Barber Car Company

The Barber Car Company was a short lived manufacturer of streetcars, located in York, Pennsylvania.

The cars produced were more utilitarian than elegant, in nature. Part of the reason for the appearance resulted in air being forced into the car, providing needed ventilation.

History

• In 1908, the company was formed by Edward A. Barber, a previous electrical and mechanical engineer from the Black River Traction Company of Watertown, NY.
• In 1912, Barber created an experimental car, using a gasoline engine to provide the electricity to operate the car. In May it was demonstrated on the CB&C out of Huntington, Indiana. At the demonstration, it was made known that three of the cars had been purchased by the Chicago, Terre Haute & Eastern Railway. However, one of the cars had been operating at the Sunbury, Lewistown and Milton Street Railway in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, since January 15, earlier that year.
• In 1914, the Barber Car Company dissolved, partially due to railroads not investing in new cars.

Clients

United States

• Albia Interurban Railway - Albia, IA
• Boston and Northern Street Railway - Boston, MA
• Brownsville Street and Interurban Railroad - Brownsville, TX
• Cincinnati, Bluffton and Chicago Railway - IN
• Hummelstown and Campbelltown Railway - Hummelstown, PA
• Morris County Traction Company - Morris County, NJ
• Parkersburg, Marietta and Interurban Railway - Parkersburg, OH
• Port Arthur Traction Company - Port Arthur, TX
• Sunbury and Selinsgrove Street Railway - Sunbury, PA
• Sunbury and Susquehanna Street Railway - Sunbury, PA
• Sunbury, Lewistown and Milton Street Railway - Sunbury, PA

Further reading

• Cox, Harold E., Barber Car: Electric Traction's Ugly Duckling, 32p, Forty Fort, PA: Self-published, 2002.
• Midcontinent Railway Museum, Barber Car Company