Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

More than just a ride...it's an Experience

Events and Programs Assistant

Fall at PTM

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Join the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum as we welcome fall! During the months of September, October and November, the museum will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM. Visitors will have the opportunity to ride on two of the museum’s beautifully restored trolley cars and take a tour through the Trolley Display Building.

Each Friday of the fall will have a special feature! [View Full Fall Calendar]

On Friday September 4, October 2, and November 6, $2 of every visitor’s admission will be donated to the City Mission.

On September 11, 2020, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum will commemorate the 19th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on American soil. The museum honors and thanks all Active Military, Veterans, Firefighters, Law Enforcement, and EMS by inviting them to visit the museum on September 11 with free admission. Guests can book their tickets in advance on the museum’s website. Those receiving free admission for their service will need to show identification when arriving at their ticketing time.

Those visiting on September 18, September 25, October 16, and October 30 and 31st can participate in a special themed tour of Trolley Display Building.

September 18: Restoration and How it Happens

Tour guides will show how Pennsylvania Trolley Museum volunteers restore and conserve streetcars. Though some of the trolleys at the museum may look brand new, many hours were dedicated to returning them to that condition. Learn more about the differences between a cosmetic versus operational restoration, and between restoration and conservation during this tour. Visitors will see examples of identical cars in both states of preservation.

September 25: Streamlined Spotlight: The PCC Car

This tour will explore the development of the PCC as a response to emerging competitors in the transportation world. What IS a PCC? How are PCCs different from conventional trolley cars? Who made them, and how did they evolve from their pre-war to post-war design? Learn more about this iconic car during today’s PCC tours!

October 16: Yinzer Trolleys: Transit of Western PA

This tour will focus on local streetcar systems: the cars of Pittsburgh Railways, West Penn Railways, and the Harmony Route. Visitors may be surprised to learn that cable cars once ran in the Burgh! 

October 30: Off the Rails: The Fascinating Second Lives of Our Collection Post-abandonment

This tour will examine the pieces in the collection that were lived in, dined in, lounged in, or otherwise converted after they retired as vehicles moving passengers. This tour would discuss trolleys not normally on display, including 739, 274, 115, plus Wexford Station.

October 31: Harvest Trolley

Learn how trolleys helped transport food and other goods from farms and rural areas into towns and major cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Adult tour: 10 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:00 PM
Children/Family tour: 11:15 AM, 1:45 PM

October 31: Halloween Storytime – 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM

Join PTM’s Educator for a spooky storytime at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM! After, continue the fun with a harvest trolley tour and ride. Limited to 25 participants. Advanced registration required. Please register on ShowClix for the 11:15 AM or 1:45 PM ride/tour time slot. Program will begin promptly at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM. All youth participants will receive a Spooky Streetcar activity packet. All included with regular admission price.

Two digital programs will be presented via Zoom on October 9 and 23.

October 9: 7 PM Sarah Lerch and Carrie Wardzinski, Car Cards: Streetcar Advertisements
REGISTER HERE

Heinz, Campbell’s, and Coca-Cola; sound familiar? You might even have these products at home right now! Join the Educator and Research Librarian to learn about the origins of streetcar advertisements, the man who made it all possible and popular ads of the day.

October 9 Onsite: 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM – Car Cards tour and activity packet for kids

Join PTM staff for a behind-the-scenes tour to explore streetcar advertisements through the decades and enjoy a trolley ride, looking for each trolley’s unique advertisement cards based on time period and location of service. Tour is family friendly and children will receive a Car Cards activity packet. Limited to 25 participants. Tour offered at 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM.

October 23: 7 PM Jennifer Sopko, Lost Trolley Parks of Western Pennsylvania
REGISTER HERE

Today’s modern-day amusement parks can trace their roots back to simple picnic groves and recreational parks that were owned and operated by local transportation companies, from steam-powered railroads to electric streetcar lines. Western Pennsylvania was once home to numerous trolley parks that are now lost to memory and newspaper archives. Author Jennifer Sopko will share images and the history of forgotten trolley parks as part of her research for her forthcoming book on lost Western Pennsylvania amusement parks.

