Here I am 10 years later on and still reading through old threads. I have a little more info to add to this on. When searching through info I found this Drawing oa a mysteriously powered streetcar in Jersey city I think about post-civil war period. It is the only drawing on this type streetcar I have stumbled upon. It is referred to as a dummy car
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I made the pencil reference that is atop the drawing years ago. This line of cars went from Exchange Place Jersey City to the ferry that crossed between 1st street in Bayonne's Bergen Point section and Richmond Town in Statin Island. The line name is Jersey City to Bayonne Rail Road. Now examining the drawing shows no trolley pole to pick up power. No connection into the street that a cable car would have. No puffs of steam shown above the car's roof. It is called a dummy car in the text that came describing the drawing. What type of energy is powering this car? Anti-Gravity?
This car has climbed Montgomery Street in Jersey City. You can see a horse-drawn trolley at the bottom of the hill going off the picture to the right.
Big question! What is powering it?
frank