~ All Aboard for a Trolley ride from Yesteryear ~ Submitted by Ray Shoop
Please be quiet as you read this now, for the trolleys are sleeping in the ‘coal bunker’ cave of the Boott Mills complex in Lowell, Mass.
Once the trolleys awake, visitors can enjoy riding the trolley on the nearly two miles of track operated by the National Park Service. The trolleys typically run from March through November. Visitors of all ages can ride the trolleys free of charge.
Located just 30 minutes north of Marlborough, the Lowell National Historic Park (LNHP) uses three Gomaco replica trolleys to move visitors around within this large National Park site. The park electrified a portion of the existing rail trackage in this former mill complex, and now operates a one-mile line connecting the key visitor areas in the park. The planning has begun to expand trolley service into other parts of the downtown.
All Aboard!
Nearly 100 years after their heyday, trolleys are beginning to appear on the urban landscape once again. A number of cities in the United States are finding this older form of transportation an economically effective and environmentally sound alternative to cars and buses.
Honoring the Past
Gomaco Trolley Company began building trolley cars in 1982 with a contract from the Department of the Interior. These cars were replicas of the J.G. Brill car built in 1902 and were of the 1597-1600 series. In 1984, two of these cars were delivered to the Lowell Historical National Park in Lowell, Massachusetts.
In 1987, a third car was delivered to the Lowell Historical National Park. This car was a semi-convertible enclosed car and was a replica of the 4100 series built in 1912 by the St. Louis and Laconia Car Company. The car was equipped with cane seats, which included heaters under each seat, making the car ideal for use in cold weather.
Semi Trolley Exterior
Semi Trolley Interior
Links:
Lowell page on the new APTA Heritage Trolley site
Gomaco 15-Bench Open Car for Lowell Mass.
Gomaco Semi-Convertible Trolley for Lowell Mass.
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