operating buses the advantage of using equipment that exactly fits the requirements of bus operation. Regular models of motor trucks have been successful in bus service but the rapid development of passenger transportation by motor bus and the use of the bus in new classes of service, have brought out many new operating problems which are met best by special design.

“The new 50 h.p. model has a wheelbase of 198 inches, making it possible to mount, without excessive overhang, a body which has comfortable seats for 25 passengers. Long and flexible springs, a low center of gravity and the long wheelbase, combine to make riding easy. Because of its low loading height, only one step is needed at the entrance. Passengers can enter or leave rapidly so that stops are short and fast schedules can be maintained.

“Two types of bodies made by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company have been designed for the bus chassis - one known as a city type, and the other an interurban type. Operating companies, however, may use other types of bodies when desired. The city type permits of great freedom of movement about the interior and eliminates choking at the entrance. The interurban type is designed for the utmost comfort of passengers on long trips, with ample space for luggage. Both types have wide double doors at the front and an emergency door in the rear. Modern heating and ventilating systems are installed.

“Standard equipment includes generator and electric lights, side braces on the frame, steel wheels and solid tires, single in front and dual in rear. This tire equipment is especially adapted to operation on city streets. Pneumatic tires and disc steel wheels can be furnished, if desired for interurban operation. This tire equipment does not raise the low center of gravity, nor increase the frame height. The use of various optional standard gear ratios makes possible a wide range of speed and acceleration.”

The January 19, 1922 issue of Automotive Industries included an article detailing the expanding motor coach activities of Cleveland's best-known body builders:

“Street Car Makers Are Building Buses; Expect Motor Vehicle Business to equal Volume of Regular Lines

“Cleveland, Jan. 16 - The G.C. Kuhlman Car Co. and the Gustav Schaefer Wagon Co. have found the motor bus field surprisingly large and profitable. In fact the two companies, which are among the oldest and best established of the city, are looking forward to the time when the motor bus business will equal the volume of their regular lines.

“The Kuhlman car works is a subsidiary of the J. G. Brill Co. of Philadelphia. It has for years been an extensive builder of street railway and interurban cars and is one of the largest producers of those products in the country. Two years ago it began the construction of motor buses, to meet a quickening demand. The Brill company also builds street cars in Philadelphia, but has been concentrating upon the building of motor buses in the plant in this city. The rate at which the motor bus business of the company has grown leads company officials to predict that within three years this class of work will occupy as much time as the building of street and interurban cars.

“Standardizes Bus

“Last week the company shipped four motor bus shells to its Preston, Ont. Plant to be finished for the Toronto transportation commission, which will use them for extension purposes.

“The Kuhlman Co., recently standardized its light bus after development work extending over two years. Within the last three months a new form of tapered front has been designed and patents applied for on a method of clamping the light wooden roof to the rim and fastening it to the sides. Except for the roof the body is of steel construction built upon the same principles as those used in constructing street cars. The same factory buildings and similar patterns are used.

“Low Type of Chassis Used

“Most of the buses built are on the new low type of chassis designed to keep the center of gravity far down in the machine and prevent upsetting. These have been on the market six months. An emergency door also is a helpful equipment. The central and far west have been the best markets for the buses, reports show.

“The Gustav Schaefer Wagon Co. has eight motor buses under construction and during the year just ended built more of them than ever before, according to Ernest C. Schaefer. A light body is featured by this company. H. G. Schaefer of the company visited New York last week discussing plans with an electric railway company, which proposes to use buses for extension purposes.”

The February 1922 issue of The Motor Truck included an interesting story of a Canadian motor coach operator who thought Kuhlman's all-steel bodies were too expensive:

“Another exceptionally interesting Pierce-Arrow installation is the bus line operating between Toronto and Hamilton. On this installation, which is composed of two Pierce-Arrow busses, the owner at first decided that the all steel street car type of bus built by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co. of Cleveland was too expensive and he purchased a Pierce-Arrow chassis and had a wood and steel body built. This was operated for about 60 days after which it was decided to purchase the all steel job which has justified the added expenditure.”

In fact Kuhlman's all-steel motor coach bodies were signifcantly more expensive than their competitors, with a premium ranging from 15% to 25%. An article in the February 1922 issue of National Taxicab and Motorbus Journal detailed the extensive use of Haskelite composite plywood panels in taxicab and motor coach construction:

“Plywood For Roof and Bodies

“Product Has Many Advantages, Among Which Are Light Weight and Great Strength

“Moulded plywood roofs are being produced by the Haskelite Manufacturing Corporation 133 West Washington street, Chicago, Illinois, for use in taxicab and motorbus bodies. These roof panels made of airplane plywood combine light weight and great strength to a remarkable degree.

“Illustrating this strength feature an interesting accident is reported by the Lexington Motor Car Company, Connersville, Indiana. One of their sedans, fitted with a Haskelite roof, was standing in the yard just beneath an electric crane and through some mishap the heavy crane hook, weighing about 450 pounds, was dropped from a six foot height onto the roof. Although supported by only one rib, the roof panel was not damaged. It was refitted to the roof rail, refinished and sent out into service.

“A similar incident is reported where a coupe ran off a culvert, overturned and was severely damaged, but the roof saved the passengers from serious injury. The garage dealer who repaired the top writes: ‘We took off the old roof and, just to see how much strain the roof would stand, we had two of our workmen jump on the roof. Much to our surprise, the roof did not give way until after both men had jumped on it simultaneously for four times, when it simply cracked under the tremendous strain.

“These accidents emphasize the strength and safety features of the Haskelite roof. Safety is the first thing a good body designer considers.

“Haskelite plywood roofs are furnished moulded or formed to the crown desired in the finished roof. Already formed to shape its application to the frame is a comparatively simple matter.

“The plywood panel being stiff and strong contributes to the rigidity of the top and body; breaking of glass is reduced; also body noises and creaking are diminished. An objection, formerly raised, to drumming or vibration of the roof is overcome by improved methods of application of roof panels to the frame.

“In a like manner Haskelite roof panels are used for motorbuses. In one of the illustrations herewith is shown a type of passenger bus built by the Kuhlman Car Company of Cleveland, Ohio, in which Haskelite panels were used for the roofs. As in the taxicab, these panels insure safety to the passengers, both on account of their great strength, which serves as a protection to passengers, and their light weight, which lowers the center of gravity of the car and thus increases its stability.”

The Haskelite Co. also furnished 'Plymetl' metal-sheathed composite plywood panels to Kuhlman which were used extensively in the interiors of their interurbans and trolley coaches.

In 1922 the Jamestown Motor Bus Transportation Co. of Jamestown, New York purchased three Pierce-Arrow buses with Kuhlman bodies.

The February 1922 issue of Bus Transportation mentions that Kuhlman shipped 50 street car shells to the T.T.C. plant in Preston, Ontario in additon to the 4 motor bus bodies mentionedin the January 19, 1922 issue of Automotive Industries:

“Cleveland Companies Busy with Motor Buses

“Perhaps, the two concerns at Cleveland, Ohio, which have benefited most from the growth of the motor bus as a form of transportation are the G. C. Kuhlman Car Company and the Gustav Schaefer Wagon Company. The Kuhlman Car Company is a subsidiary of the J. B. Brill Company, which builds street cars in several plants. The construction of motor buses is confined by the company to the Cleveland plant. Recently the company planned a shipment of four motor bus shells and fifty street car shells to its Preston, Can., plant for the Toronto Transportation Commission. Not long ago the Kuhlman Car Company standardized its light bus. A new form of tapered front has been designed and patents applied for on a method of clamping the light wooden roof to the rim and fastening it to the sides. The same factory buildings and similar patterns are used.

“Advertising Literature

“G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, Ohio, has issued an interesting pamphlet describing the safety features and emphasizing the durability of Kuhlman steel motor bus bodies. The booklet lays particular stress on the side window posts, which include the Brill 'Renitent Post Casings.' With this construction the sash may be removed quickly without the aid of tools.”

