Shoreline Trolley Museum

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Located in Branford, CT the Shoreline Trolley Museum is a fun afternoon for anyone that enjoys an up close look back to an era gone by.  River Street dead ends at the beginning of what remains in place of a trolley line.  Also located here is a small but informational museum showing artifacts of that time with adequate parking to the rear.  It appears to be staffed by volunteers.

It was a beautiful, clear, warm summers day.  Cheryl and I boarded the trolley and headed about 100 yards up the track to the portion of the museum that stores many, many old trolley cars.  Some were in original condition, others restored,  while still others are either waiting for their fresh coat of paint or to fade away from the elements. Either way I found them all beautiful and truly a pleasure to climb aboard or photograph.

While riding the trolley I thought of how, although entertainment for me, this was necessary transportation for many in the early to mid 1800’s as many American communities were beginning to take hold. The actually term “street car” came about in 1840 when they became powered by electricity.

Loaded with passengers, and no air conditioning, this may have felt more like a New York City subway train at rush hour back in the day.  However, feeling the cool breeze of the opened windows and beautiful wooded views with  a passing river inlet from the neighboring Long Island Sound I felt a calmness. The sound of the steel wheels turning against the rails made you feel much more connected to the ride than a modern day bus.

Our conductor was adorned in the appropriate garb and freely answered any questions you would have.  The train is powered by overhead electrical lines.  The conductor pulls a lever which raises and engages a pole to the overhead lines thereby receiving the power to motors which turn the wheels.  If he wanted to go in the opposite direction he’d simply disengage the pole, walk to the other end of the trolley and raise that pole to the power lines.

Prior to the electrical operated Trolley car they were powered by steam, coal and most frequently horses around the globe.  San Fransisco is unique in they were one of a few urban communities that chose to go by way of cable.  They look like Trolley cars, (aka streetcars, tram cars), but they is an underground cable that comes up between both rails and literally pulls the car.  It is still in use today in  that city.

In my photo gallery you’ll notice a picture of a trolley named “Desire”. Obviously this is a play on the 1947 Pulitzer award winning film drama by Tennessee Williams. In this film Stella travels to her sisters run down flat in New Orleans and one of the first modes of transportation she takes is “a street car named Desire”.

Back in the day these trolleys were mostly used in towns and cities to traverse a specific route.  However they were also, in some parts of the country such as Boston to Chicago, connected. Even my small hometown, back in the mid 1800’s sported a trolley car from downtown to the East Side to shuffle workers or shoppers back and forth. I believe it’s buried today underneath the sidewalks and asphalt of Center and East Center Street.

With more and more folks gaining private ownership of an automobile the street car began to fade from practice in the mid 1900’s.  Of course there were exceptions.  I believe Canada still has a fairly extensive and operational trolley car system today.

For a small donation you’re sure to have a good time.  Bring along a camera and good shoe leather.  Because you may enjoy the optional walk back to the parking lot along the trolley line like we did!