Fall Calendar:

September 4: City Mission donation ($2 from each ticket sold)
September 11: A Day to Remember
September 18: Themed Tours: Restoration
September 25: Themed Tours: PCC Cars

October 2: City Mission donation
October 9: Digital Presentation: Car Cards (7 PM), Car Cards tour and activity packet for kids (On site, 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM)
October 16: Themed Tours: Yinzer Trolleys
October 23: Digital Presentation: Trolley Parks (7 PM)
October 30: Themed Tours: Off the Rails: Second Lives of Trolleys
October 31: Halloween Themed Tours: Harvest Trolley (Adult tour: 10 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:00 PM, Children/Family tour: 11:15 AM, 1:45 PM); Halloween Storytime (On site, 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM)

November 6: City Mission donation

 

Welcome Back! Reopening July 2

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New Museum Hours:

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is open as of July 2, 2020!

July & August: Thursday-Sunday
10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Last trolley departs at 3:00 PM

September through mid-December: Friday-Sunday*
10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Last trolley departs at 3:00 PM
*OPEN Labor Day – Monday, September 7

Timed ticketing must be adhered to.

There will be 5 runs each day and a maximum of 25 people allowed on each ride.

  • 10:00 AM
  • 11:15 AM
  • 12:30 PM
  • 1:45 PM
  • 3:00 PM

Thursday bookings at 10:00 AM are reserved for high risk visitors. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) defines high risk as individuals as adults (age 65+) and people of any age who have serious underlying medical issues.

Click here for high risk reservations

New Pricing:

Adults………………………………………….$12
Seniors (ages 65+)…………………………..$11
Children (ages 1-15)…………………………$10
Children under 1……………………………..FREE
Museum Members…………………………..FREE

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS ONLINE

What your visit will look like:

  • The ticketing area will open at 10:00 AM each day.
  • Masks or face coverings are required – please bring one with you!
  • Your visit will be approximately 1.5 hours long.
  • When you arrive, please have your online ticket available via printout or mobile device
    • The store hostess will welcome you, check you into the ticketing system and then provided you with a wristband.
  • Your tickets are good for only the tour/ride time that you purchased tickets for. Trolleys will depart exactly at the time that you are scheduled.
  • Directional signage will be located on the floors throughout our facility. This will help manage social distancing and help flow of traffic.
  • Your tickets are good for a trolley ride on our 4-mile (roundtrip) track, a trolley ride to our Trolley Display Building, a tour, and entrance into our exhibit space.

Please read about how the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum will promote a healthy and safe visit:

The staff of the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (PTM) hope that you are just as excited as we are to be reentering our facility! On Friday, June 5th, Washington County officially moved to the Green Phase of the Reopening PA plan released by the governor of Pennsylvania. In order to comply with all established safety guidelines, the museum will be reopening to guests on July 2, 2020. Please note this date may change if the museum finds that it is not ready to open by that date.

We understand that you are all eager to take your first trip on one of our beloved trolleys. That’s why PTM has developed a 3 week process of preparing the museum for reopening.

During the week of June 8-12, select Pennsylvania Trolley Museum staff and approved volunteers will reenter the facility. During this time, we will be training our amazing team of staff and volunteers on our new protocols and expectations to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for you to visit. The museum will prepare all areas and will be adhering to all CDC and Department of Health state guidelines.

The weeks of June 15 & 22, Staff will begin working in staggered shifts. Trolley Maintenance, Restoration and Building Maintenance volunteers will be back in the facility prepping everything that is needed before opening. At this time, all ticket sales for the summer will go on sale online. The museum will then finalize all items needed to establish a safe and welcoming environment for our visitors.