The very same periodical (February 1922 issue of Bus Transportation) incldued a detailed description of 3 new Kuhlman-bodied White motor coaches delivered to theNorthern Ohio Traction & Light Co.:

“Service established in Akron by Railway: One Route Opened With Three Buses on March 19 by Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company

“The buses are the new Model 50 Whites, specially built for passenger transportation. The total cost of each bus was approximately $8,000. Disk wheels, with duals on the rear, are used. The transmission had four speeds forward and one reverse. The steel body, which was built by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, seats twenty-five passengers. Because of the low chassis height the body fits down over the rear wheels, but a sheet of steel easily removed makes the wheels readily accessible. The over-all length of the bus is 24 ft. and the width is 8 ft. 2 in. There are six cross-wise seats on each side, two longitudinal seats and a circular seat in the rear, all of which are upholstered black leather.

“Entrance is made easy by the low step, which is totally enclosed by a folding glass door when the bus is running. The door is of sufficient width to enable passengers to board and leave simultaneously without inconvenience. A small Cleveland fare box is located on the right side near the operator. Transfers are issued upon request at the time fare is paid.

“There are upright aluminum stanchions for the support of passengers who are entering or leaving. On the left-hand side at the rear is an emergency door operated by the driver. The windows slide easily up and down in brass casings and are arranged for curtains. Pushbuttons are located conveniently at each window.

“The Bus Is attractive As Well As Comfortable

“Illumination is furnished by two dome lights on each side and one in the rear. To insure safety, the step is also illuminated. Ceilings are of white enamel, while the sides are finished cherry. The buses are kept warm by exhaust gas heaters. A tool box arranged to be opened without inconveniencing the passengers is located under the rear seat. Adequate ventilation is furnished by means of three roof ventilators.

“The exterior of the new bus with its solid steel body line presents a very pleasing appearance. The lower part of the body is painted orange, the color used on all new street cars of the company’s city system. The upper part is cream enamel. Gasoline tank is located on the right-hand side well to the front. Its capacity is 35 gal. and it is filled through a small door on the side of the body by means of an extension tube.

“The bus has a meter that records each stop and the time consumed in making the stop. There is also a special meter to record the daily mileage. A mirror permits the operator to see traffic coming in the rear and also observe all passengers. An automatic cleaner keeps the wind shield free from rain or snow.

“Operators have been selected for the first buses and the name of each operator will be posted in the bus as he goes on duty. These operators have been carefully instructed as to the company’s rules, which are the same as those in use on the street cars.”

The March 1922 issue of Electric Traction states that the Akron-based Northern Ohio Traction Co. was also putting 3 Kuhlman-bodied double deck coaches into service. It is believed the coaches were built under license from the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., who had constructed a few six-wheel trucks and motor coaches to use as test beds in their 6-wheel pneumatic tire testing program. Similar coaches, also built under license from Goodyear, were later constructed by Kuhlman for Philadelphia's Six-Wheel Co.:

“New Buses in Service:

“The Northern Ohio Traction Company will employ three buses, six wheel double deckers, in outlying districts. The Kuhlman Car Company is assembling the cars.”

The March 1922 issue of Electric Traction included a detailed article describing the construction of a typical all-steel Kuhlman motor coach body:

“Modern Bus Body Construction

“On account of the growing use of buses to supplement electric railway service and for feeder service, a detailed description of the bus bodies made by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, Ohio, will be of interest.

“The side and end sills consist of structural steel angles shaped over wheel housings. A trap door is installed over the rear axle and transmission when specified. To provide a low center of gravity the body is mounted on the side of chassis frame supported by a number of cantilever extensions attached to chassis frame furnished by the builder of the chassis. The upper or tension members of these extensions extend across chassis frame. All bodies are designed to allow a clearance above the top of chassis frame of 14 in. for high mounting and 10 ¾ in. for low mounting. The cover plates which enclose both wheel housings may be readily removed when necessary. The floor is of yellow pine with floor strips for drainage of surface moisture.

“Side construction is of the truss type, consisting of pressed steel side posts securely fastened to slide sills at the bottom and pressed steel letterboard at the top. The lower side and rear end are sheathed with light-weight metal covering clamped to pressed-steel window posts. A three-ply moulded veneer securely fastened to the upper edge of the letter panel and to pressed steel carlines by a clamping process is used in the roof construction. Three exhaust ventilators of minimum height are located along the center line of the roof.

“To facilitate easy handling of passengers, the step is placed a short distance from the ground. The door is of the two-leaf manually operated type which folds outwardly. An emergency door is provided on the left side at the rear. The operation of this door is controlled by an electric lock with spring contacts under glass cover, breaking the glass automatically operates the lock. The upper sash in the double side and end windows are stationary, but the lower sash are arranged to raise 12 in. Other details of the equipment are advertising racks, upholstered imitation leather seats, five dome lights, step light and illuminated destination signal.”

The March 1922 issue of Bus Transportation included an article on 4 Plymetl-sheathed 29-passenger Packard-based trolley-coaches constructed by Kuhlman for the T.T.C. (Toronto Transit Commission):

“Trackless System Feeds Toronto Tramways

“Four trolley buses, each of twenty-nine passenger capacity, are being put into service by the Toronto Transportation Commission the municipal board that operates the Toronto transportation facilities These vehicles which are described in this article are the latest development as regards design in trolley bus construction. They are being assembled in Canada by the Packard Ontario Motor Car Company.

“Construction Details

“The trolley bus consists of a Packard 3 ton chassis type ED on which is mounted a Brill steel motor bus body Electric motors and control equipment replace the gasoline engine clutch and transmission as shown in the accompanying pictures.

“The body is of the standard type developed at the Kuhlman plant of the J.G. Brill Company. Trolley boards are applied on the roof to carry the collection system. The lighting, of course, is changed to take the railway voltage. The sides of the body are sheathed with Plymetl. Seats are provided for twenty-nine passengers. Starting from the front of the vehicle these include, at each side of the central aisle, four transverse seats, two longitudinal seats and one transverse seat, then at the rear of the bus a transverse seat all the way across. The driver's seat is of the bucket type, upholstered and finished in the imitation leather used on the passenger’s seats. An emergency door is provided at the rear end of the body on the left hand side. This can be opened by pushing a button near the operator's seat, or any passenger can open it by breaking a glass cover of a lock with spring contact placed immediately above the door. Steps at one side give access to the roof which is strong enough to carry a man.”

The ‘Rolling Stock’ column of the April 1922 issue of Bus Transportationincluded the news that Rochester, New York's East Ave. Bus Line had odered several Kuhlman-bodied Selden motor buses:

“East Avenue Bus Line, Rochester, N.Y., has ordered several buses of the Selden Truck Corporation for its Rochester-Pittsford line. The bodies will be built by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company.”

The May 1922 issue of Electric Traction revealed that the Northern Ohio Traction & Light Co., had recently ordered 11 25-passenger Kuhlman-bodied motor coaches:

“Solving Jitney Competition: The Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company Has Eliminated Jitney Competition with the Introduction of Modern Buses

“The story of the success of the Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company with motor buses in the city of Akron is simply a story of a successful attempt to sell to the public that indefinite something that they are most anxious for - to wit, Service.

“For some time before the company began operating buses, an independent had been giving a bus service from the principal downtown street intersection out beyond what is known as ‘Five Points’ using Maple and Exchange streets for this route. On March 18th the traction company entered this field with three 25 passenger Kuhlman buses which are in effect a slightly reduced copy of the Birney Safety Car.

“So successful has been the operation of this line, from the standpoint of the general public that the officials of the Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company have received petitions for the establishment of upwards of a dozen more such routes. They now have an order with the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company for eleven more buses and as soon as they are received they will be placed into service; one being added to the present line and the others going into new routes. The bus service is identical to the street car service in that the same fare is charged and universal transfers are given and taken to and from the trolley lines.”

