After more than 35 years, the Christmas trolley will again roam Dayton streets
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Greater Dayton RTA's historic Christmas trolley , an annual tradition last seen during the Reagan administration, is back!
The Christmas trolley made its final run on Dayton streets in 1988. It was then sent to San Francisco before being reacquired in 2021 by Greater Dayton RTA CEO Bob Ruzinsky.
Since then, it made the 2,300-mile journey "home" before undergoing an extensive restoration process.
"It's kind of sentimental because I can remember riding on that trolley when I was probably 10 or 11 years old," said restoration co-lead Michael Baldwin. "I thought it was kind of neat that I could help bring it back to life."
This 76-year-old trolley will dash through local streets for the Dayton Children's holiday parade Friday, Nov. 29. It will also be available for special events throughout December.
Inside the trolley, guests can enjoy a simulated fireplace, a Santa seat and festive holiday scenes.
After the parade, the trolley will be displayed outside the Wright Stop Plaza at the corner of Main and Third streets. Due to its age, the trolley isn't ADA-compliant, but it will offer free rides through downtown Dayton, looping up Main to Monument, over to Ludlow, back down to Fourth and then returning to Third and Main.
The trolley will be available:
