TWIN CITY RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY: An inventory of Its Corporate Records at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscript Collections

TWIN CITY RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY:

An inventory of Its Corporate Records at the Minnesota Historical Society


OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
	Creator:	Twin City Rapid Transit Company.
	Title:	Corporate records.
	Date:	1872-2001 (bulk 1890-1965).
	Abstract:	Records of the company (and its subsidiaries and successors) that operated the streetcar and local bus system in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area from 1891 until 1970.
	Quantity:	43.2 cu. ft. (60 boxes).
	Location:	See Detailed Description section for shelf locations.

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HISTORY OF THE TWIN CITY RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY

Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT) operated the streetcar and local bus common carrier system in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area from the 1890s until 1970. For many years the TCRT corporate umbrella included four operating subsidiaries which functioned as a unified transportation system: Minneapolis Street Railway Company, the St. Paul City Railway Company, Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company, and the Twin City Motor Bus Company. Other TCRT subsidiaries included the Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company, Rapid Transit Real Estate Corporation, and the Transit Supply Company. The Minneapolis Street Railway Company (MSR) and the St. Paul City Railway Company (SPCR) began continuous service in the 1870s as horsecar carriers. In 1886 the two properties began to operate under a single group of owners when Minneapolis businessman Thomas Lowry and his associates gained control of both. Electrification of the horsecar lines began in Minneapolis in 1889 and in St. Paul in 1890.

The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (a New Jersey corporation) was incorporated in 1891 as a holding company, with the MSR and the SPCR as wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. The TCRT was succeeded in 1939 by a new Minnesota corporation of the same name. A management change in 1949 brought New York financier Charles Green to the presidency of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company. Green and his associates decided to abandon the streetcar lines and convert to buses as quickly as possible, apparently in order to maximize their short-term profit. The company's entire streetcar fleet was scrapped and replaced by buses in an aggressive conversion plan completed in 1954 under TCRT president Fred A. Ossanna, a former associate of Green's who managed to oust him in 1951. Ossanna and four of his associates were convicted in 1960 of defrauding the TCRT of company assets, including scrap metal and real estate, during the conversion. Twin City Rapid Transit Company changed its name in 1962 to Minnesota Enterprises Incorporated, and in 1970 this firm became MEI Corporation. MEI left the transit business in 1970 with the takeover of its Twin City Lines subsidiary by the Twin Cities Area Metropolitan Transit Commission, an agency created by the Minnesota Legislature and charged with maintaining and improving public mass transit in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

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SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

The collection consists of records of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company and its subsidiaries and their predecessors. A small amount of material (mainly annual reports) relates to successor companies Minnesota Enterprises Incorporated and MEI Corporation. Most of the records document the affairs of three operating subsidiaries: Minneapolis Street Railway Company, the St. Paul City Railway Company, and the Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company.

Most of the material is of a financial nature, including valuation records and comptroller's files. There are also stock certificate books, annual reports, employment records, right-of-way and trackage maps, some real estate records, mechanical and architectural drawings, and assorted subject files. The collection includes minute books for related and subsidiary companies, while the only minute books for the TCRT itself date from 1954 to 1959 and are in the form of shorthand notes in 6 spiral-bound stenographer's notebooks.

Valuation records consist primarily of bound valuation reports (1920s), subsequent valuation record additions (1925-1961) (also bound), and a set of paper files. Comptroller's files include information about bus purchases, PCC streetcars, municipal ordinances and resolutions affecting the operating subsidiaries, the St. Anthony Falls Water Power Company, taxes, and fare increases. Comptroller's files also include annual reports to government agencies, retirement plan-pension trust records, copies of the Minneapolis Horse Railroad Company's articles of incorporation, and documents related to TCRT's planned 1944 trust bond offering.

Employment records include Employee Appointment Cards, which give the employee's name and address, badge number, date employed, last date in service, and other information. An extensive set of mechanical and architectural drawings depict TCRT streetcars, company-owned boats that once plied the waters of Lake Minnetonka, car stations, shops, and other TCRT facilities.

There is information about TCRT operations; payrolls; the construction and maintenance of streetcar lines; bus purchases; and the company's scrapping and burning of its streetcars in the 1950s.

Some records relate to other companies that apparently had some connection to the TCRT or to its officers, including the Duluth-Superior Traction Company and the Minneapolis Anoka and Cuyuna Range Railway Company. Miscellaneous Records include a file of historical information about the TCRT, some Duluth-Superior Traction Company annual reports, and a folder of news clippings relating to the streetcar-to-bus conversion scandal.

Most of the collection came to the Minnesota Historical Society in 1993 from the Minnesota Transportation Museum, one of whose members (Russell L. Olson) once worked for TCRT. Olson apparently had possession of and worked with the materials constituting the large 1993 accession (14,978) while writing a book. Other pieces of the collection as presently constituted include a small, previously-cataloged manuscript collection (formerly P652) and materials brought together from State Archives record series and from other sources.

