History That Connects Us
A day at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museums is a full sensory experience, from the ring of the bell to the hum and shake of the trolley as it rides down the tracks. Our Museum brings a unique experience to visitors of all generations, connecting us all to the past. From the moment they arrive, our visitors enter a world of timeless memories, historic innovations, and interactive discoveries.
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Did you know that we have nine PCCs in our collection? Today’s #MuseumMonday is about Pittsburgh Railways Co. 1711.
Upon delivery 1711 was one of the “newest” PCC cars, built for service in Pittsburgh in 1949. It was also one of the 1700-series cars equipped with special running gear for service on Pittsburgh Railways’ long Charleroi and Washington interurban lines.
We chose to preserve this car because it operated on the line which became our museum’s home, and also because it was the last car to carry regular passengers from Washington to Pittsburgh early on the morning of August 30, 1953. (But since this car continued to run in Pittsburgh until 1988, we didn’t acquire it from Port Authority Transit until 1990.) #trolley #streetcar #pittsburgh #history
Happy #WontYouBeMyNeighborDay! This annual observance honors Fred Rogers, who was born on March 20, 1928. Remembered for his time producing educational television - and for being a good neighbor of our own - his legacy of kindness, love, and creativity continues to impact us this day. ❤️ #WontYouBeMyNeighbor #FredRogers
Join us for Studio 76 - a disco party for the ages - on May 15 at 8 PM! Featuring @dj.cake, tastings and samples from local vendors, and even a disco trolley, you won`t want to miss this! Tickets on sale now at patrolley.org for $76.
Today’s #ThrowbackThursday highlight focuses on the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) - or rather, its employees.
Just two years after a 1944 strike by white workers (over the inclusion of African Americans in the workforce), employees of the PTC went on strike again - this time, for better pay. Olivia Bruce, featured in today’s shared image, was just one of the employees who participated in the strike.
PTC and the Transport Workers Union ultimately agreed on a new one-year contract providing for a general wage increase of 12 cents an hour (and an improved pension plan). The union had originally demanded a general wage increase of $2 a day (and an improved pension plan), as referenced in Olivia’s protest signs.
This particular strike wasn’t just organized by women (or exclusively to benefit women); but this photograph still serves a dual purpose. It documents a piece of transit history while also highlighting how America’s women - including the Motorettes - continued to demand progress and advocated for themselves and their colleagues even after joining the workforce. #WomensHistoryMonth #transit #history #philadelphia
Pet real bunnies at Bunny Trolley on March 27-29 & April 3-4! 🐇
Thanks to the Four-Leaf 4-H Club, you can make some furry friends at our springtime event. Also, go on trolley rides, meet the Easter Bunny, enjoy a craft & snack, and get your face painted with @facepaintpittsburgh.
Get your tickets today on our website (link in bio). This event is sponsored by Range Resources.
#PATrolleyMuseum #VisitWashingtonPA #ThingsToDoPittsburgh
Did you know that we have nine PCCs in our collection? Today’s #MuseumMonday is about Shaker Heights Rapid Transit 94 - the only PCC in our collection that did not run in Pennsylvania.
When designing the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, developers included a rapid transit line, ensuring the community had access to the city. Twenty-five cars like 94 were purchased for operations in 1948. After over 30 years service, 94 and similar cars were replaced with new vehicles; allowing 94 and several sister cars to go to museums.
Note that 94 is a Pullman-built PCC - the only Pullman PCC car in our museum’s collection - and is our only PCC with General Electric control! #VisitWashingtonPA #museum #trolley #streetcar
Education
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum provides unique, exciting, and fun educational opportunities for students, educators, and life-long learners! Our museum is dedicated to sharing stories, insight, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) themed opportunities and experiences that will bring the trolley era to life. Check out our Education page to learn about field trip opportunities, Scout workshops, summer camps, and more!
History
Take a ride into the past at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum where the trolley era is alive and well. The Museum uses daily tours, interactive exhibits, multidimensional programming, and special events throughout the year to transport visitors back in time. Our history and STEAM exhibits tell the stories of the people, places, and things that made the trolley era such an exciting and unique time to be alive!
Collection
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is focused on preserving and restoring our collection of antique streetcars. The Museum was founded in 1953 and has continued to conserve, preserve, and restore cars through a mostly volunteer effort. Today, we house a collection of 50 streetcars, many of which are operational and used for daily rides. Visit our Collection page to learn more about all of our different trolleys!