Top bid $112 for electric streetcar being auctioned off in Vancouver
A decades-old electric streetcar is up for auction in Vancouver, and the top bid as of Friday morning was just $112.
While the low pricetag might sound enticing for some, the streetcar does come with a few strings attached – no pun intended.
The listing on the B.C. Auction website notes the vehicle is not in working condition, with some parts missing, and has visible damage on the exterior and interior. The streetcar also contains asbestos, according to a hazardous materials report attached to the post.
Retrieving the streetcar could pose a significant challenge as well: "Railway tracks may require preparation prior to removal including additional gravel provided by the winning bidder to bring the loading area to grade," the listing reads.
The purchaser will also need to arrange for "a switchman to operate the switch."
The Belgian government donated the streetcar to the Transit Museum Society around the year 2000, according to Matthew Laird, who was with the organization at the time.
Laird posted about the auction on Twitter this week, writing that the streetcar was at one point intended for use in Vancouver's Downtown Historic Railway, which ran between Olympic Village and Granville Island.
That railway was scuttled in 2011, and the streetcar never made it into operation – even though approximately $20,000 was spent "having UBC students build a new controller for it," Laird wrote.
"Now it's being disposed of because it's partially restored with nowhere to run it," he added.
The auction closes on August 29 at 8 p.m., according to the B.C. Auction website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza's Rafah ahead of an expected assault
The Israeli army ordered some 100,000 Palestinians on Monday to begin evacuating from the southern city of Rafah, signaling that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent and further complicating efforts to broker a cease-fire in Gaza.