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ORGANIZATION OF THE COLLECTION
	These documents are organized into the following sections:

		Corporation Records
		Claim Department Records
		Comptroller's Officer Records
		Construction Records
		Employment Records
		Engineering Records
		Mechanical Department Records
		Operating Records
		Valuation Department Records
		Miscellaneous Records

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RELATED MATERIALS
	Additional information about the Twin City Rapid Transit Company can be found in other Minnesota Historical Society collections. A nearly complete set of annual reports is found in the MHS serials collection. Some collective labor agreements, rule books, time tables, promotional literature, and other printed items are also located in the book collection, as is a 1951 article from Collier's magazine that describes mob infiltration and control of the TCRT "How Mobsters Grabbed a City's Transit Line". There is also information in the Library's Vertical File under the headings Transportation: Street Railways, Transportation: Transit Lines, Blumenfeld, and Ossanna.
	Some original TCRT documents are found in the Russell L. Olson Papers in the MHS manuscript collections, and in several series of Metropolitan Transit Commission records in the Minnesota State Archives.
	There are no photographs in this collection. Several hundred photographic negatives were received from the Minnesota Transportation Museum and were subsequently transferred to the MHS sound and visual collections. A 1953 audio recording of what is said to be the Twin Cities' last TCRT-operated trolley streetcar is also in the MHS sound and visual collections.

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INDEX TERMS
	This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
	Topics:
		Architectural drawings.
		Bus lines--Minnesota--Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
		Electric railroads--Minnesota.
		Horse railroads--Minnesota.
		Local transit--Twin Cities Metropolitan Area--Finance.
		Pensions--Minnesota.
		Street-railroads--Minnesota--Minneapolis.
		Street-railroads--Minnesota--Saint Paul.
		Trolley cars--Minnesota.
		Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minn.)--Local transit.
	Organization:
		Duluth-Superior Traction Company.
		MEI Corporation.
		Minneapolis Anoka and Cuyuna Range Railway Company.
		Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company.
		Minnesota Enterprises Incorporated.
		Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company.
		Rapid Transit Real Estate Corporation.
		St. Paul Railway Company (Minn.).
		Transit Supply Company.
		Twin City Motor Bus Company.
		Twin City Lines (Minn.).
	Genre:
		Payrolls.
		Architectural drawings.
		Maps.
		Mechanical drawings.

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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
	Preferred Citation:
		[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Twin City Rapid Transit Company Records. Minnesota Historical Society.
		See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
	Accession Information:
		Accession number: 10,883; 14,784; 14,978; 14,979; 14,980; 15,932; 985-31; 985-193
	Processing Information:
		Processed by: David B. Peterson, December 1994; additions by David B. Peterson, January 2003
		PALS ID number: 09-00040240

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below.

Corporation Records

Location

Box

142.F.9.8F

Twin City Rapid Transit Company:

Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, Legislative Acts, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Agreements (Twin City Rapid Transit Company and Subsidiary Companies), January 1915. 1 volume.

Companies represented in the volume include Twin City Rapid Transit Company; Minneapolis Street Railway Company; St. Paul Street Railway Company; Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company; Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railway Company; Minneapolis, Lyndale & Minnetonka Railway Company; Transit Supply Company; Minnetonka & White Bear Navigation Company; and Rapid Transit Real Estate Corporation.

Annual reports:

1899, 1903, 1916, 1920, 1925, 1927-1928.

1931-1948. 2 folders.

1950-1969. 2 folders.

Note: Reports are for TCRT through 1961; Minnesota Enterprises, 1962-1968; MEI Corporation, 1969.

Board of Directors minutes (in shorthand), 1954-1959. 6 spiral stenographers' notebooks.

Bylaws, 1963.

Stock certificates, 1952-1960.

Journal, 1904-1906.1 volume.

Includes: Minneapolis Street Railway Company (p. 1-91), St. Paul City Railway Company (p. 217-277), and Minneapolis and St. Paul Suburban Railway Company (p. 327-365).

Note to researchers: Volume was severely water damaged; covers and blank pages were removed and discarded.

Consolidated journal, 1946-1949.1 volume.

Payroll record book, 1943-1944.1 volume.

Gives amount of compensation to TCRT officers and directors from various accounts: TCRT, Minneapolis Street Railway Co., St. Paul City Railway Co., Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Co., and Twin City Motor Bus Co.

Location

Box

142.G.3.2F-1

Related and subsidiary companies:

Como Railway Company: Minute book, 1880-1882.

Minneapolis, Lyndale and Minnetonka Railway Company:

Minute books:

1878-1888.

Begins as Lyndale Railway Company.

1889-1929.

Stock journal, 1881-1898.

Stock ledger, 1881-1909.

