The PCC (Presidents' Conference Committee) streetcar is a streetcar (tram) design that was first built in the 1930s. The unusual name comes from the fact that the car was designed by a committee, first formed in 1929, representing various electric street railways. The Electric Railway Presidents' Conference Committee, or ERPCC, was tasked with producing a new type of streetcar that would help fend off competition from buses and automobiles. The committee produced a high-performance design that was very commonly used in the following decades. The cars were popular because of their distinctive streamlined design and smooth acceleration.
It turned out that, unlike many other things produced by committees, the PCC streetcar had a very good basic design. Many railways altered the car in various ways to fit their own needs, but most cars retained a very normal appearance. 4978 streetcars were produced, with the last PCC cars built in the early 1950s. The cars were very sturdy and many have lasted a long time. A handful still remain in service alongside modern vehicles, though most of the functional PCC cars in existence today are operated by museums.
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