Please know that we are doing everything possible to have your return be safe and enjoyable. Attached to this email is a list of how the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum will follow the best practices for businesses recommended by the Pennsylvania Department of Health during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Continue to check our website for updates as we prepare the museum to welcome you all back!

On behalf of the Museum, I want to thank you for your ongoing interest and support particularly during these challenging times. We look forward to reopening and offering services that will enhance your member and volunteer experience.

Sincerely yours,

Scott R. Becker
Executive Director

Regulating the number of visitors for safe social distancing:

  • Our museum will be operating at 50% capacity per Pennsylvania requirements.

Staff training and procedures:

  • Masks will be required for all Pennsylvania Trolley Museum staff, volunteers, and contractors.
  • All returning staff members and volunteers will learn the proper way to wear a mask, wash hands, maintain social distancing, and other safety protocols.
  • Staff and contracted cleaners will be trained on updated cleaning procedures and new cleaning materials.

Re-opening procedures:

  • We will thoroughly clean our facilities and institute enhanced cleaning protocols, in adherence to CDC guidelines.
  • Free-standing hand sanitizing stations will be installed throughout our public spaces.
  • Timed ticketing will allow us to limit the number of guests in and control visitor flow.
  • We will remove or limit the use of interactive exhibits to limit touch points.
  • One-way traffic flow will be utilized through way-finding floor signage.
  • A Plexiglass shield will be installed at our ticketing/store register.
  • Visitors older than age 2 will be required to wear masks. Any visitor displaying signs of illness will be escorted out of the building; or, if they need assistance, will be taken to a private room designated at each facility until they can be assisted out of the building by family or ambulance.
  • Social distancing of 6’ will be implemented and monitored throughout our museum. Parties entering our museums together may remain together, and children must remain with an adult at all times
  • Volunteers will be trained to follow CDC guidelines and ensuring that visitors are following social distancing guidelines
  • High touch-point areas throughout the day and restrooms will be sanitized each day
  • Our Museum Store will be open and adhering to social distancing guidelines

West Penn Trolley Meet: At Home Edition

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The West Penn Trolley Meet will NOT be held in person… but, we’re going virtual!

Nothing can replace the thrill of experiencing the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s colorful collection in person, but we are excited to announce that we’ll be hosting a virtual edition of the West Penn Trolley Meet! 

PTM had planned to offer a variety of trolley-related programs during the meet, and thanks to the flexibility of our presenters and the surge in popularity of group video conferencing software, we will now broadcast these programs live via Zoom on the original meet dates!

All programs during the Meet are free of charge. To help us continue sharing programs like these in the future, please consider making a donation or becoming a member.

Schedule

Please note: times are subject to change.

(Download this schedule as a PDF)

Friday, June 26:

  • 11:30 am – When Bad Things Happen to Good Trolleys

    Presented by George Gula
    REGISTER HERE

    Whenever a trolley left the car barn for its day’s work, trouble was never far behind. In this presentation, volunteer George Gula shares a collection of derailments, collisions, floods, snow and ice incidents and all the other things that made the motorman wish he had stayed home and the trolley wish it had stayed in the depot. Note: back by popular demand, this is a repeat of our recent Trolleyology talk!

  • 1:00 pm – The Pennsylvania Turnpike – America’s First Super Highway

    Presented by Andy Blenko
    REGISTER HERE

    The Pennsylvania Turnpike was an engineering marvel when it opened in 1940.  The highway began with a chance opportunity to utilize parts of an abandoned railroad right of way and took many interesting twists and turns through design and construction of the road. Andy Blenko, transportation enthusiast and Director of Engineering and Planning for South Fayette Township, takes us on this journey to explore this iconic highway’s history.

  • 2:30 pm – Lost Trolley Parks of Western Pennsylvania

    Presented by Jennifer Sopko
    REGISTER HERE

    Today’s modern-day amusement parks can trace their roots back to simple picnic groves and recreational parks that were owned and operated by local transportation companies, from steam-powered railroads to electric streetcar lines. Western Pennsylvania was once home to numerous trolley parks that are now lost to memory and newspaper archives. Author Jennifer Sopko will share images and the history of forgotten trolley parks as part of her research for her forthcoming book on lost Western Pennsylvania amusement parks.