Location

Box

142.G.3.2F-2

Minneapolis and St. Paul Suburban Railway Company:

Minute books:

1899-1920.

1921-1929.

Stock certificate book, 1899-1916.

Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company:

Minute book, 1910-1958.

Location

Box

142.F.10.1B

Minneapolis Street Railway Company:

Minute books:

1873-1884.

"Original Minute Book."

1873-1959. 4 volumes.

Stock certificate book, 1888-1904.

Mostly blank; contains capital stock shares 501-1000.

Location

Box

142.F.10.2F

Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company:

Corporate record book, 1910-1958.

Journal, 1946-1961.

Rapid Transit Real Estate Corporation:

Corporate record book, 1910-1958.

Journal, 1946-1961.

Location

Box

142.F.10.3B

St. Paul City Railway Company:

Minute books:

1872-1927. 4 volumes.

Early minutes are from the St. Paul Street Railway Company, predecessor of the St. Paul City Railway Company.

1956-1959.

Stock certificate #536 issued to Thomas Lowry, 1887.

Saint Paul and Suburban Railway Company. Minute book, 1896-1902.

Location

Box

142.G.3.3B-1

Transit Supply Company Ledger, 1946-1950.

Location

Box

142.G.3.3B-2

Twin City Motor Bus Company:

Minute book, 1937-1959.

Journal, 1946-1950.

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Claim Department Records

Location

Box

142.G.3.4F-1

Claim Department disbursement record books:

Minneapolis Street Railway Company, 1953-1955.

Twin City Motor Bus Company, May 1952-May 1955.

Location

Box

142.G.3.4F-2

Claim Record of Employees Injured ("Workmen's Comp. Register"):

Minneapolis Street Railway Company, Dec. 24, 1954-Dec. 31, 1960.

M claim numbers; include St. Paul City Ry. Co. claims [E claim numbers], Jan. 10, 1957-Dec. 22, 1960, beginning on page 30.

St. Paul City Railway Company, April 1951-Jan. 1957.

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Comptroller's Office

Location

Box

143.F.9.6F

Numerically-coded subject files:

Mainly comptroller but probably not exclusive to that office. Some documents say "executive office."

127.1-I. Retirement plan: 1955 licenses, 1954-1955.

128.2-N. Minneapolis Street Railway Company bus licenses, 1954-1957.

Includes bus roster and license record as of Feb. 1, 1957; also includes cars and trucks; Minneapolis and St. Paul companies.

Bus specifications and brochures:

129.6. Undated and 1935-1940. 2 folders.

129.7. 1946.

Bus purchases, etc.:

Includes correspondence, purchase orders, invoices, contracts, and agreements.

129.16. 1951-1958.

129.16-O. 1960-1964.

129.16-P. 1964-1965.

129.16-Q. 1964-1965.

131. Examination report: General form, 1925.

154. PCC streetcars, 1945-1946.

President's Conference Committee streetcars--streamlined, single-end cars, which grew out of experiments in the 1930s sponsored by a group of street railway company presidents; arrived on TCRT system in 1946-1947.

167. Minneapolis Horse Railroad Company: Articles of incorporation (1867), 1908. 2 transcriptions.

174. Duluth Street Railway Co. and Duluth-Superior Traction Co., 1900-1929.

175. Lyndale Railway Company, 1878-1899.

235. Drawing: Como Avenue and Eustis Street bus turnaround property, 1960.

Minneapolis Street Railway Company:

245-1. Ordinances and resolutions, 1873-1912.

245-2. Ordinances, 1876-1891.

245-3. Resolutions, 1890-1893.

245-4. Resolutions and ordinances, 1904-1923.

245-5. Resolutions and ordinances, 1919-1923.

St. Paul City Railway Company:

247. Ordinances and resolutions, 1872-1889.

247-1. Ordinances and resolutions, 1891-1905.

247-2. Ordinances and resolutions, 1906-1914.

247-3. Ordinances and resolutions, 1916-1925.

248. Phalen Park Ordinances, 1905-1930.

Minneapolis and St. Paul Suburban Railway Co. ordinances and resolutions:

251. City of Stillwater, 1899-1932.

252. Mahtomedi/North and South Stillwater, 1903-1905, 1954.

253. New Canada/White Bear, 1904.

254. South St. Paul, 1905-1928.

255. Excelsior, 1905-1906.

255-1. Excelsior, 1908-1922.

256. St. Louis Park, 1891-1916.

257. West Minneapolis, 1898-1907.

258. North Side Street Railway Company, 1890-1913, 1941.

259. Edina, 1914-1928.

260. Columbia Heights, 1906, 1933-1934.

261. Sec. 35-117-23 (Hennepin County), 1916.

262. Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company: Ordinances and resolutions, 1915.

