The two intrepid travellers awoke at the Ramada Inn in Washington, Pennsylvania and after our morning preparations, we checked out and I drove us over to Bob Evans for breakfast before the ten minute drive to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum historyStreetcars served America through two world wars and a depression, but affluence and automobiles caused the end of the Trolley Era and a greatly diminished role for public transportation. As streetcars were phased out, groups formed to preserve trolleys with the goal of operating them for future generations. One such group was the Pittsburgh Electric Railway Club, which was formed in 1946 by members of the Pittsburgh NRHS (National Railway Historical Society) chapter which had preserved a car prior to World War II. This car was lost to the scrap drive as members were occupied with their duties overseas and on the home front. Still the dream lived on. PERC members purchased their first streetcar in 1949, added a second car in 1952 and a third in 1953. With acquisition of a site in Chartiers Township, Washington County and the wonderful cooperation of the Pittsburgh Railways Company, the three-car collection motored to the site on February 7, 1954 to establish the first Trolley Museum in Pennsylvania with operation by trip attendees. First known as Arden Electric Railway, this pioneering effort has over several decades become the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. Construction of a car house building, repair of track and overhead lines followed and on December 8, 1962, the streetcars were once again operational on the Museum's 1 mile ride. On June 23 of the following year the museum received its first official visitors after a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Since then, the museum has seen several decades of expansion. The car collection, the existing track, the car house and visitor buildings have all seen major growth. Today, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum owns nearly 50 street and electric railway cars, 20 of which are operational on the museum's four mile ride. Each year over 30,000 visitors are treated to a hands-on, moving history lesson.
After all, that's the main appeal of the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum: visitors don't just "see" the past up close; they "experience" it for themselves on an unforgettable ride through the countryside. With the help of PTM's 150 volunteers, we are committed to keeping that experience alive for generations to come.
We parked and went into the ticket office and gift shop, paying the fare for our visit and started exploring this wonderful museum before our first of several trolley rides this morning.
Philadelphia Suburban 73 built by J.G. Brill Company in 1926. This Red Arrow Lines car is a sister to regularly operated car 66. It is important to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum's collection because it will enable the operation of two-car trains, just as Red Arrow did at times of heavy traffic. In 1959 eight of these cars were retained by Philadelphia Suburban specifically for school trips and inclement weather operations. In 1970 SEPTA sold four of the cars to preservation groups, two became storerooms and two were retained for passenger operations. Car 73 was refurbished in 1972 by the transit authority (SEPTA) and the local business association as the centerpiece of a "Media Mall" promotion in that suburban community -- the regular streetcar would turn back at the edge of town, and riders would transfer to 73 for the trip along State Street. After the novelty (and funding) wore off, regular trolley service was resumed in Media and car 73 was retained for charter and work service until it was declared surplus by SEPTA and acquired by PTM in 1990.
The unknown trolley.
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum switcher 89 built by General Electric in 1953. Originally built to switch railroad freight cars at an industrial plant in Eastern Pennsylvania, it is undergoing a conversion to match the 5 foot 2.5 inch track width used by the museum's demonstration railway. When completed, it will service the museum as our shop switcher, to move equipment in and out of the repair and restoration shop, as a rescue locomotive should a trolley be stranded out on the line by any sort of electrical problem, and as a snowplow to clear the trackage for winter operations. Over 550 of these handy little locomotives were built in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1938 and 1970. In the course of its modifications and repairs at the museum, it has received new wheels and other drive train parts and an overhauled Cummins diesel engine.
Museum scene.
Philadelphia Suburban 14 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1949. The St. Louis cars were delivered in May and June 1949 and represent what many consider to be the last interurban cars built in America. Their arrival permitted Red Arrow to retire a group of Jewett-built interurbans dating to 1913, and several two-man center door cars like cars 66 & 73. While these cars are equipped with the same high-speed running gear as the Brilliners, they also have multiple unit capabilities (can be coupled together in pairs) and two-way radios. These important features were required to expand service along the rapidly developing West Chester line, which operated on single track over the majority of its 19-mile length.In 1954, the widening of Pennsylvania Route 3 brought the decision to abandon the line to West Chester, after which the "Louie" became the mainstay of operation for the remaining rail lines. Cars 14 and 24 were withdrawn from regular service in September 1982 following acceptance of 29 new LRVs Two St. Louis-built cars were selected for preservation here at the Museum because they will demonstrate the operation of streetcars in multiple unit. Work on 14 was the most complex trolley restoration undertaken to date by our crew. Pennsylvania Trolley Museum volunteers began work on this project in the summer of 1997 and returned to car to service at the Museum in June 2004.
Two of the museum's operable trolleys in the car barn.
West Penn Railways Company 832 built by Cincinnati Car Company in 1930. A dozen of these lightweight, "curved-side" cars were acquired for West Penn's Allegheny Valley Street Railway during the winter of 1929-30. Introduced on Valentine's Day 1930, they afforded patrons the finest accommodations of the day on the routes between Aspinwall, New Kensington and Natrona. Company accountants liked them, too, because they required one crew man instead of two. After the Valley Route was abandoned in 1937, the cars were moved to the company's Coke Region division, where they ran on routes to Latrobe, Fairchance, Phillips and South Connellsville. 832 was the last of the series in service, finishing up on the South Connellsville route at the end of rail operations in 1952. 832 was the second car acquired for the Museum and trucked from Connellsville to Charleroi Car House on the Pittsburgh Railways system in February 1953. In May 1953 the car was operated on a special fundraising "fantrip" and brought from Charleroi to Ingram Car House. February 7, 1954, West Penn 832 was moved under its own power with Pittsburgh Railways M1 and 3756, to its new home in Washington County along the former Washington interurban right-of-way near the village of Arden. Seven years of outdoor storage took its toll on 832 and the car was inoperative at the time the museum started operation in 1962 and extensive repairs were undertaken. Work on the car was sporadic until 2010 when the restoration effort became the focus of a Transportation Enhancement Grant. A restoration plan was written and bids were received for execution of the work from interested firms. In August 2010 the car and its assorted parts were shipped to Brookville Corporation in Brookville Pennsylvania and work commenced. The car was returned in July of 2011 for completion of work in the PTM restoration shop. In June 2018 the car was rolled out in a ceremony at the Trolley Display Building and used in regular operation that weekend, however, it was sidelined again for adjustments to the wiring and a rewinding of its four traction motors. The car was officially placed into regular service for the 2021 operating season.
