“Old Pueblo Trolley (OPT) is an all-volunteer, non-profit, operating transit museum which restores historic electric streetcars and buses and operates trolleys on University Blvd. and Fourth Avenue when volunteers are available: Friday night, Saturday noon to midnight, and Sunday afternoon. Restoration is dependent on donations and grants; operating expenses are met by fares and memberships in the organization.”

SCHEDULE OF SERVICE:

Old Pueblo trolley car

Friday: 6 pm to 10 pm
Saturday: Noon to Midnight
Sunday: Noon to 6 pm

FARES:
Adults: $1.25 each way/$3.00 all day pass
Children, 6-12 yrs.: 75¢ each way/$2.00 all day pass
Sunday special: All patrons, all ages, 25¢ each trip

All types of volunteers are needed at the Old Pueblo Trolley (click here: http://www.oldpueblotrolley.org/volunteer.htm). They especially need trolley operators right now, which requires a class B Commercial Drivers Licence with Air Brakes and Passenger endorsements. If you know of someone who qualifies please have them contact the Old Pueblo Trolley contacts listed below.

Where can you help out?

There are more than 35 categories of possibilities where Volunteers can benefit Old Pueblo Trolley. Some of these are:

Restoration

* Woodworking
* Welding
* Electrical
* Track Maintenance
* Mechanical

Operations

* Operating historical trolley cars and buses
* Dispatching at the trolley barn
* Serving as a conductor on trolley cars

Docents

* Are available in the trolley barn area and on the vehicles to provide information and a historical perspective to what we do and why

Historical Research

Publications

* Old Pueblo Trolley Inc. publishes a monthly newsletter entitled “Livewire” which is mailed to all members and Volunteers. “Livewire” keeps our Volunteer Team up to date on activities and scheduled events.
* We also publish a quarterly newsletter entitled “Trolley Tracks” which is distributed to members and Volunteers. “Trolley Tracks” is mailed to other historical transportation museums and interested organizations to keep them up-to-date on Old Pueblo Trolleys activities.

Fund Raising

Training

Trolley operators, conductors, dispatchers, and docents are needed during these operating hours. Charters and educational sessions during the week require similar Volunteer staffing.

Restoration and maintenance activities are normally scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays although these activities can be accomplished when Volunteers are available.

To volunteer contact the Volunteer Coordinator at OPTvolunteers@cox.net or fill out and email the volunteer application form online. To volunteer or for comments and suggestions about their Web site, you can also contact Stephen Dix at WebmasterOPT@cox.net. Questions about being a trolley operator should be directed to Tom Macon at 520-306-7675.

They invite you to also become a member and financial supporter of Old Pueblo Trolley and help them in their mission to preserve and operate historic streetcars and buses in Tucson. To become a member, contact Tony Haswell at tonyhaswell@cox.net or Gene Caywood at caywoodgm@juno.com.

Ride the trolley from the University of Arizona Main Gate Square to Fourth Avenue, especially this weekend for 2nd Saturdays Downtown on E. Congress Street. It’s a lot more fun than walking.

Any excuse for a beach party in the desert is fine with me (a former body surfer coming from tropical Hawaii). So here it is:

The Big Kahuna Tropical Bash on Aug 21, 2010 (TODAY)
Time: 5-9 pm
Admission: FREE
Location: Tucson’s historic Entertainment District
Address: Downtown, Fourth Avenue and Main Gate Square
Contact Name: Cara Rene
Email: cararene@downtowntucson.org
Phone: 520-837-6504
websites: www.downtowntucson.com, www.Fourthavenue.org

Celebrate Tucson’s “all sand, no water” existence at this family-friendly tropical bash for Tucson’s 235th birthday. Tucson does have a lot of beach sand!

event flyer

“Enjoy music, look alike contests, dunking booths, kids activities, giveaways, water safety instruction, free Old Pueblo Trolley rides, and much more.”

“Think Tucson can’t throw a great beach party? You may be surprised to find an enormous sandcastle birthday cake, Gilligan lookalike contest, Tiki party, hot coconut toss, hula hoop revue, chalk art, dunking booths, giant water slide and live island music among the many offerings.”

Tucson Hawaiian music legend Ernie Menehune will play a special downtown show at 160 S. Scott Avenue. Definitely a lot of fun as former Kauai native “Uncle” Ernie will be performing at the Scottish Rite Temple (7 to 8 p.m. ). I know “Uncle” having been a member of the Tucson Polynesian Society (of which he is President), and he’s a great guy and colorful performer.

Merchants will be offering “235″ specials, presenting items/gifts/food for $2.35, $23.50, etc. in honor of Tucson’s birthday celebration. What a fun challenge to seek out those specials! “Uncle” Ernie’s Polynesian show listed above will be asking for only a donation of $2.35.

P.S. What is a kahuna? A Hawaiian priest. That term was made famous in those “Gidget” and “Beach Blanket Bingo” movies of the 1960s. But it is also a term of respect for a wise priest of prehistoric Hawaii (before the Christian missionaries arrived in 1820).

More detailed info on the Big Kahuna event, click here for an earlier Tucsoncitizen.com entry. Or here for a printable version of the schedule to take along with you and the kids, plus lots of friends.

Surf’s up?