This is the story of car 554 -- better known as Miss Springfield -- and the Springfield Street Railway's bold effort to bring about needed changes in traditional streetcar design.

By 1927, streetcars had become old hat. America was riding the highs of an economic boom and Americans were reveling in the delights of technological progress. For many, the automobile represented freedom from the fixed schedules and routes of public transport vehicles riding on fixed rails. Despite their efficiency, streetcars were fast falling from the public's interest as city streets were being modified to accommodate the expanding needs of the automobile.

Against this backdrop, the operators of the Springfield Street Railway took bold steps to design a car they hoped would win back the public's imagination. While the effort itself did not alter the fortunes of the Springfield Street Railway, it is seen as an important early step in the development of the PCC (President's Conference Committee) car, less than a decade later, that revolutionized subsequent streetcar design.

This article is divided into five parts:
1. Preface
2. History was made
3. A new car is born
4. Follow-up steps are taken
5. Events are concluded