Philadelphia Suburban 66 built by J.G. Brill Company in 1926. In the late teens and early twenties of the last century, the Philadelphia and West Chester Traction Company experienced rapid development along its rural interurban lines. At that time, most of the cars operated were heavy wood and steel coaches, designed for high speed and infrequent stops. As real estate development turned the farm lands into suburban communities, the older cars became less well suited to the operation. Thirty-two center entrance steel suburban cars were placed in service between 1919 and 1926 to accommodate the changing complexion of the area west of Philadelphia. With their wicker seats and slow acceleration, these "center door" cars marked a radical departure from the high backed velvet seats and separate smoking compartments found on the high speed interurban coaches they replaced. Car 66 was built in 1926 by the J.G. Brill Company as part of the final third order of center entrance cars. It served Philadelphia and West Chester and its successor, Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, for over 40 years. Like the older cars that they replaced, the "center door cars" required a two-man operating crew, but multiple-unit controls allowed the cars to operate in pairs using a three-man crew during peak hours. During the Great Depression, when many companies converted cars to one-man operation, Philadelphia and West Chester chose to purchase faster one-man cars to handle base service, while keeping the center doors in the original configuration. In 1970, just after Philadelphia Suburban became part of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), car 66 was declared surplus and made available for preservation at PTM. The years of occasional use for school trips, winter emergencies and outdoor storage had left 66 structurally sound but in need of extensive refurbishing. The car was returned to its 1949 period appearance by museum volunteers in time for the 1975 season, returning this car to its lifelong work as a "crowd swallower". This involved fabricating all new window sash, including the distinctive curved upper sash which had been removed and replaced by a solid wood panel in the 1950s in an effort to "modernize" the car; re-canvassing of the roof; and painting, lettering and striping.
New Orleans Public Service Company 832 built by Perley Thomas Car Company in 1923. During first half of the 20th Century, New Orleans had an extensive streetcar operation. But by 1964, only two streetcar lines remained in operation in New Orleans: Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue. Early that year, the decision was made to convert the Canal Street line to bus operation and retain the St. Charles line as a tourist attraction. This rendered 40 cars surplus; from that group, 12 cars were donated by NOPSI to preservation groups and the rest were scrapped. The compatibility of track gauge and the age and excellent condition of the equipment moved the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum to express interest in obtaining one of these cars, eight years before they became available. Because of its long-standing interest, PTM was given first choice of the cars being retired. The Museum's interest in car 832 came from the fact that in December 1947, it had been featured in a Life Magazine article when Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire" debuted on Broadway. Three years later, a magazine article identified 832 as the car regularly assigned to operation on the Desire line. Although the Desire Street line quit operation in 1948, the play and movie continue to bring fame to New Orleans streetcars. Sister car 922 was featured in the 1951 movie version staring Vivian Leigh and Marlon Brando; 922 was restored along with the other 34 "Thomas" cars and is still operated regularly on the St. Charles line in New Orleans. New Orleans 832 was delivered to the museum by railroad in June 1964 and was almost immediately placed into operation because our museum track is the same gauge as New Orleans. NOPSI 832 is very similar in design to PRT 5326, having somewhat taller windows but with no protective guards. Today, car 832 continues on in the same way as its sister cars that still operate in New Orleans. Designation on the National Register of Historic Places has made the New Orleans streetcars and the 160-year-old St. Charles line an operating museum much like ours. Their fame makes our 832 an even more valuable piece of history which we are very proud to be able to display for you.
Pittsburgh Railways Company 4145 built by Pressed Steel Car Company in 1911. The 4100 series cars were the last high floor cars built for use on the Pittsburgh Railways Company lines. They were built by the Pressed Steel Car Company which was located in the "Bottoms" section of McKees Rocks along the Ohio River just downstream from the West End neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. These big heavy cars were designed to pull double truck low-floor trailers and served Pittsburgh Railway's busiest routes. Car 4145 entered service on November 25, 1911 and operated into the late 1930s when delivery of the first PCC cars rendered cars of this type surplus. Because of their heavy construction the Pittsburgh Railways converted about a dozen 4000s and 4100 for use as snow scraping and towing cars in 1940. At this time 4145 was renumbered M459 and placed into service as a snow scraper. It served in this capacity until the closing of the Craft Avenue car house in 1967 when it was declared surplus and placed on the scrap list. Fortunately a transportation museum in north central Pennsylvania was initiating trolley operation as part of their attraction and the car was acquired and moved to The Magee Museum of Transportation in Bloomsburg in 1968. There Edward Blossom and his restoration team took the car and transformed it back into an operating passenger car to supplement their open car operation. Misfortune struck this museum in 1972 when Hurricane Agnes spawned storms in the northeastern United States that inundated the museum destroying the streetcar line and soaking their entire collection of transportation artifacts including 4145. In 1973 the museum was disbanded and the collection was sold to the highest bidders. It was at this time that Gerald Brookins purchased 4145 for his private "Trolleyville" operation near North Olmstead, Ohio where streetcars were operated through a modern mobile home community that was dedicated to housing senior citizens. Trolleyville was successful through 2003 when the family of Mr. Brookins sold the property and formed a non-profit group to preserve the cars in the Cleveland area. At this time 4145 was moved to a lake front location near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where the cars were placed on display pending construction of a museum building and re-opening operations along the Cleveland RTA's Waterfront light rail line. In 2009 without sufficient financing the museum reverted to Brookins Family ownership and a consortium of electric railway museums put together a plan that saw the collection disbanded to the various groups. At this time the generosity of PTM volunteer David Carpenter provided funding for this car to come to Arden for restoration as a wide-gauge operating exhibit, retaining all of the beautiful work done in Bloomsburg forty years earlier. In 2010 the generosity of museum volunteer and member Fred Sauerburger provided funding for the complete rebuilding of the cars trucks and running gear. With this PTM shop volunteers, working in conjunction with Lyons Industries in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, rebuilt the trucks and returned them to the proper 5'2-1'' gauge so that the car could again operate on it's home track here at the museum. The car was officially rolled out on its 100th Birthday, November 25, 2011 with Santa Claus on board and Dave Carpenter at the helm.
Pittsburgh Railways Company 4398 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1917. For more than 40 years, the trademark of the Pittsburgh Railways system was the "yellow car." In the years from 1910 until 1926, more than 1,000 cars of this type were built for service in Pittsburgh. Of those cars, only two survive today here at the museum. These cars are technically known as the P.N. Jones low floor car, after the Pittsburgh Railways General Manager who urged his former colleagues at Westinghouse Electric Company to develop smaller motors that would fit on the wheelsets (trucks) of a car having 25" wheels. This significant development permitted Jones (and all that followed) to engineer a car with fewer steps for passengers getting on and off the car. This in turn speeded the loading and unloading of the car, reducing accidents and decreasing running times. Because of Jones' pioneering effort, thousands of low-floor cars were ultimately built for systems throughout North America. Pittsburgh Railways had 1,056 yellow cars, built to the same basic design by a variety of builders. Of these, 618 were single-ended, 213 were double-ended and the balance were trailer cars. Pittsburgh Railways 4398 is an example of the double-ended low floor car. Cars of this type need no loop track on which to turn around at the end of the line. In reversing a double-ended car, the operator places the trolley pole on the wire at what has been the front, picks up his control handles, changer, fare box, cash box, cap, lunch, transfers, etc. and carries it all to the other end of the car. There he replaces all the moveable parts on their mounts, pulls down the trolley pole at that end, and is ready to return. In the early days, most streetcars were double-ended. In later years, operational efficiency relegated most double-ended cars to short shuttle or "dinky" lines, which connected with through-routes to downtown. Today, many of the new light rail operations - including the one in Pittsburgh - have rediscovered the flexibility of double-ended equipment.
Building One for operational cars.
