Echoes of Transportation History: Unearthing the Forgotten Trolley Bus of Ford Park
Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey
Last week, I posted a very popular article about the Dardanelle and Russellville Railroad 2-6-0 Steam Locomotive #10 at Ford Park in Shreveport. Thanks to Brad Driggers of the Abandoned Louisiana group on Facebook, I learned that old Number 10 isn't the only transportation-related relic residing there.
Thanks to the directions provided by Brad, I was able to go on an expedition into the remote northwest section of the park where, deep in the tree line, sits the remains of an old Shreveport Railway Trolley Bus. At this time, the old trolley is barely visible, with only the tail end sticking out of the vines. Though I wanted to explore it more thoroughly, I could only manage to climb through the flora enough to access the rear window and stick my camera inside for a few photos.
I also want to give a shout-out to Rick Lewis of Abandoned Louisiana for warning me that the area is home to several venomous snakes. Thanks to Rick's warning, I made a lot of noise as I explored the area, and I highly recommend that anyone who tries to find this old trolley bus exercise extreme caution.
Trolley buses of this type were built between 1931 and 1947 by the J.G. Brill Company of Philadelphia. These rather unique form of buses replaced traditional trolleys that ran on railroad tracks embedded in the street. Like the trolleys they replaced, they received power via transits that made contact with overhead electrical lines. Otherwise, these trolley buses resembled traditional buses in most respects.
These trolley buses were operated by the Shreveport Railways Company, and then the Shreveport Transit Company from 1931 until their last run on May 26, 1965. This particular unit was rescued from the scrap yard and placed on display in Ford Park in 1974, where it still sits today.
Like the old steam locomotive that sits a couple hundred yards away, this trolley bus has been neglected for decades and has deteriorated to the point where restoration would be nearly impossible.
Map:
Here are some of my photos:
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