Old Streetcar 696 is taken apart. In the beginning there was very little. Most of the wood of the 696 body had rotted away. The metal frame was rusted out in many areas and the side body panels were corroded around the fasteners and for the most part were unusable. The lower frame and metal side structures were repaired and reconstructed over more than a decade starting around 2001. The material and methods used were as close to the original construction as possible.

We soon found out that the only thing harder than rebuilding a streetcar was taking an old one apart. Even though the metal looked corroded and thin, it held together until the bitter end.  We also became aware of how heavy rusted steel can be. By dismantling the original remains of 696 we were able to free up shop space. It also allowed us to stand back with an unobstructed view of the rebuilt 696.