Pittsburgh Railways Company Richfol shelter built in 1909. In 1909, the Pittsburgh Railways Company opened a connection between its recently acquired Washington & Canonsburg division and its Charleroi interurban in Bethel. As part of the project, passenger waiting shelters of this type were constructed for each of the stops along the route. Richfol shelter was constructed to serve workers of the Standard Tin Plate Company in Canonsburg. The stop was named for W. H. Richards, plant superintendent, and Lewis Follet, company president. The site is now occupied by Pennsylvania Transformer Technology and is directly across Adams Avenue from Sarris Candies. Adjacent to the shelter was a 719-foot steel trestle that spanned a portion of the factory property, the Pennsylvania Railroad (the branch which passes the Museum) and Chartiers Creek. After the line was abandoned in 1953, the shelter was moved by the Chartiers-Houston School District to a site along a township road about three miles from the museum. The building was badly deteriorated after serving as a school bus shelter for many years when local businessman John Tarr (of Tarr Concrete) arranged for acquisition and transportation of the shelter to the museum in March 1983. Restoration of the structure required replacement of a substantial part of its lower portion. The roof, however, and the distinctive station signs were preserved intact.
Pittsburgh Harmony Butler & New Castle Railway Company (Harmony line) built in 1908. In addition to more than a dozen long and high bridges, the Harmony Route constructed a variety of structures to handle passengers, freight traffic and electrical distribution. For many years, the museum was aware that buildings had survived as businesses at Keown, Wexford, Evans City, Ellwood City and Beaver Falls, but it was not until 1989 that museum members discovered that one of the line's original waiting shelters had been preserved in its original location at the border of Adams and Cranberry Townships in southwestern Butler County. Although the exact date is unknown, it is thought that the West shelter was erected around the time the line was opened in 1908. The stop name comes from the West farm on which it was originally located, but it was a farmer named Ziegler who built a house and barn adjacent to the stop to take advantage of shipping milk by trolley. Because of its rural location, West stop was also a popular summer retreat for city dwellers wishing to get back to nature. Near the stop were numerous camps and even a guest home. The shelter remained in its original location for several years after the line was abandoned but was eventually removed to a neighboring farm. In the early 1980s, local historian Jim English retrieved the building and returned it to its original location on his property, where it remained until donated to the Museum by his family in April 1992. West was extensively rebuilt in 1993 and put on display across from the Richfol platform. In 2012, additional rebuilting and repainting was undertaken as an Eagle Scout project.
West Penn Railways Company 832 came out of Building One and would be the trolley to take us to our tour of the stored equipment. Our able motorman was Sarah and our conductor was Gary.
Rio de Janeiro Tramways 1758 built by Rio de Janeiro Tramways in 1911. No other streetcar attracted the riding public's attention quite like the open car. One hundred years ago, summer trolley rides were advertised as the perfect way to cool off, and the companies did a brisk business taking passengers to parks or for a ride in the country. Many trolley companies built those parks that became the destinations – it was simply good business! As safety became more of an issue, due to autos sharing the streets, open trolleys in most American cities disappeared in the late 1920s. In Rio de Janiero, however, use of the cars continued into the 1960s, when a dozen cars of JG Brill design and Brazilian manufacture were brought to the United States by a group of trolley museums. Car 1758 is one of these cars. It is the same Brill Narragansett design as open cars operated by West Penn Railways in Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, although the West Penn opens were wider and longer. Car 1758 was originally purchased and restored by the Magee Transportation Museum in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. It was restored and then operated there as Magee Museum 3, until that museum's untimely closure as a result of extensive damage from Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The car was purchased in 1973 and moved to New Jersey where it was used as a prop inside a hobby shop. The owner of this shop retired to Florida and the car accompanied his move. It was set up inside the Lionel Train and Seashell Museum in Sarasota, Florida, where it was used indoors as a display and as a seating area to watch videos. In 1990, the car was purchased by the City of Orlando, Florida. It was to be used as the first streetcar (and as a device to generate public interest and Federal funding) for a proposed Heritage Streetcar line in Orlando. The car was refurbished, re-numbered 1 and given the nickname of "Oscar" (for Orlando Streetcar). Unfortunately, Orlando never created the proposed Heritage Streetcar line, and 1758 sat unused in indoor storage for many years until being sold at auction in 2006.
Interior of the West Penn Railways Company 832.
Pennsylvania Transformer Technologies Corporation 1311 built by Porter Locomotive Works in 1942. The museum's second diesel locomotive acquisition also reflects products of the Keystone State, and of the Pittsburgh region in particular. Between 1867 and 1950, the H.K. Porter Company built more than 7,800 locomotives at its factory in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood. Porter specialized in smaller locomotives for mines, mills and, especially during World War II, the U.S. military. Locomotive 1311 was built for the U.S. Navy in 1942 and delivered to a facility in New Jersey, where it worked until declared surplus in 1955 and sold to a used equipment dealer. The following year, it was purchased by Pennsylvania Transformer Company in nearby Canonsburg, PA. It worked there in relative obscurity until displaced by a larger diesel about 1990, when it was placed in storage. PTM approached the successor, Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, Inc. (PTT), in 1998 and requested donation of the locomotive. PTT agreed, and not only gave 1311 to PTM but also allowed us to keep it at their plant while PTM volunteers repaired and repainted it. Transportation to the Museum was donated by the Pittsburgh & Ohio Central Railroad in May 2002. Locomotive 1311 weighs 43 tons and is powered by twin 150hp Cummins Diesel engines. Each engine drives a Westinghouse Electric generator, which in turn powers an electric motor in one of the trucks. As designed for slow switching service, 1311 is powerful for its size but is limited to a top speed of 20mph. It remains functional at PTM and, like B73, is occasionally operated for special events and to shift our storage boxcars when required.
We ran out to the stored equipment shop where we had a surprise.
A horse car was on display.
Federal Street & Pleasant Valley horse car 101 built by John Stephenson Company circa 1859. This veteran is the oldest car in the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum collection and while we do not have records of its sale, delivery or operating assignment, we do know that the body style is typical of Stephenson cars built in the 1870s. There is also proof that cars like 101 were used on lines serving Allegheny City. In Pittsburgh, the first street railway was built in 1859 on Penn Avenue in the Strip District. Horse cars were used from 1859 until 1923, though most were gone before 1900. The last line, on Sarah Street on the South Side, survived largely to protect a franchise on that street. This photo shows school children on an outing that was thought to be taken shortly before 1923 abandonment when Frank the driver retired. Car 101 (renumbered M3 after 1902) was used on line which operated to the western end of Allegheny City by way of the wooden covered Union Bridge that spanned the Allegheny River at the Point. In 1909 that bridge was replaced by a modern steel Manchester Bridge which permitted use heavier of electric cars and M3 was retired as a display at the Exposition Building located in present day Point Park. At the Exposition the car was painted and lettered in the scheme you see it today and seen here in this exhibit of streetcar progress. Horsecar 101 was part of an exhibit at Pittsburgh's Exposition Hall located near the Point circa 1915. It was numbered 3 instead of its original number. As a Pittsburgh Railways car its fleet number was M3 Horsecar 101 was part of an exhibit at Pittsburgh's Exposition Hall located near the Point circa 1915. It was numbered 3 instead of its original number. As a Pittsburgh Railways car its fleet number was M3. The Museum Curator feel that this photograph shows what 101 looked like when it was built. During the 1920s the car was taken from display repainted and re-lettered and used in parades. In 1934 the car was given to Allegheny County and again becoming an exhibit, this time at the South Park Fairgrounds where it remained in various locations until it was donated to the museum in 1971. From 1971 until 1977 it was housed through the kindness of Meadowcroft Village. Starting in 1977 it was rebuilt, cosmetically restored and placed on display at Station Square in Pittsburgh. After the sale of Station Square in 2000 it was moved to storage in Stowe Township through the kindness of Frank Fairbanks. It remained there until 2004 when it returned to the museum for display in the Trolley Display Building.
