Hello tin plate world ...
Carlisle and Finch were " thee big players" in the electric toy train world 1896-1910 ...each year they would bring out new items and improve the old . 1904 was a big year for C&F with major expansion of several freight cars, big series passenger cars, improved Interurban, a Summer Trolley and the #18 trolley ...towering over the smaller #1 and #42 trolleys.
This particle #18 has been across the nation and back ...( not under it's own power) ..originally in the Krames collection of Trenton ,NJ. ( Krames was one of the original TCA members) . Krames collection was sold to Ward Kimball out in sunny CA...then sold again at auction back in NJ in 2004 , now enjoying the midwest.
C&F motors seem to be very reliable .... a bit of oil, clean armature ..apply some DC and off you go .
Brass embossed sides with tinplate painted roof, wood floor, bronze cast side frames , brass wheels...two rail ...
Had C&F gotten it's act together with sectional track there would have been no need for Lionel .
Cheers Carey