History of Brill Motor Car #114 by Pat Durand

In 1927 Brill Gas Electric builders # 22539 was delivered new to the Alaska Railroad as #114. Painted Pullman Green with Dulux Gold lettering the Motor Baggage Passenger unit was 61 ft10 in length and had seating for 24. A trailer #303, often operated with 114 and provided seating for 60 additional passengers.

Photos of 114 reveal many modifications over the years of service over the entire railroad from Fairbanks to Seward. When the rail road tunnel into Whittier was opened, 114 headed up the train of dignitaries bound for the celebration. Her 1944 appearance is captured here in a 1:29 scale model.

114 was used in regular summer service into Whittier with passengers, mail and express freight and baggage. The tunnels were not ventilated and her 250 hp gasoline engine of some 1980 cubic inches, was far cleaner than the coal burning steam engines of the day.

Rebuilt in May 1947 with extended skirts and shrouded snow plow, #114 was renumbered #214 and along with trailer # 303 received the new passenger Blue and Yellow paint with Yellow/Gold lettering. In 1949 she got a Cummins Diesel power plant.

Retired in April 1954 #214 spent some time in the Birchwood bone yard. Eventually her body came to rest next to the body of #212 in an open field near the old Seward Highway. The property was eventually developed in the early 1960s after major ice lenses were melted out. Today the site is occupied by the Boarders Book Store at the major intersection of the Old Seward Highway and Diamond Blvd.

Brill Gas-Electric Car
-Specifications-
Purchased from (new equipment) J. G. Brill Co.
Placed in Service
1927
Estimated Life

Weight
92100#
Seating Capacity
26
Baggage Compartment
25'-2" long
Speed Max.
40 Miles per hr. - Level Track
Power
6 Cyl. 4 Cycle, 250 H.P. Gas Engine, direct connected to a Shunt Wound, self Ventilated, Railway Type D.C. Generator. Front Truck equipped with Twp Heavy Duty Motors.
Wheels
33" dia.
Journals
5" x 9" Front Truck - 4 1/4" x 8" Rear Truck
General Dimensions

Train Length
61'-10"
Max. Width
10'-0"
Max. Height
12'-6"
Model built by Patrick J. Durand July 2011

The model is now on display at the Whittier Museum along with #1000 RS-1 in the display featuring the U. S. Army 714 Railway Operating Bn.

This was a challenging project as there are few appropriate off the shelf parts in 1-29 scale. More time was spent researching details and making scale sketches, than actually building them.