San Jose Trolley Historical Restoration Project
The Project
The California Trolley and Railroad Corporation, a historical restoration project, is a private, non-profit organization with a Board of Directors composed of local business and community leaders. With Rod Diridon as president, the corporation was founded in 1982 to fund and direct the restoration of six vintage streetcars. The restoration effort was made possible through donations from the community and the hard work of volunteers.
The Restoration Process
The trolley restoration process is complex and requires extensive knowledge of all the systems related to trolleys - electrical, mechanical and structural. Each car took over one year of full-time volunteer work to be completely restored. Old parts were saved when possible, and new parts were designed and built when necessary. Special attention was paid to the historic characteristics of cars which have undergone many changes during their lifetimes. When fully restored, the cars are better than new, with hand-polished wood interiors and fresh coats of brightly colored paint.
The Volunteers
Talented volunteers are vital to the restoration process. After 100 hours of work, volunteers qualify for a unique t-shirt bearing the Trolley Corporation logo. Potential volunteers can join the trolley family by calling
(408) 293-BARN on weekdays, before noon.
The Trolley Barn
The spacious 6,000-square-foot shelter, designed by Pierre Prodis, A.I.A. of San Jose, was specially built to house the trolleys during restoration. A heated carpenter shop is located adjacent to the Barn where woodworking projects are done. The Barn replicates similar buildings of the 19th century trolley era, and was designed to reflect the same period of time as other buildings on the San Jose Historical Museum grounds. Trolley restoration projects continue at the Trolley Barn. The Trolley Barn has become a permanent part of the museum. The Trolley Barn is located at the San Jose Historical Museum in Kelley Park, at 1650 Senter Road, San Jose. To obtain GPS coordinates, use the address 635 Phelan Avenue.
The Trolleys
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) maintains six restored trolleys. Volunteers at the Trolley Barn restored seven vintage cars. Additional information on four of them is available below:
Car 1 was used in Sacramento from 1903 to 1906, and then ran in Santa Cruz from 1905 to 1930.
Historic Trolley Car #1:Collishaw Trolley
Trolleys in Santa Clara County
Electric trolleys were pioneers of modern-day public transportation. When $750 would buy a house, and a newspaper cost only five cents, trolleys were state-of-the-art transit. From the late 1880s to the late 1930s, electric trolleys operated in San Jose, Santa Clara and throughout the County--on nearly 130 miles of trackway at the peak of the era. The birth of bus and automobile travel brought an end to local trolley service, but the trolleys were not forgotten.
Since 1982, the nonprofit San Jose Trolley Corporation and its hundreds of volunteer workers restored six historic trolleys. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) maintains these trolleys.
Car 1 History
Car 1 was built by the Sacramento Electric, Gas & Railway Company and ran in Sacramento from 1903-1906, and in Santa Cruz from 1906-1923. It is an exact replica of a trolley that operated in Santa Clara along The Alameda from 1905 to 1930. In 1985, the trolley was found in Santa Cruz, worn out by usage, weather, termites and various tenants throughout the years. The trolley was donated to the San Jose Trolley Corporation and was the fifth of six trolleys to be restored by them. The restoration project was sponsored by Ray and Lyn Collishaw, who contributed $150,000 to the project.
Passenger Capacity
Seated 36
Dimensions
39 feet long, 12 feet 5 inches high, 8 feet 3 inches wide, Weight: 19 tons
Restoration Cost
$500,000 (estimated) in donations and volunteer work hours.
Description
Called a “California”-style car because of its open ends and closed center sections, Car 1 features a solid ash interior and a unique convertible mid-section. Featuring removable sides and windows, the trolley's center area can be easily outfitted for summer operation. The car has been fully restored and repainted in its original yellow and green color scheme.
Operation
Car 1 is driven by four 27 horsepower motors, one on each axle, and powered by overhead electrical lines. It is operated by two control levers, one to start the electrical flow that moves the car, and one to activate air brakes that stop it.
