Museum trolley to run again

A full-size trolley reproduction that has been sitting in storage at the Klamath County Museum for more than 15 years will soon take the streets again.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - A trolley constructed 40 years ago at the Klamath County Museum will soon be running again after sitting idle in storage for at least 15 years. The trolley, built by museum staff and volunteers in 1980 to resemble the original streetcar that ran in Klamath Falls more than a century ago, will run on electric power.

“Our trolley has basically been gathering dust for nearly 20 years,” said museum manager Todd Kepple. “We hope to see it running again before the snow flies this winter.”

The museum trolley was placed in long-term storage after concerns arose over mechanical problems and safety issues. Work began back in March to place the trolley on a new chassis and replace the old Volkswagen engine with an electric motor.

The renovation is now progressing rapidly toward completion.

“We took on the renovation project without a clear picture of what it might cost to get it running again,” Kepple said. “We’ve now spent more than $10,000 on the project. Once we have the project complete, we’ll be eager to show it off, and hope that some of our patrons will help us replenish the piggy bank we robbed in order to do this work.”

Renovation of the trolley has been coordinated by museum volunteer Terry Sandusky, who received assistance from a number of other volunteers and local vendors. Museum maintenance technician Jim McClure has also devoted time to the project.

The trolley will be a slow-moving vehicle that will appear in parades and at special events.

For more information, contact the Klamath County Museum at (541) 882-1000.