PUBLISHED BY THE FRIENDS OF PHILADELPHIA TROLLEYS, INC. Volume 14|Number 1 Winter 2020 anuary 20, 2020 was a cold and windy that did not deter a group of Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys members to meet at Philadelphia’s Thirtieth Street Station. The occasion was to take farewell rides on one or more of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority’s historic PCC II cars on its #15 Girard Avenue line. The “farewell” was because the line would be temporarily suspended to bus service, effective After boarding Bill’s car #9043, the group rode out to Sunday, January 26, 2020. The reason for this was due the end of the line at the Angora Loop, located at Baltimore Avenue and 61st Street. Of course, there was to bridge work on portions of Girard Avenue that no resisting not taking a “group picture” of everyone … included track replacement and the necessity of much well mostly everyone. Some stayed inside the trolley. needed maintenance on the trolleys themselves. The After all, it was cold and windy outside. All too soon, suspension itself is expected to take 12 to 18 months. the group had to re-board so that Bill could keep to his schedule on the return trip. After gathering at the one of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s grand masterpieces, the group moved to the After saying our farewells and thanks to Bill, we westbound Thirtieth Street Station on SEPTA’s departed the Thirteenth and Market Station stop to Subway-Surface Trolley Line to meet a #34 trolley. It transfer over to the Frankford-Market Elevated line for was not just any trolley, but one that was operated by Girard Avenue. (It would have been nice to have none other than FPT’s own, Bill Monaghan. Although stopped at John Wanamaker to have lunch in the railfans have been known to sometime keep secrets, but Crystal Tea Room, but we were about 35 years too late when there’s some kind of rail news to be shared, it gets for that.) After arriving at Girard Avenue, the group shared. Not in this case. Bill was surprised, shocked eagerly (read quickly) moved to trolley stop on Girard, and pleased to see a group of his friends waiting to almost under the El. board. It wasn’t too long before a Route 15 trolley arrived; the group promptly boarded and headed to the back of the car, since that’s the place where railfans seem to The Streamliner is published by the congregate. Travelling westbound, our trolley passed Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys, a by numerous landmarks along the line such as Saint Pennsylvania non-profit corporation. Peter the Apostle Church, the Schuylkill River Bridge, the Pennsylvania Railroad/Amtrak viaduct, Fairmount FPT DIRECTORS: Park’s Philadelphia Zoo, the 41st Street and Parkside Harry Donahue, Roger DuPuis, Dave Horwitz, Avenue Loop and Girard College with its neoclassical Bill Monaghan and Matt Nawn Greek buildings. A short while later, the group then reached the Frankford and Delaware Avenue Loop for FPT LEGAL COUNSEL: a layover. Dave Nelson and Jonathan Senker Obligatory pictures were taken of the car at the loop EDITOR: and of several railfans posing in front of and inside it. Editor Voluntarius In short time, it was time to make the return trip to the Sugarhouse Casino Loop. Upon arrival, it was time for FPT ON THE WEB: even more pictures. (Don’t railfans ever have enough FPT’s new public website is: pictures? Guess not.) www.friendsofphiladelphiatrolleys.org The time for lunch was past due. Where to go? FPT also can also be found on Facebook: Someone remembered a restaurant that featured Philly www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Philadelphia- cheesesteak hoagies, down the street at Girard and Trolleys-180655945374324 Frankford Avenues. So … a short trek down the street to the restaurant, only to find out that it was too E-MAIL: crowded to handle the rail fan crowd. Who knows? [email protected] Maybe it was full of railfans, too. Now what? MAILING ADDRESS: It wasn’t the best choice, but there was a McDonald’sSM P.O. Box 33397, across the street. Since the group was too cold to look Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19142-0397 for some other place, McDonald’s had an influx of railfans. Fortunately, there were enough seats in the The Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys encourage you dining area that was plenty warm from sunlight. to visit and support trolley museums dedicated to the preservation of Philadelphia’s trolley heritage, Feeling happy and full, most everyone headed back to including the following: Girard Avenue to take more rides on PCC II cars. Some chose to return to Center City to catch a train Baltimore Streetcar Museum home, not because they were feeling happy and full, but www.baltimorestreetcarmuseum.org rather they were, as they say, chilled to the bones. No Electric City Trolley Museum Association matter … everyone had a great time. Sic transit gloria www.ectma.org