Piece of Dayton history returns home for the holidays

DAYTON — The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority is welcoming back a piece of Dayton history and it is back just in time for the holidays.

The RTA unveiled the return of one of the agency’s original Christmas trolleys earlier this month.

Trolley #559, a 1948 Marmon-Herrington TC-48, was famous for its simulated fireplace, Santa seat and reindeer mounted on the roof.

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According to RTA, the trolley ran along Dayton roadways as a special Christmas bus from 1977 to 1988, before being retired to allow the agency to operate ADA-compliant vehicles.

After retirement, the trolley was donated to the San Francisco Municipal Railway in California. It joined the railway’s historic fleet.

RTA leaders said the trolley’s road back to Dayton was not easy, as it was shipped back to Dayton during the national truck driver shortage.

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Bob Ruzinsky, RTA CEO, said in a release that the agency was happy to have the trolley back for the holidays and ahead of their 50th anniversary celebration.

“We are very thankful to San Francisco Municipal Railway and to Kiepe Electric for helping deliver this piece of history back to Dayton,” Bob Ruzinsky, RTA CEO, said. “With our 50th anniversary celebration ahead in 2022, this felt like the right time to bring #559 back home”

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