Shipyard Survivors.
Shipyard Railway car 561 and mate 563 are seen on display at the Western Railway Museum in Suisun City, CA. The cars are former Manhattan Elevated Railway cars - two of just four cars that survive from the once hundreds-strong fleet - built by Gilbert & Bush in 1887 as cars 844 and 889, respectively. They were acquired by the US Maritime Commission in 1942 and retrofitted for operation with overhead power supply on the new railway connecting the Richmond Shipyard to other commuter railroads in the East Bay area. The line operated for less than three years, hustling workers to and from the bustling shipyard, closing on September 30, 1945 shortly after the end of World War II. Cars of this type generally operated express service on the line as they were built for high platforms, which could not be installed at street stops. Local service was operated with Key System "bridge units" (Key System was the builder and operator of the line), and eventually some shipyard cars - including 561 - were retrofitted with folding steps that opened when the gate opened.
When the line closed, most shipyard cars were scrapped, with some being sold off for use as sheds. Cars 561 and 563 were purchased by the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. They remained at the Key System yard in Emeryville until the AC Transit takeover of bus services in 1960 - two years after rail service was discontinued - when they were brought to the Western Railway Museum for preservation.
From the vineyards of Napa Valley to the canyons of the Coastal Range to famed theme parks like Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, California's tourist railroads and museums offers a wide variety of experiences for the rail enthusiast.
