File:DSC00594 - Streetcar MTC 997 (48167581281).jpg

English: The paint was really crackling on this one,....

The 901 class was introduced in 1910 and was the last streetcar purchased by Montreal Street Railways. Built entirely of steel, these streetcars measured approximately 14 metres (46ft) in length and were ideally suited to Montréal’s streets. The rear platform was only about two metres long, and a larger overhang posed risks for pedestrians and other streetcars in curves. The vehicles’ very simple and boxy design gave them a modern look that set them apart. Despite being comfortable, properly heated and lit and equipped with a host of refinements, these streetcars were never as successful as initially expected.

They were too heavy and costly to purchase, consumed a lot of electricity and damaged the tracks. For these reasons, starting in 1919, they were increasingly assigned to support functions. A few units entered service on commuter lines serving Pointe-aux-Trembles and Lachine, where their more sturdy construction made them efficient service vehicles. Seven other vehicles serving the Bout de l’Île line were replaced by busses in 1936.

Removed from regular service in 1954–1955, the 901-series vehicles were all scrapped except for two: the MTC 957 and the MTC 997. The former was converted in 1953 into a vehicle used to paint safety lines along curbs and sold in 1963 to the Seashore Trolley Museum (United States), where it is still in operation. The latter was removed from service in 1955 and repainted in its original livery. It was in a state of partial disassembly when the Museum acquired it in 1963.

All the information used with the pictures was taken from information at the Canadian Railway Museum Site.

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