It's amazing how they got away with abandoning a line like this at a relatively late date, while other cities were building light rail lines. What gross stupidity. The trolleys and road bed looked in great shape. GM won out again.
I was only 10years old when this was filmed however I can remember going into that McDonald's on torresdale ave (torn down years ago) I also remember the yellw trash trucks and the old sepa buses that were shown... They had their exhaust pipes at ground level and smoked you out every time lol. Face full of smoke or car full of smoke if stuck behind one. Thx for posting this, it brought back memories
I seen that the 23 and 56 tracks have been chopped up in certain areas. I noticed majority of the tracks for the 56 are just about removed. I like the subway surface routes, but the at least adding back the 23 just gives you that trolley feeling. We would have two routes that operate outside the tunnel. The 15 runs buses a lot of times. SEPTA needs to put the 23 back in service and let kawasaki build the trolleys. because that company did an amazing job with our current 30 plus years old cars.
Great Video, and nice shot of 2168, now preserved at The Baltimore Streetcar Museum. Some of those PCCs are now out in San Francisco, working the F Line.
LOVED it. These things should be running on all major avenue's, connecting to Center City, the airport, and the major transit hubs & subways... Dependable, reliable.. and spurring economic growth along their secured routes (unlike buses). Philadelphia is sitting on a gold mine and doesn't even know it..
Wow! First time I ever saw a PCC car go in reverse! Great video! Brings back memories. If anyone has any footage of the old Route 6 trolley (Cheltenham and Ogontz to Broad and Olney); please post. Thanks!
In 1992 the 15, 23, and 56 were cancelled for budgetary reasons. The city "forced" SEPTA to resume the 15 by threatening to withhold their share of operating subsidy. There are no plans to return streetcars to the 23 or 56. Consequently, the 56 has been paved over and had its wires removed except between Broad Street and Kensington Avenues.
Extra bonus of the "Almond Joy" Budd cars on the MFSE in the background at the end. Great video! When I last visited Philly it was in 1999. I was speaking with a MFSE motorman at 69th and told him the last time I rode a Philadelphia trolley on Market St was 1996 in San Francisco :-).
@stevefromPA2 That's true. SEPTA also said somewhere along the line that service might be restores to some the long-abandoned trolley routes. The Route 15 trolley line's been the only one put back into action so far. the 23 was set to return its trolleys back in 2002 but it's still mostly a bus route..
Interesting that SEPTA has no plans to restore trolleys on the 23 or 56 lines yet in some places the tracks are still unpaved but wires are down and other places tracks are paved but wires are still up. Down in my hometown of Baltimore, when a line was converted to buses the city couldn't wait to eradicate any evidence the trolley line ever existed - tracks paved in streets or pulled up on private ROWs, wires and poles down, all in a matter of a few months. I used to think it was all NCL that was the bad guy, however I recently read something about them wanting to keep running the last two trolley lines -#8 and #15 - but it was the Baltimore City Transit and Traffic people (Barnes) who wanted them gone, mainly to have a free reign on changing traffic flow directions on certain streets without the pesky streetcar tracks being in the way of their plans. For a city that had such a rich electric trolley history, in the end they couldn't scrap it all fast enough, only to turn around and spend millions some 30 years later to put back one light rail line! At least Philly did keep some of their lines.
It's to be hoped they do. Although recently they broke down line 23 into 2 to increase proficiency and timeliness (where the new line isn't pulling as many people as they hoped (it's mainly downtown area line) and the reminder that stayed under 23 is still often running late from what I heard. Again I have no proof for that except from what I heard from people that would use it on a more regular basis) In the end I do hope they bring trolleys back to those lines.
MetroGaming75 I soooooooo hope they will do so. If I had my choice it would be 2023. And I don't want to sound like a downer or anything but I keep seeing it in the talks and budged for years now and the only thing that changes is the date of restoration is pushed back ever further. Nonetheless I seriously hope you are right and they do bring them back.