mundi. National Capital Trolley Museum www.dctrolley.org Newtown Square Railroad Museum www.newtownsquarerailroadmuseum.org New York Museum of Transportation www.nymtmuseum.org Pennsylvania Trolley Museum www.pa-trolley.org Rockhill Trolley Museum www.rockhilltrolley.org Seashore Trolley Museum www.trolleymuseum.org Shore Line Trolley Museum www.shorelinetrolley.org Have an article, suggestion or compliment you’d like to submit for the newsletter? Contact us via the e- mail address listed above. © 2020, Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys, Inc. The Streamliner Page 2. Winter 2020 UPCOMING FPT EVENTS Due to health concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Twenty Dollar Day fundraiser sponsored by FPT at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum had to be cancelled. It was originally planned to use this event at PTM as the main story in this issue of The Streamliner. We plan to reschedule this event in 2021. While the dates below are still planned, The Streamliner and special emails will alert you of any cancellations, changes/updates in dates, times and costs as they become available. MAY 20, 2013: Annual Logan Tracy Birthday. Donate $20.00 to ride and operate a streetcar at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. JUNE 6, 2020: Twenty-Five Dollar Day at the National Capital Trolley Museum. (See flyer.) JUNE 21, 2020: Father’s Day Trackless Trolley charter. (See flyer.) pictures’ resolution. It was the best that could be done JUNE 26, 27 AND 28, 2020: Western Pennsylvania with them. Trolley Meet at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. A Night Photo Shoot of work equipment will be on You will notice that in the picture at the bottom left, Saturday night. she is standing in the once-familiar conductor’s booth OCTOBER 4, 2020: SEPTA Kawasaki #9000’s on a Philly PCC car. While the picture above doesn’t Fortieth Anniversary fan trip in Philadelphia. show the car number and there are no standee NOVEMBER 7, 2020: Twenty Dollar Day at the windows, the car is an air-electric one. Baltimore Streetcar Museum. DECEMBER 31, 2020: New Year’s Trip on SEPTA In modern times, SEPTA employees have continued in Philadelphia. the tradition of decorating their trolleys. Here are a few pictures of their skills. THE 1948 JOLLY TROLLEY Story and Pictures by Bill Monaghan According to a local newspaper in December 1948, Martha Kashner, of West Girard Avenue in Philadelphia, was a Philadelphia Transportation Company trolley operator and conductor who loved decorating her car for the Christmas Holidays. She started her “tradition” in 1944 and in addition to the decorations, she would hand out candy canes to the children who rode with her. Here are a few pictures of Mrs. Kashner and her handiwork. Sorry about the The Streamliner Page 3. Winter 2020 On the previous page, car #9094 is on Lancaster Avenue and 52nd Street, taken December 10, 2019. It UPDATE ON THE CTA EL CARS was decorated by Callowhill operators Gary Mason and Photos by Rocky Hollifield Mina Bryant, with help from Gary’s son, Telvin. The next picture is car #105 that SEPTA Victory employees (Craggy Mountain Line) decorated as “The Despicable Me Holiday Trolley,” by Gary Adderly, Lou Crocetti, Tanja Harris, Valerie Mr. Hollifield has sent a few pictures of the former Johnson, Tone Marcus, Massimo Demaio, Dee Chicago Transit Authority/Southeastern Pennsylvania’s McLaughlin and Kevin Philpotts. The picture below captures SEPTA’s 2019 Elmwood Depot’s “Holiday elevated cars. He reports that the museum has not Trolley” was decorated this year by Elmwood Light Rail done a whole lot on the cars in the last month. They operators David Musgrave and Darrell Wight, along have, however, started working on the cars again and with help from Dave’s family. SEPTA Holiday Trolley that they are very excited they have them together. LRV #9055 is seen at 36th Street Station eastbound in the Subway Surface Tunnel, on December 7, 2019. The They are sanding them and hoping to start painting next one below that is SEPTA LRV #9039 on a Route within the next month! We look forward to hearing 34 pullout with its dentation sign reading “Happy New more about their progress. Year” at 49th Street and Florence Avenue on December 31, 2019. OH NO! It’s almost that time again … time to renew your Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys membership dues. It might be a little early to be asking, but keeping your dues paid up-to- date helps tremendously. You’ll find a handy- dandy renewal form towards the end of the newsletter to renew. Your generosity helps the FPT in its mission to help preserve Philly trolleys in five museums. Thank you in advance. The Streamliner Page 4. Winter 2020 PRT C-145 RESTORATION preparation work on the existing carbody components was completed; marking the end of a year-long process PROJECT UPDATE— to remove old paint and prepare surfaces not being replaced for finish painting.