Text by James Bow
Revised by Robert Lubinski
See Also
- The Peter Witts
- VIDEO: Riding the TTC’s Last Witts, by Richard Glaze.
For the first thirty-three years of TTC’s existence, the Peter Witt streetcar was the workhorse of Toronto’s streetcar fleet. With the arrival of the Presidents’ Conference Committee car and the opening of the Yonge Subway, however, the Peter Witt car started to fade from the scene. As the TTC purchased used PCC cars from American cities abandoning their streetcar networks, the Peter Witt cars gradually hit the scrap heap. As streetcar service was trimmed with the abandonment of the OAKWOOD route and the opening of the UNIVERSITY SUBWAY, the number of Peter Witt cars in service dwindled and they were only used as rush hour extras on Bathurst and Kingston Road.
The last route where they provided base service was the DUPONT streetcar. When this route closed following the opening of the UNIVERSITY SUBWAY, the Peter Witts remained only to act as spares, used as extras for special events which required extra service (such as the CNE) and for fan trip charters. Official retirement came on January 1, 1965. However, the TTC kept one Peter Witt car behind.
Peter Witt car #2766, one of 100 Small Witts, remained on active duty until July 18, 1965, when it was used for a retirement fan trip. The vehicle remained on TTC property in storage until it was brought back to life in 1973 as part of a special ‘Belt Line Tour Tram’ service. Unfortunately, despite a lot of initial interest, this service was discontinued in 1975 due to lack of ridership, and 2766 returned to occasional charter duty. It was then used for various sightseeing tour operations, such as a King Edward Hotel “brunch and streetcar ride”, and then for tours operated by “Toronto by Trolley” as well as occasional fan trip charters throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, including being the last streetcar to operate on Mt. Pleasant Rd. on a fan trip in July 1976 when the track was abandoned.
The sightseeing tours and charters ended in November 1988 with another retirement fan trip and the car was then put into storage. After a touch-up of fresh paint, it was used for the ceremonies at the opening of the new Exhibition Loop in 1996 and the opening festivities for the Spadina streetcar line in July 1997. However, the car wasn’t getting any younger. It had been built by Canadian Car & Foundry in 1922, and was deteriorating to the point that it was no longer safe to run. In 2001, after a report was released recommending that the Witt and the two remaining PCCs on TTC property be donated to the Halton County Radial Railway Museum, the TTC Commissioners decided against the idea. Partial restoration of the Peter Witt car commenced and it was able to operate under its own power for the TTC’s 80th Birthday parade of historic vehicles on September 6, 2001.
In 2002-2003, the car was given a heavy rebuild, including new steel for the body and new wiring, and of course a gleaming new paint job. The car was put on display at the Canadian National Exhibition in August 2003. It was also dedicated to Ray Corley, a long-time engineer, streetcar historian and one of the “fathers” of the CLRV streetcar. Since then 2766 has operated in special service on the Harbourfront route to the CNE on Warriors’ Day 2005, and makes regular annual appearances in the Beaches Easter Parade to the delight of the parade-goers.
As of July 2013, Peter Witt #2766 remains on TTC property and sees occasional use in charter service.
The Last TTC Peter Witt (#2766) Image Archive
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Peter Witt #2766, signed for a training car run, is found by Joseph Testagrose at Townsley loop. Date unknown |
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TTC Peter Witt car #2766 waits at Hillingdon loop near Danforth carhouse on May 16, 1964, while an inspector pays a visit. Photo by R. McMann, from the John Knight collection. |
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TTC Peter Witt car #2766 heads southbound on Bay Street, passing Front, heading into the underpass beneath the Union Station tracks. This special trip was taken by Barker Gummere on May 30, 1965 and the image is courtesy the John Bromley collection. |
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On May 30, 1965, Peter Witt car #2766 was already in demand for charter service, seen here at Bedford loop on Bloor Street. The photograph is from the Howard Wayt collection. |
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TTC Peter Witt car #2766 rests at Wychwood carhouse, alongside TTC Snow Sweeper S-36 and two PCCs. This photo was taken by Richard Glaze circa 1970. |
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Peter Witt car #2766 at High Park Loop circa 1989. Photo donated from the Brad O'Brien collection. |
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During its tour tram years, Witt 2766 was chartered often. Here, you see it at Earlscourt loop beside Flyer rebuild trolley bus 9321. Photo by David Morgan, donated from the Brad O'Brien collection. |
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In the late 1990s, which is when this picture was taken (by James Bow), Peter Witt 2766 was stored at Russell Carhouse. This left it open to the elements and its condition deteriorated. The car would have to undergo extensive rehabilitation before it could move again. |
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By 2000, Witt 2766 was not in operating condition. Public pressure prevented the TTC from scrapping or donating this streetcar away, and the commission looked into restoring the car. |
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A roof shot of Witt 2766 at Russell Carhouse. Photo by James Bow. |
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This shot shows the inside of Witt 2766. Note the side-facing seats. The Witt cars were the last streetcars on the system to use these. |
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John F. Bromley snapped this picture of Peter Witt #2766 posing at the Canadian National Exhibition in August 2003. The streetcar was behind a picket fence, its fresh coats of paint gleaming in the floodlights. She was quite a pretty sight. |
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Another view of this fine specimen, snapped by John F. Bromley. |
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Russ Hilder captured this Witt Car 2766, having been taken off of the streetcar tracks and placed in the basement of Davenport Garage, awaiting restoration. |
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In August 2002, Russ Hilder captured this and the next three shots of Witt 2766 undergoing extensive rebuilding at Hillcrest this past July. Here, the body has been stripped down completely. |
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The rear of Peter Witt 2766, stripped and on hoists. |
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Side view of Peter Witt #2766, undergoing restoration, showing unpainted lower panelling and the still-painted window frames and top. |
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Side view, closeup of Peter Witt car #2766, undergoing restoration. |
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Witt 2766 was shot at Hillcrest, after the latest round of rehabilitation, on June 18, 2003, before it and 4500 and 4116 headed out to the King Edward Hotel's 100th birthday celebration. Photograph courtesy the TTC. |
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Also at the August 2003 CNE display, Raymond Lee caught this picture of one of the display boards that accompanied the streetcar. This one talks about the restoration of the car. |
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This display shown at the August 2003 CNE, talks about the origins of the Peter Witt design. Photo by Raymond Lee. |
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TTC preserved Peter Witt car #2766 sits on display at Hillcrest shops during an open house on September 24, 2016. Photo by Patrick Yutiga. |
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To celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, the TTC pulled Peter Witt #2766 out of Hillcrest for a couple of runs on the 509 HARBOURFRONT route, much to local railfans' delight. Steve Munro caught this image of the car entering Queen's Quay station. |
