by Bill Monaghan/photos as noted
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum once again provided its Park-and-Ride service during Washington County Fair Week from August 12 through August 19, 2023. This year the county fair celebrates 225 years. The Washington County Fair is the oldest county fair in Pennsylvania, and people have ridden the trolley to the fair 105 of those 225 years through the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, Pittsburgh Railways, and Washington Street Railway, which started operating in 1891 and served the Fair when it was in the City of Washington.
PTM’s Park-and-Ride Service allows fairgoers to park their car in the Museum’s large parking lot at McClane Loop or at the Museum’s West Campus. Some passengers boarded at the Fairgrounds stop and even at Arden Loop for a trolley ride. In 2024 the museum will add the Museum’s new East Campus stop at Volunteer Boulevard. Fairgoers enjoy trolley transportation to the fair gates aboard one of the museum’s restored vintage trolleys.
West Penn Railways No. 832 is on its way to McClane Loop during the Washington County Fair on August 17, 2023. On February 7, 1954, West Penn No. 832 was moved under its own power, along with Pittsburgh Railways M1 and Pittsburgh Railways Co. No. 3756, to its new home in Washington County along the former Washington interurban right-of-way near Arden, Pa.—Bill Monaghan photo
Up to seven trolley cars operated throughout each day and well into the evening, offering service as often as every 10 minutes, depending upon the size of the crowds at the lots and at the fair, as well as the festivities taking place. During this year’s eight-day fair event, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum carried a total of 8,502 passengers. In recent years this has become one of PTM’s largest fundraising opportunities. On top of being a fantastic way to raise funds for the museum, it is also a great opportunity for rail photographers and enthusiasts to ride and photograph a variety of historic trolley cars…
Read the rest of this article in the November 2023 issue of Railpace Newsmagazine. Subscribe Today!