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See Inside the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard Near Johnstown, Pennsylvania

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Located a few miles south of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is one of the oddest destinations in the state: the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard. Officially known as the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company, this site is home to approximately 40 vintage trolleys waiting patiently for restoration or to be used as parts in the restoration of other vintage streetcars.

Visiting the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard near Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Two rows of trolleys at the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard.

Unfortunately, at the moment, these streetcars are rotting away in the woods. Hence, why they are known as the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard. It’s worth noting, however, that they aren’t abandoned and the site will hopefully not be their final resting place.

Inside an abandoned trolley at the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company in PA
Inside an old trolley from Philadelphia.

The street cars came to this corner of Pennsylvania thanks to Ed Metka. Metka worked for the Army Corps of Engineers and lived in Maryland when he acquired his first streetcar in 1986. When his unusual hobby began, he stored his collection on a track that he rented from the Maryland Midland Railroad in Union Bridge, Maryland.

Vintage Electric Streetcar Company near Johnstown, PA
Trolleys await restoration.

Soon, however, Metka’s collection of streetcars was outgrowing his space in Maryland, and he moved them to the former Berwind Coal Company Railroad Shop in 1992. The mile of track on the site has allowed his collection to grow, and there’s even room for more streetcars should they become available.

Exploring the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard in the Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands
There is still plenty of track should Metka decide to acquire more trolleys

Metka’s reason for collecting them is simple: he wants to preserve them. As they become available from cities around the country, many are being lost to those looking to scrap them. By taking them to his storage facility, the streetcars have the chance of a future life.

Where in Pennsylvania is the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard?
Metka assures me that even the most rusted trolleys could be restored by the right owner.

While many of the streetcars look beyond repair, Metka assures me that each could be refurbished or provide parts for other streetcar restorations. Most of the cars on the site were manufactured in the 1940s and come from destinations such as Philadelphia, Boston, Minneapolis, and Chicago.

The grounds of the site consist of an open front area where tours start, a large building which houses some of the nicer streetcars, and a set of three tracks in the woods behind the building.

Boston Streetcar at the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company in Pennsylvania
One of the nicest trolleys at the site still bears its final destination: Boston College.

In front of the large building on the property, several streetcars lie on their side, and one even lies on its roof. These cars have had their wheels removed and have been used to restore streetcars currently running as far away as Aruba and the Middle East.

Touring the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard in Somerset County, Pennsylvania
A streetcar lies on its side having donated parts so other vintage trolleys could be restored.

Some of the cars that were once part of the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company’s collection are now running a heritage trolley route in Kenosha, Wisconsin. These cars, which once ran in Toronto, Canada, showcase Metka’s hope for the remainder of the cars in his collection.

Abandoned trolley near Johnstown, Pennsylvania
A trolley rusts away in the woods south of Johnstown.

Another example is a vintage Johnstown streetcar from the 1920s. Housed safely inside the on-site building, this car is in rough shape, but there are plans to one day run the trolley again on the streets of Johnstown. I found this streetcar especially neat, as I had ridden the exact same model streetcar at the Rockhill Trolley Museum in nearby Huntingdon County.

Johnstown streetcar at the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company
If everything goes according to plan, this vintage streetcar will once again ply the streets of Johnstown.

Unfortunately, while some of the streetcars are protected inside the building, the majority are rotting away in the woods. Some, like a series of trolleys that were once used in Philadelphia, remain in relatively good condition, minus the many broken windows. In fact, it’s by walking through these connected cars that you can access the backend of the site and see the roughly two dozen street cars at the rear of the property.

Touring the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard
Streetcars from Philly now serve as a passageway back to the furthest reaches of the property.

Comparing photos of these trolleys to those from a few years ago shows how much damage has been done to them in recent years. Given the history of these trolleys and the hope to restore them, it’s a shame that this damage has been done and hastened the damage done by nature.

Nevertheless, walking amongst these trolleys is a very cool experience, that I feel very privileged to have been invited to see.

Visiting the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard in Pennsylvania
Over the years, the trolleys have been damaged by vandals.

