PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY ONLINE: The Last of the Wheeling Trolleys

January 07, 2021
6:30pm - 8:00pm

The Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport Maine is home to a very special car. No. 639 is a Cincinnati curved-side built in 1924 for the Wheeling Traction Company, later Co-Operative Transit Company. It is one of few survivors of hundreds of curved-side cars and is the last known Wheeling trolley in existence. The body was acquired in 1957 and a decadeslong restoration process followed. Now, #639 is fully restored and in operating condition at the museum.

James D. Schantz and Frederick J. Maloney, editors of the book on the subject (see below), will tell us about this unique trolley car and the amazing, epic restoration process, including the importance of the photos of Bill Gwinn, whose work is now on exhibit at the Ohio County Public Library.

This program will be available to watch live on Facebook Live, on YouTube, and on the OCPL website's People's U Livestream page.  Log into your Facebook or YouTube account during the program to leave questions for James and Frederick in the comments box. They will answer them during the live broadcast. 

PRESENTER BIOS: James D. Schantz is the President & CEO of the Seashore Trolley Museum and is a Trustee of the New England Electric Railway Historical Society. Frederick J. Maloney is a Senior Trustee of the New England Electric Railway Historical Society.

The pair recently edited the book, Traction in the Pan Handle: Wheeling Transit in the Curved-Side Era (Published by New England Electric Railway Historical Society, 2020). 

- People's University Online-
Thursdays from 6:30 pm to 8 pm on YouTube Live and Facebook Live

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ABOUT THE OCPL'S PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY SERIES:

The People’s University features courses (taught by experts in each subject) that enable patrons to pursue their goal of lifelong learning in classic subjects such as history, music appreciation, philosophy, and literature. Patrons may attend as many classes as they wish. There are no tests of other requirements and all programs are free and open to the public.