279. Crossing permits: Great Northern Railway Company, 1891-1941.

Location

Box

143.F.9.7B

281. Crossing points: Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway Company, 1887-1908.

282. Crossing permits: Wisconsin Central Railway Company, 1890-1935.

285. Fort Snelling Reservation, 1905-1940.

286. Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse Commission, 1915-1933.

St. Anthony Falls Water Power Company:

301. 1894-1901.

302. Contracts, etc., 1896-1901.

303. Contracts, leases, etc., 1893-1909.

304. Lower Dam: Leases, agreements, etc., 1896-1915.

304.1. Lower Dam leases, contracts, etc., 1909-1948.

306. Minneapolis Mill Co. and Minnepolis General Electric Co., 1907-1917.

307. Permits, grants, etc., 1911-1947.

308. 1937-1947.

310.1-G. Application for self-insurance permit, 1955.

321-W. State of Minnesota Annual Information Return (1955), [1956?].

324. Fuel purchasers' and distributors' licenses, 1953-1954.

329.1-H. Annual Report of Domestic Corporations to State of South Dakota, 1955.

Minneapolis Power Station:

335. Equipment specifications, 1940.

Sargent & Lundy.

336. Turbine generators, 1944.

General Electric.

346.2-C. MSRC application to Minneapolis Park Board for auto transportation permit, 1955.

350.2-C. Quarterly reports to Securities and Exchange Commission, 1955.

Forms R-2 and R-3.

356. Minneapolis Power House: Steam generating boiler, 1949.

Babcock & Wilcox.

360. Mercury arc rectifier equipment specifications, 1946.

General Electric.

Location

Box

143.F.9.8F

369-A. TCRT financing documents, 1944.

Vol. 1: Documents 7-54. Relates to TCRT's planned offering of $7,000,000 in 4% collateral trust bonds due Oct. 1, 1964; contains historical and background information about TCRT and its subsidiaries.

396. Trade name: Certificates under name of Twin City Coach Lines, 1954-1970.

400.1. Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return (Form 941), 1955-1956.

401.1. Minnesota Department of Employment Security, 1955.

402.1. Quarterly federal excise taxes, 1955.

403.13. Gasoline tax refund: State of Minnesota, 1955.

866. Accounting, rulings, classification of accounts, 1949-1952, 1959.

Comptroller's files (unnumbered):

Assessment report (TCRT), 1900.

Balance sheets and proposed journal entries in connection with liquidation of subsidiary companies, 1957-1961.

Certain financial transactions in the history of the TCRT, its subsidiaries, and predecessors, 1943.

Comptroller's procedures, memoranda, and bulletins, 1948-1950.

Consolidated earned surplus data and dividends paid reports and worksheets, 1944-1962.

Correspondnece, 1953-1964.

Form 10-K, 1956.

Legal instruments concerning establishment of rate fares:

Before district courts in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, 1952-1959. 3 folders.

Copies of pleadings, including briefs, hearing transcripts, and other legal papers. Includes documents marked 9-8 (3) E, 9-9 (3) B, 508-9 [a valuation file number], and "executive office."

Before Railroad and Warehouse Commission, 1921-1925, 1932-1953. 2 folders.

Copies of valuation findings, fare orders, and other legal papers. Includes documents marked 298 [a comptroller's file number?], 9.8, 9.9, and "executive office."

Location

Box

143.F.9.9B

Legal instruments:

Before Railroad and Warehouse Commission, 1954-1963. 5 folders.

Retirement plan and pension trust records:

Actuarial valuation reports, 1951-1969. 3 folders.

Agreements between company and individual employees, 1944-1956.

Annual reports, 1951, 1958, 1964.

Correspondence, 1944-1965.

Includes documents marked 127 [comptroller's file] and 925 [president's file].

Financial statements, spreadsheets, and related papers, 1943-1965.

Pension trust agreements, 1934-1961. 2 folders.

Documents marked 127 [comptroller's file].

St. Paul City Railway Company: Annual Report to Railroad and Warehouse Commission, 1955.

Transportation tax data, 1955-1959.

Includes financial statements, reports, and correspondence.

Trust bonds prospectus, 1944-1945.

Contains historical and background information about TCRT and its subsidiaries.

Value of properties report, 1916.

Report to Minneapolis City Council on analysis and review of value of the properties of the Minneapolis Street Railway Company by consulting engineer Charles L. Pillsbury.

Miscellaneous financial reports, 1925-1969. 2 folders.

Includes examination reports, summaries and reviews, spreadsheets, and other financial reports and information.

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Construction Records

Location

Box

142.G.3.5B-1

Construction journals:

Documents purchases of tools, expenditures for labor and materials in connection with track construction and reconstruction, repairs to and refurbishment/reconstruction of streetcars, and transactions involving power plants, buildings and fixtures, real estate, etc.

1901-Sept. 1907.

Location

Box

142.G.3.5B-2

Oct. 1907-1910.

