1911 Osgood Bradley Trolley Update July 2013

by Dick Shappy

It has been quite a while since we have done work on the Osgood Bradley trolley, but that is about to change. Chris, who has done a superb job on the restoration of this beautiful piece of transportation history, has been repeatedly asked why he has not been available to continue working on this project. He said he wanted to continue and he even submitted a proposal to finish the work. I agreed to the terms of his proposal, but he still never returned. I cannot keep this project stalled and have decided to continue with this restoration immediately without him.

A visit to the Shoreline Trolley Museum in East Haven, Connecticut last week really peaked my interest because the boys down there had invited me for a special visit. They are coincidently doing a Bradley car, and are currently working on the inside deck floor section.... which is exactly the same stage of work where we have stalled. In anticipation of my arrival, George and the boys brought out an old Rhode Island utility car circa 1905 and treated me to the most exciting trolley motoring day of my life. After we got underway, they gave me a brief lesson in motoring. I was then asked to take the controls. They did explain that this car is one of the easiest to operate. All I can say is that this had to be the greatest experience I have encountered in my lifetime!

Please visit the Projects section on this site and scroll down to "1911 Osgood Bradley Trolley" so you can follow along with our renewed start on this restoration.

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