We drove from the B&O Railroad Museum the shortest distance of the whole trip to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.
The Baltimore Streetcar Museum History
The Baltimore Streetcar Museum is a non-profit museum located at 1901 Falls Road (MD 25) in Baltimore, Maryland. The museum is dedicated to preserving Baltimore's public transportation history, especially the streetcar era. The museum is open Noon to 5 P.M. every Sunday March through December and Noon to 5 P.M. Saturdays, June through October.
The original Museum collection had been under the stewardship of the United Railways and Electric Company, then the Baltimore Transit Company and finally, for a short time, the Maryland Historical Society. Finally the Baltimore Streetcar Museum was founded in 1966 by several members of the Baltimore Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society. The collection was moved from Robert E. Lee Park near Lake Roland in 1968 to the present Falls Road Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad site and public operations began in July 1970. Before public operations could commence, many hours of volunteer work were necessary to build operating track and install overhead wire which, at first, provided only a short ride for visitors. Over the years, the Museum has incrementally extended its line along Falls Road that includes now turning loops at the north and south ends of its line. Completion of the Museum's entire streetcar line was realized in October 2008 with the completion of its double tracking project, which took many years to complete. The track gauge is 5 ft 4 1/2 in, which is unique.
The Baltimore Streetcar Museum houses the library collections of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum and the National Railway Historical Society (Baltimore Chapter), formally known as Maryland Rail Heritage Library.
Our VisitWe parked the car and started to look around this unique museum.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum streetcar 6119, ex. Maryland Historical Society 6119 1955-1968, exx. Baltimore Transit 6119 1935-1955, nee United Railways and Electric 6119 1930-1935 built by J.G. Brill in 1930.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum PCC car 2187 2005-present, ex. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 2187 1968-2005 nee Philadelphia Transportation Company 2187 1948-1968 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1948 and converted to an overhead line car.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum snow sweeper C145 2005-present, ex. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority C145 1997-2005, exx. Pennsylvania Trolley Museum M57 1990-1997, exxx. Port Authority Transit M57 1978-1990, exxxx. Buckingham Valley Trolley Association C145 1975-1978, exxxxx. Trolley Valhalla C145 1974-1975, exxxxxx. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority C145 1968-1974, exxxxxxx. Philadelphia Transportation Company C145 1940-1968, exxxxxxxx. Philadelphia Rapid Transit C145 1927-1940, nee Philadelphia Rapid Transit E206 1923-1927 built by J.G. Brill in 1923.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum PCC car 2168 2005-present, ex. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 2168 1968-2005 nee Philadelphia Transportation Company 2168 1948-1968 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1948.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum nine-bench open car 554 1968-present, ex. Maryland Historical Society 3390 1954-1968, exx. Baltimore Transit 3390 1935-1954, exxx. United Railways and Electric 3390 1925-1935, exxxx. United Railways and Electric 1264 1911-1925, exxxxx. United Railways and Electric 164 1899-1911 nee Baltimore Traction 554 1896-1899 built by Brownell Car Company in 1896.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum convertible streetcar 264 1968-present, ex. Maryland Historical Society 264 1954-1968, exx. Baltimore Transit 264 1935-1954, exxx. United Railways and Electric 264 1910-1935, exxxx. United Railways and Electric 1944 1907-1910, exxxxx. United Railways and Electric 1814 1905-1907, nee United Railways and Electric 814 1900-1905 built by Brownell Car Company in 1900. It was the first car restored by the BSM in 1968.
Horse Car 129 home-built by Baltimore City Passenger Railway in 1865.
Museum view.
The first car we would ride was United Railways and Electric Company JG Brill "Peter Witt" car 6119.
We left the station and headed down the track. Now sit back and enjoy the trip aboard this streetcar with us.
Rolling down the rails of this unique museum. That building we passed was the Ma & Pa (Maryland & Pennsylvania) warehouse.
The 16-stall Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad roundhouse built in 1920 is in relatively good condition considering the Ma & Pa moved out somewhere around 1964. Next we made our way to the reversing loop.
The trip around the reversing loop.
The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad roundhouse.
Returning to the station area ending our first trip aboard this wonderful trolley line.
Baltimore Traction Company Brownell Car Company single truck open car 445 built in 1894.
Horse Car 129 built in 1865, it was a home built by Baltimore City Passenger Railway in 1875.
Horse Car 25 built in 1859 by built by Poole & Hunt right up the road in Woodbury. Its unrestored body is incapable of restoration and is a shell only.
Pullman-Standard trackless trolley 2078 built in 1940. It is a historical piece of equipment and the only Baltimore trackless trolley saved.
Closed car 3828 is a match for open car 1164. Restoration is in the planning stage.
Baltimore PCC 7407 built by Pullman-Standard in 1944. It is the pride of this Museum fleet and was the last streetcar to run in Baltimore.
Horse Car, to Cable Car trailer, to Electric Car 417. Built in 1884, it was home-built by Baltimore City Passenger Railway and is supposedly the oldest operating electric streetcar in the United States.
Baltimore streetcar 2234.
Brownell Car Company single truck "accelerator" car 1050 was built in 1896.
Baltimore Streetcar Museum streetcar 4533 1968-present, ex. National Capitol Trolley Museum 3550 1964-1968, exx. Baltimore Transit 3550 1935-1964, exxx. United Railways and Electric 3550 1933-1935, exxxx. United Railways & Electric 4533 1924-1933, exxxxx. United Railways & Electric 3407 1920-1924, exxxxxx. United Railways & Electric 2306 1914-1920, exxxxxxx. United Railways & Electric 447 1906-1914, nee United Railways & Electric 1306 1904-1906, built by J.G. Brill in 1904.
St. Louis Car Company PCC 26, originally built for Minneapolis/St. Paul then sold to Newark for their subway line.
Philadelphia trolley 1161.
We all made our second run aboard the Baltimore Traction Company 445.
This device counts the passengers aboard the trolley. After that trip we toured the inside of the museum.
This museum has plenty of good information throughout their building. I bought a Coca-Cola on this warm humid afternoon before we rode the SEPTA PCC Car, after which Bob had his chance to operate it.
The inside of the SEPTA 2168. Bob is getting taught how to run this car.
Map of the SEPTA lines in Philadelphia.
Passing the other car out on the line.
Bob operating the SEPTA PCC car 2168.
Bob is getting to run this car. After two more runs they taught Robin how to run this car
Robin looks right at home operating the PCC car.
Group shot of our great motormen.
The day's end is the closing of the car barn. I want to thank the Baltimore Streetcar Museum for a wonderful late afternoon visit to their excellent trolley museum. We left here and took Interstate 95 to Havre de Grace.
Havre de Grace Susquehanna River Bridge 8/5/2018I had always wanted to take pictures here and now was my first opportunity to do so. We walked out onto the public pier and waited.
The bridge across the Susquehanna River, built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1904.
We could see the old Pennsylvania Railroad postion light signals and saw we had a green northbound signal so knew we had something coming.
Amtrak Siver Meteor train 98 was our first train here.
Northeast Regional 149 came next across the bridge.
That was followed by Northeast Regional 135.
Northeast Regional 192 was spotted next.
Geese in the water below us.
The sun was sinking in the western sky.
The late afternoon lighting was fantastic.
But all good things have to end, so we left the bridge and moved to our last stop of the day.
Perryville, Maryland.
The MARC Perryville station built in 1905. We drove to Newark, Delaware, stopping at Subway for dinner before making our way to the Rodeway Inn for a two- night stay.
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