Location

Box

142.G.3.6F-1

1911-1912. 2 volumes.

Begin Transit Supply Company.

1914.

Location

Box

142.G.3.6F-2

1915-1917. 3 volumes.

Location

Box

142.G.3.7B-1

1918-1919. 2 volumes.

Location

Box

142.G.3.7B-2

1920-1922. 3 volumes.

Location

Box

142.G.3.8F-1

1923-1924. 2 volumes.

Construction ledgers:

Documents work done along certain streets and intersections, track construction and reconstruction, expenses at TCRT buildings and shops, purchase of tools and equipment, repairs to and maintenance of streetcars, ferryboat and steamer expenses, purchases of and modifications and repairs to buses (1927), real estate expenses, etc.

Location

Box

142.G.3.8F-2

1901-1910.

Includes ferry/steamboats and Duluth-Superior Traction Company.

Location

Box

142.G.4.1B-1

1927.

Transit Supply Company.

Real estate deed record books:

1880-1924.

Includes Minneapolis Street Railway Company, 1880-1923; St. Paul City Railway Company, 1882-1924; Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railway Company, 1881-1924.

1906-1927.

Includes Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railway Company, 1906-1927; Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company, 1910-1913; Twin City Motor Bus Company, 1921-1927; Rapid Transit Real Estate Corporation, 1912-1923.

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Employment Records

Location

Box

143.F.9.10F

Appointment and seniority record books:

Appointment record books ("Gray Books"), 1914-1925. 8 volumes.

The volumes apparently pertain only to motormen, conductors, and bus drivers. They include individual's name, appointment number, date, [home] station, position, and badge number.

Seniority record books, April 1, 1923-1954. 2 volumes.

Apparently pertain only to motormen, conductors, and bus drivers. They seem to be a record of discharges, resignations, retirements, transfers, leaves of absence granted, layoffs, vacation granted, sick leaves, etc.; organized numerically by badge number[?].

Station seniority record or line standing, 1943-1954.

Pertains to women operators and conductors, and gives individual's name, appointment date, appointment number, badge number, and final disposition.

Location

Box

142.E.5.7B-1

Employee appointment cards:

Arranged by employee surname; format and information varies. Most give employee's name and address, badge number, appointment number, date employed, D. F. number, reason for leaving, last date in service, and station foreman's comments. Some also give employee's date of birth, whether married or single, etc. The cards within each letter of the alphabet are typically found in two or more alphabetical batches, the reason for which is not readily apparent.

Surnames A-B.

Location

Box

142.E.5.7B-2

Surnames C-E.

Location

Box

142.E.5.8F-1

Surnames F-Ha.

Location

Box

142.E.5.8F-2

Surnames He-J.

Location

Box

142.E.6.1B-1.

Surnames K-L.

Location

Box

142.E.6.1B-2

Surnames M-N.

Location

Box

142.E.6.2F-1

Surnames O-Rn.

Location

Box

142.E.6.2F-2

Surnames Ro-S.

Location

Box

142.G.4.1B-2

Surnames T-Z.

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Engineering Records

Location

Box

142.E.6.5

Right-of-way and track maps:

Lake Minnetonka Division:

Deephaven Line, Feb. 20, 1912.

Deephaven Jct. to Deephaven. Volume says: "Leased from C.M. & St. P. Ry. Co."

Excelsior to Tonka Bay, Jan. 1909.

Harriet Loop to Minneapolis city limits, April 14, 1909.

Hopkins to Excelsior, March 1906.2 maps.

Minnetonka Line blueprints, 1918:

112-6053. Station 301+70.1 to 407+00.

112-6054. Station 407+00 to 505+50.

112-6055. Station 505+50 to 572+50.7.

112-6056. Station 572+50.7 to 678+00.

112-6057. Station 678+00 to 780+00.

112-6058. Station 780+00 to 875+00.

112-6059. Station 875+00 to 975+00.

Plat of auditor's subdivision no. 120, Hennepin County, undated.

"Excelsior Park, etc."

Plat showing government field notes within the limits of the city of Minneapolis, undated/untitled plat map of Lake Minnetonka area, undated.

These are two connected maps.

Tonka Bay Extension: Manitou Jct. to Tonka Bay and Lake Minnetonka, May 1909.

Location

Box

142.J.5.1

Minneapolis, Anoka and Cuyuna Range Railway Company:

Location map of Minneapolis & Northern Railway: Minneapolis to Anoka, 1912.

Location

Box

142.E.6.5

Right-of-way and track maps, Minneapolis to Anoka, 1929. 4 maps.

Property, lines, and connections in the city of Anoka, 1929.

[2 unidentified and undated tracings]

Motor Line:

Motor Line at Hopkins, undated.

Sheet no. 668.

Washburn Park, Minneapolis, 1886.

