The Spirit of Brooklyn Runs in St. Petersburg, Russia by James Clifford Greller - The Third Rail - 3/05

The Leningrad Peter Witt cars were called “Americans” and were built in Leningrad between 1933 and 1940. The fleet was 232 motor cars series 4021-4483 (even numbers only) and 226 similar trailers (4022-4472 (odd numbers only). Initially they were called the MA (Motor American) and PA (Trailer American). The cars were built on steel frames. The bodies were wood but covered in sheet metal. The first cars built were two door versions similar to the B&QT 6000 series. The bulk of the cars were built as three door cars. This is similar to the Milan Peter Witts that also resemble the 6000 series; they were later rebuilt to three door cars. After World War II they were just referred to as LM33/LP33 cars. They were 50 feet in length, larger then their Brooklyn cousins. During the Nazi’s invasion of Russia, as they inched north, some of the fleet of the “Americans” class trailers was used as roadblocks. Their sturdy steel construction made them a prime candidate for stopping German tanks. The Brooklyn counterparts were busy moving workers to war type employment in the Brooklyn Navy yard and war plants all over the borough during the war.