May 06, 2025
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Wildwood will start using new Ford Maverick hybrid trucks to pull tram cars along the boardwalk instead of the battery-operated trams, above, that have been in use since 1949.
In the coming years, visitors at the Wildwood Boardwalk could see a big change in the operation of the decades-old Sightseer Tramcars that transport hundreds of thousands of people at the shore community each year.
Starting this weekend, Wildwood will test a new Ford Maverick hybrid truck that will pull tram cars along the boardwalk along with those fronted by the existing fleet of battery-operated trams, some of which have been in use since 1949.
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The pick-up truck was purchased by the Wildwoods Boardwalk Special Improvement District, the nonprofit that has owned and operated the tram for the last 20 years. Trucks are viewed as a potential replacement for the boardwalk's eight tram cars, whose maintenance and replacement parts have become more costly. Several of the trams are custom-built replicas.
"We have found that from an economic standpoint and a practical standpoint, custom-built replicas are just not doable. It's just not feasible," Patrick Rosenello, the nonprofit's executive director and former North Wildwood mayor, said of the future outlook for the tram cars.
On Sunday, a video previewing the new truck was posted on Facebook by Wildwood Boardwalk, which is not affiliated with the city or the nonprofit. The truck will blare the familiar, "Watch the tram car, please!" announcement that alerts pedestrians on the boardwalk, and passengers who take the $5 trip will still be seated in the tram's blue and yellow, open-air trailers.
Two years ago, Rosenello said the nonprofit got a manufacturer's estimate of over $200,000 per engine to order fully electric, exact replicas of the existing tram cars. Maintenance for the new units would require shipping them to Kansas or flying mechanics to Wildwood for repairs. Even then, the custom replicas would use lithium batteries that can't be swapped out with fully charged replacements throughout the day — which would reduce the tram's frequency. The existing units that do have their batteries swapped present other day-to-day issues from wear and tear.
"With a system this old, it's a perpetual project. You're always doing something," Rosenello said.
When the nonprofit was unable to obtain federal funding last year for new replica tram cars, Rosenello started considering other options to ensure the system can be financially self-sustaining in the future. Since trucks and other vehicles have periodically been used over the years to tow the tram cars, the nonprofit thought testing out an affordable hybrid vehicle would be a reasonable starting point. The Ford Maverick that was purchased for use this summer cost about $35,000.
"We knew that a 100% electric vehicle was not going to work because of the analysis we did. We certainly didn't want a 100% combustion engine on the boardwalk, and so that's what led us to start looking at hybrids. Looking at the wheel base, the length, turning radius — all of that stuff — we decided we were going to test a Ford Maverick."
Social media reactions to the new truck have been mostly negative. Many people wrote comments complaining that the trucks will take away from the tram's nostalgic appeal.
"Just ruined the tram car for me," one commenter wrote on the Facebook post showing the new truck.
Some commenters shared concerns that the trucks may be too wide for the boardwalk and could have blindspots that lead to collisions with pedestrians. In Ocean City, Maryland, where the boardwalk tram is pulled by Jeeps, officials suspended service last summer after a 2-year-old boy was fatally struck when he entered the tram's path. The city will not operate its tram this year.
Rosenello acknowledged it's difficult to consider moving on from the original tram cars, but the nonprofit's review of options found that investing heavily in replicas with maintenance concerns ultimately won't make sense. Rosenello believes the Ford Maverick will be as safe as the original tram cars, and it will have a speed restrictor that keeps the ride at about 5 mph.
"You come to the conclusion that we can slightly modernize these things, tweak them with a slightly different look and keep the service running, or you're looking at abandoning the service," Rosenello said. "Trying to keep fares reasonable and keep the trams operating is a delicate balance."
Wildwood is entering its 77th season operating the boardwalk tram cars, which carry passengers 38 blocks in Wildwood and North Wildwood. They were originally built by Greyhound to be used at the 1939 World's Fair in New York before they were purchased by Wildwood businessman Gilbert Ramagosa, who repurposed them for the boardwalk. The ride initially cost 10 cents for a one-way trip.
The tram car's 2025 season kicks off this weekend with rides beginning at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Service will increase over Memorial Day weekend with rides starting at noon and continuing until Morey's Piers closes at night, usually by 11 p.m. or midnight. Full summer service will start May 29 with rides available seven days a week.