The July 1922 issue of Bus Transportation mentions that Jamestown, New York's street railway had recently ordered three Kuhlman-bodied Pierce-Arrow transit coaches:

“Amendments Granted to Jamestown Railway

“Objections by the Jamestown, NY, Street Railway to certain provisions of the franchise granted by the City Council of Jamestown, has resulted in the granting of several amendments. These now permit the railway company to use the streets of the west side for a trackless trolley or bus line, the permit and franchise being for a five year period... Mr. Broadhead, president of the railway, states that the company has ordered three buses, each with a seating capacity of twenty five passengers. The chassis are from the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company and the bodies are Kuhlman Model C.”

The July 15, 1922 issue of The Commercial Vehicle included a detailed article on the 4 Kuhlman-bodied Selden buses first mentioned in the April 1922 issue of Bus Transportation:

“New 29 Passenger Selden Buses Now in Operation in the East; Low Center of Gravity a Feature

“Four of the latest type of Selden buses, Unit No. 52, are now operating between Rochester, Brighton and Pittsford, N.Y. Each bus will seat twenty-nine passengers and is equipped with semi-pneumatic tires and cushion wheels. The chassis is of the low hung type with the frame ‘kicked up’ over the rear axle to obtain the minimum height from the ground.

“The frame is the Selden shock absorbing flexible construction. The side rails are of the constant stress type of design, the depth of the frame section varying to suit the load carried. Being narrow in the front, the maximum steering lock of the front wheels to give short turning radius is possible. The side rails are extremely wide at the rear to give proper support to the body.

“The rear axle is of the inverted worm driven semi-floating type. This axle is fully mounted on Timken roller bearings. Ratios are optional depending upon conditions of service. The brakes are of the patented duplex type, the brake lever being attached directly to the left frame side in a position where the driver will not be interfered with in an emergency.

“Specifications include a four-cylinder heavy-duty type of engine with cylinders cast in pairs and cylinder heads removable. A special manifold arrangement allows a variable setting of the hot spot for maximum fuel. Force feed lubrication is used, the oil being forced to all wearing parts by a large gear pump at the bottom of the crankcase. Water circulation is taken care of by a centrifugal pump. The engine has a brake horsepower of 48 at 1400 r.p.m. Other specifications include an Eisemann high tension magneto, Stromberg carbureter, multiple disk dry plate clutch in unit with the engine, and a four speed gear set mounted amidships.

“Drive is through two sets of metal universal joints with tubular shafts, one between the clutch and gearset and the other between the gearset and the rear axle.

“Tires are of the cushion type, 36” by 4” on the front and 36” by 4” dual on the rear. Steering is of the worm and wheel type, the wheel diameter being 20 in. Chassis equipment includes two headlamps, tail lamp, jack, set of tools, electric horn, odometer, Motometer, Alemite grease gun and a complete electric starting and lighting outfit.

“The bodies are built by the Kuhlman Co. Cleveland, and designed to allow a clearance above the top of the chassis frame of 14 in. The underframe side and end sills consist of structural steel angles shaped over the wheel housings. The body is mounted on the side of the chassis frame and is supported by a suitable number of cantilever extensions attached to the chassis frame. The floor is of 13/16 in. rift-sawed yellow pine with floor strips for drainage of the surface moisture.

“The upper frame side construction is of truss type, consisting of pressed steel side posts securely fastened to the side sills at the bottom and pressed steel letterboard at the top. The lower side and rear end are sheathed with lightweight metal covering clamped to pressed steel window posts.

“The roof of three-ply moulded veneer is securely fastened to the upper edge of letter panel and pressed steel carlines by a clamping process. All joints are filled with a rubber compound. A good grade of muslin is stretched over the roof and painted in color selected by the buyer. Inside the body the ceiling is finished in white enamel.

“Three exhaust ventilators of minimum height are located along the center line of the roof.

“A two-leaf manually operated service door which folds outwardly is located on the forward right-hand side of the body. The operation of this door is controlled by a hand lever convenient to the operator's left hand. An emergency door is provided on the left side at the rear. The operation of this door is controlled by an electric lock with spring contacts under a glass cover. The breaking of this glass automatically causes the lock to operate.

“The seat back frames are of wood, mortised and tenoned, and have ventilated spring inserts upholstered with a dark green imitation leather. The cushions have a ventilated wire mesh base arranged to receive the spring inserts. The seat frames are of metal, each cross seat back being equipped with a grab handle. A stationary aluminum railing is located to the right of the operator between his position and incoming and outgoing passengers. Aluminum stanchions are located on the right side of the service door opening on the step for the use of entering passengers and between longitudinal seats at the rear.”

The August 1922 issue of Bus Transportation mentions that the Schuylkill Railway was organizing a bus company that would utilize Kuhlman-bodied F.W.D. motor coaches:

“Schuylkill Railway Officers Organize Bus Company

“The chassis of the buses were made by the Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, Clintonville, Wis., and the bodies, which seat twenty-nine, are products of the G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, Ohio.”

A letter from the J.B. Cox Transportation Co. of Alliance, Ohio to the local Zenith carburetor distributor, published in the August 11, 1922 issue of the Orville (Ohio) Courier Crescent, mentioned they were using 6 Mack AC buses equipped with Kuhlman Car coachwork:

“Thee motor coaches, which are standard 3½ ton Mack AC chassis and are equipped with the Kuhlman Car Company all steel body, are heavier that the ordinary motor coach and yet are able to negotiate the eighty-six miles to Akron and return on about eleven gallons of gasoline.”

The text from a full-page Kuhlman display advertisement in the August 1922 issue of National Taxicab and Motorbus Journal follows:

“There will Always be a Place for the Bus

“As an adjunct to existing rail service or a new transportation project where low initial cost is essentially important.

“There are conditions under which the motorbus is best adapted for furnishing passenger transportation. In feeder service and in localities where public transportation facilities are practically unknown the comparatively low initial cost of installing motorbusses makes this type vehicle decidedly popular and its use economically sound.

“Kuhlman Steel Motorbus Bodies of the type illustrated are designed and constructed to afford the greatest comfort to passengers. Regardless of whether 21, 25 or 29 seated passengers are to be accommodated, the same general plan of superior bus body design is followed. A most distinctive feature is the spring brass ‘Renitent’ post casings which hold the window sash under compression at all times, thereby eliminating annoying sash rattle.

“There will always be a place for the bus which is built according to the best bodybuilding practices.”

The September 1922 issue of Bus Transportation reveals that a Kuhlman-bodied Garford motor bus would be exhibited at the 1922 American Electric Railway Association (AERA) convention in Chicago:

“Bus Exhibits at AERA Convention

“The interest that electric railways are taking in the bus is shown by the list of exhibits at the American Electric Railway Association convention which will be held early in October in Chicago. Here it is the custom to display all the latest machinery, all the latest time and money-saving equipment that can be used by electric railways. The bus exhibitors already announced include the Republic, White, Garford and Fageol companies. The Republic company will exhibit its Knight-engined bus chassis, a twenty-five passenger bus, a nineteen-passenger bus and a cut-out section of a sleeve-valve engine. The White company will have four jobs. An eighteen-passenger bus with de luxe body for the Pennsylvania, Ohio Electric Company, twenty-five passenger bus with Eckland body for the Chicago & North Shore Railroad and two Model 50 bus chassis with twenty-five passenger bodies, one Bender and one Brown. The Garford exhibit will include a Model 51 B motor bus chassis and the same chassis with a Kuhlman steel body. The Fageol company will show a twenty-seven passenger city bus a twenty-two passenger intercity model and a twelve-passenger parlor car model.”

