Seashore Trolley Museum’s Restoration Shop is searching for year-round volunteers. We curate the world’s largest streetcar (trolley) collection, and due to the helping hands of many volunteers over several decades, streetcars have entered the shop as rusting hulks and emerged as pristine, authentically restored, electric railway operating vehicles. The shop is also the place where the museum’s trolley fleet is maintained during our operating season. Our trolleys operate on the museum’s heritage railroad for the general public from May through December.
We currently are undergoing 11 projects to restore or repair 11 streetcars in our collection and need your help!
Volunteer Jim Mackell works on a wood post for Nagasaki tram 134.
We are looking for Restoration Volunteers with the following skills:
- Machining
- Carpentry (rough and finish)
- Electrical; wiring simple circuits
- Welding
- Installing glass and other glazing materials
- Upholstery repair and finishing
- Component overhaul and assembly
- Oxy-acetylene cutting
- Disassembly and reassembly of trucks, motors and other heavy items.
- Cataloging/organizational for parts and documents (preferably with some technical understanding)
- Gas/diesel engine, hydraulic equipment experience (with supervision)
We are also looking for Generalists; sandblasters/painters, light repair work, etc.
The Restoration Shop is open from 6:30AM-5PM Monday-Friday. Volunteers are supported, trained by, and work alongside our professional restoration staff team. Volunteers can set their own schedule during this block of time. The best fit for us are volunteers who can help regularly and consistently, setting a schedule with hours that are the same day/time weekly. Volunteers that will need to change their schedule regularly, or, because of other life commitments, are unsure how often they will be able to help us are not a good fit for this position.
If you are interested in helping with vehicle restoration and repairs, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Steve Fontaine, at [email protected]. The first step in our volunteer intake process is completing our online application, which is available here: https://trolleymuseum.org/volunteer-form-test-page/