  • 3:30 pm – From Boxcars to Buses

    Presented by David Wohlwill
    REGISTER HERE

    With industrial decline in Pittsburgh, growth of other transportation modes and changes in the railroad industry, railroad properties became available for other purposes. Much of Port Authority’s rapid transit system was built in railroad rights-of-way. This presentation from David Wohlwill, Program Manager of Long-Range Planning at the Port Authority of Allegheny County, will describe how East and West Busways and light rail transit system utilized these railroad lines and implications for adjacent development.

  • SPECIAL FEATURE

    6:30 pm – The Kawasaki Car – A 40th Year Retrospective

    Presented by Russ Jackson
    REGISTER HERE

    Long-time PTM member Russ Jackson was a major contributor to making Philadelphia’s Kawasaki trolley project a success.  Sensing that the project would be historically significant in that it would be the last time construction of a classic four-axle, single-body type of streetcar would occur in this part of the world, Russ (retired SEPTA Manager of New Rail Car Engineering) took Super 8mm sound films of the production of pilot cars 9000 and 100 at the Kawasaki plant and during the testing in Philly after delivery.

    Car 9000 was delivered to a trolley system wholly operated with PCC cars in various color schemes.  Much of the 65 minute film is devoted to the PCC operation in which car 9000 became immersed.

  • 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm* – TROLLEY POWER HAPPY HOUR

    Informal virtual hang-out
    REGISTER HERE

    Hang out with friends – old and new – during this interactive, informal meet and greet! Show off your collections, curiosities, scale models, and transit memorabilia. Has anyone ever told you that you have too many streetcar books? Could you build your own museum exhibit with fare boxes or tokens or uniform pieces? Were you triumphant in a recent online auction for that trolley part you’ve been wanting for ages? Can you stump us with your traction trivia?

    While we can’t gather in person this year, we hope our West Penn Trolley Meet regulars and a new generation of trolley enthusiasts will stop by virtually during this fun session – it’s sure to be entertaining!

    *Note: Come and go as you please, and no worries if you’re late! The meeting will be open until at least 10 PM – longer if the trolley talk is still flowing!

Saturday, June 27:

  • 11:30 am – Who are The Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys?

    Presented by Matthew Nawn
    REGISTER HERE

    Matt Nawn gives us an introduction to The Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys, including the organization’s background, its purpose and methods of supporting preservation of electric transit vehicles from the Philadelphia area in established museums, examples of projects supported, and the future.

  • 1:00 pm – On Track with the Trolley Museum Community

    Presented by more than a dozen museums and organizations
    REGISTER HERE

    Join us for a virtual visit to more than a dozen trolley and transit museums around the region for this informational group session! Volunteers, staff, and familiar faces from each organization will provide updates and news from around the trolley museum community. There’s a lot to look forward to and we’re excited to share.

    This session is open to museum members, volunteers, trolley enthusiasts, budding transportation historians, and the public! A Q&A session will follow after all have presented.

  • 3:30 pm – Magee Transportation Museum: A Short Retrospective Visit

    Presented by Edward M. Koehler
    REGISTER HERE

    Everyone knows the big three operating trolley museums in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; but did you know that starting in the mid 1960’s until 1972 there was a fourth?  Harry Magee of the Magee Carpet Company created a trolley museum in his hometown of Bloomsburg.  Gathering what cars that had been missed by other museums, he even reached beyond the U.S. borders to build up a roster of cars.  He hired the well-known Ed Blossom to head his restoration shop.  Things were looking good.  The National Railway Historical Society visited this museum as a part of their 1971 convention.  And then came Hurricane Agnes in June 1972…

    Join with Ed Koehler as he leads us on an all too short retrospective tour of this mostly forgotten facility.  This presentation also catches up with some of the rolling stock that was there.