"Comprising Parts of S15-T28N-R24W"; North side of Minnehaha Creek from Lyndale Avenue to Third Ave. So.; modern photocopy.

Location

Box

142.E.6.6

Stillwater Division:

Mahtomedi branch blueprints, 1917.

105-6019. Station 487+52.9 to 569+53.9.

Plan of Minneapolis and St. Paul Suburban Railway from East 7th St. Station to Wildwood, Jan. 19, 1900.

Stillwater line blueprints, 1917. 8 maps.

White Bear line blueprints, 1918. 2 maps.

Wildwood blueline drawings:

Map showing the Minneapolis and St. Paul Suburban Railway in Ramsey and Washington counties, 1912.

Topographical map of Wildwood showing the physical properties of the Minneapolis and St. Paul Suburban Railway Company, 1918.

Wildwood blueprints:

Buildings at Wildwood, [Oct. 1926?].

Plat map.

Wildwood Manor, undated.

Plat map showing path to Wildwood Station; American Cities Company, St. Paul.

Miscellaneous blueprint maps:

Chicago Great Western Railway Co. Klondike Spur, South St. Paul, undated.

Vicinity of Concord Street/Grand and Marie avenues/Stockyards Exchange Building.

Fort Snelling right-of-way:

"Military Reserve, Fort Snelling, Minn., 1906," [ca. 1915].

Map of Fort Snelling Extension: Minneapolis Street Railway, 1905.

Inter-Campus right-of-way, 1914.

"University of Minnesota Location and Right of Way Map of University Trolley Line from University Farm to Belt Line Railway & Como Harriet Electric Line.

Plan of TCRT property showing location of the proposed power house and proposed spur track to house, 10th Ave. S.E. near river, Minneapolis, 1902.

Proposed addition to Nicollet bus garage, 1947.

Mechanical Department map/drawing #17D6474.

Proposed loop at Washington, Lyndale, and 42nd avenues north, Minneapolis, 1914.

Tracks and property at West Como Avenue Sand Pit, St. Paul, 1914.

Miscellaneous oversize materials, 2001.

Includes a mass-produced artist's rendition of the Snelling Avenue Garage (1907-2001) and its replacement, the East Metro Transit Facility (bus garage). This poster was made available to the public at the time of the inauguration of the new facility in 2001.

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Mechanical Department

Location

Box

142.E.6.7

Mechanical and architectural drawings:

A/B/C/D-size drawings:

Item list prepared by Russell L. Olson of the Minnesota Transportation Museum. Detailed list giving series numbers, drawing numbers, sizes, dates, and physical type (drafting vellum, white print, blue print, drafting paper) of drawings listed below. Olson's list (rearranged somewhat by the cataloger) is in a ring binder and is intended to be used in conjunction with this series list.

Single truck passenger cars, 1888-1896.

Standard double-truck cars, 1898-1900.

Early tracings, 1891-1904.

Car elevations, 1902-1908.

Series 10: Axles (B), 1908-1910.

Series 11: Minneapolis office and substation, 1903-1912, 1923-1934.

Series 15: St. Paul office and substation, 1903, 1930.

Series 15: Boats (C), 1906-1908.

See Box 38 for "E" size drawings.

Series 17: Snelling bus shop (B), 1942-1946.

Series 18: Car stations and shops:

Snelling station (-/C), 1905-1909, 1930-1933.

Snelling shops (C/D), 1912, 1929-1933.

Snelling shops boiler room (B/C/D), 1929-1950.

East Side station (Minneapolis) (C), 1932-1933.

Nicollet station (C), 1932-1934.

Lake Street station (C/D), 1910, 1933.

North Side station (C), 1933.

South St. Paul station (D), 1919.

11th Street office and substation (Minneapolis) (C/D), 1927-1934.

Power stations/substations, 1905-1914, 1929-1940s.

Series 19: Snelling shops boiler room (B/C/D), 1923-1934.

Series 20: Gongs, bells, horns, whistles (B), 1909, 1927-1931.

Series 21: Air brake piping (A/B/C/D), 1910-1944.

Location

Box

142.E.6.8

Series 23: Truck brake arrangements (D), 1908-1921.

Series 24: Brake arrangements (B/C/D), 1908-1912, 1931-1935.

Series 25: Hand brakes and rigging (B/C), 1926-1943.

Series 27: Truck assemblies (-/B/C/D), 1904-1928.

Series 30: Electrical equipment (A/B/C), 1908-1909, 1930-1933.

Series 31: Controllers (A/C), 1908, 1939.

Series 35: Car elevations (C/D), 1908-1932.

SEE: box 39 for "E" size drawings.

Series 36: Car details (A/B/C/D), 1905-1950.

Series 37: Underframe details (B/C/D), 1903-1905, 1925-1947.

SEE: box 40 for "E" size drawings.

