Re: SV Ry 14 Question

Dennis,
Road competition had increased so much by 1929 that traffica to prairie City was falling. Truck and bus companies had both taken away so much revenue that regular trains could no longer pay their way. Consequently the Sumpter Valley announced that it would discontinue the scheduled train between Bates and prairie City. To take it's place the company would put on a gasoline powered rail bus.
Again, only a chasis was ordered. The Northwestern Motor Co. of Eau Claire Wisconsin, furnished two of their "Casey Jones" models, one powered with a Ford Model-T engine and the other an unpowered trailer. The Baker shops built wood bodies for both units. The motor car could also accomadate what few passengers might wish to ride, while the trailer, built with an unusual peaked roof was reserved for mail and express. The Prairie City people gave the car its unofficial name of the "Toonerville Trolley."
The end of regular train service and the start of the new "Motor Car' was not without incident. The last steam train to Prairie City on Sunday, June 30, 1929, collided with an automobile at the Blue Moutain Springs road crossing, and the new rail car collided with an auto at the same crossing on it's first trip the following day, July 1st.
Winter on Dixie summit made it impossible to operate the rail car on a regular basis, and the Sumpter Valley contracted with the Blue Moutain Stage Co. to haul mail over the highway. The "Toonerville Trolley operated until early 1931, when it was retired from passenger service and transferred to maintenance of way use.
All the above info was taken from a paper written by Garrie L. Tufford.
Hope This Helps, Taylor