As part of the collection of transit artifacts and memorabilia The Buddies of the Brill are collecting first hand stories of the Brill Trolleys. Maybe you drove a Brill or remember riding one as a teenager. Maybe you worked at the plant that made the Brills. You can send your stories to the Buddies under our contact page.Here’s just one.
Donna remembers taking the Brill trolleys as a teenager.
I remember getting on the trolley in downtown Port Arthur and taking it across town, but because it was before amalgamation you would have to change buses at the intercity loop from the Port Arthur system to the Fort William system. When the trolly entered the loop which was located at the now vacate lot beside the Neebing river at intercity the trolley poles would come off the overhead wires.
The trolley would stop dead in its tracks because the all the power came from the overhead wires and the driver would have to go out get a long pole and re-hook the trolley poles back onto the wires for the lights and trolley to start up again. This was a perfect time for all the teenagers to sit in the dark for a few minutes and get in a little smooching.
When the lights came back on everyone would straighten up in their seats and away we would go again.