An article extolling the virtues of Haskelite-equipped Kuhlman motor coaches was placed in the October 1922 issue of National Taxicab and Motorbus Journal:

“Panel Bus Roofs

“The inside views of two typical bus roofs are shown below in figure 1 and 2. Greater head room, more attractive appearance, and a small but exceedingly valuable reduction in weight are all possibilities easy of attainment with the Haskelite panel roof illustrated in fig. 2 The bus shown is this figure has no head lining.

“The underside of the Haskelite panel roof is smooth and attractive as contrasted with the grooved appearance of the slat roof construction. In addition to being more attractive, this type of roof is more easily kept clean and in a sanitary condition.

“By the use of these panels it is possible to cut the weight of the entire roof by 10 or 15 per cent. This weight reduction will be seen to be especially valuable when it is remembered that a small reduction in weight of the roof greatly increases the stability of the body by keeping the center of gravity lower to the grounds, which greatly reduces the tipping hazard.

“In fig. j is shown an exterior view of the Haskelite panel roof in a Kuhlman steel motorbus body mounted on a Selden motorbus chassis. These roof panels are supplied to the body builders steam-bent to form and ready to apply. As compared to slat construction, a substantial saving in time and labor is thereby effected. Similar panels are employed in street car companies for car roofs of the Safety type. In this connection, it has been estimated that the application of the Haskelite roof requires but one-half the time required for the laying of a tongue-and-groove type of roof. In bus construction the saving of time and labor is found to be substantially the same.

“After the roof panels are fastened into place, usually the entire roof is covered with canvas which is white-leaded to the panel. This canvas covering is not easily damaged by low overhanging branches and even if the canvas is torn the roof, which is approximately ten per cent lighter than the conventional slat construction type, will not leak as the slat roofs are apt to do.”

The Berkshire Transportation Co., of  Springfield, Massachussets had order another pair of Kuhlman-bodied 25-passenger Pierce-Arrow coaches that would join two identical coaches already in use on theirSpringfield to Worcester line, the October 1922 issue of Bus Transportation reporting:

“Berkshire Company Starts Service

“The Berkshire Transportation Company, of which William N. Birney is manager, began its motor bus service between Springfield and Worcester, Mass. on Aug 22. Two buses were put in operation at the start. These are Pierce-Arrow chassis fitted with steel bodies made by the Kuhlman Car Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Each has a seating capacity of twenty-five. Two other buses of the same size and type have been ordered for later delivery. Three round trips are made daily.”

The September 26, 1923 editon of the New Castle News announced that the P. & O. Electric Co. had ordered 12 lightweight motor coach bodies from Kuhlman:

“New Interurban Car Purchase Are Authorized

“Youngstown, O., Sept. 6 – The state public utilities commission Tuesday authorized the P. & O. Electric company to purchased form the Kuhlman Car company, Collinswood, for $171,984, one dozen lightweight interurban motor cars.

“The new busses, which are lighted in weight than the ones now in use, will be used to replace the heavier busses in operation. The operation of the new busses will not interfere with the street car service in any way.

“The new buses are different than any in operation in this section of the country, it is said, and their arrival is awaited with interest by various citizens.”

In 1923 Brockway got into the motor bus business, and by 1924 offered four chassis which could accommodate from 16 to 30 passengers. In 1923 Brockway constructed a small series of 185" wheelbase trackless trolley chassis for The New York State Railways, the May 24,1923 issue of Automotive Industries reporting:

“New York Railways Orders Motor Buses

“Brockway to Build Gasoline and Trolley Vehicles for Rochester and Utica

“Rochester, N.Y., May 21 - The New York State Railways has placed an order with the Brockway Motor Truck Co. of Cortland, N. Y., for seven gasoline propelled motor buses and five electrically driven trackless trolley buses to be used on crosstown lines in this city and Utica, it was announced at the general offices here today.

“Both the gasoline buses and the trolley buses will have practically the same dimensions and capacity, the only difference being in outward appearance and source of power.

“The buses will have a seating capacity of twenty-five, with two rows of seats facing forward, with an aisle between and side seats in front. The bodies will be constructed by the G.C. Kuhlman Car Co.

“Sewell cushion wheels and Overman cushion tires will be used on both types of bus.

“The gasoline buses will be driven by four-cylinder Buda engines. Two 25-hp. General Electric motors will furnish the power for each trolley bus. General Electric will also furnish all other electrical equipment used on the trackless trolley.”

The November 15, 1923 issue of Automotive Industries reported that the aforementioned vehicles (one of which is pictured to the right) had been delivered and placed into service:

“Rochester Railways Buy Buses as Line Feeders

“Rochester, N.Y., Nov. 13 - Three gasoline and five electrically operated buses have been put in operation here by the New York State Railways as feeders to the regular trolley system of the company in this city. The Rochester Railways Co-ordinated Bus Lines, Inc., has been organized as a subsidiary of the New York State Railways to operate the buses.

“The electric buses, or 'trackless trolleys,' are used as crosstown lines to feed the main trunk lines of the street car system. The gasoline buses are used as feeders in the outlying districts, connecting the city street car system with the outlying districts beyond the city limits.

“Both the gasoline and electric buses are identical in construction. The chassis were built by the Brockway Motor Co., Cortland, N.Y., and the bodies by the Kuhlman Car Co., Cleveland. They have a seating capacity of 25, with standing room for 10. Entrance and exit is through a door at the front.”

The December 1923 issue of Bus Transportation included a Haskelite Mfg. Corp. advertisement that pictured a Kuhlman Deluxe bus built for the Youngstown and Suburban Transportation Co., Youngstown, Ohio advertising its Plymetl composite steel-sheathed plywood roofs:

“Roofed with Haskelite Plymetl side panels...who wouldn't want to ride in these coaches?”

In 1924 the City of Utica, New York purchased a fleet of six Kuhlman-bodied Brockway buses to replace part of its trolley-line. The October 16, 1924 issue of Automotive Industries mentioned Kuhlman Car’s exhibits at the *1924 Electric Railway Convention, held October 9-11, 1924 in in Atlantic City, New Jersey:

“Among the other body manufacturers who showed attractive bodies may be mentioned Bender, Kuhlman, Schaefer, Buffalo, Superior, Lang, St. Louis Car, Hoover, Brown and Lansing.”

(*Six-Wheel (Safeway), Mack, Fageol, Yellow Truck & Coach, Fifth Ave, Coach, Uppercu Coach and E.J. Thompson also exhibited coaches at the show)

A display ad in the November 26, 1924 edition of the Zanesville Times Signal announced that the Columbus, Newark and Zanesville Electric Railway Co. had order twenty new safety cars from the Kuhlman Car Co.:

“On Friday, November 28th, we will introduce to our patrons 20 New Safety Cars, of an improved designed, that will provide Zanesville with the Safest and most Comfortable electric street cars that have ever been produced.

“The design of these cars has been worked out by engineers of The Columbus, Newark and Zanesville Electric Railway Company in conjunction with The G.C. Kuhlman Car Company, of Cleveland, Ohio.

“They are of single truck design, thirty feet in length, eight and one-half feet in width and are constructed with low floor levels, so that steps carry one to the floor level of the car body.

“The placing in service of these new Safety cars is another of the steps taken by the Company in its program of rehabilitation of the transportation system in Zanesville as required by the recent franchise, and its policy of Good Public Service.”

For many years Brockway bus chassis were exported to the Caribbean (especially Cuba), and Central and South America, where they enjoyed a reputation for reliability and long life. The same features endeared them to domestic customers, and the March 1925 issue of Engineering and Contracting reported that Brockway had won a bid to supply the Capital District Transportation Co. of Albany, New York with four trackless trolley chassis:

“The United Traction Co. of Albany, N. Y., commenced operation on Nov. 3, 1924, in Cohoes, N. Y., through its subsidiary the Capital District Transportation Co. The route covered is 2 1/2 miles long on which four Brockway ‘Street Car Type’ trolley buses are operated at a 7-cent fare.”