  • 4:30 pm – Port Authority: Ties to the Past, Tracks to the Future

    Presented by David Wohlwill
    REGISTER HERE

    This presentation from David Wohlwill, Program Manager of Long-Range Planning at the Port Authority of Allegheny County, will review development of public transportation in Allegheny County since Port Authority began operations on March 1, 1964 and describe plans for the future.

  • 6:00 pm – The Toronto PCC Story

    Presented by Bram Bailey
    REGISTER HERE

    The Toronto Transportation Commission had the largest PCC fleet in North America, at one time consisting of 744 cars. There were 15 different classes, many of which were purchased second hand. Their fleet included cars from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Birmingham and Kansas City. Author and PTM volunteer Bram Bailey’s presentation tracks each class of car defining what it was, when it was built and if second hand, when it was acquired. Many of the TTC cars were sold to other cities, and that aspect is addressed as well. During the presentation we will tour each of the major lines as well as the various car barns that served these routes. The photos cover a span of time from 1964 to about 1996 when the PCCs were retired.

  • 8:00 pm – Share Your Slides – Nostalgia Night!

    Presented by YOU
    REGISTER HERE

    As part of the virtual event, we invite YOU to take us back in time or across the world with 10 to 15 of your photos during this interactive session. Starting off the evening: Bill Monaghan with a special selection of night photography!

    This evening event will take place on Zoom, so please have your slides in a digital slideshow format! Narration is welcome – but please limit your slides to 4-5 minutes to give everyone a chance to share.

    Viewers are welcome – no need to prepare anything to simply enjoy the slides of others!

    Contact Kristen Fredriksen, Events & Programs Assistant, at assistant@patrolley.org if you’d like to be put on the slide-sharing schedule (sign-up in advance is required – space on Zoom is limited).

If you’d like to get involved, please contact Kristen Fredriksen, Events & Programs Assistant, at assistant@patrolley.org. Sitting at your screen may not replace sharing a fun weekend with old pals and new friends, but we look forward to this digital gathering!

Trolleyology Zoom Series

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Introducing: Trolleyology!

Join PTM staff, volunteers, and members for our new Zoom series, Trolleyology! These programs will feature Pennsylvania transit history topics and tales of our collection that you can experience from home. Registration is required but free of charge. Donations are welcome and encouraged. Limited space is available!

For the best experience, we recommend downloading Zoom in advance.

Schedule:

Our next round of Trolleyology programs begins September 22:

A Look Back at the Trolleys of Irwin
Tuesday, September 22, 2020, 7:00 PM
Presented by Andy Blenko
REGISTER HERE

In the first half of the 20th century, trolleys brought tremendous growth and change to the Borough of Irwin and its surrounding towns in Westmoreland County.  This program looks at how the town was served by trolleys and rise and fall of those trolley companies.

A Ride to Charleroi
Tuesday, September 29, 2020, 7:00 PM
Presented by George Gula
REGISTER HERE

Join PTM Volunteer George Gula for a virtual interurban ride from Pittsburgh through Charleroi south to Roscoe. The scenic Charleroi line featured a number of bridges, followed today’s Routes 51, 88, and 837, and connected the big city with small towns in Allegheny and Washington County until its abandonment in 1953.

Small Town Trolley Along the Allegheny River
Wednesday, October 7, 2020, 7:00 PM
Presented by Dennis Cramer
REGISTER HERE

Armstrong County, Pennsylvania was home to 2 separate trolley lines during the first third of the twentieth century. This program will focus on one of them. The Kittanning & Leechburg Railways Company, a small rural line ran for 10 miles in the middle of Armstrong County from 1899 to 1936 that became part of the West Penn Railways System in 1911. The focus will be on the communities of Kittanning and Ford City along with a look at Lenape Park, an amusement park owned by the railways company.

