The East Penn Traction Club, Inc.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

The East Penn Traction Club, Inc. (a nonprofit Pennsylvania corporation) is a group based in the Philadelphia Delaware Valley, USA, with over 300 members from the local area and around the country. Members share a common interest in the history and modeling of electric powered rail transit vehicles, known more affectionately as trolley cars. The models actually take their operating current off of the miniature overhead wire, just as the real ones do. East Penn is perhaps best known for its adoption and promotion of modular layouts, having refined the standards formulated by the late Everitt F. Wood in 1969. These standards allow individually-built, portable sections to be connected with each other. This concept allows the quick assembly of large layouts capable of complex operating possibilities. Modular layouts are well suited to the sharp curves, short trains and compact scenery typical of real electric transit lines. The layouts, built in 1:87 (HO gauge), 1:48 (O gauge), 1/2", and 3/4" scales, are familiar to those who have attended hobby shows along the East Coast, and have done much to introduce trolley, interurban, and rapid transit modeling to the general public.

In the spring of odd numbered years, the club sponsors the largest trolley-only model meet in the country. The meet draws the premier modelers and model trolley manufacturers from all over the country for a weekend of viewing models, layouts, films, photos, slides, model contests, and �how-to� clinics on subjects ranging from hanging trolley wire to modeling subway cars. In addition, the latest in trolley kits, parts, bodies, etc. are offered for sale as is prototype data such as photos and books. Check our Meet Page for the latest on this event.

The club also sponsors periodic fan trips over local transit systems featuring rides on everything from the latest state-of-the-art electric transit vehicles to carefully restored historical cars. A popular yearly trolley calendar featuring photographs of various regional trolley lines is also produced by the club and sold to members and the general public.

The club meets the first Friday of every month from September through June. Meetings are typically held at various members� homes or public meeting places (church or fire hall, etc.). Members receive a monthly newsletter covering club activities and the location of the monthly meetings. If you would like to attend a meeting, join our group, receive a copy of the modular layout standards, purchase our calendar, or ask questions about our club, send an e-mail to the EPTC Webmaster at webmaster@eastpenn.org.

The following club flyers and materials are available here (in Adobe PDF format):
Club Advertising Brochure
Getting Started with Trolleys Flyer
Membership Application

Officers and Activity Leaders for June 2023 through Spring 2025

(To contact the club via email, click on any of the following names which are underlined.)

Officers
President - Tom Lederer Bio	(photo not available) Vice President - Mike Junod Bio	Secretary/Treasurer - Charlie Long Bio

Board of Directors
(photo not available) Chris Bradley	(photo not available) Doug Cowperwaite	(photo not available) Bruce Harvey	(photo not available) Gary Reighn	(photo not available) Steve Smith	(photo not available) Charles Sontag