The Deluxe cars of the Bershire Street Railway
The Berkshire Hills
The first picture shows the Berkshire Hills Car and patrons
ready for an afternoon of luxury. The Berkshire Hills was a
deluxe parlor car with lots of polished brass, curtains and
draperies, fine lounge furniture, floor-to-roof glass ends
featuring hotel doors. Fine food and beverage would be served
enroute. While the second picture displays the Berkshire Hills
car in a more compromised state. The car's trolley pole has
taken the wrong wire over the main street switch. The crowd
has gathered to see what it's fate will be. The Berkshire
Hills was the most famous of the street railway's fleet. This
Parlor car was used for charter trips. It was also used for
sight seeing excursions, from June to October. The Berkshire
Hills was built by Wason Company and was delivered in June of
1903. The Berkshire Hills ran between North Bennington, Vt.
and Great Barrington, MA. The car was the most luxurious of
the trolleys that ran in the state of Vermont. |
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| The Berkshire Hills was painted U.S. Mail White with Buff trim,
Gold stripes and lettering and green trucks. |
The Bennington |
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A second parlor car, The Bennington was run opposite the Berkshire Hills.
The Bennington had big picture windows, wicker chairs and curtains, but it
did not have the polished brass finery or the distinctive floor-to- roof
glass ends with hotel doors. The Bennington was built in 1906 by Laconia
Car Company, in Laconia, NH. It was converted into a parlor car in 1909.
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Credits: Information on the Berkshire Street Railway is from:
Transportation Bulletin, A publication of the Connecticut
Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Vol. 72
January-December 1972, BerkshireStreet Railway, by Cummings, O.R..
Transportation , A publication of the Connecticut Valley
Chapter of National Railyway Historical Society, Vol. 6 part 2 May 1952,
Shaw, Donnald E..