The conventional two-axle Brockway bus chassis incorporated bodies built by G.C. Kuhlman Car Co. of Cleveland, Ohio. As previously mentioned similar vehicles had already been delivered to New York State Railways Inc. for use in Rochester and Utica, New York and its bus chassis were offered in standard or drop-framed configurations.

The November 20, 1924 issue of Automotive Industries reported on Kuhlman's experimental use of Plymetl girders in the manufacture of street car bodies:

“Plymetl Girder Used in Construction of New Street Car Body

“Tests indicate that unit may be adopted successfully to bus design and thus aid in reducing weight. Case School and Northwestern University make tests.

“An exceptionally light weight girder made largely from a plywood and sheet metal is being used in street car body construction and gives promise of ready adaptation in similar bodies for buses. The web of the girder is of Plymetl, a product of the Haskelite Mfg. Co. of Chicago.

“Plymetl consists of a core of laminated wood with galvanized steel faces cemented to it. In the past this material has been used extensively for sheathing over a structural steel frame, and while this results in a body of great strength and some other good qualities, the plymetl is not used to the best advantage. The reason that it has been possible to build all steel cars which are lighter than wooden cars of the same capacity is that the steel sheathing is used to help support the load by the construction of flat girder sides. Similar construction principles evidently may be applied to plymetl, and in order to determine the possibilities of such girder sides the C. C. Kuhlman Car Co. constructed girders of plymetl which were subjected to strength tests at Case School of Applied Science and at Northwestern University.

“The girder tested at Case School was made of three ply wood 5/16 in. thick, covered with metal faces of No. 27 gage galvanized steel. The girder was of the form shown by the accompanying drawing, having a total length of 10 ft. 10 ½ in. and a depth of 2 ft. 8 1/4 in., and duplicating as nearly as possible a section of the side of a street car. It was reinforced with small shapes and strips of steel riveted to it. The rivets are inserted while hot. It might be expected that they would burn the laminated wood and thus give a poor joint, but it is stated that owing to the absence of air no actual combustion takes place. The surface of the plywood at the rivets is slightly charred, which, however, does not prevent a good substantial joint.

“In the tests conducted at Case School of Applied Science, the girder was supported on bearings at both ends and the load was applied through cross beams supported on the girder.

“It has been found that the composite material can be securely fastened to the steel frame work by hot riveting. A 5/16 in. rivet will support a load of more than 2000 lb. before failure, and a 3/8 in. rivet more than 3000 lb. In making the tests for strength of the riveted joints, batten strips were applied to the face of the material, as is customary when plymetl is applied to the steel frames of cars. Tests were made on both double and single strap joints. With the double strap construction the rivets were in double shear and the joints failed when the material of the panel gave way as a result of the bearing pressure of the panel. The pull in each case was applied in the plane of the panel.

“Following are the results obtained in the two series of tests on double strap construction:

“Tests made on joints having only one cover strap 1/8 in. thick and using 3/8-in. rivets driven hot gave the following results:

“SHEAR TESTS ON RIVETED PLYMETL: 5/16-In. Plymetl, 3/8-In. Rivets in Single Shear

“Calculations show that a plymetl girder is much stiffer than a steel girder of the same weight. In fact, the plymetl 5/32 in. girder weighs less than a 1/16 in. steel girder, while the product EI (modulus or elasticity times movement of inertia), which is a criterion of the stiffness, is forty times as great.

“There is a considerable demand for lighter bodies for motor buses at the present time, and it may be that the plymetl girder as described above will help in solving the problem arising from this demand. Bodies of this type might even make it possible to use lighter chassis frames, for the present heavy frames are needed chiefly to make up for the lack of rigidity of the body.”

The January 2, 1926 issue of the Evening Chronicle (Marshall, Mich.) announced that the Michigan Electric Railway had recently ordered fifteen new freight trailers from Kuhlman:

“Fifteen new freight trailers have been ordered by the Michigan Electric Railway for delivery in ninety days, it was announced by J.F. Collins, vice president and general manager of the system, Thursday. The Kuhlman Car company of Cleveland, Ohio, is building the trailers. They will arrive in Jackson loaded with freight, according to Mr. Collins.”

In 1925 30 double-deck buses and 31 single-deck coaches were added to the fleet of the Cleveland Railway. The double-deckers, seating 62, were built by the Six Wheel Co. of Philadelphia under license from the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. of Akron, Ohio. Although the Cleveland Railway found the greater passenger capacity of the double-deckers attractive, their height restricted their use to just a few rotes. Passengers did not like having to navigate the stairway to the upper deck. After just a few years’ service, most of the fleet was mothballed, and by 1936 they were all gone. The single-deckers were 29-passenger coaches from the Kuhlman Car Co. These proved much more flexible in operation and were more popular with passengers.

In 1925 the Columbus Railway Power & Light Co. purchased twenty-three, 60-passenger interurban railway cars from Kuhlman Car Co. Twenty-six cars orinally built for the Huntington-Ashland Railway Division of the Ohio Valley Electric (Huntington, WV) in 1926 were later acquired by the C.R.P. & L. who used them from 1935-1947.

The March 22, 1926 edition of the Elyria Chronicle Telegram announced the pending merger of Kuhlman's parent company with American Car & Foundry, their largest competitor:

“Announce Big industrial Merger

“DETROIT, Mar. 22; — Announcement of the merger of several of the largest bus, motor and street car manufacturing plants of the country into the American Car and Foundry Motor Co., a $25,000,000 corporation, was made here today.

“The corporation will be a subsidiary of the American Car and Foundry company.

“Among the concerns included in the consolidation are the Fageol Motors Co. of Kent, O., manufacturer of busses; Hall Scott Motor Co., of Berkley, Calif.; J.G. Brill Co., of Philadelphia, street car manufacturers, and Kuhlman Car Co. of Cleveland, O.

“C. S. Sales is president of the new corporation; E. J. Hall, president of the Hall Scott Co. and one of the designers of the Liberty motors, is vice-president in charge of engineering and production and Frank W. Fageol is sales manager.”

The sequence of events that culminated in the eventual merger of Brill and A.C.F. is discussed in great detail on both the A.C.F and Brill entries in this encyclopedia. The 'merger,' in reality a decades-long joint operating agreement, was of little consequence to Brill's Kuhlman Car operations, although it did provide them with some contracts to produce bodies for A.C.F.'s all-steel motor coaches.

Kuhlman coachwork would form the basis for a series of new 'N.O.P.-badged'  motor coaches, the July 31, 1926 edition of the Evening Independent (Massillon, Ohio) reporting:

“N.O.P. to Make Its Own Busses

“Akron, O., July 31 – Unable to find ‘ready made’ busses which met its requirements, the Northern Ohio Power & Light Co., has gone into the bus assembling business for itself, company officials announced Friday.

“After much research, N.O.P. engineers have designed an all-steel conveyance that is said to satisfy the company's needs. The new vehicle, to be known as the ‘Northern Ohio’ bus, will be made at the company's Kenmore shops here in quantities sufficient to meet the needs of the N.O.P. as well as the needs of its subsidiary and associated companies, it is stated.

“The new busses will be powered with 115-horse power motors designed to take capacity loads over hilly streets, such as abound here, in high gear. They will be equipped with air brakes and air shock absorbers.

“The first chassis has been completed and now is in the Kuhlman Car Co. shops at Cleveland, where a twenty-nine-passenger body, built to N.O.P. specifications, will be added.”

The July 31, 1926 edition of the East Liverpool Tribune (Ohio) announced that Kuhlman was constructing 8 new interurban cars for the Steubenville, East Liverpool & Beaver Valley Traction Co. (aka The Stream Line):

“Four Interurban Cars for Stream Line are Built

“Four of the eight new Interurban street cars built for The Stream Line by the G.C. Kuhlman Car company, Cleveland, will be delivered here tomorrow…

“The cars, steel in construction, are said to be the last word in street car transportation, the actual cost being approximately $16,000 each.”

