Key System Bridge Unit #187 rests inside Car Barn 1 at the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista, CA. These cars get their name from their operations on the, at the time, new Bay Bridge. They are articulated cars that share a common central truck and include central passenger entries in each car, a forerunner of the design of most light rail vehicles today. Several of these pairs were connected to make up a train. Power pickup was via pantograph from overhead catenary wires, except on the Bay Bridge where a third rail pickup was used (an idea still used today by BART). The Key System's trains ran on 600 volt DC current, compared to the 1200 volts used by the SP commuter trains. The cars had an enclosed operator's cab in the right front, with passenger seats extending to the very front of the vehicle, a favorite seat for many children, with dramatic views of the tracks ahead. The exterior color of the cars was orange and cream white with a pale green stripe at the window level. Interior upholstery was woven reed seat covers in one of the articulated sections, and leather in the other, the smoking section. The flooring was linoleum. During WWII, the roofs were painted gray for aerial camouflage. After acquisition by National City Lines, all Key vehicles, including the Bridge Units, were re-painted in that company's standard colors, yellow and green.
The car to the right in this photo is Peninsular Railway No. 52, an American Car Co. Interurban Standard Coach.
Trolley car systems are often overlooked in the railroading world, but have played a vital roll in the development of major US cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago. This album is devoted to the streetcar, light rail, and trolley system
