Northern Ohio Railway Museum in Medina County to offer trolley rides on an over 100 Year old Cleveland streetcar for the first time.
Streetcar rides are coming to the Northern Ohio Railway Museum, so start planning your Summer visit now. Join us for our historic first season of public operations. The Museum is open every Saturday from May 6th to October 28th, 10am to 4pm. A regular feature at the Museum is guided walking tours. New this year on the tour is a visit inside a restored 1954 Cleveland Transit System Rapid Transit car. Admission is Free, donations gratefully accepted.
Beginning on June 10th, the public may ride a streetcar on the museum’s demonstration track (weather and car availability permitting) . Streetcar rides will continue each month on the second Saturday of each month. Trolley ride fares are $4.00 for Adults and Teenagers, 13 and older; Children 6 to 12 years old are $2.00; and Children 5 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be purchased in the Museum Store and are good for all day riding. The rides will commence on the hour beginning at 11:00 AM, with the last ride of the day occurring at 3:00 PM. Check our Facebook page for weather or equipment updates.
The Museum is located at 5515 Buffham Road in Seville, Medina County, Ohio, near Chippewa Lake. From the I-71/I-76/224 interchange, take 224 west 4/10 of a mile to County Road 19 (Lake Road). Turn right (north) on Lake and go 6/10 of a mile to Buffham Road. Turn right (east) on Buffham and go 1 mile. The museum will then be on your left.
On the tour, visitors will see a diversified collection of streetcars, interurbans, and rapid transit equipment from this region. The oldest trolley car in the collection dates back to 1895. It was purchased by an area trolley tycoon that later became a famous Cleveland mayor. See the equipment that built and maintained the streetcar system. Learn the story of how photographers and dancers permitted these utilitarian cars to serve their employer in ways their designers never imagined. The story of trolley freight is told through rare artifacts. Discover how the interurban became the farmer’s friend and gave him easy access to larger cities for his products. See the last wooden interurban car to leave Cleveland in 1938. Learn how a sleepy streetcar line built to promote real estate, morphed into a pioneer rapid transit line that still operates today. Finally see a 1970 rapid car that served the first Airport Rapid Transit Line in the western hemisphere. Many other fascinating stories abound at the museum and can be found on the tour.
A unique feature of the tour is a visit to the restoration shop. See how these grand treasures of our past are painstakingly disassembled and restored to like-new condition by skilled craftsmen and women. At present several projects are underway in varying stages of completion. Conditions permitting, you will have the opportunity to see the restoration underway and have the work being done explained.
The museum is supported by donations from its members and the general public. Donations for the continued development of the museum are needed and can be sent to: Northern Ohio Railway Museum, P.O. Box 458, Chippewa Lake, Ohio 44215-0458. The museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational corporation. All donations are tax-exempt.
The Northern Ohio Railway Museum’s mission is to collect, preserve, restore, display, and operate streetcars and other electric railway equipment for the education and enjoyment of the public. The museum owns forty-two acres of land in southern Medina County, including two miles of the former Cleveland and Southwestern interurban railroad. At this site the museum has built over a mile of track and three large buildings to house its collection of historic trolleys, interurbans, and rapid transit cars, most from the northern Ohio area. Five pieces of the collection have been restored and others are currently being restored.
In addition to the public tours, the museum has speakers available for civic and other community groups. The Museum’s state certified educator is also available to work with your school, youth, or civic group on educational initiatives. Operation Lifesaver presentations are also offered by the Education Department. For further information on these public service programs, please contact the museum.
Northern Ohio Railway Museum
5515 Buffham Rd, Seville, Ohio, OH 44273
Telephone: 330-769-5501
Web Site: www.northernohiorailwaymuseum.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Northern-Ohio-Railway-Museum-292041544183676/
E-mail: [email protected]
Press release submitted by:
For further information contact:
John Kostelnik | Phone: 330-441-2792
e-mail: [email protected]
(photo credits: Northern Ohio Railway Museum)