In Memoriam - Ed Metka

I just found out that Ed Metka, founder of the Vintage Electric Streetcar Company in Windber, PA, died earlier this month at the age of 86. I never met Ed, but in terms of quantity he was the largest individual collector of electric railway cars in the country. VESCO ended up with roughly 60 cars, mostly PCCs. These included some that were sold in 2000 to help make the Kenosha, Wisconsin, heritage line a reality, and several more stored inside the building in Windber. The rest were kept in a state of benign neglect near that building, and in recent years became infamous as the "trolley graveyard." Despite this dubious honorific, the VESCO collection was quite an achievement of sorts, given its size. Ed sold the collection last year and in the time since, parts have been purchased and removed by various trolley museums to help keep their fleets operating. The cars Ed stored in the building in Windber may yet find new homes; only time will tell. Either way, Ed left a lasting impression on traction preservation. We extend our condolences to his family and friends. (Photo above from here)