Johnstown – Last of the Small-Town Trolleys:  60th Anniversary of the Last Day
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, 7:00 PM
Presented by Jim Graebner
REGISTER HERE

Were it not for the sharp climb of the Pittsburgh Railways Company’s Fineview line, the Johnstown Traction Company’s Morrellville line’s steep grade at its outer end would certainly have been more well-known.  As it is, the system is fondly remembered as the “last of the small-town trolleys” and will be the subject of this October Trolleyology presentation.

Previous Programs:

These programs may be available for outreach presentations. If your club, organization, or group is interested in a digital program, please email assistant@patrolley.org.

Wexford: Station, Post Office, Deli, and Back Again
Tuesday, May 26, 2:00 pm

The Wexford Station served the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler & New Castle Railway (“The Harmony Route”) from 1908 until the last trolley ran in 1931. After its life as a passenger and freight station, the building was purchased, moved, and used as a post office, antique shop, and most recently, a deli.

Join Executive Director Scott Becker for a Trolleyology talk about Wexford Station, the route it served, its relocation to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, and its reopening in 2016.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Trolleys
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 pm

Whenever a trolley left the car barn for its day’s work, trouble was never far behind. In this presentation, volunteer George Gula shares a collection of derailments, collisions, floods, snow and ice incidents and all the other things that made the motorman wish he had stayed home and the trolley wish it had stayed in the depot.

Allegheny Valley Route
Tuesday, June 9, 2:30 pm

The lower Allegheny Valley, just north of Pittsburgh, hosted three streetcar lines in the early 20th Century, each of them part of a different corporate structure. The Allegheny Valley (West Penn), Tarentum, Breckenridge & Butler and Route 78 of Pittsburgh Railways served the heavily industrialized area along the lower Allegheny River valley.

This presentation, based upon the book Allegheny Valley Trolleys, will be presented by Dennis Cramer, one of the authors and former Chief Instructor of Operator Training at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.

On the Warpath! Pennsylvania’s Trolleys during WWII
Tuesday, June 16, 6:30 pm

Transit systems were considered vital war industries, yet it was difficult to keep the trolleys running during the war.

Labor shortages, equipment shortages, and a strike involving an army takeover of at least one Pennsylvania property were only some of the issues faced by those running public transit in Pennsylvania. Join volunteer George Gula to see how it was accomplished during WWII.

 

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A New Look at Fairgrounds Platform

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PHASE 1 & 2: During the Summer of 2019 nearly 5,000 people rode happily on Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s (PTM) historic trolleys during the Park’N’Ride service to the Washington County Agricultural Fair.

Visitors during the fair were some of the first to see a project that included new warning signals at the crossings, 1,300 square feet of newly constructed track, overhead wire, an elongated platform, and a new bridge. This portion (Phase 1) of a multiple phase project was paid for by the county and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

PHASE 3: The museum recently began the installation of a 50-foot long canopy over a portion of the platform at Washington County Fairgrounds. This new canopy will provide shelter to trolley riders during events at the Fairgrounds.
The project began mid-March, when three vintage (1935) canopy tee columns were installed at the Fairgrounds Platform by Bioni Drilling.

These canopy columns were originally from the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Station, better known today as Station Square. A total of 9 of these columns were donated to PTM by P&LE RR’s Pittsburgh Station by Station Square/Forest City Realty Trust. These vintage support columns were long stored adjacent to the Duquesne Incline lower station. They were later relocated to the Wexford-based Camber Corporation plant in Butler where they were stored, cleaned, restored, and the steelwork was refabricated.

The work to date has been made possible by funding from the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency, Emory Rail Heritage Trust, the Fairbanks-Horix Foundation, Epic Metals Charitable Trust, and individual donations. PTM Volunteers have been deeply involved in the design, engineering oversight, and physical support of the project.

The remaining six canopy supports will be used for the museum’s Trolley Street Project at the site of the new Welcome & Education Center. To learn more about this expansion project and the Capital Campaign to make it happen, please visit our Capital Campaign page.