Seashore Trolley Museum Discussion

Personally, I like the NJ Transit scheme and it really shows what the car looked like before retirement!

Hmmm, an NJT PCC. That's one more thing to look forward to this sumer.

More than just that, it was a Twin Cities car of course before it went to Newark.

Looks a little rough (paint and dirt) but I'm told by some folks more knowledgeable than me that it's it quite good shape structurally. I guess having an underground shop/carbarn in Newark helped all these years.

Greeting Seashore fans,

I have a favor for those that regularly use Yelp... It was pointed out to be last year that we only have one review on the ratings website and it's not a good one (we only have 1/5 stars). A few people have tried adding newer, more positive experiences, but the website's filter hides in-active users comments.

If you can, write about your experience of the Museum as a visitor. Don't just leave a comment that says "It's a great place to go because they have trolley cars." Make it a meaningful comment please.

Again, this is geared towards Yelp users since those comments won't disappear in a few days.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/seashore-trolle ... nebunkport

Thanks

Matt

NEERHS Webmaster

I just finished giving the museum the rating that it deserves! The one before really didnt make any sense to me.

Thanks for the review Chris, but make sure you frequently use Yelp. If that's going to be your only post, in a week or two it'll disappear as an inactive post. There's at least two other reviews that have gone into hiding that I know of.

As for the previous review, the woman had an experience that she felt was not a good one. We have that from time to time and it happened under my watch at Ghost Trolley. There were two or three families we refunded money to because they were thoroughly insulted with the admission price and the quality of the product they received. Luckily those that were refunded were taken aside and we learned from their comments. They left the Museum on a positive note because we were available to listen and respond to a situation like that right then and there. From situations like this, we turned the event around to something we're now proud of.

However much we enjoy running the cars, maintaining them, and restoring them, we must NEVER forget that customer service is a big part of our business. One bad experience travels far, but the positive ones are not often shared.

Matt

Is there any chance the NJT PCC will be running on Founders Day?

I got some pictures of the new PCC today during requalification:

http://carter.gamerspage.net/Seashore/large-453.html
http://carter.gamerspage.net/Seashore/large-454.html

Also, I have bad news for any current or would-be junior operators: at the advice of the museum's legal council, the Board of Trustees has, for all intents and purposes, killed off the junior operator program. My interpretation of the memo handed out on the new policy is that members younger than 18 can't even man the museum's table at train shows, [sarcasm] much less engage in such dangerous work as punching tickets or making calls over the radio. [/sarcasm]

NJT #5's paint could use a touch up.

May I ask how the Board killed the Junior Operator program when in the policy posted on the website states:

No person under the age of eighteen (18) shall be permitted to operate equipment or machinery on the premises, except under the terms of the Junior Operators Program.

http://www.trolleymuseum.org/museum/policies.php

Now Maine state law may restrict what age really is the minimum age, once our legal council goes through the exact wording of what those under 17 can't do in a business environment. Because of the uncertainty, this may be why it was the Operations Dept's decision to not have the program this year.

Matt

MBTA3247 wrote:I got some pictures of the new PCC today during requalification:

http://carter.gamerspage.net/Seashore/large-453.html
http://carter.gamerspage.net/Seashore/large-454.html

Also, I have bad news for any current or would-be junior operators: at the advice of the museum's legal council, the Board of Trustees has, for all intents and purposes, killed off the junior operator program. My interpretation of the memo handed out on the new policy is that members younger than 18 can't even man the museum's table at train shows, [sarcasm] much less engage in such dangerous work as punching tickets or making calls over the radio. [/sarcasm]

Nice to see the pictures, but as for the second comment I looked at the policy and it does seem a little odd and restrictive compared to volunteer opportunities at other museums and the like. I can see not allowing kids to operate streetcars, but some of the other stuff (nobody under 14 can even help out at the info table and nobody under 18 can lift a finger without a parental unit present) do seem to go a bit more in paranoia territory than other museums.

MBTA3247 wrote:Also, I have bad news for any current or would-be junior operators: at the advice of the museum's legal council, the Board of Trustees has, for all intents and purposes, killed off the junior operator program.

A major stumbling block is insurance; the rates could go sky high if the insurance company thinks the museum was overly liberal with younger members. If someone else got hurt then he might sue the museum for letting "children" operate the cars. Or if the junior operator got hurt his parents might sue the museum for not protecting their child.

Don't know what the minimum age for a drivers license is in Maine but that might eventually figure into a Junior Operator policy.

In an earlier lifetime I had a summer job (at Jordan Marsh) and the supervisor wouldn't let me use a paper cutter (square board with lift up blade at the side) since I was under 18. But he did let me use some 8-1/2 x 11" printing presses similar to an old fashioned credit card imprinter that used a manual roller to make the copy.

Saturday's night photo session went quite well. My photos are now online, and can be viewed here (all but the first 6 photos on that page are from Saturday). Enjoy! :D

Nice photos! Thanks to everyone that came up and braved the combo of mosquitoes and cold temperatures (for June at least) for the photo session. On the run to Talbot Park, I was crewing 639 and we actually turned the heat on!

5821 actually did make it back to Highwood for the Boston lineup - it's just that it had to be pulled back down to near the Visitors Center before the night was out, and we ran out of time to complete all the photo locations.

After finishing the setup, I snapped a couple quick photos with my Blackberry before heading back to the Visitors Center.

Highwood "Boston" display

Highwood again

ConnCo 1160 and Wheeling 639 as dusk falls

Fortunately, there were much, much better photographers (like Mr. 3247) there to take the real pictures.

This past weekend Seashore hosted a group from APTA (American Public Transit Association). Featured for them was Washington, DC PCC car 1304, making it's first passenger carrying trip for our guests. Despite the gloomy and rainy weather, the car looked good.

https://picasaweb.google.com/octr202/ST ... 2070215490