The Pullmans of Valparaíso

The Pullman Trolleybuses
of
VALPARAISO

In July 2003 Valparaíso's 15 remaining Pullman trolleybuses were accorded National Monument status by the Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales de Chile. On Monday night 25 August, trolleybus 814 – the only Pullman built in 1947 that is still in (more or less) original condition and still operates – was set afire. A vagrant threw kerosene through a window and lit a match. Fortunately, firemen arrived quickly and restricted the damage to the interior. Santiago residents Diego and Mario González Vargas traveled to Valparaíso the following weekend and took the following four photographs:

Here is Pullman 850, which is in original condition but is no longer operable:

In mid-2003 the Empresa de Transportes Colectivos Eléctricos introduced a new livery with a new logo on the front. The inscription in the destination box, "VALPARAISO - PATRIMONY OF HUMANITY", refers to the World Landmark status accorded the city by the United Nations earlier that year. Pullman built 723 for Valparaíso in 1952 [Mario González Vargas]:

Trolleybus 888 below was built for Santiago in 1948. [Mario González Vargas]:

Finally, Pullman trolleybus 814 was not only rebuilt but was returned (as much as possible) to its original 1947 glory – with round headlights and silver roof! Chicago resident Jeffrey L. Wien visited Chile in December 2003 and found this Christmas present. Here are three views:

Webpage by Allen Morrison

Also see my other pages about

The Trolleybuses of Valparaíso
and
American, Chinese, French and
Swiss Trolleybuses in Chile

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