PRT 5326 needs your help

Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company’s 5326 is one of a group of 135 such cars built in 1923 by the J.G. Brill Company for the PRT.

Just as Pittsburgh Railways had favored one car design for many years, so too had Philadelphia’s 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.

Car 5326 saw its last day of service on August 11, 1957. In April 1958, 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 at the Arden Trolley Museum, now the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (PTM), in Washington, Pennsylvania. 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, Pennsylvania.

Car 5326 was restored to its original 1923 livery in 1976 for America’s Bicentennial, having required some 3,000 hours of volunteer labor. Since its restoration, the car has been a real workhorse for the PTM. After some 46 years of service at PTM, 5326 could use your help. Both the car’s air tanks are in need of replacement soon to ensure that it will run for years to come. The total cost of this project is expected to be $3,200. Won’t you please consider making a donation? Thank you in advance for helping preserve yet another part of Philadelphia’s trolley history. Please make your check payable to FPT.  You may also use PayPal. Please be sure to mark on your check that your donation is for PRT 5326’s air tanks.

Mail to:

FRIENDS OF PHILADELPHIA TROLLEYS, INC.

P.O. BOX 33397

PHILADELPHIA, PA 19142-0397

A banner day for C-145 restoration

On March 2, 2019, Baltimore Streetcar Museum and Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys members started working on Matthew E. Nawn’s Eagle Scout project to renovate 1923 Philadelphia Rapid Transit sweeper car C-145.

On July 11, 2020, we installed the last piece of the tongue and groove on the sides of the car, a major milestone in the effort. Members of the group are seen here celebrating the occasion.

The project is not yet finished, however. If anyone would like to make a donation, please click on the donation button here on our website.

Thanks to everyone who has donated and participated in this worthwhile effort!

C-145 Update

Work is continuing on Philadelphia sweeper C-145 at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, as described in recent posts. Here is a description from one of the latest work sessions, accompanied by photographs:

“We did more sanding and removed the rest of the plexiglass windows. We also removed all the panels under the windows for new window seals could be installed. Finally we started priming the beams and wood we could get to that isnt being replaced before the panels go on the car.”

Matthew E. Nawn has adopted the 1923 Brill as his Eagle Scout project, raising funds for an exterior repainting and refinishing of the car, which has been stored outside. 

To assist in the work, you can contact Matthew directly at ptcc145@gmail.com. Monetary donations can be sent to FPT, but please use the email provided.

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