Laying Tracks

The National Capital Trolley Museum closed last winter. The Inter-County Connector - a divided highway currently under construction across Montgomery County - runs right through the old museum site, so we had to move. The museum will reopen some time this fall - the exact date as yet unknown. The trolley cars were moved into the new car barns on flatbed trucks, and have been patiently waiting while construction continues on the rest of the system. Here's a recent picture of the car shops where we carry out routine maintenance and repairs. These cars form the backbone of our operating fleet. The rest of the cars reside in the adjacent display barn and they rarely see service; but the cars in this picture - along with #1329 at the back of the center track - see continuous duty hauling patrons along the line.

Reese has been at the museum for the last couple of weeks laying track. They still need to finish the yard ladder into the barns and the loop in front of the visitors center. If you look closely at this image, you can see that track #16 - the one on the right - has been finished. The New York City car is now connected with the main line. It will be a few more weeks before the overhead wire is installed, but we're getting close. Soon the clang of the trolley will return to Northwest Branch Park. I hope you all will stop in and visit the museum when we re-open and take a ride on one of our antique trolley cars.

The museum's website:

http://www.dctrolley.org

has pictures and information about the museum; and the official date for the resumption of service will be posted as soon as it's available.