Message from Kevin Morrissey, 25 July 2008:

This is the #5 car [CLICK HERE]. I remember having this discussion with Bill Gwinn when I gave him the "tt-pic37.htm" photo. We had a short discussion about whether the photo was the #5 car or not. I was fairly sure it was not, since I had seen the attached Brill photo that clearly labels it as #5. Bill believed that it was the #5 car since he could account for 4 others so the pic37 car had to be #5. He had not seen the Brill photo. Frankly, if I were Gwinn and I had as many years experience in the trolley industry, I do not know if I would have listened to a Bethany College kid either. But at this point, there is no doubt that is not the #5 car.

On May 7, 1917, the number 5 left WB&W's service by virtue of it rolling uncontrollably down a hill, killing at least one person and injuring many others. The trolley company did not have the financial resources to repair it. It was sold. This new car was the pride of the small line. Seeing it lay on its side must have been deflating to the owners and employees.

"Pic37", I BELIEVE, is a successor to the # 5. I have not seen any records to indicate when it came on line. However all circumstantial evidence indicates that it probably was in the early 1920s time frame.

By the way, Cecil R. Wells, the motorman in the photo is the Great Grand Uncle of Linda Cumins, who writes the Leisure/Art articles for the Wheeling News Register.

Thank you again for your assistance.

Kevin Morrissey
Author of "The Uphill Climb, Defying the odds on the Wellsburg, Bethany, and Washington Railway."