Rockhill Trolley Museum

Rockhill Trolley Museum Car Acquisition Update

The Rockhill Trolley Museum has added two historic Pennsylvania trolleys to the collection of trolleys at our museum site in Rockhill Furnace. The two cars were acquired from the Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad and had been acquired by Wendell Dillinger for eventual restoration and operation, which unfortunately never occurred.

York Railways car 162 and Lewistown and Reedsville car 23 were delivered to the museum Friday, January 17.

Upon the arrival of both cars, Lewistown car 23 was unloaded first and placed on trucks for the first time since 1933. York car 162 was then unloaded onto museum rails.

Both cars add their own significance to the museum collection. Lewistown car 23 is especially unique in that it operated less than thirty-five miles from the museum. York car 162 is a sister car to our restored York car 163, which has been operating at the museum for over 35 years.

Contributions are still needed to cover the transportation costs, needing approximately $6,000 to complete this phase of the project. Once the transportation costs are met for each car, contributions will be placed in the specific car funds for future restoration or stabilization work. Thank you in advance for your support! https://rockhilltrolley.org/contribute/donate-funds/

Lewistown & Reedsville Electric Railway car 23 – Car 23 was built by the J.G. Brill Company in 1914 for Jersey Central Traction Company and one year later purchased by the Lewistown & Reedsville Electric Railway (L&R). The L&R operated approximately 12 miles of track between Lewistown, Burnham, Yeagertown, and Reedsville. Following abandonment of trolley operations in 1933, car 23 survived as a summer cottage near Lewistown from 1933 to 2002.

This will be the second fully restored trolley car at the museum to have been transformed from a trolley to a cottage and returned to an operating trolley. Having originally operated in revenue service less than 35 miles from the museum, car 23 will be the most local car in the collection.

York Railways car 162 – Car 162 was built by the J.G. Brill Company in 1924 for York Railways. Following the abandonment of trolley operations in 1939, both cars 162 and 163 survived together as summer cottages until flooded in 1972 by Hurricane Agnes. With car 163 already restored and operating at the museum since 1989, car 162 will be preserved as a cottage. This will help educate visitors and tell the story of how trolley car bodies often led a second life after no longer serving the need as public transportation.

More information is available in the full Press Release:

Lewistown & Reedsville Car 23 and York Railways Car 162 Press Release

To donate to the Relocation and Restoration Funds for these two new acquisitions, go to our Donations page. or download this flyer to send us a check by mail:

Middletown Cars Fundraiser Flyer

Thank you!