Series 38: Attachments (C/D), 1909-1911.

Series 39: Work car elevations and underframes (A/B/C/D), 1905-1943.

SEE: box 41 for "E" size drawings.

Location

Box

142.E.7.1

Series 42: Drawbars and couplers (B/C), 1910-1923.

Series 45: Fenders, pilots, scrapers (C/D), 1906-1928.

Series 48: Gates, doors, steps (A/B/C/D), 1903-1950.

Series 50: Tail lights and classification lights (B/C), 1908-1909, 1936.

Series 55: Heating systems (B/C/D), 1914-1950.

Series 60: Motors (B/C), 1914, 1938-1950.

Series 62: Motor details (B), 1938-1949.

Series 70: Fare boxes, registers, and stands (A/B/C), 1910-1951.

Series 74: [Miscellaneous office equipment details] (C), 1930.

Series 75: Destination signs (A/B/C), 1909-1948.

Series 76: Springs (B), 1937.

Series 78: Trolley bus (C/D/E), 1922-1939.

Series 79: [Transmission stand for bus garage] (C), 1939.

Series 85: Trolley bases (B/C), 1909-1945.

Series 86: [Miscellaneous details] (B/C/D), 1921-1948.

Series 90: Wiring diagrams (B/C), 1908-1912, 1927-1945.

Series 95: Wheels (B), 1924, 1940-1947.

Series 96: Rails (B), 1934-1951.

Series 99: Miscellaneous (A/B/C/D), 1910-1912, 1930-1945.

Series D12: Lightweight noiseless truck (B/C/D), 1924-1930.

Lightweight noiseless electric street car company, 1924-1926.

Unclassified, 1930-1944.

Structures, 1906.

Hopkins viaducts and Selby tunnel. One is marked "Doc. File 279-J," a Comptroller's office file number[?].

Duluth Street Railway, 1928-1929.

Location

Box

142.J.5.2

E-size drawings:

Series 15: Boats (E), 1914-1917.

Location

Box

142.J.5.3

Series 35: Car elevations (E), 1909-1914.

Location

Box

142.J.5.4

Series 37: Underframe details (E), 1909.

Location

Box

142.J.5.5

Series 39: Work car elevations and underframes (E), 1910-1916.

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Operating Records

Location

Box

143.F.10.1B

Organization and rules book, 1916.

Reports prepared by superintendent of schedules:

The reports give daily totals of cars, motormen, and conductors/buses and drivers by stations and lines.

Minneapolis and St. Paul car and crew statements:

1940-1941.

1944-1946. 3 volumes.

Bus and driver statements, 1943-1946. 2 volumes.

Rules and regulations of the Twin City Lines, 1950.

"Trainmen's & Bus Drivers' Guide."

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Valuation Department

Location

Box

142.G.4.2F-1

Property valuation records:

Index to track/overhead valuation records by street, 1925-1949.

An index to location of all property included by A. L. Drum in his set-up of the original cost and commission's valuation for the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Suburban properties. Apparently indexes Valuation Record additions for 1925-1949.

Location

Box

143.F.10.2F

Valuation record additions: Subsidiaries of TCRT:

1925-1927. 6 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.3B

1928-1930 (Part I). 5 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.4F

1930 (Part I); 1932 (Part I). 4 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.5B

1932 (Part II) 1935. 7 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.6F

1936-1938. 6 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.7B

1939-1941. 6 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.8F

1942-1945. 6 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.9B

1946-1948. 6 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.10.10F

1949. 2 volumes.

1955. ("Valuation Record: Subsidiaries")

1956-1961. ("TCRTCo. and Subsidiary Companies")

Location

Box

143.F.11.1B

Minneapolis Street Railway Company:

Report on Value of Property as of Jan. 1, 1925 (A. L. Drum & Company, Consulting and Constructing Engineers, Chicago):

Vols. 1-8. 8 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.11.2F

Vols. 9-10B. 3 volumes.

Report on capital expenditures, Jan. 1916-Jan. 1919.

Bion J. Arnold, consulting engineer, Chicago.

Valuation record additions, 1950-1954. 5 reports.

Continued by "Valuation Record Additions: TCRTCo. and Subsidiary Companies," 1955-1961. SEE: box 52.

Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company:

Report on Value of Property as of Jan. 1, 1926 (A. L. Drum & Company):

Vol. I: Stillwater Division.

Vol. II: Minnetonka Division.

Vol. III: Suburban Local Lines.

Valuation record additions, 1942, 1950-1954. 6 reports.

Includes Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Co., Twin City Motor Bus Co., and Rapid Transit Real Estate Corp. [1954 only]. See Box 52 for continuation.

Location

Box

143.F.11.3B

St. Paul City Railway Company:

Report on Value of Property as of Jan. 1, 1925 (A. L. Drum & Co.):

Vols. 1-8B. 9 volumes.

