Sometimes the old things are the best things.
That’s a quote from “Our Flag Means Death,” true, but it’s broadly applicable, and it’s a sentiment echoed this year not only by the residents of Fall River, but by all who visited from afar to be part of the Fall River trolley opening ceremony. year.
The trolley has been running smoothly since its debut in May and is getting a restoration and a new lease of life in Fall River.
It is a historic trolley, purchased second-hand from a company in Delaware, and restored, with upgrades, by the Department of Community Maintenance.
Fall River’s trolley exceeded expectations this year, with sold-out events like a Lizzie Borden tour and the super-popular Trolleyoke Tuesdays: karaoke nights aboard the historic vehicle.
It also guides locals and visitors around some historically important sites in Fall River.
And it’s just getting started, with hopes of expanding trolley offerings and events in 2025.
Here’s a look back at the trolley in 2024, and what could be next:
Viva Fall River hosted Trolleyoke Tuesday events this year aboard Fall River’s historic trolley, part of the great success of the vehicle’s first year running through Fall River.
Trolley restored, hits the road
DCM and the city restored the historic trolley, complete with sound system and festive lighting.
The Fall River tourist trolley rolls down Davol Street in this June 2024 file photo.
It was a used trolley, purchased with American Rescue Plan Act money for $60,000 from a Delaware company.
A new wheelchair lift was also installed in the trolley.
Al Oliveira, director of city operations, demonstrates the trolley’s new handicapped-accessible elevator.
By the end of May, the trolley was ready to hit the road, highlighting some of Fall River’s historic sites.
“This initiative is more than just a means of transportation. It represents a new way for residents and visitors to experience our city’s unique charm and rich experience,” said Patti Rego, executive director of Viva Fall River, in an earlier Herald News story, when the trolley debuted on the streets came.
Fall River Trolley Route and Fares
The trolley service, made possible by a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, highlights Fall River’s best historical, cultural and recreational highlights, the city of Fall River website says.
The trolley launched last spring with a 12-stop loop that takes passengers to the waterfront cultural district; Columbia Street and Santo Christo Parish; St. Anne’s Shrine and Kennedy Park; St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Lizzie Borden House; Troy Street and the Lower Highlands; the historic Highlands and Little Theater Firebarn; Oak Grove Cemetery and Lizzie Borden’s grave; Portugalia marketplace; the Purchase Street dining district; North Main Street and the Greater Fall River Children’s Museum; Veterans Memorial Bicentennial Park and Boardwalk; and the Lafayette-Durfee House.
Cutting the ribbon for the city’s new trolley on Tuesday.
How do you rent the Fall River trolley?
The trolley can also be rented for special events. For more information, visit https://www.fallriverma.gov/trolley/rentals.php.
“One of the best things about the trolley is that it can be rented by anyone,” Rego said in an email to The Herald News. “I encourage groups and individuals to think creatively about ways to use this incredible resource. It is something we can all be proud of, and I expect this spring and summer to see even more out-of-town visitors taking advantage.”
Mayor Paul Coogan shows off the improved interior of the city’s new trolley.
A look back at special events aboard the Fall River trolley in 2024
The trolley was a hit in 2024.
“It far exceeded my expectations,” Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said in a telephone interview with The Herald News. “…The DCM guys did a great job… And then the crowd just seemed to love it.”
Special events on board the trolley proved popular and sold out quickly.
One of those events was the Haunted Trolley Tour with the Lizzie Borden House in October.
“I loved the Lizzie Borden tour,” Coogan said. “That sold out within 72 hours.”
Coogan also noted that one of his favorite trolley events this year was a special storytime aboard the trolley, when David Mello, supervisor of children’s services at the Fall River Public Library, presented a storytime for children.
The mayor recalled that the story aboard the trolley was “like a moving classroom.”
Mello “read books about a trolley, on a trolley, to a group of children and their parents, and when you walked into the trolley and saw all these children sitting on the benches and on the floor, it was really something to see. ” said Coogan.
Viva Fall River hosted Trolleyoke Tuesdays in 2024, featuring an evening of karaoke aboard the Fall River trolley, with stops at local restaurants for light bites.
The preference for trolley events attracted guests from far and wide, including the great success Trolleyoke Tuesdays.
For Trolleyoke, guests boarded the trolley to sing their favorite songs, and stopped at Fall River eateries for drinks and light bites. These events also sold out quickly and were all popular.
“Trolleyoke was the real highlight for me,” Rego said. “It’s amazing how a group of strangers can come together in just a few hours, cheer each other on and connect as lifelong friends. It’s not just fun, it’s the essence of community. There is something magical about 30 people on a cart shouting out the lyrics to “Sweet Caroline” in unison! It reminds us that sometimes the simplest experiences are the most memorable.”
The trolley also continued to roll during the holidays, helping to spread cheer in Fall River with the inaugural Holiday Harmonies Trolley Tour on December 22, featuring the Olde Towne Carolers, dressed in Victorian attire and singing through town.
What’s next for the Fall River trolley?
As for what lies ahead for 2025, the trolley continues to roll, with the hope of expanded and new special events.
Rego said Viva Fall River would like to continue working with the city to make Trolleyoke a more regular event.
“We are also exploring options for tours that bring to life the existing audio tours, as well as the idea of a Comedy Trolley inspired by Providence’s Comedy Bus,” said Rego. “I would like to see the trolley used as entertainment transportation, taking people to different locations around the city and helping to alleviate parking issues in areas such as the waterfront.”
Coogan said he thinks the trolley will see much more use as a shuttle as the waterfront develops.
He also said, “I’ve always wanted that, and we’re still doing a church tour in Fall River. For example, let’s say we can show people some of our historic churches… and then maybe have them a little lunch at one of the Fall River restaurants.”
A church tour would expand the trolley’s offerings and give locals and visitors a better understanding of the history that has built and continues to exist all around them.
Coogan said the city plans to continue the trolley program as best it can, including expanding current offerings, such as the Haunted Trolley Tour, and storytime for children.
For more information about the Fall River Trolley
For more information about Fall River’s historic trolley, visit https://www.fallriverma.gov/trolley/.
This article originally appeared in The Herald News: The Fall River Trolley was on a roll in 2024. What’s next for 2025?
