RAILBUS NUMBER 10
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As early as 1906, Morristown & Erie Railroad president Richard McEwan began to consider replacing his steam-powered passenger trains with railbuses. It was not until 1917, however, that the White Company of Cleveland, Ohio succeeded in selling McEwan a "Rail Motor Car"... essentially a small bus fitted with railroad wheels. |
| In June 1918, Railbus No. 10 arrived on the property and was placed in service between Morristown, Whippany and Essex Fells, NJ in mid-July 1918. The bus was a 45-horsepower unit that could travel at 35 miles per hour, carry 22 passengers and cost $6,326.06. |  |
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The vehicle featured such "luxuries" as leather upholstered seats, interior lighting, heat, drop-sash crystal glass windows and passenger stop signal buttons. From all accounts, it appears that No. 10 performed admirably and fulfilled all of McEwan's expectations. |
| In order to turn the bus at the end of each run, the M&E had two small, specially-built turntables installed at Morristown and Whippany. |  |
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At Essex Fells, the bus was turned on the Erie Railroad's large locomotive turntable. (As a side note, today, the Museum's ticket office at Whippany sits on the site of the concrete turntable pad, which is still there under a covering of dirt and stone.) |
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