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CBS News
13-08-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Historic Terrible Trolley on display at Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington County
A valuable piece of Pittsburgh history and a callback to days past was brought back to life. The Terrible Trolley — once the idea of a young girl who made a request to the city's mayor — was revealed Tuesday at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington County. It was originally introduced in 1980 as a rallying point for Pittsburgh Steelers fans before Super Bowl XIV. The Steelers went on to beat the Los Angeles Rams, becoming the first team in NFL history to win four Super Bowls. The idea for the trolley was originally suggested by Kim Sever, who was 9 years old when she wrote a letter to then-Pittsburgh Mayor Richard Caliguiri. It was inspired by the "Terrible Towel," which was created by longtime Steelers' radio announcer Myron Cope in 1975. "Mr. City Promoter, my name is Kim Sever," the letter reads. "I'm 9 years old, and I had this idea that maybe the city could have a trolley painted black and gold that says 'The Terrible Trolley.' "If the city doesn't have the money for a new trolley, you could just paint one of the old trolleys black and gold, okay?" Caliguiri honored Sever's request by relaying it to the Port Authority in January 1980, and the newly repainted trolley car debuted in time for the big game. The trolley's restoration was thanks to the efforts of KDKA-TV's "Fan N'ation," which reached out to the museum about the Terrible Trolley in 2022. Former executive director Scott Becker eventually tracked down the trolley, which was owned by a private collector. "He said, 'It's funny you called,'" said Becker, recalling the conversation. "'I just sold the land and the building it's in, and I need to find it a new home.'" The trolley was brought to the museum, and a team of volunteers got to work to restore it. "We really wanted to make this as accurate of a restoration as possible," said Michael Buchta, the trolley restoration's project manager. "But obviously with the steel repairs and body work, make it as thoroughly well done as we could." And that hard work was celebrated in the presence of the museum crew, former transit employees and former Steelers defensive lineman John Banaszak, a member of the 1979-80 championship team.
CBS News
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
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."