West Penn Railways Company 832. We went into the shop building but caught a PCC car on its way back to the museum.
Pittsburgh Railways Company 1711 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1949. Pittsburgh's newest PCC cars were unquestionably the most distinctive. These last 100 units, delivered in 1948-49, differed in many ways from the cars that had come before them. From the outside, the most distinctive changes included the sealed windows (to prevent accidents) with small standee windows (windows for standing passengers) in a row above. On the front of the car, bright triangular wings again outlined the headlight and small dash lights flanked the top corners. On the roof, a cowling running the length of the roof provided intake for the car's ventilation system. Inside, a new seating arrangement allowed all of the passengers to face forward, while four large Sturtevant fans punctuated the ceiling, providing fresh air in lieu of openable windows. A special group of 1700s (numbers 1700-1724) were equipped with special running gear for service on Pittsburgh Railways' long Charleroi and Washington interurban lines: a package shelf in place of the first seat behind the operator, a ticket printer, an emergency tool kit, a spare trolley pole secured in special brackets on the roof and a roof-mounted headlight. After acceptance, 1711 was one of seven cars assigned to Tylerdale car house in Washington. It was chosen for preservation at PTM because it operated on the line which became our museum home, and also because it was historically significant as the last car to carry regular passengers from Washington to Pittsburgh early on the morning of August 30, 1953. Car 1711 was retired from active service in August 1988, and acquired from Port Authority Transit in April 1990. On the way to the museum, 1711 was detoured to the BarrCannon Body Company in Meadowlands, PA, where workmen overhauled it inside and out, under the watchful eye of founding member George Tucker, who also generously donated the cost of the work performed. Subsequently, 1711 was sent to the Adtranz (now Bombardier) facility in Elmira, New York for a complete structural rebuild. During that process, the interior was restored to the original 1949 appearance.
Pittsburgh Railways Company 3487 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1905. Trolley patronage grew dramatically after 1900, necessitating larger streetcars than the first four-wheelers. Car 3487 is an early example of a heavy eight-wheel model. Underneath the steel sheeting is an almost all-wood design. The car's powerful motors allowed trailers to be towed for even more capacity. This is the type of car that opened service on the Charleroi interurban route in 1902. Car 3487 was converted for work car duty in 1934 (it was based at the Charleroi Car House) and thus survived into the 1950s, when it was acquired by the Museum. It is the last of its type.
West Penn Railway 1 built by West Penn Railways Company in 1916. Electric Locomotive 1 has the distinction of being the last car of the extensive West Penn Railways system to operate under West Penn ownership. During its 41 years in operation, Number one was used to shift railroad freight cars at West Penn's main shop, car barn and operations center in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. Originally built in 1915 as a standard railroad gauge unit it was soon converted to wide gauge of five foot-two and one-half inches to match that of the streetcar system. Switching railroad equipment thus required the use of three rail or dual-gauge trackage with a rail common rail and a rail for each gauge. At PTM this arrangement can be seen at the Trolley Display Building on track 32. On your visit ask your guide to point it out. The powerful motors under West Penn 1 drive the wheels through two stages of gear reduction. This gives the little locomotive the power to pull heavy loads while keeping the top speed of the locomotive to a brisk walk. To maximize tractive force the 1'' thick steel frame is filled with concrete and scrap iron. This gives it great weight in a compact package and together with the double reduction gearing makes Number 1 powerful enough to move several loaded freight cars many times its weight.
Pittsburgh Railways Company 3756 built by Osgood Bradley Car Company in 1925. During the nation's Bicentennial celebration in 1976, a group of civic officials and PATransit cooperated in returning 3756 to the streets of Pittsburgh as part of July 4th festivities. The car was given new upholstery and fresh paint, and was routed through downtown streets giving old-fashioned 10 cent rides to over 5,000 nostalgic Pittsburghers. Car 3756 returned to Pittsburgh again on May 22, 1987 to provide historical perspective to the most significant development in Pittsburgh's transit system since the introduction of electric cars in the late 1880s: the grand reopening of the South Hills Light Rail line. For this historic operation, PAT technicians fitted the car with a pantograph current collector so that it could operate freely on any part of the new LRT system.
Model of Pittsburgh Railways Company 3756.
Monongahela West Penn Railway 274 built by Jewett Car Company in 1918. West Virginia had limited streetcar service compared to Pennsylvania. It was confined to the major cities, with Monongahela Valley Traction being the most important company. In 1923, the company was bought by the Pittsburgh-based West Penn System, which also operated trolleys in Wheeling as well as in Western Pennsylvania. Car 274 was modern for its time, featuring all-steel construction and multiple-unit control, and initially served the Fairmont-Clarksburg-Weston route. A large freight door allowed transportation of commodities. In 1937, the car was transferred to the Parkersburg-Marietta division before being retired three years later. Car 274 is a member of the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum's "lived-in" fleet - it served, with a sister car, for more than three decades as a summer cottage in Southeast Ohio before coming to the Museum in 1974.
Jersey Shore & Antes Fort Railroad 3 built by Niles Car and Manufacting Company in 1905. This wonderfully decrepit wood car body represents one-half of the passenger fleet of the tiny (4.75 mile) Jersey Shore & Antes Fort Railroad. With a fleet of two cars 1 & 3 provided the connection between Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania (east of Willamsport) and the Pennsylvania Railroad connection at Antes Fort. The line hauling both passengers and freight and Nippano Park, east of Antes Fort, served as an additional destination in the summertime. The company itself lasted little more than 20 years (1904-1925) but the real story here is the car body. When the company folded, its owners took both cars to a site along Pine Creek, north of Jersey Shore, and fashioned them into a vacation residence (read: hunting camp). Thus saved from the scrapper, the cars were used until June 1972, when Hurricane Agnes brought extensive flooding to the Pine Creek valley. The cars broke loose from their foundation and floated away. They came to rest near a railroad bridge, which badly damaged them. The remains of both cars were discovered by Jeff Pritchard who, with Paul Vassallo, dismantled car 1, worked to stabilize the body of 3 and saved it from destruction. Mr. Vassallo moved the car to two different storage locations before finally moving it to his rural Philadelphia area home and a building he had built for the restoration of cars he'd subsequently acquired. In 1999, Paul and his Wife generously donated 3 to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, providing PTM a unique interurban car with a fascinating story. This car is the Museum's only Niles-built car and represents the "combine" configuration used by many lines in the north central part of Pennsylvania, where hauling freight was just as important as the passenger business.
