Capital Campaign
On Track for the Future is a landmark fundraising campaign that will extend Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s role as a regional heritage and tourism attraction. We welcome you aboard as we embark on a campaign to tell the story of Pennsylvania’s Trolley Era in a new and more immersive way.
Welcome Aboard
Over the past 10 years, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum has seen tremendous visitor growth, with nearly 32,000 people walking through the door in 2022. In order to more effectively connect with our visitors and provide them with a more rewarding educational experience, we are building a new integrated, immersive complex that will significantly expand our education programs and serve as our new “front door”. The expected opening is fall 2023.
Funds raised to date have enabled the Museum to relocate and restore the 1908 Wexford Station at the East Campus, provide a new entrance road to the East Campus, and reconstruct and expand the Washington County Fairgrounds Trolley Platform.
All gifts are greatly appreciated, and a permanent donor board in the lobby of the Welcome and Education Center will recognize those who contribute $1,000 or more. Gifts of $500 or more qualify for a print of "A Meet at County Home Siding" by Craig Thorpe, commissioned by Larry Fobiano.
Or call Jeanine DeBor, Director of Annual Giving and Marketing, at 724-884-0283 (jdebor@patrolley.org).
Museum improvements will significantly expand educational programs and enhance the experience of Museum guests:
A New Welcome & Education Center
Located near the Wexford Station and Trolley Display Building, this 21,000 square-foot facility will house a visitors’ center, educational exhibits, classrooms and event rooms, a ticket kiosk, offices, and a Museum store. The new Center will enable PTM to properly display and interpret exhibits that tell the history of the Trolley Era as well as STEAM-related interactive exhibits to educate and engage visitors.
Volunteer Boulevard (formerly Trolley Street)
Connecting the current Trolley Display Building and the Welcome and Education Center, this outdoor display will provide a unique, immersive, educational experience where guests can tour and ride trolleys as part of the route between the two pieces of campus, visit Wexford Station, and enjoy a playground and park area with a gazebo which will be dedicated to the late J. Barry Stout, former Senator and friend of PTM.
More Parking + New Entrance
Enhanced Education Programming
This new space will enhance PTM’s role as a resource for educators and learners of all ages. The expansion will increase the capability to provide quality educational experiences in history and STEM areas. The Trolley Museum is designing and implementing exhibits and programs with the consultation of experts in the field and will be training staff on best educational practices.
A Steering Committee of business leaders guiding the campaign include Campaign Chair, Ray Betler, retired President & CEO, Wabtec Corporation; Laurie Andrews, Retired COO, Port Authority of Allegheny County; Leroy Ball, President & CEO, Koppers, Inc.; Al Biehler, former Secretary, PA Secretary of Transportation; Mike Fetsko, Group President, Freight, Wabtec Corporation; Bob Jordan, Life Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer; Jim McQuade, President & CEO, Dollar Bank; PTM Board President Ed Morascyzk, Esq., Senior Partner, Morascyzk, Stopperich, and Associates; Jim Roddey, former Allegheny County Executive; Tom Rooney, Rooney Sports & Entertainment; Thomas Stockhausen, President CDR Bridges, Inc.; Bill Stout, retired President, Atlas Railroad Construction Company; former PTM Board President Christopher Golofski; Executive Director/CEO Scott Becker; and Campaign Consultants, Teeter Associates. PTM board members and volunteers Jim Herrington, Larry Lovejoy and Walt Pilof are key contributors, having significant roles in the expansion project.
The On Track for the Future Campaign has raised over $16.6 million thanks to support by many foundations, corporations, individuals and $2.5 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. Special thanks go to the Allegheny Foundation who, committed to the project early on, providing a $5 million grant of which $3.5 million was a challenge grant to attract support from a wide range of sources. Once our Center is open, other projects will further enhance the site’s amenities to realize the full vision for the East Campus expansion. These funds will ensure a strong opening of the Welcome and Education Center that will include dynamic exhibits and feature expanded educational programs and special events.
The expansion will improve the Museum’s visitor experience and capacity to serve more people and a broader, more diverse audience. A study done by global consulting firm AECOM estimated the increase in attendance, and by extension tourism, to a total of 53,000 patrons annually. The Center will enable the Museum to tell the history of the Trolley Era and provide STEAM-related exhibits to educate and engage visitors. PTM is working in partnership with the Carnegie Science Center to maximize the educational impact of these exhibits.