Further details of the Kuhlman-bodied N.O.P. motor buses were included in the August 12, 1926 issue of Automotive Industries:

“Ohio Power Company Develops Own Bus

“Designed to Meet Special Requirements in Cities With Steep Grades

“Akron, Aug. 9 - A bus said to be particularly suited for use in cities with steep grades has been assembled in the local shops of the Northern Ohio Power & Light Co., a bus operator on an extensive scale. The body is being built at Cleveland in the G.C. Kuhlman plant. The machine was designed by the engineering staff of the company, under the direction of P.V.C. See. It is of all-steel construction, will be known as the Northern Ohio bus, and will be made in sufficient numbers to meet the needs of the company and its subsidiaries. Seating 29 passengers, it has a wheelbase of 234 in., an overall chassis length of 320 in. and a frame height at the driver's seat of 27 in.

“Since it entered the field of bus transportation four years ago, the Northern Ohio Power& Light Co. has accumulated a fleet of 250 buses, and while some of these were fairly well adapted to the service demands, others proved a failure. After investigating market conditions the company came to the conclusion that it could assemble a bus chassis better adapted to its needs and at a lower price than any of those it had purchased.

“The engine of the new bus is a Waukesha six-cylinder of 4 1/2 in. bore by 5 ¾ in. stroke, developing 115 hp. at 1800 r.p.m. It is fitted with a Robert Bosch magneto for ignition. A Long radiator of the tubular type with cast aluminum shell is mounted on the chassis frame in such a manner that it is protected against road shocks and frame weave. Care has been exercised to mount the engine in such a way that it can be easily removed from the chassis.

“Standard Units in Assembly

“The steering column is a Ross and the clutch and change speed gear are of Brown & Lipe make, the latter having four forward changes of gear. All-steel universal joints are used in the propeller shaft. The rear axle is by the Wisconsin Parts Co. and is of the double reduction type, with herringbone gears for silence. It is made with a reduction ratio of 6.1 for increased power in hill climbing and has a road clearance of 9 in., which is much more than that of the average city type bus. Two sets of concentric brake drums are fitted to the drive wheels, the service brakes, acting on the outer, larger drums, being actuated by compressed air by the Westinghouse system. The compressor used with this braking system also furnishes the air for operating the automatic bus doors. The front axle is a Shuler.

“A 9 3/4-in. pressed channel frame is used, tied together with tubular and channel members. Exceptionally large russets were installed so as to prevent loosening at the joints. Rear springs are of the two-stage type, the longer leaves being designed to give easy riding with light loads, while the shorter leaves are given a smaller amount of camber, so that they do not come into action until the spring is flattened out by heavy loads. They then come into play so as to prevent jars in the event the bus should be carrying a capacity load of passengers.

“The front springs are anchored at their rear ends and have a flexible shackle connection with the shock absorber in front. Air shock absorbers are installed. Lighting and starting are by a Leece-Neville system with regulation for constant voltage, one of the L-N large type generators being used. With this system the bus can be operated even though the battery circuit may be open, and a tapering charge is given the battery, Fuel is carried in a 63-gal. tank at the rear.”

In 1927 Kuhlman constructed 28 articulated street cars for the Cleveland Railway. The largest cars ever constructed by the firm, they measured 101 feet in length and had a capacity of 104 passengers.

Kuhlman also constructed some combination cars (combined a baggage car and passenger coach into one car) for various interuban operators, which included the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway.

Kuhlman is sometimes listed as a builder of Steel Diners, but most likely they’re being confused with the Kullman Dining Car Co., Inc. of Newark, New Jersey. It’s possible Kuhlman delivered some Brill steel diners to Midwest customers, but if so they were most certainly built by Brill’s Wason Mfg. Co. subsidiary, which began building roadside diners at about the same time as Kullman. Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the historical birthplace of the roadside diner, Wason Mfg.’s ‘Brill Steel Diners’ were constructed using streetcar construction and an obligatory monitor roof, which had long been abandoned by its rail-going relatives. Sold fully-equipped the all-steel diners were delivered by rail to the nearest railroad siding where it would be shifted to a specially equipped tractor trailer truck which delivered it to a waiting concrete pad or brick foundation. Reorganized in 1931 as the J.G. Brill Co. of Massachusetts, Brill’s diner manufacturing operations ended with the closure of the Springfield plant in early 1932.

On February 1, 1931 the Kuhlman Car Co. was reorganized as the J.G. Brill Co. of Ohio, but the name change did little to stem the firm’s downfall. Although the effects of decreased streetcar ridership (declined 300% between 1921 and 1931) and General Motors 'street car consipiracy' certainly constributed to their demise, it was the Depression that put the proverbial 'nail into the coffin.' 

J.G. Brill closed down most of its satellite operations (Wason Mfg., American Car Co.) during 1931 and 1932, with Kuhlman's Collinwood plant joing them on April 15, 1932. All subsequent J.G. Brill's streetcar and transit bus manufacturing activites were relegated to its sole remaining plant in Phildelphia. Pennsylvania.

©2015 Mark Theobald for Coachbuilt.com

Appendix 1

Street Railway Car – US Patent No.1180900, filed - ‎Filed Sep 11, 1915 and ‎issued Apr 25, 1916 to Peter Witt.

Specification of Letters Patent, Patented Apr. 25, 1916 Application filed September 11, 1915. Serial No. 50,212.

Be it known that I, PETER WITT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Street-Railway Cars, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to street railway cars, and particularly to such cars provided with end and side door-ways.

More particularly, my invention relates to street railway cars provided with a forward entrance and a central side exit and with a-flooring for substantially the whole car entirely disposed above the car trucks and in one horizontal plane.

Further, my invention relates to street railway cars in which the fare-box is so disposed as to provide unimpeded passage from the seats and flooring of the car to the side exit from both the, front and rear ends of the car.

The invention provides means whereby the interference between the in-coining and out-going passengers is obviated, whereby the collection of fares is facilitated, whereby speedy loading and unloading is obtained, whereby the passengers can be easily moved and closely watched,-and whereby the responsibility of looking after the safety of the entering and out-going passengers is in the preferred use of the car divided between the motorman and the conductor.

Further details of the construction and the advantages incident thereto will be fully described hereinafter.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means embodying my invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of the various forms in which the principles of my invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: Figure 1 represents a broken side elevation of a street railway car embodying my invention; Fig. 2 represents a broken plan view of the interior of such a street-railway car; Fig. 3 represents a transverse central vertical section of said car; Fig. 4: represents a broken perspective of the interior of the car looking toward the rear thereof; and Fig. 5 represents a broken perspective of the side of the each end of the car.

Referring particularly to the said drawings, in which the same reference figures designate identical parts, my invention comprises a car-body 1 provided with the front and rear trucks 2 and 3. The front door 4, and double side doors 5 and 6, are provided, as clearly indicated in the drawings. By a front door is meant a door in the side of the car and at, the forward end thereof. The side door-way, consisting, in the form of the invention shown, in double side doors 5 and 6, is designed to be located a substantial distance from both ends of the car so as to provide substantial seating facilities between said side door-way and A generally plane floor 7 is disposed above the trucks 2 and. 3 and is, as plainly indicated in the drawings, a continuous floor all disposed in the same horizontal plane. the front door 4 a folding front step 8 exteriorly of the car, which leads to a depressed platform 9 located to the rear of the motorman’s vestibule, from which platform 9 riser 10 leads to the main floor 7 of the car. This depressed platform 9 is in reality a landing in the short stairway or set of steps which lead from the exterior of the car through the front door-way 4:, to the flooring 7, such landing being amplified to ex tend transversely across the whole car and thus provide at its inner end some limited seating facilities, or space for a stove, etc., as desired, as plainly shown in the drawing and hereinafter fully described. Two steps 11 and 12 lead from the main floor 7 to the exterior of the car through the doors 5 and 6.