Car 73 was built in Newark, Ohio and, for a time, was owned and operated by the San Jose Railroad.
Historic Trolley Car #73:Herritage Cablevision Trolley
Trolleys in Santa Clara County
Electric trolleys were pioneers of modern-day public transportation. When $750 would buy a house, and a newspaper cost only five cents, trolleys were state-of-the-art transit. From the late 1880s to the late 1930s, electric trolleys operated in San Jose, Santa Clara and throughout the County--on nearly 130 miles of trackway at the peak of the era. The birth of bus and automobile travel brought an end to local trolley service, but the trolleys were not forgotten.
Since 1982, the nonprofit San Jose Trolley Corporation and its hundreds of volunteer workers restored six historic trolleys. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) maintains these trolleys.
Car 73 History
Car 73 was manufactured by the Jewett Car Company in Newark, Ohio, in 1912 and purchased by the San Jose Railroad for about $5,700. It ran in San Jose on the Santa Clara and First Street Lines from 1912 to 1927, when it was sold to Peninsular Railways. Car 73 was later returned to San Jose, where it operated until its body was sold for use as a house on Old Almaden Road in 1934. Car 73 was the third of six cars to be restored by the San Jose Trolley Corporation. The restoration was sponsored by Heritage Cablevision, which contributed $150,000 to the project.
Passenger Capacity
Seated 36; Standing 20; Total 56
Dimensions
43 feet 6 inches long, 11 feet 3 inches high, 8 feet 6 inches wide, Weight: 38,000 pounds
Restoration Cost
$500,000 (estimated) in donations and volunteer work hours.
Description
Called a “California”-style car because of its open-air design, Car 73 is windowless on both ends, offering warm-weather seating on wooden benches. The center section is sheltered, with its rattan-covered seating area enclosed by glass windows and doors.
Operation
Car 73 is driven by four 35 horsepower motors, one on each axle, and powered by overhead electrical lines. It is operated by two control levers, one to start the electrical energy that moves the car, and one to activate air brakes that stop it.
Car 2001 is from Milan, Italy.
Historic Trolley Car #2001:Metro Trust Fund Committee Trolley
Trolleys in Santa Clara County
Electric trolleys were pioneers of modern-day public transportation. When $750 would buy a house, and a newspaper cost only five cents, trolleys were state-of-the-art transit. From the late 1880s to the late 1930s, electric trolleys operated in San Jose, Santa Clara and throughout the County--on nearly 130 miles of trackway at the peak of the era. The birth of bus and automobile travel brought an end to local trolley service, but the trolleys were not forgotten.
Since 1982, the nonprofit San Jose Trolley Corporation and its hundreds of volunteer workers restored six historic trolleys. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) maintains these trolleys.
Car 2001 History
Car 2001 was built in 1928 by Officine Mechaniche Lodigiane in Lodi, Italy and was part of a group of trolley cars numbered 1993-2002. The streetcar ran on the Milan tramway system until the mid-1980s.
Car 2001 was donated to the San Jose Trolley Corporation by the Italian government. It was shipped to the United States in the mid 1980s to the Trolley Corporation. At the same time, the Trolley Corporation purchased a second trolley car from Milan, Italy to use for extra parts. Car 2001 was the sixth car to be restored by the San Jose Trolley Corporation. The restoration project was sponsored by the Metro A Trust Fund Committee, who contributed $150,000 to the project.
Passenger Capacity
Seated 40; Standing 44; Total 84
Dimensions
44 feet 4 inches long, 10 feet 7 inches high, 7 feet 9 inches wide, Weight: 40,000 pounds
Restoration Cost
$500,000 (estimated) in donations and volunteer work hours.
Description
Restoration of the car's roof and interior doors was completed by volunteer workers. Money donated was used to pay for new wheels, traction motor repairs, hardware, lumber, glass, shades and many other interior details. VTA supplied the steel and other materials for reconstructing the car body as well as all welding and supervision involved in the restoration process.
