The Dracar was a self-propelled gasoline railcar built by the Drake Railway Automotrice Company in the early 20th century.
| Dracar | |
|---|---|
 Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf No. 100 in 1912 | |
 The passenger compartment of a Dracar | |
| Manufacturer | Drake Automotice Railway Company |
| Capacity | 44 |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 56 feet (17 m) |
| Width | 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 m) |
| Maximum speed | 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) |
| Weight | 65,000 pounds (29,000 kg) |
| Engine type | Gasoline-electric |
| Cylinder count | 6 |
| Power output | 90 horsepower (67 kW) |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Notes/references | |
| [1] | |
Design
editThe Dracar[2] was 56 feet (17 m) long and could be operated from either end. The engine compartment occupied the front 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m), followed by a baggage compartment, and then two passenger sections. As delivered to the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway, the Dracar was built with a removable partition to segregate black and white passengers. The white or "first class" section could seat 30; the "colored" section 14. Both sections contained a restroom.[1] The design was based on cars built by the French Westinghouse company for the Arad-Csanad Railway in Hungary.[3] The St Louis Car Company manufactured the car bodies and trucks.[3] The car was designed for 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) operation; its maximum speed was 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).[4]
Drake also designed a larger type with a maximum capacity of 73 passengers. This car was powered by a 140 horsepower (100 kW) engine.[4]
History
editThe Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway took delivery of several Dracars and employed them on 30–50-mile (48–80 km) runs. Examples included Muskogee–Henryetta, Oklahoma, Durant, Oklahoma–Denison, Texas, and Muskogee–Wagoner, Oklahoma.[1] By 1913 the MO&G had acquired five cars. Fuel efficiency was 3.3 miles per US gallon (71 L/100 km; 4.0 mpg‑imp). Each Dracar had a crew of three: motorman, flagman, and conductor.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Drake Gasoline-Electric Railway Automotrice in Oklahoma". Electric Traction. VIII (31): 1125. November 1912.
- ^ "Gas-Electric Cars for the Missouri, Oklahoma & Gulf". Railway Age Gazette. 53 (20): 928–929. November 15, 1912.
- ^ a b "The Drake Gasoline-Electric Car in Oklahoma". Electric Railway Journal. XL (19): 1035–1036. November 16, 1912.
- ^ a b c "Report of the Committee on Equipment". Proceedings of the American Electric Railway Engineering Association: 615–616. 1913.
External links
editMedia related to Dracar at Wikimedia Commons