Bob Johnston, Jamestown Street Railway Trolley Car No. 93 restoration project founder, told The Post-Journal there is a possibility the restored trolley car could be permanently located at the Fenton History Center. He has discussed the idea with city officials including Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist and Noah Goodling, Fenton History Center executive director, and CPL (Clark Patterson Lee), with the architecture, engineering and planning firm working on a possible design for a structure to house the trolley.

“Right now, that seems to be our best bet,” Johnston said.

Johnston said the trolley is still housed at Ideal Coatings in Falconer, where it was moved to in 2016 from the Jamestown Gateway Train Station. He said it’s very nice for Lou and Rodney Anderson of Ideal Coatings to house the trolley, but a permanent home needs to be found.

“They’re happy. They’re not telling us to leave and that’s good,” Johnston said. “We need to find a place to put it. We can’t stay there forever. We need to find a place more appropriate. A place where someone can keep an eye on it would be good.”

Jim Mitchener, Jamestown Street Railway Trolley Car No. 93 restoration project skilled carpenter, working on restoring the trolley car. Submitted photo

Johnston said to build a facility to house the trolley at the Fenton would take grant funding or donations to the non-endowment fund that has been established at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. Donations can be made through the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation either online by visiting crcfonline.org or directly by specifically mentioning the trolley project on a check that can be mailed to the foundation at 418 Spring St., Jamestown, NY 14701.

“We’re going to need to do some grant writing or fundraising,” Johnston said. “We want to be able to set something up to protect it for the future.”

The restoration of the trolley car has been a project that has been ongoing for more than 25 years. However, restoration work really started to move forward on the trolley car in 2014 when Jim Mitchener, Jamestown Street Railway Trolley Car No. 93 restoration project skilled carpenter, came aboard the project.

Johnston said the restoration of the trolley is almost completed. He said recently, with assistance from Williams Fabricating, the step on the side of the trolley was installed. He added that the only thing left to add are the trucks, which are the railroad wheels, onto the car.

“There is not a heck of a lot of other things that need done other than the trucks,” he said.

Johnston said the restoration of the trolley wouldn’t of happened without the work of Mitchener.

“He offered his services as a carpenter, tinkerer, a care restorer and a boat restorer. He is definitely a craftsman,” Johnston said. “‘The two of us have worked very well together.”

The trolley car restoration project first began in 1996 when Johnston was discussing his love of local history with a friend, Sam Lucariello. Lucariello mentioned his parents, Mauro and Harriet Lucariello, had an old Jamestown trolley car they used as a hunting camp near Dewittville. The family donated it to Johnston and the trolley car was moved back to Jamestown.

Many local businesses have provided materials and services toward the restoration, and many individuals from around the city, county and country have made contributions to both the endowment and non-endowment funds at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

The Jamestown Street Railway Trolley Car No. 93, sometimes referred to as the “Swede Hill” trolley, was purchased by the street railway in 1926 and was in operation on the Willard Street Route until the end of service for the line in 1938.