The seating arrangement comprises the longitudinal seats 13 accommodating the general front half of the car and the transverse seats 14 accommodating the general rear half of the car. A peripheral seat section 15 at the rear of the car, and incidental individual seats 16 at the front of the car. .As a matter of detail, one of said seats 16 is intended to be removed during the winter season to provide space for heating apparatus.

The fare-box 17 is disposed forwardly of the transverse vertical plane passing through the front line of the door 5 and also disposed laterally of the central vertical longitudinal plane of the car, the lateral disposition being upon the door side of the car. The fare-box 17 is located a substantial distance from the front door-way 4, so as to leave considerable seating facilities intermediately of the fare-box and the front door-Way, and is preferably located immediately adjacent to the side door-way as shown.

The conductors stand or space is provided as shown at 18 to the rear of the farebox 17 and forwardly of the door To facilitate the movement and safety of the passengers using the doors 5 and -6, the lateral uprights 19, and rails 20 upon the floor 7 and the central upright 21 and lateral upright 2:2 on the step 11 are provided.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings that the construction contemplates that passengers pay their fare whenever passing the fare-box 17. In the case of using the car as a front-entrance, side exit car, for which it is primarily, although not necessarily, intended, it is very evident that the passengers will enter the car through the front door l without the necessity of congesting or blocking the doorway for paying fares or any other arrangements, and that they will dispose themselves in the car as suits their convenience, paying their fares when they enter if they go to the general rear half of the car, or paying their fares when they leave if they dispose themselves forwardly of the fare-box 17. This arrangement renders the car a pay-as-you-pass car: enables very speedy loading to be obtained and provides such a well scattered and distributed paying of fares as to result in the least loss of time and delay to schedule for this purpose of any type of car with which I am familiar. This arrangement also, consequently, greatly facilitates the discharge of passengers. Further, by this method of fare payment, all who go to the general rear half of the car during their trip for the purpose of obtaining a seat changing seats, or other reasons, pay as they pass the fare-box, which greatly assists in maintaining a rapid schedule, since the time consumed in collecting fares, making change, issuing transfers answering questions, etc., is all spent while the car is in motion. It should also be noted that by reason of requiring the passengers to enter at the front only and to-leave by a side door-way located a substantial distance from both ends of the car and preferably at approximately the center of the car, in-coming and outgoing passengers cannot interfere one with the other in the rear half of the car-which is the only place they possibly could interfere - until the minimum distance which an in-coming passenger must have traveled, viz., half the length of the car, is the maximum distance which an outgoing passenger must have traveled in order to create such interference. Further, the incoming passenger quite likely secured a later start in traveling this distance than the outgoing passenger inasmuch as the latter could have prepared to leave the car when he desired, whereas, the in-coming passenger could not have boarded the car at the front until the Car had been stopped and the front door opened. Further, the incoming passenger, before he could have reached an outgoing passenger, must have paid his fare, thereby consuming some more of his time. All of these considerations render interference of iii-coming and out-going passengers practically negligible. By reason of locating the fare-box laterally of the side doorway, the conductor is in a better position to watch all of the passengers and to prevent any passengers entering by the side door-' way, and the free space in front of the side door-way thus provided, in conjunction with the two longitudinal seats in the general front half of the car, renders it very easy to move passengers going to the rear of the car or any comparatively large body of passengers entering at one point, such as terminals and transfer stations.

It is also apparent that the floor 7 being generally level, provides the most convenient and consistent type of floor for the convenience and safety of all concerned in the operation or use of the car. Particularly, it is apparent that, since the small forwardly located depressed platform 9 renders the provision of only one step to the front entrance necessary, the construction is physically very practicable since this one step can be conveniently folded. Further, in the preferred use of the car, as indicated above, the motorman cares for the safety of all incoming passengers in addition to his ordinary duties, and the conductor watches for the safety of all out-going passengers in addition to his ordinary duties.

What I claim, is-

1. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located 3 substantial distance from both ends of the car: and a fare-box located intermediately of said two door-ways, laterally of, and adjacently to, said side door-way.

2. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car: and a fare-box located laterally of, and adjacently to, said side door-way.

3. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a central side doorway; and a fare-box located laterally of, and adjacently to, said central side door-way.

4. A street railway car provided with an end entrance and a side exit, the latter being located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; a fare-box located intermediately of said entrance and exit, and laterally of, and adjacently to, the latter, and substantial seating facilities intermediate said entrance and said fare-box.

5. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a central side door-way; and a fare-box disposed upon the front end portion of said flooring laterally of, and adjacently to, said central side doorway.

6. A- street railway car provided with a front entrance and a side exit, the latter being located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; and a fare-box located laterally of, and adjacently to, said exit.

7. A street railway car provided with an end entrance and a side exit, the latter being located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; a fare-box located intermediately of said entrance and exit late "ally of, and adjacently to, the latter, substantial seating facilities intermediate said entrance and said fare-box; a flooring for substantially the whole car disposed in one horizontal plane; steps intermediate said flooring and said exit; and a landing disposed below said flooring, intermediate the latter and said entrance, and providing passage way between said entrance .and said flooring.

8. A street railway car provided with a front entrance and a central side exit and doors for said entrance and exit; a flooring for substantially the whole car disposed in one horizontal plane; steps intermediate said flooring and said exit; a landing disposed below said flooring, intermediate the latter and said entrance, and providing passage-way between said entrance and said flooring; and a fare-box disposed upon the front end portion of said flooring laterally of, and adjacently to, said central exit.

9. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; a flooring for the car; longitudinal seats disposed upon that portion of said flooring forwardly of said side door-way; transverse seats disposed upon that portion of said depth of this patent may be obtained for flooring to the rear of said side door-way; and a fare-box disposed adjacently to said side door-way.

10. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; a flooring for the car; longitudinal seats disposed upon both sides of that portion of the flooring, forwardly of said side doorway and also upon that portion opposite said side door-way; transverse seats disposed upon 'that portion of the flooring to the rear of said side door-way; and a fare-box disposed forwardly of said side doorway and a substantial distance from said front door-way.

11. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; a flooring for substantially the whole car disposed in one horizontal plane; steps intermediate said flooring and said side doorway; a folding step exterior of said front door-way; longitudinal seats disposed upon both sides of the front end portion of said flooring and also upon that portion opposite said side door-way; transverse seats disposed upon the portion of said flooring to the rear of said side door-way; and a fare box disposed upon the front end portion of said flooring a substantial distance from said front door-way.

12. A street railway car provided with a front entrance and a central. side exit and doors for said entrance and exit; a flooring for substantially the whole car disposed in one horizontal plane two steps between said flooring and said exit; a folding step exterior of said entrance; a landing disposed below said flooring, in the same horizontal plane as the bottom of said entrance, and providing passage-way between the latter and said flooring longitudinal seats disposed upon both sides of the front end portion of said flooring and also upon that side of the central portion opposite said central exit; transverse seats disposed upon the rear end portion of said flooring; and a fare-box disposed upon the front end portion of said flooring a substantial distance from said entrance. Signed by me, this 9th day of September, PETER WITT. Attested by J.H. ALEXANDER, R.C. GREEN.

Appendix 2

Street Railway Car – US Patent No.1180900, filed - ‎Filed Sep 11, 1915 and ‎issued Apr 25, 1916 to Peter Witt.