THERE WILL NEVER BE A 56 TROLLEY LINE AGAIN .... THEY (SEPTA) PAVED OVER THE TROLLEY TRACKS FROM TORRESDALE AND FRANKFORD AVE TO TORRESDASLE AND COTTMAN AVE .... R.I.P. 56 TROLLEY
Greater Video And Septa Did Have Planning For Germantown And Erie Torrdales Avenue Also Restoration Back Up Because Subway Surface Kawasaki Trolleys Of Chestnut Hill Transportation Center An South Philadelphia Sports Areas Near Navy Yard Come Future Notices
It is amazing how the 56 had new islands built and Septa just abandoned the route and replaced it with those small toy buses. When they purchased trolleys for the suwbay surface cars , they should have brought some for the 23 ans 56 as well. They also could have kept more of the pcc's and let kawaski rebuild them and runs those on the 56, 15, and 23. The current trolleys that run on the 15 have poor service, and are always replaced by buses. Who rebulit those pcc.
I was gettin ready to ask, wasnt this the last year...they claim that Pcc2s will be running back on the line..but its septa..who knows..and when they purchased only 115 kawasaki cars in 1981, that was begining of the end of surface trolley service..Officially the death of the Pcc..
I've rode those trolleys with my Nana back in the 90s and the GMC RTS sloping back city coaches and neoplan AN440 buses with the Detroit Diesel engines with the Allison Transmissions they are better than these new septa low floor buses back then septa had good stuff
![Harlem, New York 1930s in color, [60fps, Remastered] w/sound design added](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zyD3HbpvTNs/mqdefault.jpg)
It's amazing how they got away with abandoning a line like this at a relatively late date, while other cities were building light rail lines. What gross stupidity. The trolleys and road bed looked in great shape. GM won out again.
I was only 10years old when this was filmed however I can remember going into that McDonald's on torresdale ave (torn down years ago) I also remember the yellw trash trucks and the old sepa buses that were shown... They had their exhaust pipes at ground level and smoked you out every time lol. Face full of smoke or car full of smoke if stuck behind one. Thx for posting this, it brought back memories
A good film of those lovely PCC's. I have driven these myself and loved to do it.
I seen that the 23 and 56 tracks have been chopped up in certain areas. I noticed majority of the tracks for the 56 are just about removed. I like the subway surface routes, but the at least adding back the 23 just gives you that trolley feeling. We would have two routes that operate outside the tunnel. The 15 runs buses a lot of times. SEPTA needs to put the 23 back in service and let kawasaki build the trolleys. because that company did an amazing job with our current 30 plus years old cars.
Not happening, 23 trolley is absolutely terminated
Great Video, and nice shot of 2168, now preserved at The Baltimore Streetcar Museum. Some of those PCCs are now out in San Francisco, working the F Line.
LOVED it. These things should be running on all major avenue's, connecting to Center City, the airport, and the major transit hubs & subways... Dependable, reliable.. and spurring economic growth along their secured routes (unlike buses). Philadelphia is sitting on a gold mine and doesn't even know it..
I hope you realize this is absolute GOLD.
Very enjoyable and comprehensive video of the line. Thank you.
Wow! First time I ever saw a PCC car go in reverse! Great video! Brings back memories. If anyone has any footage of the old Route 6 trolley (Cheltenham and Ogontz to Broad and Olney); please post. Thanks!
Dash has the 6
DASH the full rides OK?,
SMILES AND HUGGGGS FROM YE OLDE WOMYN OF MILL ENDS PARK PORTLAND OREGON
Damn this takes me back. My dad used to run these trolleys out of luzurne depot.
In 1992 the 15, 23, and 56 were cancelled for budgetary reasons. The city "forced" SEPTA to resume the 15 by threatening to withhold their share of operating subsidy. There are no plans to return streetcars to the 23 or 56. Consequently, the 56 has been paved over and had its wires removed except between Broad Street and Kensington Avenues.
spring of 1992. I was working at the IRS as a seasonal employee
Extra bonus of the "Almond Joy" Budd cars on the MFSE in the background at the end. Great video! When I last visited Philly it was in 1999. I was speaking with a MFSE motorman at 69th and told him the last time I rode a Philadelphia trolley on Market St was 1996 in San Francisco :-).
I hated when septa cancelled all the north philly trolley routes
Great shots of the first of the Neoplan buses hitting the street...1985?
No. I believe this video was shot back in 1992. Look at the title of the video.
I miss those days. But it's gone now.
