Horse-drawn tram STM 16

The open-carriage STM 16 was built in 1891 by the Stichtsche Tramway Maatschappij (STM) tram company. This horse-drawn tram carried passengers from Utrecht Central Station through the Voorstraat and Biltstraat to the chic town of Zeist. The horse-drawn tram was a major factor behind the closure of the Maliebaan Station, which is today’s Railway Museum. Many passengers coming from Hilversum choose the Biltstraat rail stop for boarding and de-boarding. From there, the horse-drawn tram offered a better connection to the Utrecht city centre, meaning there was no longer any reason to continue on to the Maliebaan Station. The STM 16 is the oldest preserved example of an important phase in the history of Dutch rail transport: the interurban horse-drawn tram lines. This tram was in service until 1946 and for the majority of that time, it was pulled as a trailer by the electric tram in the summer period.