I have to confess, my visits to the National Capital Trolley Museum have been few and far between. Previous to this visit the last time I was at the Colesville, Maryland location was on 16th May 2010 when they were only offering rides around the new Visitor’s Center loop. Before that it was the 2002 International Festival of Trolleys. Clearly I am not a regular patron or supporter of this museum.

But a three day visit to Electric 50 at the National Tramway Museum in Crich, Derbyshire, United Kingdom in September 2014 made up my mind to research similar events at more local trolley museums to add to my photographic collection. Curiously one of my earlier visits to this museum, before the fire and the highway construction was on 21st August 2002 where I had photographed this same event. That date in 2002 was a day of constant drizzle and the photography was made more difficult by the overcast weather, but I did capture some nice images; particularly some roster shots of the cars that would subsequently be lost in the fire.

In 2018 I left my home early on that Sunday morning and drove towards the National Capital but I turned off before the District of Columbia line; I was headed for 1313 Bonifant Road in Colesville, Maryland to see, ride, and particularly photograph trolley cars.