Thursday Doors – Trolley Doors

Attractions, Connecticut, History, Thursday Doors, Uncategorized 83 comments
Red, arched and on a train! Trifecta!

This is one of those weeks when I have a nice crop of doors, but I don’t have a story to tell. Well, I do, but I told it for National Train Day. You may have noticed that I didn’t include many pictures of trolley doors last month. I was planning to feature them in a rare, extremely short Thursday Doors post. However, some very bad news this weekend allows me to share a bit of Thursday Doors humor, in Part-2. First, let’s talk about these doors.

The Connecticut Trolley Museum is the oldest operating museum dedicated to preserving equipment and recreating the experience of an urban electric railroad. Click the link(s) to learn more about the museum. Enter the gallery to see some doors. Next to the trolley itself, the trolley door is the coolest part of the ride. As far back as I can remember, trolley doors were automatic – front and back!

The Frog is the part that keps the trolley pole connected to the overhead wire.

For the unfamiliar, Thursday Doors is a weekly blogfest for door enthusiasts, coordinated by Senior Motorman, Norm Frampton. If you want to participate, all you need is a door. Raise your trolley pole, connect your frog to the catenary wires and set the switches for Norm’s trolley park. Once there, check out Norm’s doors. Then look for the blue frog (the other kind of frog). Click that tadpole and he’ll punch your transfer to the world of doors.

Part-2

As you may know, American southern rock pioneer Gregg Allman died over the weekend. The Allman Brothers Band has been a favorite of mine since I was in high school. They are the band I saw in concert more often than any other (four times).

My very favorite Allman Brothers song is “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” but it barely edges out a lot of other favorites. Lately, one song makes me think about Thursday Doors. And, since I’m unlikely to ever find myself in a situation where I can legitimately use it as the backdrop for one of Norm’s posts, I thought I’d take this opportunity to share the crazy thought I have, every time I hear this song.

“One Way Out” is a song about a man, trapped in an upstairs bedroom with a woman who is not his wife. Gregg Allman sets up the ending with the following lyrics:

“Ain’t no way in the world, I’m going out that front door
‘Cause there’s a man down there, might be your old man I don’t know”

I can’t help but picture the woman rolling over and saying:

“No, that’s just some guy taking pictures for Thursday Doors.”

I’ve added captions to the gallery photos where helpful. Click on any one of them to start a slide show. Below the gallery, if you have a few minutes, you can enjoy my favorite version of “One Way Out.”

Interesting as it’s not a folding door/
I’m guessing this is for baggage or cargo.
This elegant interior would have created some privacy for the motorman.
Very important door. It is an electric railway.
I know, it’s a mess. But look at all the doors!
Very important doors (restrooms)
It takes a lot of support to keep things running
I don’t know if they still serve it, but we had a very nice breakfast here when our daughter was little.
Yes, “rust!” but it’s a door and it’s a crane, and I love it.
One of the current cars in the rolling stock collection.
Doors to the trolley barn. Our car has been removed and is ready for our ride.
“Don’t touch that!” This car is for service of the overhead electrical system.
Ready to roll. All aboard!
In the museum. I love the colors.
Those are some serious doors!
The connection to the overhead wires.
I wish we still cared about the way public transportation looked.
Antique ticket boot inside the main entrance to the museum.
I don’t think they are functional, but they are beautiful.
Door into the museum.
This is an open car, but I guess these doors are for storage.
These may have been manually operated

83 comments

  2. You must have spent a long time at that museum, Dan. I love old carriages and would have been kicked out at closing time if I was there. Beautiful photographs and a nice music video at the end. Thanks, Dan.

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    1. Thanks Jean. It’s not a very big museum but they have grown since we started going and they have some nice stock. They also host the CT Fire Engine Museum on their property. I’ll share that at some point.

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  3. Great doors Dan. I love, love the second shot. The perspective, fade, is all perfect. So sad about Greg Allman. They were at their early peak when I was in high school. Ageing finds us losing some of our most iconic celebrities and dearest friends…

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    1. Thanks Cheryl. When I realized how many photos I had from my visit (I was alone, so I took more than normal) I decided to hold back the door photos.

      Very sad about the Allman Brothers.

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  6. The doors are wonderful–I was especially attracted to the image of the rusted train car. You probably didn’t intend it, but your opening sentence made me chuckle with you use of the term “crop of doors.” Somehow the juxtaposition of those words seemed amusing to me. Who knew that the collective noun for multiple doors was a “crop?”

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    1. Ha ha – I’m glad you liked that Mike. I am drawn to that rusty door. I see so much potential behind the rust. I’m not sure what a group of doors should be called, but I’m glad ‘crop’ made you smile.

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  10. I can’t help but smile as I’m reading this post because I can practically hear the energy and excitement in your voice when you talk about trains … and I laughed out loud at your revised lyrics to One Way Out :D

    I’m picking the door with the lightning bolt as my favourite, although the barn doors with the triangular top runs a pretty close second! It’s the sequence of all the doors opened and lined up that appeals to me :)

    Happy Door Day, Dan. oooo – an unintentional alliteration!

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    1. Thanks Joanne. I think the lyrics could have happened. I mean, Thursday Doors is pretty popular. The triangle topped doors are amazing. It’s hard to capture the scale, unless you look at the lawn tractor I was trying not to include. I was trying to get a better shot of the alignment, but there is a ‘no trespassing’ sign near where I wanted to stand.