Port Authority Transit 4004 rebuilt by Port Authority of Allegheny County in 1988. When some of Pittsburgh's South Hills trolley lines were being upgraded to light rail standards and new equipment was being purchased, the Port Authority undertook a program to remanufacture 1949-vintage PCC cars for use on the Library and Overbrook routes. At the time these lines were not being rebuilt and required operation using the smaller lighter cars traditionally used on these lines. Originally slated to include 45 cars, the program ended with only a dozen rebuilds, due to cost realities. Those that were finished, however, were essentially new cars, with all-new electrical and running gear of the type and style that they were originally equipped.
Beaver Valley Traction Company 1 built by McGuire-Cummings in 1918. Snow sweeper 1 was delivered to the Beaver Valley Traction Company, headquartered in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Beaver Valley Traction and Pittsburgh Railways shared the same parent company. It was delivered at the same time as six similar cars purchased by Pittsburgh Railways for use in Pittsburgh. The car came to Pittsburgh after the Beaver Valley line closed down in the 1930s. It is the only piece of surviving equipment from that company. The basic appearance of the snow sweeper did not change appreciably in the two decades separating the manufacture of M37 and this car. But there were significant structural improvements to this later model, such as the steel frame that supports the body.
Monongahela West Penn Railway 250 buiult by Jewett Car Company in 1913. Car 250 is a classic wooden interurban car built with arched stained glass windows and varnished woodwork by the Jewett Car Company of Newark, Ohio. It was a "combine" car, designed to carry both passengers and freight, and was used originally by the Monongahela Valley Traction Company (MVT). The MVT built a significant interurban passenger and freight business that ran from Rivesville, West Virginia south through Fairmont and Clarksburg to Weston, on a system that connected both large and small towns in north central West Virginia. This line was later purchased by West Penn Electric as the Monongahela West Penn System, and finally was owned by City Lines of West Virginia in 1944. The 250 was used on a number of rail enthusiast trips and was donated to Shore Line Trolley Museum by City Lines in 1947. PTM greatly appreciates the generosity of the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven, CT for donating this car to PTM for preservation and interpretation. Car 250 is an important addition to PTM's collection because it represents the classic small-town interurban car that was once common in the United States. It linked Clarksburg, Fairmont and Weston for 34 years. It joins another interurban car from the same company, car 274, and a 54-ton electric locomotive, 3000, already preserved at the Museum and on display in the Trolley Display Building. Currently volunteers are rebuilding the end of car 250 in place at the Trolley Display Building. Long term hopes are to operate the car on the two-mile long Museum demonstration trolley line.
City of Philadelphia/Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 606 built by The Budd Company in 1960. America's largest cities employ subways and elevated railways to get transit vehicles off the streets and provide true rapid transit. Philadelphia's Market-Frankford Subway-Elevated line was such a facility, built in stages between 1903 and 1922. Car 606 is one of the single unit stainless steel cars built in 1960 to replace all of the original equipment on the wide gauge Market-Frankford line. The fleet consisted of over 200 cars with the 600 series being built to run as single units and the 700 and 800 series in permanently coupled pairs. The cars were owned throughout its service life by the City of Philadelphia, which donated 606 to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in 1998 when the "Almond Joys" (nicknamed because of lumps on the roof) were replaced by new cars featuring air conditioning.
Station Square Directory.
West Penn Railways Company 739 built by West Penn Railways in 1925. West Penn Railways operated more than 150 miles of streetcar lines in Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, connecting the larger towns such as Greensburg, Connellsville and Uniontown to the smaller towns and the multitude of coal "patches" that dotted the map. West Penn had 40 cars like 739 and numerous smaller cars, all of which at its peak in 1923 carried 55 million riders annually. At 58 feet, these were among the longest streetcars to operate in the state. Car 739 spent a few years in the late 1920s spruced up as a parlor car named "Faywest, running in special limited-stop service in the company's last major attempt to compete head-on with the automobile. After retirement in 1952, 739 spent 36 years as a home near Jeannette before coming to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in 1989. Since being placed on exhibit in the Trolley Display Building, volunteers have done extensive work on the exterior of the car. The pictures show the divide between the "as received" condition of the car and the scraping and painting that has since taken place. Part of our exhibit shows reprinted newspaper articles from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh that tell the story of the Smail Family turning a retired streetcar into a home. The wide open interior of the car currently serves as a workshop for the ongoing effort to restore the exterior appearance of the cars.
Columbus Railway Light & Power 067 built by Columbus Railway Light & Power in 1923. Many trolley companies employed the use of specialty cars like 067, a utility car that could haul almost anything from rails and poles on down to spikes. The key here was "utility" - make the car as flexible in function as possible. Thus you see the long deck and the tiny cab. The load was the important thing, not the operator's comfort! Referred to by rail enthusiasts as an "outhouse on a raft," a flat motor like 067 made the job of maintaining a trolley line easier than it would be without the specialized equipment. Crews could carry all the elements of the work with them in one place without hauling a trailer, making it simpler to keep out of the way of the all-important revenue producing passenger cars. Ironically, some of the specialty cars outlasted the passenger equipment, and were used to tear up the tracks and wires after the lines were abandoned and replaced with motor buses.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 209 built by J.G. Brill Company in 1931. When new management came to the Philadelphia & Western Railway early in the Great Depression, it was convinced that high-speed service would bring back the riders. They were so committed to this principle were that wind tunnel testing was employed in the design of these "bullet"-shaped cars, both to bring about the highest practical speed for the cars and also to reduce wind resistance to a minimum - thereby reducing operating costs. The Philadelphia & Western was an example of high-platform, rapid transit type service, where everyday speeds exceeded 75 miles per hour. Cars like 209 proved to be a huge success in this setting, hauling millions of passengers back and forth between Norristown and 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby (and intermediate stations) for nearly sixty years. The line was purchased by the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company (Red Arrow Lines), and continues today under SEPTA ownership and with modern cars.
Philadelphia Suburban 07 built by Jewett Car Company in 1911. Originally built as a freight car (similar to PRT F22), Car 07 has enjoyed a long operating history. After Philadelphia & West Chester Traction's freight service ended in 1925, 07 was converted to an overhead line car. This is a car that allowed workers standing on a roof-mounted platform to replace or adjust the overhead wire that carries the electrical current needed to power the trolleys. Car 07 remained in service with the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company (Red Arrow Lines) and its successor SEPTA into 1992 - a total of 81 years. We know of no other trolley vehicle on any other property that had that longevity!
Monongahela Valley Transportation Company steeplecab locomotive 3000 built by Baldwin-Westinghouse in 1920. West Virginia's Monongahela Valley Traction Company ran not only interurban electric passenger service between cities, but also a full-fledged freight operation on the same track. This joint service continued until 1947, when the streetcars were discontinued. (Interestingly, competitor Baltimore & Ohio then acquired part of the trolley line south of Clarksburg because its grades were better than their own.) Locomotive 3000 was built for MVT's freight service and utilizes heavy-duty trolley technology in a compact package (compact it may be, but the crane lifting it revealed its weight to be 107,000 pounds!). After the streetcar days, 3000 went to Monongahela Power's Rivesville power plant, where it was used to shift coal cars brought in on the railroad. It came to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in 1968. Locomotive 3000 is the product of a collaborative effort between the Baldwin locomotive works (a company that primarily built steam locomotives) near Philadelphia (Eddystone) and the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A true Pennsylvania product.
