Rockhill Trolley Museum Decade Review

In the first newsletter for the year 2000, we reviewed major activities of Rockhill Trolley Museum in the 1990's.

When one is a regular volunteer at the museum, the number of projects that need attention often seems daunting. Sometimes it is very satisfying and necessary to stop and take a look back at what has been completed. With the end of the decade having passed, we thought it might be enjoyable to take a look back and see what our museum has accomplished over the past decade.

1990 - Carbarn Two site cleared of trees, graded and the 80x200' building built. Minor woodwork performed on plow 10, car painted, and headlights restored. International stakebody truck acquired. Conrail caboose (ex Pennsylvania RR) acquired and moved to the museum. East switch built at Altoff siding. Old Shop track extended beside Buehler Shop. Valley Rys. car 12 moved, and it becomes first trolley inside Carbarn Two. Freight motor 402 and Bullet car 205 moved to museum from Philadelphia.

In 1990, volunteers gathered to build the east switch at Altoff siding.

In 2000, this is now a full passing siding, with overhead wire.

Our 1966 International stake body truck was donated by Montgomery County Vo-Tech school in 1990. It has been completely refurbished by our volunteer members and is used regularly.

1991 - Dual gauge switch built off mainline for Carbarn Two. Three track turnouts and tracks two and three built into Carbarn Two. First trolleys on rail moved inside. Hosted ARM convention. Installed trolley poles on cars freight motor 402 and Bullet car 205 from Philadelphia. Acquired Bobcat loader. Red Arrow centerdoor car 61 moved to museum from member Don Pharo’s farm in Bethlehem. Harrisburg car 710 and Hagerstown & Frederick 5 put on trucks and moved indoors with 61 and Philadelphia Bridge car 1009.

Louis Buehler and Joel Salomon prepare to place a new post into position on Johnstown Traction 355 in 1991.

In 2000, restoration of #355 is not complete, but a recently-announced ISTEA grant should ensure completion within several years.

Our Bobcat loader, acquired in 1991, enables our volunteers to do projects with much less effort. Here it is being used to ballast track four at Carbarn Two in 1996.

In 2000, carbarn 2 has an 18' warehouse addition, a fifth track along the outside, and wire over 3 tracks.

In the spring of 1991, a half dual-gauge switch was built off the mainline into the Carbarn Two lead, by our volunteers. Rio open car 1875 passes on the mainline while 64 sits on the Carbarn Two lead.

In 2000, a restoration of #1875 has completely updated its appearance. Car #64 is still one of our most useful tools.

1992 - Museum Curve rebuilt with new ties, proper elevation and ballast. Switch re-aligned at Altoff siding into proper alignment. 600 feet of mainline track built. JTC 355 detrucked in Buehler Shop.

1993 - Strafford car 162 arrives. JTC 355 trucks sent out for rebuilding. Overhead wire erected on mainline track extension. Track extension ballasted and tamped. Halloween Trolley held at museum. Dedicated member Alan Martlew passes away.

1994 - Plow 10 plows snow for first time at the museum. Philadelphia PCC 2743, Burro Crane, flatcar arrive at the museum. Track one built into Carbarn Two. Philadelphia PCC cars 2743 and Strafford car 162 stored indoors.

The Burro crane has been a very useful tool at the museum since its acquisition in 1994. It is shown placing a PCC truck from SEPTA car 2743 on the deck of the flatcar in 1996. This same flatcar would later be built into the aerial bucket car.

In 2000, the flatcar has become our aerial bucket car.

1995 - JTC 355 trucks completely rebuilt and delivered to museum. Louis Buehler honored for his efforts on behalf of the museum. Museum Store improved. West switch at Altoff siding rebuilt. New boom hoist gear installed on Burro crane. New boarding steps built for Bullet car and Liberty Liner. Seventy five ties replaced on mainline. Third rail removed from north leg of EBT wye track. Overhead wire troughs installed on tracks two and three in Carbarn Two.

