Tag: Baltimore Streetcar Museum

Upcoming body work for SEPTA PCC 2168

Posted onAuthorRoger DuPuis II

Philadelphia PCC 2168 has become one of the most popular cars at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum since it went into public service there in 2009. However, the effects of more than 50 winters in the snow and salt of Philly’s winters are beginning to show on the 70 year old trolley.

Two areas where the salt has hidden near the floor line will be cut out, with new steel welded in, then primed and repainted. These needed repairs will cost $13,500 and will be done on site by an outside contractor, not museum volunteers.

We need about $2,500 more to cover the work. If you can help put, please send your donation to: Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys, P.O. Box 33397, Philadelphia, PA 19142. Please make sure that you mark your check for PCC 2168.

No donation is too small, and all will be appreciated.

Annual FPT $20 Day another success

Posted onAuthorRoger DuPuis II

FPT Founding Member Matt Nawn is seen with talented volunteer Mike Lawson, whose efforts have included help with the interior restoration of PCC car 2743. (Bill Monaghan photo.)

Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys’ annual $20 Day for 2017 was a success, drawing a crowd to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017. It helped raise money for both organizations and offered a chance to recognize two volunteers.

As always, the event also offered visitors a chance to operate preserved equipment at the museum, including Philadelphia PCC 2168, which was restored in 1973 colors and has been kept running in large part thanks to FPT volunteers and donors.

In separate ceremonies during the day, Mike Lawson and George Rich were honored.

Mike, you may recall, offered invaluable help with the interior restoration of PCC 2743, which operates at the Rockhill Trolley Museum in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Mike’s efforts included professional quality refurbishment of several fittings inside the car, including the operator’s heater grid, transfer cutter and more. Mike was presented with an HO scale model of 2743.

George, a volunteer who has been part of many FPT maintenance visits to museums far and wide, also is a friend to many. He recently retired from SEPTA, a watershed moment that was celebrated with a homemade cake during Saturday’s festivities at BSM.

We are happy to report, meanwhile, that $20 Day raised $870 to support the respective missions of FPT and BSM. For more photos from the day, check out FPT’s official Facebook page.

NOT ONLY THAT
Just in case you hadn’t heard, FPT will again be hosting a New Year’s Eve trolley charter in Philadelphia this December 21. More information can be found on the FPT 2017 New Years Trip Flyer.

 

FPT’s latest newsletter is here!

Posted onAuthorRoger DuPuis II

The Summer 2017 issue of The Streamliner has arrived! Features include:

  • Restoration of PTC 8042 to begin
  • Philly trolleys in the news
  • Pennsylvania Trolley Museum fair report
  • Remembering the Red Arrow ’80 cars’
  • SEPTA 2168 returns to service at BSM
  • Update on the Liberty Liner

Click here to download.

PCC 2168 returns to service at BSM

Posted onAuthorRoger DuPuis II

Mike Barron, left, and Mike Lawson pose with SEPTA 2168 after completing repairs on the car at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. (Matt Nawn photo.)

After being sidelined for several weeks due to concerns with the performance of the braking system, SEPTA 2168 — the car that “started it all” for FPT — has been repaired and returned to operating condition at its home at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.

After several tedious work days, Mike Lawson, Mike Barron, and Matt Nawn spent Sept. 3 cleaning and adjusting the shaft brake mechanisms to ensure proper operation. The hard work paid off as the car successfully passed its braking tests late in the day, enabling the car to return to active status; including for operation during BSM’s Members Day on Sept. 16.

An interesting fact: Mike, Mike, and Matt are all mechanical engineers who also enjoy working on vintage trolley cars.

Painting, Charters and More: What’s New at FPT

Posted onAuthorRoger DuPuis II

If you’re like us, you can never get enough of vintage traction. This year has brought much action on the restoration and charter front, with so much more to come.

INTERIOR RESTORATION OF PCC 2743

Harry Donohue, Rob Masciantonio and Cheau-Erl Lam work inside 2743 at the Rockhill Trolley Museum, Aug. 20, 2016. (Roger DuPuis photos)

Harry Donohue, Rob Masciantonio and Cheau-Erl Lam work inside 2743 at the Rockhill Trolley Museum, Aug. 20, 2016. (Roger DuPuis photos)

Harry Donohue, Bill Monaghan and many friends have been busy working on the restoration of PTC PCC 2743 to its circa-1960 colors at the Rockhill Trolley Museum. You can read about the project’s background, in detail, here, as well as in the current newsletter and in future updates on this site.

As of now, much of the interior has been repainted from the two-tone SEPTA GOH blue of the 1980s into the two-tone green and cream of the PTC years. The photo at left shows some of that work underway recently.

Several seats also have been reupholstered in a rich brown material appropriate for that era. So far, 12 double seats are paid for, and FPT continues to raise money for the rest to be re-covered.

Interested in donating or helping with the work? Contact us via this site, or by emailing FPT2799@comcast.net. The cost of a double seat is $235, for a single seat the price is $195.

CHARTERS AND MEET-UPS

FPT founding member Harry Donohue is seen at the controls of SEPTA PCC 2168 at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, July 23, 2016. (Roger DuPuis photo)

FPT founding member Harry Donohue is seen at the controls of SEPTA PCC 2168 at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, July 23, 2016. (Roger DuPuis photo)

In a time-honored tradition, many FPT members and guests rang in 2016 aboard a chartered suburban SEPTA Kawasaki car, setting the tone for a year filled with fun events to bring railfans together and raise funds for FPT’s mission. Summer may be flying by, but there’s still plenty of time to join us for fan trips and more.

As you’ll find on our new upcoming events page, FPT has a charter coming up this September in Pittsburgh, followed by in November by a special FPT gathering at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.

Check back often for information about FPT’s activities, including newsletters, photos, special reports and updates on the progress of our fundraising and restoration projects.