Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

#FlashbackFriday - to a 1967 shot of a Port Authority line crew trimming branches away from communication and feeder wires near Hillcrest in Bethel Park. Believe it or not, the car in this shot is our very own M210, which wasn't declared as surplus and donated to PTM until 1995. If you've never seen this car in service before, consider visiting the PTM this weekend! Pittsburgh Railways line car M210 and Pittsburgh Railways crane car M283 will both be part of a work car demo day, with demonstrations scheduled for 11am and 1pm. We hope to see you then!

Our full summer schedule is back for the first time since 2019! The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is NOW OPEN from Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM (last ticket sold at 3). We hope to see you soon! You can also join us this evening for our Zoom series Trolleyology: Shoes, Snack Foods, & Streetcars: The Electric Railways of Hanover, PA! Tickets are free but registration is required.

Join us for one of the few open Mondays of the year this Memorial Day! The Museum is open from 10 AM to 4 PM with the last tickets sold at 3 PM.

We thank the Washington County Community Foundation for their support of our capital campaign.

2020 has been a year of challenges for the PTM. For the health and safety of our guests, our operations were heavily modified this year, and many events were canceled outright. This means that your support of our general fund is more important than ever! We recognize that COVID-19 has affected all of us and greatly appreciate your consideration of support. Know that by giving to the PTM, you are ensuring we have the proper facilities, tools, and materials to preserve our historic cars. You are also supporting our long-term preservation and educational efforts, including the construction of our Welcome & Education Center in 2021 and the recent purchase of a new building to house our expansive archives. If you are able to donate to the PTM, please visit: https://pa-trolley.org/support/ Thank you very much!

We interviewed the masterminds behind PTM's annual holiday toy train layout, Wayne and Nancy Young! Wayne and Nancy discuss how they got involved at the museum, what's involved in putting the entire project together, their favorite parts, and how special it is to see children's faces light up when they see the layout. Since we weren't able to share the toy trains with our visitors this year, we thought we'd take some footage of the layout and share it online! Happy holidays!

Have you ever wondered if reindeer could pull more than Santa’s sled? While the snow is falling and the holiday approaches, read If Reindeer Pulled Streetcars to find out! Create your own version of this holiday poem on PTM's Learn page here: https://pa-trolley.org/education/learn/activity-guides/

This #ThrowbackThursday, we're not just sharing an image - we're sharing an article! This is an excellent writeup of what the streetcar era was like in neighboring state West Virginia: https://www.wvgazettemail.com//article_35794cf8-9784-579d- Happy reading!

Ticket sales end TODAY at noon for the Virtual Holly Jolly Trolley so that we have time to get everything ready for Santa!

Volunteer spotlight: Barrie Baker Enjoy Barrie's story in his own words about volunteering at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, and afterward, remember to vote! Each vote counts toward a $5,000 People's Choice Award Grant to PTM. These stories must be read and voted on before November 25 to count! Thank you, Barrie!... https://storybook.wccf.net//talking-about-the-trolley-muse

#ICYMI: The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum has once again been voted the "Best Museum" in the Observer-Reporter's Best of the Best Community's Choice Awards! Thank you so much to everyone who voted for our museum during the Best of the Best event. A round of applause is also owed to everyone who helps make the PTM an award-worthy operation! To see the full list of this year's winners, visit: http://o-rbest.com/

Since 2020 has been a year of missed experiences and memories, Santa contacted the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum and is bringing all of its visitors A Gift of Four Seasons! We hope you'll join us for this unique holiday event featuring spring, summer, fall, AND winter this November and December! Tickets are available now: https://pa-trolley.org/santa-four-seasons/

Santa stopped by to let everyone know that you can now shop online at patrolley.org!

This Friday, for the last time in 2020, we will be donating $2 of every ticket purchased with us to City Mission! We hope you'll stop by to tour the PTM as well as support this fellow local organization. To reserve tickets, visit the museum website at https://www.pa-trolley.org. To learn about the fantastic work the City Mission is doing, visit https://www.citymission.org!

Are you feeling festive? Do the holidays make you jolly? 'Tis the season to become a volunteer at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum! We're seeking decorators and helpers for our upcoming holiday event. Get involved here: https://pa-trolley.org/volunteer

#ThrowbackThursday: Before we had streetcars, we had horsecars! In 1859, a horse-drawn carriage began carrying passengers from downtown Pittsburgh to 34th Street and Penn Avenue. It was the city's first public transit system. Pictured here is a Citizens Passenger Railway Horsecar; this company would go on to obtain a charter to operate the first streetcars in the city of Pittsburgh, with a line running from downtown to Lawrenceville along Penn Avenue.