Pittsburgh Railways Company M37 built by McGuire Manufacturing Company in 1896. Franchises for streetcar lines usually always came with conditions, such as a requirement to keep the street clear for the width of the track, plus 18-24 inches on either side. Likewise, a company could not generate revenue if its tracks were blocked with snow, so the need for specialty cars such as the snow sweeper was established very early. The brooms on either end would efficiently sweep snow off the track area, and allow immediate passage of the streetcar through the cleared stretch. There were some problems, however. Snow came off the brooms at very high speed, and often damaged things in its way -- such as windows of adjacent houses and businesses! The cars themselves were lightweight, and frequently derailed in the process of sweeping. For all of this, the sweepers lasted into the late 20th Century; the operators could not seem to do without them.
We were both surprised to learn that the museum has solar panels. In 2009, the museum decided that it could better serve its 31,000 annual visitors better if it was able to invest more resources into public programming rather than paying electric bills. The Solar-Powered Streetcar Project has saved PTM $5,000 per year on electricity costs from a 36 kW solar system that generates energy used in its 28,000 square foot Trolley Display Building and the two-mile demonstration railway used to display and operate its collection of vintage electric railway vehicles. That money is a welcome boon in an era of tight museum budgets around the nation. In addition to saving money, the solar installation also allows PTM to teach school children and visitors the importance of solar energy, working to "capture the public's imagination" by using modern solar technology to power early 20th century streetcars. The project, the first in North America to showcase solar-powered electric transit vehicles, has received a Penn Future "Green Power Award" and an Institutional Honorable Mention Award from PA Museums.
Philadelphia Suburban 5 built by J.G. Brill Company in 1941. Suburban growth was good for the Red Arrow Lines (as the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company was popularly known), even through the Great Depression. The 1932 cars (like car 78, also in the Museum's collection) were popular, reliable and profitable, and Red Arrow wanted ten more. By 1941, the J.G. Brill Company was committed to its "Brilliner", and would build only that model, which left Red Arrow no choice - if they wanted Brill cars, they would get Brilliners. This group of cars turned out to be the lastorder of electric streetcars ever built by the J.G. Brill Company, at one time the largest streetcar manufacturer in the world. Cars 1-10 proved to be every bit as successful as their predecessors, even though they used a lot more electricity -- but the dramatic surge in wartime riding paid the heftier power bill with ease. Thanks to the Red Arrow's superior maintenance, the Brilliners remained in service, with the company and through the SEPTA years, for 41 years -- about double their design life!
Unknown streetcar under restoration.
Toledo Railways & Light Company car Toledo built by the company in 1906. In the November 1906 Electric Railway Review (an industry trade magazine), the following is reported: "observation Car for Toledo-- The Toledo Railway & Light Company has recently built an observation car which will be put on a regular schedule next summer for the accommodation of sightseers. The new car, which is named "Toledo," is 47 feet long, and besides the passenger compartments contains a kitchen and a lavatory. The interior is finished in light mahogany and is handsomely furnished. The windows are 4 feet wide, with a narrow framework so as to interfere with the view as little as possible. During the winter, the car will be used by the officials for inspection trips. The car was built in the company's shops under the supervision of Mr. C.A. Brown master mechanic, according to designs furnished by General Manager L.E. Beilstein". The car was used in Toledo as specified above. One notable occasion was in 1908, when it transported dignitaries from Toledo to Detroit for the World Series. In the series, the Detroit Tigers took on the Chicago Cubs. This game was notably the last time the Cubs were national champs until their win over the Cleveland Indians in 2016. The photos here show the luxurious appointment inside the car and its as-built outside appearance.
Pittsburgh Harmony Butler & New Castle Railway 115 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1909. The Harmony Route was an interurban electric railway which operated from Pittsburgh to terminals in Butler and New Castle. Along the way this line passed through the North Hills suburban communities including Ross, McCandless, Marshall, Bradford Woods and Cranberry. At Evans City the line split into its two branches with the western branch passing through Zelienople and Ellwood City on its way to New Castle. In 1914, the branch into Ellwood City was extended across the new bridge at Koppel and then south to the lower end of Beaver Falls. As a rule, early interurban cars were essentially self-propelled railroad coaches with all the wooden construction and ornamentation. Car 115 featured ornate interior decoration, plush seating and a lavatory, for the ultimate in regional intercity travel. There were, however, too few passengers to appreciate this luxury, and the company was economically compelled to abandon its electric operations in 1931. A close cousin to the Harmony Route was the Short Line, a separate interurban line which reached Butler on a route that passed through Valencia and Mars. This line was bankrupted in the mid-teens and ultimately bought by the more profitible Harmony Route. In 1931, when both lines passed out of existence, the bus company which replaced them operated under the name Harmony Shortline. It is this fact that has for many years prompted some to use this name to refer to all electric railways in the North Hills. After operations quit, a motorman named Clark purchased the car and had it taken to a plot along State Route 88 (now 65) between Ellwood City and New Castle, where it became a roadside diner. Fifty-five years later, the car was extracted from what had become a much larger restaurant and brought to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. As is the case with a number of the Museum's cars, 115 is the only surviving example from its original owner.
Shaker Heights Rapid Transit 94 built by Pullman Standard Company in 1948. The Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights was unusual in that its developers included a rapid transit line as part of the original community design. Good transportation to the city, it was felt, would make the neighborhood all that more attractive to prospective land purchasers. The premise has been highly successful and the transit system works splendidly. Ownership was assumed by the City of Shaker Heights in 1944. Twenty-five cars like 94 were purchased four years later to modernize the operation. After over 30 years service, 94 and similar cars were replaced with new vehicles. Several of these Pullman-built PCC cars have been preserved by trolley museums. 94 is the only Pullman-built PCC car in the museum's collection and is it only PCC with General Electric control. After acquisition of the car in 1987 time was spent stripping the exterior paint and priming painting the surfaces and repairing rust holes following several years of outside storage in Cleveland. The painting and body work was restarted in 2016 by a group of volunteers from the Cleveland area. The car is part of the exhibit in the Trolley Display Building.
Johnstown Traction Company 350 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1926. Johnstown is a medium-sized city whose economy relied heavily on the steel industry. The nature of that business, with its large number of employees changing shifts three times daily, was a ready-made market for the Johnstown Traction Company (JTC), who found it profitable to maintain streetcar operations long after most cities had gone over to buses. JTC even purchased streamlined PCC cars in 1947, the smallest U.S. city to do so. By 1959, steel industry was suffering and the transit company was reducing its costs accordingly by initiating conversion of its lines to trackless trolleys (electric buses). A number of cars of the 350 series still serviceable on the system and frequently operated on excursions for streetcar enthusiasts like the early volunteers who established this museum. These "fantrip" provided fund raising that helped establish a few trolley museums. Because of this several cars found their way to museum operation with the first of them preserved here in September of 1959. Car 350 is a perfect "time warp," as it remains in virtually the same condition as it was in its last days of service in Johnstown. The car is currently on display at the Trolley Display Building. In June of 2004 it was placed on wheel sets (trucks) from Pittsburgh for the trip to the newly built TDB. Plans for the future are to re-gauge the original trucks so that the car may operate on the museum's demonstration railway.
