Transit Museum Society
The Transit Museum Society of British Columbia (TRAMS) is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of decommissioned transit vehicles in Vancouver and the adjoining areas. Based in Burnaby, TRAMS has a fleet of fourteen operational vehicles, and at least six vehicles pending restoration. These vehicles were previously in use by both public and private operating companies between 1925 and 2010.
Volunteers from TRAMS also operated the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway and carried out restoration and maintenance of the historic electric interurban cars used on that line, until its operation was suspended indefinitely in 2012.
Fleet
Railcars
Buses
- 1937 Hayes "Teardrop" Model PCT-32, Pacific Stage Lines #63 (Oldest operational bus in B.C.)
- 1947 Canadian Car-Brill Model T-44 trolley coach, B. C. Electric #2040.
The First Trolley Buses for Vancouver to replace Streetcar lines starting in 1948. The last of these vehicles was retired by BC Hydro & Power Authority in 1976.
- 1947 Fageol Twin Coach Model 41S, B. C. Electric. #M852
Bought by BC Electric to assist with the “rails to rubber” conversion starting in 1947
- 1954 Canadian Car-Brill Model T-48A trolley coach, B. C. Hydro #2416
The last of the Brill trolley buses purchased for Vancouver by BC Electric
- 1957 Canadian Car-Brill Model CD52A, BC Hydro #3404
Primarily used on the Macdonald / Knight Route. Later in 1977 the CD52A buses were repainted and used as “Shopper” buses that went between shopping centers in Vancouver and later in Victoria.
- 1957 Canadian Car-Brill CD52A, BC Electric #3405
Primarily used on the Macdonald / Knight Route. Later in 1977 the CD52A buses were repainted and used as “Shopper” buses that went between shopping centers in Vancouver and later in Victoria.
- 1957 General Motors Model TDH-4512 BC Electric #730 "Centennial" Restored externally, interior converted to mobile theater and historic display
Originally Purchased for Victoria. Later served Mission, Powell River, and other small communities in B.C. Restored externally, interior converted to mobile theater and historic display in 1990 for the transit centennial.
- 1964 General Motors TDH-4519, BC Hydro #4612. [[GM New Look bus|
The first GM Newlook buses purchased by BC Hydro for Vancouver.
- 1976 [Flyer Industries] E800, BC Transit V1109, "triesel"
(ex-trolleybus 2649, converted to diesel for purpose of de-icing trolley wires); repainted back to "Metro Transit" yellow-and-orange-stripe livery and renumbered back to 2649 (June 2012)
- 1982 Flyer Industries D901A, BC Transit 3334
35 of these buses were purchased along with the similar trolley buses. Some of these buses lasted into the new millennium.
- 1982 General Motors T6H5307N, New Look type. "Fishbowl" Hillclimber, BC Transit P4107
These buses were the first buses for Vancouver with turbocharged 6V92TA engines and were used often for climbing the hills up Burnaby mountain to Simon Fraser University.
- 1982 General Motors/BBC HR150G "Fishbowl" trolley bus, Edmonton Transit System, 132
Purchased for long routes from Downtown Vancouver to White rock Tsawassen, and Ladner. Features Suburban seating and reading lights.
- 1991 New Flyer Industries D40 "Suburban," Coast Mountain Bus Company V3106
Purchased for long routes from Downtown Vancouver to White rock Tsawassen, and Ladner. Features Suburban seating and reading lights.
Other non-operational vehicles
- 1927 Hayes "long nose"
- 1947 Canadian Car IC-41, Pacific Stage Lines 6228
- 1946 Fageol Twin Coach 34S, BC Electric M-??? (Donated to Yakima Electric Railway Museum)
- 1951 Canadian Car T-48A BC Electric/BC Hydro/BC Transit 2341 (Sold to private owner)
- 1954 Canadian Car T-48A MTOC 2414 (Sold to private owner)
- 1954 Canadian Car T-48A 2401, 2404, and 24?? (Sold or scrapped)
- 1954 REO heavy duty tow truck, BC Electric/BC Hydro/Metro Transit Operating Company finishing (Sold to private owner / Museum for restoration)
- 1983 Flyer Industries E902 trolleybus, BC Transit 2805 (converted into office due to metal thieves' stripping of coach)
Plans
In future TRAMS plans to acquire additional vehicles in the following five years, representing types which played a big part in the Vancouver transit system, including a New Flyer D40LF, and a 1974 MCI model 8 (MC-8) from Pacific Coach Lines.