Thanks to tremendous help from our volunteers, we have just about completed our move from the 2nd floor at Eaton! Over the last month on Tuesdays and Saturdays, our volunteers and staff have worked hard to move archives materials and trolley parts from the 2nd floor. Many items have been relocated to other Museum buildings or to our two remaining refrigerator cars. All Ways Moving has also donated a crew on two different days to help with the move. Work continues on the first floor to get the Archives ready to move. Thanks to Eaton Crouse-Hinds for all their assistance including donating a number of pallets to the effort! Thanks also to All Ways Moving for their wonderful assistance on this move!

Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons to visit the PTM! We are currently operating under our fall hours and with timed ticketing in place. We’re also offering a few great seasonal programs, so don’t forget to visit our website and learn more about your visiting options: https://pa-trolley.org/fall-at-ptm/

Casual, part-time, non-exempt Saturday-Sunday + Black Friday, November 21-December 20 Tis the season to be jolly at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum! Join the museum as they hire their first ever Elf Performers for an exciting new event. The museum will be hosting its annual winter event in 2020, but with a twist. To ensure safety of our guests, volunteers and staff, the museum will host Santa: A Gift of Four Seasons, an event designed to follow all COVID-19 safety protocols. ...New this year, the Museum will be hiring for the position of Elf Performer(s). These Elf Performers will guide families through our large train layout, ride on a jolly trolley, and walk through spring, summer, fall, and winter in our Trolley Display building, meeting some specials guests along the way, including an opportunity to see Santa! Help the museum create long lasting memories during their visit! The event begins on November 21 and will run Saturday-Sunday (plus Black Friday), and performers will be scheduled for 8 hour shifts each day. Elf Performers will be scheduled November 21-22, November 27-29, December 5-6, December 12-13, and December 19-20. A practice day and training will be scheduled for early November. Reports to: Visitor Services Manager General Responsibilities and Duties: Maintain the Santa's Elf image in every way, which includes costume, physical appearance, conduct and personality Provide a welcoming and enthusiastic visit for each child and parent. Love working with families & children of all ages Maintain a positive attitude while being able to handle any and all situations that may arise Be dependable, punctual & responsible for being on time for every shift Demonstrated knowledge of leading a tour group Ability to sing Christmas carols at any time throughout your shift Excellent listening skills along with being a fast thinker Ability to sit, stand and have stage presence for long periods of time Qualifications & Experience: Ability to speak multiple languages or American Sign Language is a plus Multiple years of experience is a plus Photography skills are a plus Requirements: Must pass Criminal Background Check and obtain necessary clearances.

Tomorrow we'll host another digital program via Zoom as part of our Fall Theme Fridays! Join us as author Jennifer Sopko shares images and the history behind the area's forgotten trolley parks. You can reserve your spot for the talk at https://www.showclix.com/event/trolley-parks - the event is free, with a suggested $5 donation fee that will support the PTM during this strange operating year.

It’s a beautiful weekend to visit the PTM! In addition to offering tours of the museum, we have been running a Park and Ride service for the Arts & Crafts Christmas Festival at the Washington County Fairgrounds. A ride to the festival will not include admission to the full museum, so if you're interested in a tour, be sure to reserve a timed ticket with us at: https://www.showclix.com/events/17074

#FlashbackFriday - to September 1999, when Pittsburgh’s rail route 47D (the Drake shuttle) had its last day of regular operation. At the time, this route was the home of the last survivors of Pittsburgh’s once-vast fleet of over 600 PCC-type streetcars. That day, car 4004 was the last PCC to operate in revenue service, ending 63 years of PCC car operation in Pittsburgh. Fortunately, it was donated to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum by the Port Authority, who generously stored the car until our Trolley Display Building was completed. Today the car regularly operates at the PTM.

Hop on board this weekend and get an early start on your Christmas decorating and holiday shopping! We are providing Park and Ride service and trolley rides during the Arts & Crafts Christmas Festival at the Washington County Fairgrounds. A ride to the festival will not include admission to the full museum, so if you're interested in a tour, be sure to reserve a timed ticket with us at: https://www.showclix.com/events/17074 And of course, don't forget your mask for your ride and/or visit this weekend!