Unknown snow sweeper.
Boston Elevated Railway Company 3618 built by Differential Steel Car Company in 1927 for use in track construction on the streetcar lines of the Boston Elevated Railway in Massachusetts. Its job was to carry ballast (crushed stone) to construction sites and then spread the rock on top of the ties so that it can be used to raise and level (tamp) the track. This hopper dump car is unusual because most electric railway companies used side dump cars (like our Pittsburgh Railways M551) for this job. In fact, fewer than ten cars of this type are known to have been built by Difco. Construction work on trolley lines diminished considerably after the Great Depression, but 3618 remained on as a maintenance car. Because of its low clearance and in spite of its all metal construction, it was used for emergency overhead wire work in the trolley subway in Boston. Its last use was in 1959 when a portion of the Boston and Albany Railroad was converted for use as a streetcar line.
Philadelphia Suburban 24 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1949. When the Red Arrow Lines (Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company) needed additional modern equipment to handle the burgeoning postwar population growth in Philadelphia's western suburbs it turned to St. Louis Car Company. Red Arrow's traditional builder of choice J.G. Brill ceased streetcar production following construction of Brilliners 1-10 in 1941. The fourteen cars they supplied were quite advanced for the day, featuring streamlined bodies of the PCC car but riding on traditional wheelsets and having larger motors for high-speed operation. Little wonder, then, that car 24 (and sister 14, beautifully restored to its 1949 appearance and in service at the Museum) remained in regular operation until new cars were purchased in 1982. Car 24 is the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum's newest streetcar (only the Budd built 1960 subway car is newer).
Philadelphia Transportation Company 2711 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1947. Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) had a large fleet of PCC streamliners, of which 2711 (along with sister car 2723) represents one of the more recent. Originally built for service on the busy 23-Germantown Avenue line, the car came equipped for 2-man operation - almost unheard of in 1947, but traffic on the route more than covered the extra operating cost. As PTC gave way to SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) in 1968, the 2700s continued in service and remained after several trolley lines had been discontinued. Because of their age, many cars went through a general overhaul rebuilding in the 1980s to extend their useful life another ten years, including the replacement of the hand-cranked windows with school bus style windows and seating from scrapped former transit buses. But once that time was up and new cars were acquired, streetcar operation was sharply curtailed and the cars were surplus. In 1999 car 2711 was acquired by PTM for the purpose of having a wheelchair accessible car for operations. The generosity of corporate partner Adtranz (now Bombardier) that builds people mover cars and components in nearby West Mifflin allowed the car to be taken from Philadelphia to their factory in Elmira, New York where crews restored the original 1947 appearance. As a work car 2711 had many of it's seats removed which facilitated reworking of the interior.
Cincinnati Street Railway 2227 built by Cincinnati Car Company in 1919. Car 2227 represents the standard design used for Cincinnati streetcars built between 1911 and 1920. PTM acquired 2227 from the Lake Shore Electric Railway Museum in Cleveland (successor to Trolleyville, USA), where 2227 had been operated, displayed and restored for many years. Car 2227 was originally preserved by a group of rail enthusiasts in the Cincinnati area. What follows is the story of how the car came to be preserved. It was written by Cliff Scholes, a member of the group that preserved of the car and whose continue contributions have enabled it to again be operable here at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, on tracks of its original gauge. In 1919, the Cincinnati Traction Company placed an order with the Cincinnati Car Company for 105 double truck closed deck roof cars to be numbered 2200 through 2304. Car 2227, one from this order, was in service for most of the time until abandonment of all streetcar operations in Cincinnati on April 29, 1951. This series of two-man cars served on the heaviest of the lines, including route 31-Crosstown, with its close headway, heavy loads, and operation on the steep hills of the city. For years, it worked out of the Eighth Street car house until early in WWII, when it was moved to the Vine Street car house and operated on route 78. It was returned to Eighth Street after the War, and again operated on route 31 until that route's conversion to trolley bus on April 11, 1948. Shortly thereafter, at Winton Place shops, 2227 was converted to a sand car, renumbered S-223, and was stabled at Hyde Park car house until abandonment of the streetcar lines operating from there. It was then stored at Winton shops until after abandonment of all streetcar service in the city.
Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company 5326 built by J.G. Brill Company in 1923. Just as Pittsburgh Railways had favored one car design for many years, so too had PRT favored the general design of cars like 5326, to the point where they had over 2,000 cars representing several variations of the same basic design. Brill had built so many cars for PRT over the years that a track was built from the street outside into the Brill plant just for the delivery of new cars! Because Philadelphia lacks Pittsburgh's hills, the cars there didn't need to be as powerful. 5326 has only two motors to drive it, while most of the museum's other eight wheel cars have four motors. In order to get maximum traction from the two powered axles, a distinctive design of truck was used, having two small unpowered "pony" wheels and two larger "driver" wheels. Car 5326 is an example of the advance in the car builder's art introduced just prior to World War I. The use of considerably more steel in the basic construction and the stronger, easier to maintain arch roof became the standard in car design into the early 1930s. The next step would be the introduction of lightweight alloys, and eventually the all-steel PCC car. Introduction of the PCC car to Philadelphia in 1938 prompted major changes to 5326 and several of her sister cars. In 1941, the newly formed Philadelphia Transportation Company initiated a modernization program designed to attract patronage by applying features from the new streamlined cars to the older cars. As a result, the original wood slat seats were upholstered, enclosed lighting fixtures were installed, rubber flooring replaced hardwood and green paint was used to cover the car's traditional brass and cherry wood appointments. In April 1958, car 5326 had the distinction of being the first trolley car to ever travel the Pennsylvania Turnpike (even if it was on a trailer truck), as it moved to its new home in Washington, PA. While many of the cars at the museum are the lone survivors of their type, this is not true of 5326. Sister car 5205 has been preserved by the Electric City Trolley Museum in Scranton, PA. Restoration of this car, initiated in 1976 as part of the American Revolution Bicentennial celebration, was made possible by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The extensive work undertaken to return this car to its 1923 appearance spanned a five year period, and included overhauling its controls and running gear, and undoing all of the modernization applied in 1941. This "labor of love" required more than 3,000 hours of labor by museum volunteers who donated their weekends and vacations to the preservation of history. The car has served as a mainstay of public operation at PTM since 1980, with a short break in 2004 & 2005 when flood damage from the remains of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 forced the rebuilding of its trucks and motors.
We walked out side to a new station.
