6 days ago
Historic Terrible Trolley "painstakingly" restored to full operation
The Terrible Trolley has been restored to all its '80s Steelers glory, and it's ready to roll out at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.
The Washington County museum, which acquired the historic streetcar in 2023, says it has been "painstakingly" restored to full operation. It will be unveiled at the museum on Tuesday.
Streetcar 1713, more famously known as The Terrible Trolley, was built in 1949. In 1980, 9-year-old Kim Sever wrote a letter to then-Mayor Richard Caliguiri suggesting they repaint a trolley to celebrate the Steelers' four Super Bowl wins. Just a few days later, the girl's idea was a reality.
That year, the Terrible Trolley ran every day until it was retired for good in 1998 and later sold to a collector in Ohio. There it remained in storage for over 20 years before it was acquired by the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.
A team of volunteers have worked to restore the trolley, starting with metal and bodywork, painting the car, reupholstering the seats and handpainting and applying decals.
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum hopes the restored Terrible Trolley will be a major draw to Washington County, especially when the NFL Draft comes to Pittsburgh in 2026.
"The Terrible Trolley represents the Pittsburgh region's pride in their beloved sports team. We are excited to present this beautifully restored and nostalgic streetcar to our community," executive director and CEO Jeanine DeBor said in a press release. "We are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication our paid and volunteer staff devoted to this project."