Built in the famous Peter Witt design (a popular trolley design often seen in Cleveland and Philadelphia following World War II), Car 2001 features a steel frame, wood interior and red carpeting. Initially built with three doors on the right side, the car has been modified to include doors on either side. The restoration process also included the rebuilding of the trolley's underframe. The car was repainted in its original two-tone green color scheme.
Operation
Car 2001 is driven by four 27 horsepower motors, one on each axle, which are powered by 750 volt direct current from overhead electrical lines. It is the only car in the fleet of historic trolleys equipped with a pantograph (the apparatus located on the trolley's roof that carries the electric current from the overhead wires). This allows the trolley to operate outside of the Downtown Center Plaza and be available for private charters to destinations to the north or south of the Plaza area. The other historic trolleys receive their power through a trolley pole similar to the streetcars in San Francisco.
Originally built for single-direction operation, the car has been upgraded and can be controlled from either end of the trolley. Car 2001 is operated by two different levers, one to control the electrical flow that moves the car, and one to apply air brakes that slow or stop it.
Car 531 is from Melbourne, Australia.
Historic Trolley Car #531:Hugh Stuart Center Charitable Trust Trolley
Trolleys in Santa Clara County
Electric trolleys were pioneers of modern-day public transportation. When $750 would buy a house, and a newspaper cost only five cents, trolleys were state-of-the-art transit. From the late 1880s to the late 1930s, electric trolleys operated in San Jose, Santa Clara and throughout the County--on nearly 130 miles of trackway at the peak of the era. The birth of bus and automobile travel brought an end to local trolley service, but the trolleys were not forgotten.
Since 1982, the nonprofit San Jose Trolley Corporation and its hundreds of volunteer workers restored six historic trolleys. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) maintains these trolleys.
Car 531 History
Car 531 was built in 1928 by the workshops of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board (M & M.T.B.) in Melbourne, Australia. It ran on the 200-mile Melbourne trolley system from 1928 to the mid-1980s, when it was retired from service during an upgrade of M & M.T.B.'s trolley fleet. The Trolley Corporation bought the vintage trolley from M & M.T.B. in 1986 at a cost of about $30,000. Volunteers have restored the car to its original factory-fresh look, complete with the original Melbourne two-tone brown and ivory paint scheme. Car 531 was the fourth of six cars to be restored by the San Jose Trolley Corporation. The main sponsor of the restoration was the Hugh Stuart Center Charitable Trust, which contributed $150,000 to the project. Other key contributors included the Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building and Construction Trades Council and the Urban Transportation Development Corporation.
Passenger Capacity
Seated 48; Standing 40; Total 88
Dimensions
48 feet long, 10.5 feet high, 9 feet wide, Weight: 38,000 pounds
Restoration Cost
$375,000 (estimated) in donations and volunteer work hours.
Description
Designed as a “center-entry” car with sliding doors allowing entry into the car's center seating area. Two-tone wooden benches in the center section and green Naugahyde benches at both ends of Car 531 provide ample seating, while special plastic and safety glass windows enclose the entire car.
Operation
Car 531 is driven by four 35 horsepower motors, one on each axle, and powered by overhead electrical lines. It is operated by two control levers, one to start the electrical energy that moves the car, and one to activate the brakes that stop it.
Donating
To make tax-deductible donations toward the restoration of historic trolleys, contact the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation (CTRC) at
(408) 924-7566.
Donations may also be mailed to:
San Jose Trolley Corporation
San Jose Historical Museum, Kelley Park
1600 Senter Road
San Jose, CA 95112
Trolley Barn Information:
Volunteers (408) 293-BARN
Fundraising (408) 293-2276
Museum (408) 287-2290
Trolley Barn Hours:
Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday-Friday: Closed
Trolley Rides
Trolley rides are available on Saturday and Sundays. There is no charge to ride the trolley, although other museum and parking fees may apply.