The first of six vintage 1937 Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) trams have been restored and returned to the city of El Paso, Texas.
Brookville Equipment Corporation (BEC) was tasked with restoring and modernising the trams at its Western Pennsylvania manufacturing facility following a contract award in 2015.
This programme included:Â repairing and replacing structural carriage body components, new propulsion systems, a complete rewiring, new interiors, and door system upgrades.
Modern features and amenities such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and pantographs were also installed.
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The PCC trams were removed from service in 1974 and kept in storage for decades before the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority – which is overseeing construction of El Paso’s new tram system – reached a deal with BEC in 2015.
Delivery of the other five trams will continue throughout 2018. Once they are delivered, the vehicles will undergo onsite testing prior to entering revenue service.
The first vehicle has been painted in a light blue, red, and white colour scheme, identical to the one used for the El Paso fleet from the late 1960s through to 1974.
Other vehicles will include finishes from El Paso’s fleet during the 1950s (green, orange and white) and 1960s (blue, green and white). Each of the three colour schemes will be applied to two vehicles.
Services on the tram system will be operated by the City of El Paso’s Mass Transit Department, known also as Sun Metro.
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