Tag Archives: trolley

Trolley Rescue At The Spaghetti Warehouse

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When the roof of the Spaghetti Warehouse in Columbus, Ohio partially collapsed back in March 2022, many of us gasped in dismay. Sure, it’s a chain restaurant but it felt special and the historic building that had given it shelter for so long was packed with unique antiques and decor including an old trolley car.

That’s right, there was a trolley car in the middle of the restaurant and it was used to hold tables for dining. Not to mention, this place was a destination for tourists and for locals who celebrated special occasions as well as regular old dinners in this late nineteenth century building.

I was there just a few weeks before the collapse and was shocked at the idea that this building that looked and felt so solid could just begin falling in on itself. 

News reports over time first gave hope that repairs could be made but became increasingly dark as it was clear the great old building we all knew and loved wasn’t long for the world. Many were especially concerned about the artifacts displayed inside including that historic trolley car. 

But we finally got a bit of good news this week as we learned the trolley had been safely removed. In fact according to local news reports in Columbus, the demo crew is treading carefully as they unearth a number of historic treasures including an 1890s era steam wheel from when the building was used as an ice house.

Photo courtesy NBC 4, Columbus

The trolley will be restored before being given a new home in a park on Livingston Avenue. That park is being built by the Rickenbacker Woods Foundation whose mission is to honor the accomplishments of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and of Granville T. Woods. Mr. Woods was a Columbus native and an African American inventor who held over sixty patents. He was the inventor of the third rail which today still powers subways and streetcars around the world. 

The new park will be part of the foundation’s campus which also includes the boyhood home of Captain Rickenbacker. 

Honestly, the salvaging of that trolley is a true bright spot in all of this. A week ago the future was grim for the old gal. No one had yet stepped up with the right combination of means and desire to fund the expensive project to remove it from a condemned building and give it a new home. 

Let us celebrate and say amen. 

Meanwhile back at the old Spaghetti Warehouse, the owner plans to develop the property into apartment buildings. 

Notice I referred to it as the old Spaghetti Warehouse? Well, they did open a new location in downtown Columbus. So, you can still get some of the old menu items but the menu is scaled back. I missed the manicotti.

It’s a nice restaurant with modern ambiance but it doesn’t hold a candle to the old location. So, if you’ve been there before and expect an experience similar to which you were accustomed, it will be a disappointment. If you’re just in the mood for some decent ravioli in downtown, they’ve got you covered.

Luckily, the Dayton location still gives us the classic vibe and you can eat in a trolley car there!

Can we also pause a moment to appreciate the fact that someone in this disposable society of ours saw fit to rescue a piece of local history? It’s encouraging knowing that it didn’t go down with the ship but will instead be preserved for generations to come.

Clang, Clang, Clang Goes The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

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I like things that go, things that move people, things that help us travel through our daily lives and can potentially take us to places far away. Planes, trains and automobiles are favorites as well as hot air balloons, ships, bicycles, stagecoaches – you get the picture.

But vehicles that take you distances that cannot be measured are my very favorite. In other words, old planes and cars can double as time machines if you allow your imagination to run wild. 

Last month, my imagination got a workout at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum where I got to see, touch and board a large assortment of trolley cars that very easily could have met a scrapyard doom rather than a museum spotlight. 

This museum features a visitors’ center with exhibits, restrooms and classroom space as well as a preserved train depot and a large building packed with trolley cars. Visitors are invited to climb aboard, sit, dream, and to touch. Well, you’re encouraged to touch a lot of things but they prefer you keep your hands to yourself in the operator’s area! Most are restored. There was one in particular that hasn’t been restored that shows just how damaging time and deterioration can be. 

They have a small army of volunteers who keep the place running as docents, trolley drivers, restorers and more. One such gentleman was Mike, a retired teacher and former trolley operator with a flair for storytelling that made us want to pull up a chair for a long chat.

There are trolley cars with local connections and some from much further away including a streetcar named Desire. Remember the old Marlon Brando flick? Yup. This streetcar operated on New Orleans’ Desire line which was made famous by the Tennessee Williams play turned film “A Streetcar Named Desire.” 

If you’re a fan of Mr. Rogers, you can sit on the same steps of a Philadelphia streetcar where he sat when filming an episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood in the mid eighties. 

You’ll notice vintage advertising for things like cigarettes, rodeos, electric mixers and secretarial schools geared toward women. You’ll notice different decor like stained glass in some older cars and less comfortable seats in newer ones.

They tell the story of how the trolley system became obsolete thanks to the city bus, the automobile and other cultural influences. I didn’t realize that when Judy Garland sang “clang, clang, clang went the trolley” in the 1944 film “Meet Me in St. Louis” that the streetcar was already an endangered species. 

They tell the story of this mode of transit in its heyday too. Plus, you can ring a real trolley bell using a foot pedal like the trolley operators did back in the day. You’ll learn about the difference between a streetcar and a trolley and there’s great signage that tells stories about each car. 

They offer a long trolley ride and a short ride periodically throughout the day and the depot is well worth a visit too. All of this is included in the price of admission. 

My friend, whose sons are grown men now, talked about how fun it was bringing her boys when they were small because this was a museum where they could touch and not hurt things. Their curiosity was encouraged and she could breathe easy while they explored. That’s a real gift to parents of curious children. 

I’ll share some pictures on the Make the Journey Fun Facebook page and I imagine I’ll revisit some other stories from this museum in the future. Incidentally, this is where we saw the amazing Legotown and a stupendous model train exhibit that were available for viewing through the holidays.

Visit their website to learn more and to plan your trip!