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    1. Thanks Marian. That comment sounds like the dialog in my head when I was trying to cut back on the number of photos in the gallery. I do like the lightning bolt. If that doesn’t say “warning” I don’t know what does.

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  15. Hahaha I like the “very important” doors you included – can’t deny they’re important! – but the actual trolley doors are the real standout (although the padlock on the “high voltage” door is a nice touch). A marvellous collection of photos this week :)

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    1. Thanks! I wanted to give a little thanks to the donors that help support the museum. It seems a little sad that you give money and they build a bathroom, but, you do need that if you’re going to run the place. The trolley doors are so cool.

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    1. Ha ha – maybe, John. But to keep things clear for the editor, I wouldn’t be the guy who was going to come in and take his place – just there for the photo. I’m glad you liked the doors.

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  17. Wow, that’s QUITE a fantastic collection! Rusty crane is tops!!! Also very fond of red wooden door to electrical, underseat storage, and the green wooden ‘not functional but beautiful’ set. You must have been euphoric with all the trains and doors :D

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    1. Thanks – I do like that place. It’s good to know you liked the rusty crane door. I just want to go and play on that crane. It’s really fun to walk around and see all the stuff they’ve restored and the potential pieces in the yard.

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  20. Love that rusted brown trolley(?) on the left! Admit, I had to go through your story a few times, before I caught the joke about Thurs. Doors. I would in my job call this a Freudian slip (just teasing!).
    (was retired for 3 years, but am saying “my job” because I have found myself working, unexpectedly)

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  21. Nice photos of the Trolley Museum, Dan. Brings back memories for me – many moons ago I lived just down the street from the museum and passed by it nearly every day. My favorite is the rusty one.
    So sad about Gregg Allman. Midnight Rider was my favorite song from the Allman Brothers.
    Donna

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  22. I don’t know how you did it Dan, but I think Thursday Doors will now and forever be associated with adultery…and the Allman Brothers ;-)
    You put together a wonderful collection and I love the captions too – especially the rusty crane :-D

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  24. #1 bathroom doors are always the first to find. #2 I now have music to look up tomorrow when I do my music thing (though my human will be home so it might not happen) #3 Oh, I just am dying as I imagine you going in to take pictures of the guy from the song. Awkward😂

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    1. In reverse order, you never know what’s going on behind the doors we photograph. #2 – The Allman Brothers is worth researching, and #1, you’re right. I included them because of the importance of fundraising, but yes, you do have to find them right away.

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  26. Nice selection of doors, Dan, but I’m laughing that you used the rusty crane again. I wonder what the editor would say if it all of a sudden was sitting in the backyard?

    Midnight Rider was my favorite Allman Brothers song by a mile.

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    1. Ha ha – I was wondering what you would say about that crane, Mary. I don’t think it stands a snowball’s chance of ever moving here. It may not even be high on the museum’s list of projects. Midnight Rider seems to be the crowd favorite. It’s a good song, for sure, and I think Gregg put everything he had into that song.

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      1. Sorry for letting you wonder all day. Between work and a cold, I had to come home and take a nap first.
        I’ll give you one more silver dollar for squeezing in the rusty crane one more time.

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  28. The (trolley or train) open car with high wooden seats was beautiful, like a private booth. I loved the electric “flash” on one door. The yellow, red, green and other doors were fantastic, Dan. As usual, a “sight for sore eyes.” Or a “feast!” :)
    My brother Randy and I finished our Friday evening after a delicious BBQ dinner, playing Rummy with Micah, then after he fell asleep, I had one wine cooler and Randy had a few brews. We listened first to DVDs which included the band, “America” and then, “Band on the Run.” I told my brother that Paul McCartney will play a pirate in the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. We shuffled through his other DVDs and listened to “Live at the Fillmore.” I honestly hadn’t heard some of the songs or if I had, not listened very well. We didn’t find out till the next day on the way to the beach (after stopping by to see Mom) that Gregg A. had died, far too young. We looked up that night about when Duane (much too soon!) died. We both remembered what was going on in our lives in ’72. We drank a shot of good whiskey in their honor and then a few of our own usual beverages.
    Randy had seen the Allman Brothers after Duane passed away. Probably in Cleveland or while in college at OSU. Great “A side” on this post, no “B side!”
    The member of “America” had also died too young. We saw this band at the Delaware County Fair, apparently not too long after he died. . . (Shoot! Not sure of his name. Blame the drinking.) I love and wish to have someone to listen to, “I need you, like the flower needs the rain, I’ll say it once again, I need you.”

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    1. The first time I saw the Allman Brothers was after Duane had died. I recognize their songs, almost instantly when I hear them. You’re right, too soon. I remember when America released their first Album. It’s amazing how we can hear a song and remember where we were at the time we first heard it, or during a special time when we heard it. I’m sure a great many people raised a glass to The Allman Brothers last weekend. I know I did. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Robin.

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  29. Dan Peek died in 2011 at age 60 from the band, “America.”
    I liked the way the Allman Brothers jammed and could make the sound so bluesy and moody, through instruments, as well as their emotional vocal renditions of other bands’ songs.

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    1. It probably is. I’m not saying that the photos lie, but the museum is smaller than most train museums that I’ve been to, and this is a much smaller area. Still, I think these guys do a great job with what they have and it’s a fun experience going there for a visit.

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  35. I saw a trolley in Asheville last weekend and wanted so badly to take a pic for my post this week-too many tourists hanging on it doing the same so I had to pass. How ironic I am reading your doors this morning…I like the tall, thin, red doors.

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