Samenvatting
This paper presents the evolution of North American light rail vehicles from the 1920s to the present. Emphasis is placed on conditions of the electric railway industry in the 1920s, attempts at car standardization, and movement toward a radically new, high-performance car as background to the development of the Presidents' Conference Committee car of the 1930s. Events leading to the new standard light rail vehicle are presented along with its significant dimensional specifications and performance characteristics. The proposed Canadian light rail vehicle is described.