Hundreds Already Helping, Hundreds Needed

Trolley now being called "Old 300" is looking for funds, friends

This is a good example of a real community effort: One citizen found out about the trolley, another wrote to its owners with a plan, still another stepped up to chair a committee and hundreds of others have stepped forward to serve on committees, or just stopped by the renovation site to lend an unscheduled helping hand. "There are work parties, primarily on Saturday mornings at 10am, but literally people just drive out there and show up," said Trolley Renovation chair Jim Wilkins of Astoria. He is referring to the renovation efforts of what is now being called "Old 300," the trolley brought to Astoria just after the first of the year.

The owner of the trolley, The San Antonio Museum, has agreed to lease the trolley to the City of Astoria for five years at a rate of $1 per year. The lease has a 5-year renewal option on top of that. The plan is to restore the trolley, enlist volunteers to run it, and have it become an integral part of downtown Astoria. The trolley is proposed to run from Tongue Point to Smith Point at both ends of the city of Astoria, with numerous stops in between. It is hoped the trolley will help eliminate downtown traffic congestion during the tourist season and throughout the year by transporting tourists and others from their hotels to downtown, downtown workers to lunch, Tongue Point Job Corps students to activities in the town, etc.

Renovation efforts so far have included an initial budget of $15,000 from the City of Astoria, City Counselors and Port of Astoria Commissioners agreeing to right of way through their properties, the arts commission coming up with a color scheme, and volunteers from all walks of life stepping up to pitch in with their expertise. The Trolley Task Force volunteer roster, with many persons volunteering not only on numerous committees but also some sweat equity of their own, includes the following in alphabetical order: Martin Adams, Steve Allen, Verne Arnold, Ken Beasley, Bruce Conner, Bill Cook, Pierce Christie, Kenny Demps, Rod Gramson, Jeff Harrison, Skip Hauke, Cindy Howe, Bob Jacob, Al Jaques, Suzi Leland, Roger McKay, Bob Melbo, Jan Mitchell, Mitch Mitchum, John Nieman, Steve Nurding, Jerry Ostermiller, Ed Overbay, Tim Pierie, Roger Rocka, Jim Santee, Susan Schroeder, Julie Smith, John Snyder, Mike Stark, Jim Stoffer, Glen Taggart, Brad Thomas, Willis Van Dusen, Hal Snow, and Jim Wilkins, plus many unnamed individuals who have contributed. The committees to which these individuals have committed their time include: trolley restoration, trolley mechanical, fundraising and PR, right of way and trolley barn, grant writing, trolley electrical, trolley station design, trolley budget, media contact, trolley roof, operations and long range visioning.

While the scope of this project is certainly not of the magnitude of the upcoming Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, it does demonstrate the premise that small steps taken by many make the task a lot easier.

The goal of the task force is to have the trolley up and running by June 7, 1999 to shuttle Rose Festival participants from the Port of Astoria to downtown. Two large obstacles stand in the way. First, the sums of money already pledged by the City of Astoria will fund the restoration of the trolley, but not its operation, and second, the trolley will not run without trained volunteer drivers.

An effort to drum up both dollars and drivers will spearhead in the upcoming "Old-fashioned Comm-unity Dinner" to be hosted by the group on Sunday, April 11. The event will be held at the MERTS compound at Tongue Point. They already have $5,000 worth of food donated and the day includes a free pasta dinner, a wildlife safari with visiting animals, a petting zoo, live music, tours of the trolley and a display board with restoration progress.

Dollars are needed for maintenance of the trolley, and purchase of a generator to power it. The 600 volt Cummins generator costing $30,000, will run along behind the trolley on a trailer of its own. The trailer is being fabricated out of steel by students at MERTS and the generator is reported to be so quiet when running that you may stand next to it and hold a conversation.

Once the trolley is operational, a bevy of volunteer drivers will need to be trained and licensed. The hope is to enlist many volunteers who will enjoy the task. "I think it would be a gas," said Wilkins. "It is simple to run - one lever for go and one lever for stop - and it currently has a governor so that it won't run any faster than 18 miles per hour.

Plans for the trolley are being modeled after a similar project from Nelson, British Columbia. The B.C. project netted $7,800 over expenses last year. Ridership revenues are needed for fuel, maintenance and operational expenses. Ridership fees have yet to be set for Astoria, but plans include daytime or ridership passes to make easy access....All Aboard! LCB

The Riverfront Trolley Task Force

Chair: Jim Wilkins

Astoria City Contact: Rosemary Johnson

Telephone: 503/325-5821, ext. 18

Address: Astoria City Hall

1095 Duane, Astoria, Oregon 97103

Hours: 9a - 5p, M - F

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