Pacific Electric #1510 Motor Power Car?

[nydepot]

Any idea what this was used for (no guessing please)? Looks like it's only function is moving a crew around. it doesn't seem to have any other equipment on it.

See link below for photo (first photo on page):
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr555.htm

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0107/pe00196.jpg

Thanks,

Charles

[farmerjohn]

Crew mover. As you can see its too small to do anything else really!.

[FCP503]

According to "Cars of the Pacific Electric Vol. III" this little shop switcher was orgionally built in 1902 as "old" PE's shop switcher No. 20. PE assigned this unit to it's 7th & Central shops where it moved around lighter cars. In 1918 it was moved to Torrance shops. In 1940 it was renumbered to 00196 and worked there until it was scrapped in 1955 when Torrance shops were closed.

[farmerjohn]

According to "Cars of the Pacific Electric Vol. III" this little shop switcher was orgionally built in 1902 as "old" PE's shop switcher No. 20. PE assigned this unit to it's 7th & Central shops where it moved around lighter cars. In 1918 it was moved to Torrance shops. In 1940 it was renumbered to 00196 and worked there until it was scrapped in 1955 when Torrance shops were closed.

I stand corrected, what kind of cars? small flats?

[Otto Vondrak]

Probably just a shop donkey that could move the lighter trolleys, probably too small to move the heavy steel cars...

[FCP503]

Here is a battery powered shop donkey used by Conrail/NS. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=251258

While this unit is most likely heavier than than the PE 1510, it is also is used to move locomotives, as opposed to much lighter streetcars. It doesn't take all that much ooomph to move one car or loco around a shop.