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Join PTM staff, volunteers, and members for our Zoom series, Trolleyology! These virtual programs 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.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 – 7 PM ET (or 9 AM on July 9, Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Presented by Paul Nicholson
Ballarat is one of the few tram museums that operates on a section of the original system that closed in 1971 in Victoria, Australia. It and Bendigo (also in Victoria) were two “small town” systems that survived (by an electoral miracle) the general demise of tram systems throughout Australia and in the English-speaking world particularly. Paul will explain the formation of the Ballarat museum 55 years ago and how it’s evolved into what is today one of the area’s major tourist attractions. Ballarat is about one hour from Melbourne that retains what’s described as the world’s biggest tram system in 2026. Paul will also explain the general context of Australian tram systems and their general demise plus the evolution of several modern light rail systems “down under”. Australian tram and traction enthusiasts are among the world’s most travelled per head of population (currently about 27 million).
This program will be recorded and available at a later date on the PTM YouTube channel.
Trolleyology presentations will continue on a regular or semi-regular basis. Interested in presenting? Email Kristen at kfred@patrolley.org! We’re specifically looking for programs related to the Trolley Era in general, Pennsylvania transit history, or stories about our collection. Please join our e-mail list to stay up-to-date with program announcements and other PTM news!
*For the best experience, we recommend downloading Zoom in advance.
NOTE: This is a virtual event