Pittsburgh Harmony Butler & New Castle Railway Company (Harmony line) Wexford station built in 1908. This building started life after construction of the Pittsburgh Harmony Butler & New Castle Railway in 1908. It is a wooden interurban trolley station that originally served trolley passengers, and later postal and deli customers. Its interesting history includes the 23 years it was used as a freight/passenger station for the Harmony Route, its relocation to the corner of Wexford-Bayne Road and Old Perry Highway in the village of Wexford in 1931, and its 83 years' use as a post office, antique store, craft shop and deli. The exhibit includes the details of the building's relocation to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in 2015. The Wexford station building is remarkably well preserved and really helps to tell the fascinating story of interurban trolley service from Pittsburgh into the North Hills and nearby towns such as Evan City, Butler, Harmony, Zelienople, Ellwood City, Beaver Falls and New Castle where it connected to systems reaching Youngstown, Cleveland and Toledo. Always on exhibit at its location adjacent to the Trolley Display Building and will be open to visitors during special events.
The interior of the Wexford station.
Welcome to the Wexford Station.
Trolley Display Building. The trolley then returned us to the Visitor Center.
Philadelphia & West Chester Traction 78 would be our next ride.
Our operator of this trolley, Jim.
Information about the car.
Rio de Janeiro Tramways 1758 came into the Fairgrounds station to discharge its guests.
My beautiful wide aboard Philadelphia & West Chester Traction 78.
Philadelphia Suburban 14 was met at the siding.
Philadelphia & West Chester Traction 78 at the park and ride lot.
Rio de Janeiro Tramways 1758 at the park and ride lot. We rode Philadelphia & West Chester Traction 7 back to the visitor center.
Our next ride would be on Philadelphia Suburban 14.
Interior of Philadelphia Suburban 14.
On the way back, a view of the current visitor's center.
Philadelphia & West Chester Traction 78 was met at the siding.
The horse car and another tour of the shops were taking place.
Museum scene. We returned to the visitor center.
Our last car to ride was Rio de Janeiro Tramways 1758 that had been taken into the shops as it had started to rain earlier. We arranged with the crew to run this car for us and as the rain had stopped and the sun returned, one of operators, Kevin, decided to bring it out for the rest of the day.
Kevin ably guided the car around the museum grounds.
We met the Pittsburgh Railways Company 1711 at the siding.
West Penn Railways Company 832 with more shop people returning to the Visitor Center.
Philadelphia & West Chester Traction 78 at the park and ride lot. On the way back Burma Shave sign were photographed.
Angels, who guard you, when you drive, usually, retire at 65, Burma Shave.
When you drive, if caution ceases, you are apt, to rest, in pieces, Burma Shave.
Philadelphia Suburban PCC car 14. We thanked our operators for a very positive experience at this fantastic trolley museum.
Children's trolley. We thanked the gentleman who sold us our tickets for the day and acquired a number of souvenirs.
We drove into Pittsburgh with the intention of riding the Monongahela and Duqesne Incline Railways and had to contend with road construction. Once at the summit, Elizabeth checked the Monongahela's website only to learn that it was shut down from August to November for repairs, something that had not been there when we were planning the trip in July. We drove back into Ohio for some stations and had a few surprises at North Lima.
Indiana Box Car Corporation GP9 7225 ex. Canadian National 7225, nee Northern Alberta Railways 210. The Camp Chase Railway (CAMY) owns and operates approximately 15 miles of track in the Columbus area. CAMY interchanges railcars with both Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation, allowing for competitive shipping rates and service options. Switching service is offered five days per week, and can be adjusted to accommodate customer needs. For customers who do not have direct access to a rail spur or dock, CAMY can offer sites for rail-truck transloading and subsequent last mile delivery, including the Norton Road Transload Facility. Camp Chase can assist customers seeking development sites in Central Ohio, or other logistics options to receive rail service.
Youngstown & Southeastern GP18 built by Electric Motive Division in 1960, ex. Indiana Boxcar Corporation 18, exx. Chicago Rail Link 14, nee Chicago Rock Island & Pacific 1339. The Youngstown & Southeastern Railroad is a shortline subsidiary of the Indiana Boxcar Corporation (IBCX), providing freight service and railcar storage between Youngstown, Ohio and Darlington, Pennsylvania. The line is owned by the Columbiana County Port Authority and is leased to the Eastern States Railroad, which is owned by the line's primary shipper. Freight service and maintenance on the line is contracted to the Youngstown & Southeastern. Interchange is with CSX Transportation in Lowellville and the Norfolk Southern in their Hazelton Yard in Youngstown. A primary business is railcar storage, but several online industries are switching as well as a transloading facility. Active locomotives are stored and serviced at North Lima; a locomotive dead line is stored east of Negley, Ohio, at the former Youngstown & Southern engine facility. This trackage was originally owned by the Youngstown & Southern Railway (YS), which existed from 1904 to 1993, including a period as an electric interurban passenger railway between 1907 and 1948. It was later jointly owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad and Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad.
Youngstown & Southeastern North Lima station.
North Lima caboose of Pennsylvania Railroad heritage.
Lionel Trains 50 foot box car 6997, originally Pittsburgh and Lake Erie 6997, built by Dispatch Shops in 1966.
LGB 50 foot box car 6913, originally Pittsburgh and Lake Erie 50 6913, built by Dispatch Shops in 1966. Next I drove us to Lowellville.
Pittsburgh, Youngstown & Ashtabula Railroad Lowellville station built in 1905. Our next stop was in Youngstown.
Erie Railroad Youngstown station built in 1922.
Baltimore and Ohio Youngstown station built in 1905.
Pennsylvania Railroad Youngstown station built in 1948. We knew there were steam engines in this city so I drove us over to the Youngstown Steel Heritage Museum where I asked a man if we could take picture and he said "Yes!"
Located in Youngstown, Ohio, the J&L Narrow Gauge Railroad is a 24" gauge steel mill demonstration railroad where historic narrow gauge rail equipment used in steelmaking and heavy industry is preserved and operated. The centerpiece of the railroad is J&L 58, a 45 ton Porter 0-4-0 Tank locomotive once used by Jones & Laughlin Steel in Pittsburgh. We regularly operate the 58 on our ever expanding on site trackage keeping the spirit of steel mill steam railroading alive in Youngstown.
Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp 0-4-0T 57 built by H.K. Porter in 1937 and sold to Crown Metal Products Company in 1965.
Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp 0-4-0T 60 seen as 3 built by H.K. Porter in 1937 and sold to Crown Metal Products Company in 1969.
"Pollock" Kling Type Open Top Hot Metal Car.
Standard Slag 70 ton switcher LM-6 built by General Electric in 1942 as York Central Railroad 512 and was originally used to switch passenger cars at large terminals during World War II. The locomotive was sold to Cambria Slag Co. in 1952 and moved slag (ore-refining waste) at plants in Sharpsville, Pennsylvnia, and Youngstown until 1980. Eventually, it sold to the Valley Mould & Iron Company in Hubbard, Ohio as 6114-A, for moving hot-metal cars between its melt shop and the ingot mold foundry building.
Davenport 0-4-0 Davenport Gas Mechanical Engine.
A locomotive tender.
CSX box car 13726?
Other equipment.
Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp 0-4-0T 57 and Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp 0-4-0T 58 built by Porter in 1937 and sold to Crown Metal Products Company in 1969.
Information about this railroad, which has been operating since 2019 on select weekends during the spring, summer and autumn. We then drove to Boardman, Ohio for dinner at O'Charleys Restaurant before checking into the Best Western Boardmann Inn in Poland, Ohio for the night.
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