Access to the site is by appointment only. Tours were once handled by an outside company, but in 2017 will be primarily handled locally. Tours will cost $30 in 2017 and will be offered a few times during the year, with the first in the spring. Tours last from 10am to 3pm and began with a brief history and safety talk before visitors are allowed to explore the site.

Inside the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard
All aboard!

Because access is by appointment only, and because I don’t want to contribute in any way to the continued deterioration of the site, I won’t be saying the exact location of this site, other than noting that it is south of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. So, please don’t ask me below, “Where is the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard located?”.

Touring the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard in PA
The Abandoned Trolley Graveyard is an amazing place to take photographs.

If you think of trying to sneak into the site, please don’t. This is an amazing area that should be respected, and the price of tours is quite reasonable. There is an on-site guardian that looks over the property, and I’ve been told that they don’t take kindly to trespassers on the site due to the amount of damage that has occurred recently.

Trolley Bus at the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company in Windber, Pennsylvania
The site is also home to a vintage trolley bus.

If you do visit on a tour, I can’t emphasize enough the caution that you need to take. This area is filled with sharp rusty metal and many of the floors might not be sturdy enough to support weight. This is not a site to take casually. I can also imagine that this would be a prime area for snakes, ticks, and poison ivy during the warmer months of the year.

Where is the abandoned trolley graveyard in Pennsylvania
Ready to climb aboard a rusting streetcar?

I’ve been to many amazing places in Pennsylvania and had the opportunity to tour some fantastic abandoned sites around the state, and I can honestly say that the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company is one of the coolest places that I’ve come across.

If you have the opportunity to tour the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard near Johnstown, I would strongly encourage you to do so.

Abandoned Trolleys at the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company
Parts of the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company have three tracks filled with trolleys.

How to Visit the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard

 


Tours of the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard can be set up through Ed Metka of the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company. At this time, there is no website for scheduling tours, but he can be reached at [email protected]. (Note: As of August 2017, I’ve heard multiple reports that people are not getting responses from this email address. Unfortunately, I do not have any additional contact information for the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company.)

At the time of booking, they will be able to tell you where the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard is located.

Inside the streetcars at the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania
Peeking inside one of the streetcars.

Please note: I was given permission to access the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard by the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company. Please respect the site and do not visit without permission from the owner. Any comments indicating where the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard is in Pennsylvania will be deleted from this post.

Enjoy abandoned destinations such as the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard? Check out UncoveringPA’s coverage of similar sites such as Pennsylvania’s Abandoned Turnpike, the J.W. Cooper Center, and Cambria Iron Works.

You can also ride a trolley at one of the three trolley museums in Pennsylvania. For more information check out the Rockhill Trolley Museum, the Electric City Trolley Museum, and the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.

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18 thoughts on “See Inside the Abandoned Trolley Graveyard Near Johnstown, Pennsylvania”

  1. I’m so glad you posted an email address! I had been searching for one as I would never consider entering someone’s property without permission. I can’t wait! THANK YOU!

    Reply
  2. Thankbyou so much for sharing this with us. I am in the process of contacting Mr. Metka in anticipation of making an appointment to visit the site. Great article.

    Reply
  3. So glad to see that I someone is saving these beauties. I remember taking the streetcar from Ferndale to downtown Johnstown to shop or go to the library. It was such a part of our lives back in the 1940’s and 50’s. Women would wear hats and white gloves when they went to town. Is there a fund for the restoration? I would like a donation. Does the money for the tours go into upkeep of the area?

    Reply
  4. I have photographed rusted out blast furnaces at Carrie Furnace, Braddock, Pa. I would love to do the same for these trollers. I road street cars in Pittsburgh as early as 1st grade back when I took a streetcar to school in 1956.

    Reply
  5. As a child growing up in Johnstown I rode the trolley from Ferndale to center city with my Grandparents many times. Later the traction company switched to electric busses and all the old trolley tracks were eventually pulled up and paved over.
    PS: I also rode on the Incline Plane many times by myself a bit later. From my home I could almost coast the entire way to center city to the YMCA on my bicycle. Going home, up the Incline Plane then almost coast home from that high point.
    OH the memories.

    Reply

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