Location

Box

143.F.11.4F

Condensed Valuation Report, 1922 (A. L. Drum & Company).

Index to file record, [ca. 1922].

Pertains to Drum & Co. 1922 valuation.

Index to original cost and accountant records, [ca. 1922].

A. L. Drum & Company.

Statement by A. M. Robertson before the Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse Commission Regarding Valuation of the Property of the St. Paul City Railway Company, [ca. 1923?].

Gives history of establishment and growth of the system.

Valuation record additions, 1950-1951, 1953-1954. 4 reports.

SEE: Box 52 for continuation.

Location

Box

143.F.11.5B

Valuation files:

Minneapolis Street Railway Company:

Comparison of drum and wilcox costs of track and paving (1900-1921), undated.

Condensed valuation report, 1922 (Drum & Co.).

Twin City Rapid Transit Company:

Blueprint file record, undated.

Condensed reports on St. Paul and Minneapolis properties (1900-1922), 1920-1923.

Inventory and appraisal, 1959-1960 (Merrill B. Knox and Associates, Chicago, Engineers and Consultants).

Twin City system: Index to Minneapolis files of A. L. Drum & Co. at 28 South Tenth Street, undated.

Valuation data, [ca. 1913?] (A. L. Drum & Co.).

Valuation of the property of the Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company as of January 1, 1928.../1928 net property additions to the Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company/1928 net property additions to Twin City Motor Bus Company, 1928. (Vol. VI)

Valuation files list, 1955-1962.

List of numerically-coded files, some of which follow.

R-1. TCRT: Index to Drum & Co. 1914-1927 valuation records, 1949.

1-A. TCRT: Valuation file index, undated (A. L. Drum & Co.).

1-B. MSRC: Index to original cost and accountant records, [1920s?] (A. L. Drum & Co.).

9-2-a. TCRT: Detail of additions and betterments (1900-1914) (A. L. Drum & Co.).

9-5-A. TCRT: Tentative general balance sheets, Dec. 31, 1915 (A. L. Drum & Co.).

R-10. MSRC: Indexes to valuation records, 1920s.

R-273. Report on Twin City Rapid Transit Company by W. C. Gilman & Company, Engineers, 1944.

R-280. Land value: Summaries and plats, undated and 1915-1951. 3 folders.

"Land Value - Summaries and Plats of Mpls. St. Ry. Co. and St. Paul City Ry. Co. and Description of Lands as of 5/1/15."

508-9. Fare increase application, 1952-1953.

508-9. Fares: General, 1955-1956.

508-10. February 11, 1953 application fare, 1953-1954.

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Miscellaneous Records

Location

Box

143.F.11.6F

Duluth-Superior Traction Company: Annual reports, 1915, 1918, 1923, 1925-1929.

A more complete set is in the MHS serials collection.

Engineer's Office: St. Paul special work, 1906-1952.

Book of 8-1/2"x14" blueprint drawings documenting installation, replacement, and removal of switches, frogs, crossings, streetcar rails, and similar projects, especially in city streets and intersections. Cross-referenced to "C" and "E" files, which MHS did not have as of December 1994.

Four year plan of action, 1960.

Historical and background information, 1927.

Includes information about TCRT-owned steamboat "Minnehaha." SEE ALSO: TCRT Financing Documents in box 13, Trust Bond Prospectus in Box 14, and certain Valuation Department files for additional historical and background information.

Mechanical Department: Car data sheets:

Sketches and specifications for passenger cars and other equipment used by the TCRT. 4"x8" and 4-1/2"x8-1/2" drawings.

Undated.

J. M. Tambornino, Electric Shop.

1930, 1949.

Formerly cataloged separately as P652.

1951.

H. P. Jacobson.

Minneapolis Street Railway Company v. City of Minneapolis: Correspondence, 1959-1960.

File #1894.

Organization report, 1964.

Twin City Lines, Inc., organization tables with narrative about various departments' functions.

Organization survey: Preliminary report, 1950.

Prepared for president Charles Green by private management firm of Booz, Allen & Hamilton. It concerns the preliminary cost reductions survey and recommendations on administrative organization structure and personnel.

Purchasing and stores procedures, 1963.

Sightseer excursions, 1907.

Streetcar-to-bus conversion scandal, 1950-1994.

Photocopies of items from MHS Reference Department Vertical File.

Superintendent of Power and Equipment: Correspondence, 1952-1954.

Much of this has to do with TCRT's burning of its streetcars as they were phased out and replaced by buses.

Twin City Lines insignia, undated. Oversize color photograph.

Two-car train booklet, 1921.

Cars 2002-2003.

Miscellany, 1917.

Includes a visitor's brochure entitled The Twin Cities To-Day containing route maps and photographs and narrative information about local attractions in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and in the Lake Minnetonka and White Bear Lake areas.

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