2025-08-31T08:19:00-07:00 2024-12-31 582361357 GREGG S BOSSEN CPA PC 50 LENOX POINT SUITE C ATLANTA GA 30324 990 2024-01-01 066088826 BRANFORD ELECTRIC RAILWAY ASSOC INC BRAN 2034676927 17 RIVER STREET EAST HAVEN CT 06512 JOHN PROTO Executive Dir. 2025-08-31 true true Gregg S Bossen P01444127 4048929513 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z 17 RIVER STREET EAST HAVEN CT 06512 553723 false X shorelinetrolley.org X 1945 CT The mission of the Branford Electric Railway Association, Inc. doing business as the Shore Line Trolley Museum is to share with a diverse audience the story of the trolley and related forms of public transportation in their historical context.In 1983, the railway, along with the entire museum collection, was recognized as a National Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places. BERA is the organization behind the Shore Line Trolley Museum. 9 9 6 118 0 345953 309691 230947 161516 185 129 22836 56774 599921 528110 0 0 192719 164674 0 21000 596445 553173 789164 717847 -189243 -189737 2568682 2487254 521728 482135 2046954 2005119 The mission of the Branford Electric Railway Association, Inc. doing business as the Shore Line Trolley Museum is to share with a diverse audience the story of the trolley and related forms of public transportation in their historical context.In 1983, the railway, along with the entire museum collection, was recognized as a National Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places. BERA is the organization behind the Shore Line Trolley Museum. false false 507045 For the year ended December 31, 2024, BERA operated the following program areas:(i) Curatorial & Exhibits:BERA maintains an extensive collection that preserves the history and heritage of electric street railways and related forms of public transportation. The museum holds over 100 historic transit vehicles, including trolley cars, subway cars, electric freight and maintenance cars, and several motor buses. The collection spans the mid-19th century through the late 20th century and includes both operational and static exhibits.The museums archives include over 30,000 photographic images, more than 4,000 books, maps, manuals, and documents, and nearly 1,000 small artifacts such as tokens, hat badges, and fare equipment. The archive continues to serve as a research resource for educators, students, authors, and transit historians.Significant pieces in the collection include:The oldest surviving horse-drawn streetcar (Central Park, NYC, c.1851)One of only two subway cars to survive the September 11, 2001 attacks (PATH car 745)An 1873 cable car that survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquakeAugust Belmont Jr.s private IRT subway car from 1904And a wide array of one-of-a-kind trolleys and interurbans from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Canada(ii) Repair & Restoration Shop:BERA operates a full-service restoration and repair shop on site, staffed almost entirely by volunteers. The shop is equipped with industrial lathes, woodworking tools, sheet metal fabrication tools, and a power steam washer. This allows us to carry out historically accurate restorations of antique rolling stock using traditional methods.(iii) Trolley Car Rides & Tours:The museum offers public trolley rides on the historic right-of-way from April through December, with a reduced winter schedule in January, February, and March. Each visit includes a narrated ride on a historic trolley car and access to our interpretive displays and car barns.For private groups, educational institutions, and community organizations, the museum offers customizable charters and behind-the-scenes tours on a year-round basis.BERA also continues to offer Guest Operator experiences during scheduled weekends, where visitors are able to take the controls of a historic trolley under the supervision of a qualified instructor. This continues to be one of BERAs most popular and immersive programs.(iv) Special Programmatic Events:Throughout the year, BERA hosts a wide variety of themed events to engage the public and raise awareness of the museums mission. These events are well attended and help support operational needs while bringing new audiences to the museum. Notable 2024 programs included: Easter Bunny Trolley rides during April Storytime Trolley programs are held throughout summer, encouraging early childhood literacy Museum in Motion, BERAs summer kick-off event where several rarely seen or unique vehicles are operated and displayed Give Back Wednesdays, a summer initiative in which the museum opens its facilities including the railway, visitor center, and grounds to other local nonprofits for the purpose of hosting their own fundraising or community outreach events. In 2024, participating organizations included Havens Harvest, Project ACCESS New Haven, Community Dining Room, and East Haven PRIDE. The program rejects BERAs commitment to building partnerships and using its historic setting to support a wide range of social service, equity, and community-building efforts. Pumpkin Patch Trolley rides for families during October weekends Visits with Santa and Holiday Light Trolley rides throughout December BERA also held a Sensory-Friendly Day designed speci?cally for guests with autism or sensory sensitivities. This initiative is now a regular part of our operating calendar(v) Education & Internships:The museum continues its collaboration with the Railroad Technology Program at Gateway Community College, hosting hands-on portions of the only rail technician training program in New England. Students receive real-world training in signal systems, traction motors, and trackwork, and many have gone on to positions at Metro-North, Amtrak, and CSX.In addition, the museum continues to offer internships for students at Central Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and the University of New Haven. Areas of focus include curation and archival work, museum studies, media, and communications. We also work with local high schools to offer limited volunteer and job- shadowing opportunities.In 2024, the Shore Line Trolley Museum expanded its educational mission by partnering with the Sound School, a New Haven-based regional vocational aquaculture center, to host its Urban Water Renewal Program. This partnership introduces high school students to the importance of wetlands conservation, water quality management, and sustainable infrastructure all within the context of the museums historic right-of-way, which runs through the tidal wetlands of the Farm River Estuary.Students participated in field-based learning that included: Monitoring water quality in tidal zones adjacent to the museums track Observing and cataloging biodiversity and habitat changes Studying the impacts of stormwater runoff and sea level rise on historical transportation infrastructure Applying ecological restoration concepts to a real-world coastal environmentThe museum provided supervised access to sections of the trackway for sample collection and environmental observation. This program aligns with our mission to preserve history while engaging the next generation in science, technology, and environmental stewardship. It also reinforces the role of legacy infrastructure in broader ecological systems and supports a growing focus on climate resilience and conservation education.