This Youtube clip shows how the National Tramway Museum enhances visitor experience with a skit featuring actors in costume.

Sloan



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H9d_zox ... re=related

Besides the skit, you will notice that the museum operates track on a street scene, including authentic buildings moved to the site. Other videos on Youtube show that the staff is dressed appropriately for their roles, and they often have vintage autos and buses line the street scene. Overall, it looks like a top notch place.

I know both IRM and PA Trolley Museum have street scenes in their long term plans. I cannot think of another museum that has a street scene (other than the indoor one in Duluth), which provides accurate surroundings for streetcars.

I think we can learn a lot from preservation in the UK. Most railways/museums go for a very "finished" expierence, right down to the crew being approriately attired, and authentic and nice-looking station facilities. Certainly a long way from the polo shirts and black blue jeans I've seen at some US operations.

Shore Line Trolley Museum, East Haven and Branford, Conn. is talking about a street scene as part of their new car barn building efforts.

The new buildings at national Capital Trolley Museum were designed with a street scene in mind. The loading area is paved to Washington DC sidewalk specs with granite curbing. Future plans call for completing the plaza inside the loop and paving the tracks shown.

Wesley

Orange Empire has "Broadway" which is the access route from the LARy carbarn to the loop track. Next Sunday (May 1) the Antique Truck gathering will fill it with a wide assortment of old trucks and a maybe a few buses, and we sometimes bring our Huntington Standard streetcar 665 out for photo setups. In addition to the carbarn, Broadway has a small office building, a park area, the Birthday Caboose and "Town Hall", our meeting and exhibit building. Even the streetlights are historical relics.

Bob, Wes and Jim,

Thanks for providing other examples of other museums that have or are planning street scenes.

I forgot about OERM's street scene, complete with the Acme street lights.

Don't forget History Park at San Jose's Kelley Park.

Not only does San Jose's Kelley Park historic village have a streetcar line, there's also a print shop where composing sticks, type cases and hand-fed presses are demonstrated. And phone service to some of the buildings is provided through open-wire telephone lines. Set your calendars back 100 years!