11-11-19 PHOTOS: Streetcar Santa

Ah the BSM...that place down the street that I don't go to as much as I should because its just down the street. Well last December I had two good reasons to head down to the old BSM. The first was a special event day in November that drew in folks from the Philly area like Chuchubob and the second was when a bunch of friends from Hopkins revealed themselves as closet trolley buffs and we all took a spin on the trolleys in December when the special Santa trips were running. This set of photos combines both of those trip and you can see them all, right here.

My apologies to Dan Lawrence as I do not know the intimate details about each car. He can feel free to fill in any gaps, but the writeup will mostly focus on the pictures and not the cars' backstories.

Anyway we begin with a MARC single level coach #7755 hanging out in Penn Station waiting for the state to get its ass in gear and fund weekend service.

The special Saturday event was a PCC celebration which had the BSM's whole collection out on display like ex-Baltimore care #7303.

The day was also to celebrate the newly restored SEPTA PCC #2168, seen here on one of the car barn tracks.

The former SEPTA work-car #2187 has been painted out of its SEPTA orange and into a red scheme that promotes the Streetcar Museum.

Prior to it going into service we see the freshly painted PCC being backed out of the carbarn reversing through a wire frog.



#2168 sitting under the CSX freight line bridge.

Snow sweeper C-145 was also out n display. 

Each sweep brush is actually attached t a complex motor-gearbox setup which i why one used special cars for this activity.

C-145 from the opposite end which currently lacks a brush unit.

The BSM's flagship PCC #7407 which has been joined by #2168 on the loop track.

Car #417 was originally built as a Baltimore city horse (or cable?) car in the 1870' and then was eventually converted to electric operation in the 1890's. On the verge of being furry restored to operation, #417 will be the oldest operable streetcar IN THE WORLD using its 187's build date. I believe the BSM also lays claim to the world's oldest non-operable car, a 1850's horse car. If that is ever restored I know some ppl at a draft horse rescue that might be interested in providin motive power for it.

The whole menagerie that Saturday.

The BSM's 1920's pre-PCC car #6119.

Alright, skipping ahead a month we find the single truck #4533 sitting out on the loop track for standard service that day.

Operating in special Santa service was still new #2168.

Here we see #264, parked ahead of the PCC on the loop track. #264 is the one with the asymmetric trucks as it is fitted with only one motor per.

View of #264 on the station track this time.

PCC #2168 was outfitted with a wreath and lights for Santa service.

Visitors to the BSM are always sure to see CSX freight trains passing by overhead, in this case powered by CSX C44-9W #9038 and C40-8W #7819.

Santa going his thing on the train. The even was very well organized with cookies and snacks in the museum. 

The Santa special returning on the now two track main line. the Santa specials would head up and park on the loop track siding while the regular service cars would either change ends short of the loop or use the outer loop track.

I will end with this cool video of the Santa Special being paced from the adjacent falls road all the way up the main line to the loop track.



This was a small set so today or tomorrow I should post a followup on the new High Line extension.