Rockhill Trolley Museum

Location and Buildings

location_clipping

collection

rtm_brochure5

collection

rtm_location1 rtm_location2 rtm_location3 rtm_location4

Rockhill, Pa / Jun 2003 / JCH

tag_pin

Click to see the Rockhill Trolley Museum plotted on a Google Maps page

tag_closeup Rehabilitation

tag_field

Rockhill, Pa - Jun 2022 — Took guided tour of Buehler Shop at Rockhill Trolley Museum, during which we were given access to Chicago Aurora & Elgin #315 which is undergoing a complete rehabilitation. Countless wooden features, stained glass windows, and original accessories are being restored to original appearance and function by shop forces.

tag_quote

aec315_inset Car 315 is an interurban car built in 1909 by the Kuhlman Car Co. of Cleveland, OH, a subsidiary of the J.G. Brill Co. It was built for the Aurora Elgin & Chicago Railroad which was later known as the Chicago Aurora & Elgin Railroad. Capable of speeds up to 80 mph, car 315 was built with stained glass windows, inlaid mahogany woodwork, brass baggage racks, a smoking compartment, and comfortable leather seats.

As cities grew larger, the streetcar lines followed the expanding city boundaries and continued on to other cities. These lines, called interurban lines, often operated different types of cars than those which operated in the cities. These interurban cars were more comfortable for the passengers and also faster and more ornate.

The CA&E operated to the western suburbs of Chicago until July 3, 1957 when passenger service was discontinued. Car 315 was the lead car of the last train operated by the CA&E. Proposals to reopen the line continued for several years with all equipment stored in the Wheaton, IL, yards of the company until 1961, when car 315 was acquired by our museum. Moving car 315 from Chicago to our museum was accomplished by removing the trucks (wheels and motors) from the car, placing them in a gondola car and setting the carbody on a long flatcar. The car then was moved by the Pennsylvania Railroad to Mt. Union, PA. It was transported by highway the final 11 miles to the Museum. Although not fully restored, car 315 has had much restoration work done at our Museum.

Rockhill Trolley Museum

tag_closeup East Broad Top

rtm_postcard7

postcard / collection

The Rockhill Trolley Museum has existed adjacent to the East Broad Top Railroad for its entire existence. The trolley museum's "Shade Gap" running line was formerly a branch of the coal-hauling EBT and is currently leased by the museum from the narrow-gauge railroad. After returning from excursions, EBT trains turn on a wye that surrounds the trolley museum and shop, and trains stop outside the museum so that EBT passengers can immediately ride Rockhill trolleys. The proximity of the East Broad Top means that Rockhill Trolley Museum offers riders the rare experience of (overhead) electrified dual-gauge trackage.

rtm_location22a rtm_location22b rtm_location22c rtm_location22d

Rockhill, Pa / Jun 2022 / RWH

ebt_clipping

collection

ebt_postcard10

postcard / collection

tag_jump

See also our complete East Broad Top Railroad featured scrapbook in Preservation

tag_eot back to top
This page was updated on 2022-08-29