1996 - Shop equipment donated by Louis Buehler and moved to museum from his basement workshop. 5000 feet of copper overhead wire purchased by museum. Poles for Carbarn Two yard donated to museum. One track turnout and track four built at Carbarn Two. EBT M-7 diesel painted by RTM volunteers. Liberty Liner moved inside Carbarn Two.

Museum volunteers maintain several pieces of the East Broad Top RR's internal combustion equipment. In 1996, our volunteers painted the EBT M-7 diesel locomotive. In February 1997, our museum operated this special train during our Members' Winter Trolleyfest.

1997 - Open trolley 1875 enters shop in February. Overhead poles planted and 18x200' warehouse addition built on Carbarn Two. Dedicated member Moe Byers passes away. Valley Railways car 12 placed on modified shop trucks for the first time in 74 years. Concrete ramps built at Museum Store and Members' Building. One truck from Philadelphia PCC 2743 regauged. Cars 1430 and Red Arrow 13 deaccessed from collection, to National Capital Trolley Museum in Wheaton, MD, and individual in Charlotte, NC. Carbarn Two parts addition concrete floor poured. Meadow St. platform rebuilt in concrete and lights added.

Regauging trucks from Philadelphia PCC began in 1997. The standard gauge Cleveland truck is shown disassembled on the track. The wheelsets and track brakes from these trucks were combined with parts from SEPTA trucks to make the car operable on our standard gauge track.

In 2000, this truck is in use under our PCC #2743.

A new concrete porch and ramp were poured at the front entrance of the Museum Store in the Spring of 1997.

In 2000, this area and our Meadow St. platform have received extensive landscaping and new visitor comforts.

In 1997, the museum deaccessed Red Arrow St. Louis car 13 from the collection. It was sold to an individual in Charlotte, NC. Both St Louis cars are posed next to each other before car 13 departed.

In 2000, car #13 is undergoing restoration in Charlotte and progressing nicely.

1998 - Flatcar rebuilt into overhead bucket car. Second truck from Philadelphia PCC 2743 regauged and car returned to service. Rio open car 1875 returned to service after 20-month cosmetic restoration. Hershey Museum trolley display. Dedicated member Dolores Salomon passes away. Overhead trolley wire installed over east half of Altoff siding. D.C. Transit 09 enters shop for restoration.

The aerial bucket car was designed and constructed by our volunteers in Buehler Shop in 1998. It is an example of our members' talents and creativity, and the capabilities of our shops. It is used to help maintain our overhead wire and for many other jobs.

1999 - 1000 school children visit museum. Community Day/Open trolley #1875 dedication held at museum. York Rys and Harrisburg Rys photo exhibit developed for Museum Store. Track five built at Carbarn Two. Overhead wire erected over tracks two, three and five at Carbarn Two. D.C. Transit 09 cosmetic restoration completed. A grant application to TEA-21 submitted for restoration of Johnstown Traction Co 355. Scranton Transit 505 moved to museum. Over 700 people carried at Santa’s Trolley.

In 1990, open car #1875 rolled out of Buehler Shop with a stunning new look reminiscent of Conestoga Traction of Lancaster. A ceremony was held at our Community Day, attended by numerous local and state dignitaries.

Car 1875 is the only open trolley currently operating in Pennsylvania.

In 1999, century-old DC transit snow sweeper #09 left the shop after a moderate restoration, involving wood repairs and a complete repainting. Here it demonstrates its function during the winter of 1999-2000.

We hope you have enjoyed this look over the past 10 years. Of course this list represents only a fraction of the work done at the museum by our volunteers. Keeping the museum staffed with trolley operators and Museum Store staff is a never-ending challenge. Many hours are expended on trolley, track, and grounds maintenance. Planning and coordinating for Members' Day events, the yearly visit from Santa, fan trips in Philadelphia, and the tremendous amount of administrative work required to keep an organization like ours operating keep several dedicated members always busy. Thanks to all the members who have made the 1990’s the successful years that they were.

Please think about becoming part of our museum as it moves forward from 2000.

Decade in Review