Has anyone ever ran across a single phase MRL traction machine for a 1500# car? Torin and Hollister only make 3 phase.

I kind of doubt that exists. And you’d have just as much trouble finding an elevator drive to run a single phase motor. But if single phase power is the issue you should be able to find a drive that will run a 3 phase motor with single phase power. The incoming power is just charging a DC bus, the drive creates the 3 phase for the motor.

I'm not sure what advantage you'd get. If the building has single phase power a vvvf drive will output three phase power anyhow, enabling you to use a 3 phase motor. Are you trying to use contactors (single or two speed motor)? I haven't seen anyone use a single phase motor for any traction or winding drums in anything recent. It's much simpler to use a three phase motor with a vvvf drive.

I just got a 1965 Dover/Turnbull geared unit running on 208 single phase. But has a MR.