You think that's bad, routes 29 and 79 track-less trolleys are discontinued
@stevefromPA2 That's true. SEPTA also said somewhere along the line that service might be restores to some the long-abandoned trolley routes. The Route 15 trolley line's been the only one put back into action so far. the 23 was set to return its trolleys back in 2002 but it's still mostly a bus route..
Can't believe that was Erie and torresdale line
I rode and shot many a photo of this line it was my favorite
This is so dope right here, like time traveling, "Gold", the 56 torresdale ave, N. E
NICE RIDE 😃Thankyou !!
1979-82 motored them those where the good old days
Nice video. I rode the torresdale line all the time ;)
Interesting that SEPTA has no plans to restore trolleys on the 23 or 56 lines yet in some places the tracks are still unpaved but wires are down and other places tracks are paved but wires are still up. Down in my hometown of Baltimore, when a line was converted to buses the city couldn't wait to eradicate any evidence the trolley line ever existed - tracks paved in streets or pulled up on private ROWs, wires and poles down, all in a matter of a few months. I used to think it was all NCL that was the bad guy, however I recently read something about them wanting to keep running the last two trolley lines -#8 and #15 - but it was the Baltimore City Transit and Traffic people (Barnes) who wanted them gone, mainly to have a free reign on changing traffic flow directions on certain streets without the pesky streetcar tracks being in the way of their plans. For a city that had such a rich electric trolley history, in the end they couldn't scrap it all fast enough, only to turn around and spend millions some 30 years later to put back one light rail line! At least Philly did keep some of their lines.
It's to be hoped they do. Although recently they broke down line 23 into 2 to increase proficiency and timeliness (where the new line isn't pulling as many people as they hoped (it's mainly downtown area line) and the reminder that stayed under 23 is still often running late from what I heard. Again I have no proof for that except from what I heard from people that would use it on a more regular basis) In the end I do hope they bring trolleys back to those lines.
@@Kschychooo they are bringing back both 23 and 56 trolleys and it will be running in 2023 or 2025
MetroGaming75 I soooooooo hope they will do so. If I had my choice it would be 2023. And I don't want to sound like a downer or anything but I keep seeing it in the talks and budged for years now and the only thing that changes is the date of restoration is pushed back ever further. Nonetheless I seriously hope you are right and they do bring them back.
@@MetroGaming75 no they're not
@@dysontyronetd atp maybe they won't return its 2023 and none aren't back
Mr. Mueller, was this on video or film? Either way it's great.
Assuming this is the same 56 route, as today?
Potężny wagon.
Thanks Carl.
Wow that's the year I graduated high school
WOW love this :-D
THERE WILL NEVER BE A 56 TROLLEY LINE AGAIN .... THEY (SEPTA) PAVED OVER THE TROLLEY TRACKS FROM TORRESDALE AND FRANKFORD AVE TO TORRESDASLE AND COTTMAN AVE .... R.I.P. 56 TROLLEY
I know your pain that 56 trolley is gone, I felt the same way with routes 29 and 79 track-less trolleys when they discontinued it
Great Video
Why did SEPTA cancel the 56 and 23 trolley routes?
Greater Video And Septa Did Have Planning For Germantown And Erie Torrdales Avenue Also Restoration Back Up Because Subway Surface Kawasaki Trolleys Of Chestnut Hill Transportation Center An South Philadelphia Sports Areas Near Navy Yard Come Future Notices
It is amazing how the 56 had new islands built and Septa just abandoned the route and replaced it with those small toy buses. When they purchased trolleys for the suwbay surface cars , they should have brought some for the 23 ans 56 as well. They also could have kept more of the pcc's and let kawaski rebuild them and runs those on the 56, 15, and 23. The current trolleys that run on the 15 have poor service, and are always replaced by buses. Who rebulit those pcc.
I was gettin ready to ask, wasnt this the last year...they claim that Pcc2s will be running back on the line..but its septa..who knows..and when they purchased only 115 kawasaki cars in 1981, that was begining of the end of surface trolley service..Officially the death of the Pcc..
I've rode those trolleys with my Nana back in the 90s and the GMC RTS sloping back city coaches and neoplan AN440 buses with the Detroit Diesel engines with the Allison Transmissions they are better than these new septa low floor buses back then septa had good stuff
Video