(vi) Volunteer Program:Since its founding, BERA has been a volunteer-powered organization. In 2024, over 500 dues-paying members supported the museum, with nearly 70 volunteers actively participating in museum operations. These volunteers collectively contributed more than 10,000 hours in roles including:Trolley operations and instructionRestoration and repair workTrack and signal maintenanceGroundskeeping and facility maintenanceArchival and curatorial servicesTour guiding and educational interpretationAdministrative support, web and IT servicesThe continued engagement of our volunteer base is critical to our mission and success. Volunteer training and safety protocols were expanded in 2024 to support continued growth and operational sustainability. 507045 true true false false false false false true false false true false false false true false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 0 0 false 6 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false X 9 9 false false false false true true false true true false false true true true true true true true true false CT X ROBERTO TILLMAN 2034676927 17 RIVER STREET EAST HAVEN CT 06512 JOHN PROTO Executive Dir. 40.00 0.00 X 88067 0 0 JOSEPH DEKO President 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL Trustee 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 SHAELYN AMAIO Trustee 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 PETER EZZARD Trustee 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 AL SANTINI Trustee Vice Ch 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 MAX DIAMOND Trustee 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 PAUL GRETHER Trustee 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 TOM LAURENSON Trustee 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 LOU LEVINSON Trustees Chair 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 88067 0 false false false 0 47734 80518 181439 13627 309691 ADMISSIONS AND CHARTERS 161516 161516 161516 129 129 0 0 34850 5197 29653 29653 29653 0 14489 9498 4991 0 32734 10918 21816 21816 MISCELLANEOUS 314 314 314 528110 183332 30096 X 0 0 0 0 88067 70454 4403 13210 0 61055 58415 2640 0 2028 1923 105 13524 11702 640 1182 0 0 0 0 0 0 87009 30434 56575 17012 16622 390 0 5563 5563 0 60151 54215 5936 516 304 212 0 0 20598 20598 0 56018 49805 6213 50804 195 50609 RAILWAY CARS MAINTENANCE 95464 95464 SUPPLIES 40086 38442 1644 BLDG AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE 26662 17940 8722 DUES AND SUBS 23646 8429 11746 3471 69644 52701 13806 3137 717847 507045 189802 21000 36305 39940 195251 307767 355300 51469 14000 0 0 0 2994 14278 16677 19372 2928076 889840 1958326 2038236 0 0 0 0 3829 2192 2568682 2487254 35637 10850 141362 137549 340899 331544 3830 2192 521728 482135 X 1377004 1406494 669950 598625 2046954 2005119 2568682 2487254 -189737 147902 X false true X true false X 434419 871484 340203 345953 314682 2306741 137735 239166 276903 252386 212985 1119175 0 0 0 572154 1110650 617106 598339 527667 3425916 50000 109857 70000 15016 10276 255149 0 50000 109857 70000 15016 10276 255149 3170767 2471 1092 190 185 129 4067 0 2471 1092 190 185 129 4067 0 823 1397 314 2534 574625 1111742 618119 599921 528110 3432517 0.92370 0.89930 0.00120 0.00190 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED X X X X false 553841 553841 1620073 652235 967838 480564 104724 375840 265115 124398 140717 8483 8483 2038236 LEASE LIABILITY 2192 2192 528110 528110 528110 717847 717847 717847 Part III, Line 1a: If organization elected under SFAS 116 to not report are, historical treasures, o TERMS FOR NOT REPORTING ASSETS PER SFAS 116:THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS MADE A DECISION TO NOT CAPITALIZE DONATED AND PURCHASED COLLECTIONS OR EXHIBITS IN 2019, AND AS A RESULT, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE PRACTICE FOLLOWED BY MANY MUSEUMS AND SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS, THESE ASSETS ARE NOT REFELCTED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Part III, Line 4: Description of organization's collections and how it furthers its purpose. 1)TO PRESERVE, STUDY AND INTERPRET THE HISTORY OF THE STREET RAILWAY AND RELATED FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING ITS TECHNOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, BUSINESS AND POLITICAL ASPECTS.2)TO PLACE THIS HISTORY IN THE CONTEXT OF OVERALL TRANSPORTATION HISTORY AND LIFE IN AMERICA.3)TO PRESERVE TANGIBLE HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS RELATED TO THIS HISTORY; SUCH AS VEHICLES, DOCUMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, ETC.4)TO PRESENT A PUBLIC PROGRAM WHICH EDUCATES AND PERFORMS.5)TO PRESERVE IN OPERATING CONDITION THE OLDEST CONTINUALLY OPERATED SUBURBAN TROLLEY LINE.6)TO BE A RESOURCE FOR STUDY AND INTERPRETATION BY FUTURE GENERATIONS. Part V, Line 4: Intended uses of the endowment fund. EARNINGS FROM THE FUND ARE INTENDED TO BE USED TO PRESERVE, STUDY AND INTERPRET THE HISTORY OF THE STREET RAILWAY AND RELATED FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING ITS TECHNOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, BUSINESS AND POLITICAL ASPECTS. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b REVIEWED BY OFFICER OF THE ASSOCIATION. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS INCLUDE DISCUSSION AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TAKE AS NEEDED BY THE BOARD. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15a COMPENSATION PROCESS FOR TOP OFFICIAL REVIEW BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS INDICATED IN THE BY-LAWS. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15b ASSOCIATION COMPENSATES ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO IS ALSO AN OFFICER OF THE ASSOCIATION. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 No documents available to the public.