Specification of Letters Patent, Application filed February 3, 1917. Serial No. 146,357

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER WITT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Street-Railway Cars, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to street railway cars and particularly to such cars as are convertible for use with either a one-man crew or a double crew. More particularly my invention relates to improvements upon that class of such cars which are provided with a plurality of doors used at the same time, particularly in double crew operation, and usually disposed upon the same side of the car, such as, for instance, an end entrance and a side exit, as ordinarily used with a crew of two men, my improvements consisting in so rearranging the relative locations of the end door-way and the fare-box, that the motorman can satisfactorily and conveniently collect the fares when it is desired to operate the car with one man.

My improved street railway car, for the purposes above mentioned, is an improvement upon any street railway car provided with a plurality of doorways on the same side of the car, all of which doorways are used at the same time, when two or more operatives are running the car, and said improved car is particularly an improvement for these purposes upon the car patented to me April 25, 1916 by U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,180,900.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing Figure 1 represents a broken side elevation of my improved street railway car; Fig. 2 represents a broken longitudinal horizontal section thereof; Fig. 3 represents a vertical section taken in the plane indicated by line 3- 3, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 represents, in detail, the two arrangements of a dividing rail and stanchion hereinafter fully described.

In said car shown in Patent No. 1,180,900, there was provided, as there is in the embodiment shown herein of my present improvements, a car body 1 with a front door the car is designed, when used with a double 7 crew, to furnish admittance through the front door-way and exit through the side door-way. As also pointed out in said patent, there is a flooring 4 and intermediately of the front door-way 2 and the front end of said flooring 4 is a depressed platform 5 which is in reality a landing in the short stairway or set of steps which lead from the exterior of the car through the front door-way to the flooring 4, said landing being amplified to extend transversely across the whole car and thus provide at its inner end some little seating facilities or space for a stove, etc., as desired and as plainly shown in the accompanying drawing. -There is provided exteriorly of the car for the front door-way 2, a folding step 6, and interiorly of the car for the side door-way 3 are provided two steps and 8. When the car is used with a double crew, as pointed out in said Patent No. 1,180,900, the fare-box 9 is located intermediately of the end door-way and the side door-way and preferably adjacently to the latter and laterally thereof upon the fixed support 11 as shown in the drawing. The conductors stand 12 is provided, as shown, immediately back of the fare-box 9 and immediately adjacent to the side door-way 3. So far the design is similar to that shown in said Patent No. 1,180,900, and by an end doorway was meant a door-way in the side of the car near one end thereof and by a side door-- way a door in the side of the car a substantial distance from both ends thereof, preferably about the middle of the side of the car.

For the purpose of the improvements herein described, I have provided an extra base for the fare-box 9, Such base being designated as 10, Fig. 1, and, as shown, being removably secured to the body or flooring of the car adjacent to the motor-man’s vestibule, and as shown in the accompanying drawing, it is located upon the platform 5 Patented one, is, rare, immediately to the rear of the motor-man’s vestibule and adjacently to the door-Way leading to said vestibule. The fare-box base is so located when the car is to be operated by one man and preferably, although not necessarily subdivide the front door-way 2, when the car is so operated, into a plurality of openings, at least two, one for entrance and one for exit, and marked as plainly shown at 17 in Fig. 1. This exit sign, when the car is operated by a double crew will, of course, be removed and replaced by an entrance sign, inasmuch, as is plainly pointed out in the aforementioned patent, in this embodiment of my present invention the end door-way of the car is used solely as an entrance when two men are operating the car, suitable exit signs being then placed adjacently to the side doorway 3. This subdivision of the front door-way 2, when the car is operated by one man, is effected in any desired manner, one way of effecting the same being shown in the accompanying drawing in which a dividing railing is formed of three sections 13,1 1 and 15, as plainly shown in Fig. 1. When the front door-way 2 is to be used as an entrance only, and it is desired to-have said entrance free so as to provide an adequately wide passageway, the section 13 of the dividing railing can be thrown upwardly by means of a pivotal connection with the section 14 and secured in the ceiling of the car so as to provide a hand railing or stanchion 16 upon the platform 5. The section 15 can be removed from the floor of the platform 5 and placed by the crew in any convenient corner of the car for use when it is again desired to form said dividing railing. Any means may be used for removably supporting the fare-box adjacently to the doorways, such means being secured to the body or flooring of the car or even consisting of said body or flooring. In the embodiment of the invention shown and described herein some of said supporting means have been removably positioned and specifically the support adjacent to the front doorway has been described as being removably positioned.

I have provided by my improved design, hereinbefore fully described, a car which is immediately convertible from a one-man crew to a double crew or vice-versa, and thus have provided a car which can be used during the rush hours of the day as a double crew car in the normal manner and during the slow hours as a one-man crew. I thereby secure all of the advantages attaching to the car shown in my said Patent No. 1,180,900, in that embodiment of my invention shown herein and at the same time by the closing of the side-doorways thereof and the removal of the fare-box 9 from the fixed base 11 to the removable base 10, and the provision of the dividing railing if desired, enable the car to be operated and th fares collected by one man, with economy of time, safety of the passengers, minimum loss of fares and above all, minimum cost of operation.

What I claim is:

1. A street railway car, provided with an end doorway and a side doorway; a fare box removably supported adjacently to said side doorway; and a fare-box base removably mounted adjacently to said end doorway and adapted removably to support said fare-box.

2. A street railway car provided with a normal front entrance and a normal side exit; a fare-box normally removably supported adjacently to said exit; and a farebox base removably mounted adjacently to said entrance and adapted removably to support said farebox 3. A street railway car provided with an end doorway and a side doorway; fare-box supports positioned adjacently to said doorways, respectively; and a fare-box adapted to be removably mounted upon either of said supports, the support adjacent to said front doorway being removably positioned.

4. A street railway car provided with an end doorway and a side doorway, the latter of which doorways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; a farebox adapted to be removably supported adjacently to either of said doorways; and means for thus supporting said fare-box.

5. A street railway car provided with an end doorway and a side doorway, the latter of which doorways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; farebox bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car and adjacently to said doorways, respectively; and a fare-box adapted to be removably supported upon, either of said bases.

6. A street railway car provided with an end door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; fare-box bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car and adjacently to said door-ways, respectively; and a fare-box adapted to be removably supported upon either of said bases, the base adjacent said front door-way being removably mounted upon said flooring or body.

7. A street rai way car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; fare-box bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car and adjacently to said door-ways, respectively; a fare-box adapted to be removably supported upon either of said bases; and a dividing railing forming a plurality of openings in said front doorway, said railing comprising connected horizontal and vertical members of a combined length substantially the height of the car.

8. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car;
fare-box bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car and adjacently to said door-ways, respectively; a fare-box adapted to be removably supported upon either of said bases; and a dividing railing forming a plurality of openings in said front doorway, said railing comprising connected horizontal and inner vertical members of a combined length substantially the height of the car, and an outer vertical member removably seated in the car flooring adjacently to said front door-way.

9. A street railway car provided with a front door-way and a side door-way, the latter of which door-ways is located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; fare-box bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car laterally of and adjacently to said side door-way and opposite said front door-Way, respectively; and a farebox adapted to be removably supported upon either of said bases.

10. A street railway car provided with an end doorway and a side doorway; farebox bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car and adjacently to said doorways, respectively; a fare-box adapted to be removably supported upon either of said bases; and a dividing railing forming a plurality of openings in said front door- 11. A. street railway car provided with an end doorway and a side doorway; fare, fare-box bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car and a adjacently to said door-ways, respectively; a fare-box adapted to be removably supported upon either of said bases, the base adjacent said front door-way being removably mounted in said flooring or body; and a dividing railing forming a plurality of openings in said front door-way.

13. A street railway car provided with an end door-way and aside door-way, the latter being located a substantial distance from both ends of the car; two fare-box bases mounted upon the flooring or body of the car, one of them intermediately of said two door-ways, and laterally of and adjacently to said side door-way, and the other opposite to said end door-way; a fare-box adapted to be removably supported upon either of said bases; and a removable dividing railing positioned adjacently to said end door-way and forming a plurality of openings therein.

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