Help Preserve One of Wildwood’s Most Iconic Tram Cars
You now have the chance to help save and restore a true Wildwood legend. Tram Car 8, one of the most recognizable vehicles to ever roll along the boardwalk, has officially been rescued from the scrap yard.
After spending years transporting families, vacationers, and generations of boardwalk fans, this historic tram car is beginning a new life at the Wildwood Historical Museum.
Help Preserve One of Wildwood’s Most Iconic Tram Cars
Its story is far from over and the next chapter depends on community support.
The tram car has already been moved to a safe location where the restoration will take place.
The first step will be removing the Coca Cola wrap that has covered the body in recent seasons.
From there the team will repair rusted sections, rebuild the overhang with newly fabricated posts, and bring back the signature blue and yellow color scheme that Wildwood is famous for.
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Once completed, the tram car will look the way many remember it from summers past.
But this project is more than a simple cosmetic touch up. When the restoration is finished, the tram car will be brought inside the Wildwood Historical Museum as a fully interactive exhibit.
Visitors will be able to climb aboard, sit inside, and press the familiar “watch the tram car please” button that has echoed across the boardwalk for decades. The museum has already begun clearing space to give Tram Car 8 the showcase it deserves.
The history behind this vehicle is remarkable. Tram Car 8 belongs to the 1963 fleet that was built in Camden for Gilbert Ramagosa, the son of Sebastian Ramagosa who first brought Wildwood’s original five tram cars to the boardwalk in 1949.
Those first cars had previously served at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Today the boardwalk still operates engines from nearly every period including 1949, 1963, and 2007.
Tram Car 8 proudly served until the end of the 2025 season when it was officially retired.
Although it will look pristine when the restoration is complete, the tram car will not return to service.
Instead, it will serve a new purpose. It will connect visitors to the history of the Wildwoods and preserve the story of one of the most enduring traditions on the boardwalk.
There is still a long and costly road ahead.
As an independent nonprofit, the museum relies on the generosity of the community to continue preserving Wildwood’s story.
Holiday shoppers can directly support the project by visiting wildwoodhistoricalmuseum.com where the popular 2026 Wildwood history calendar and other items remain available.
By helping preserve Tram Car 8, supporters ensure that this beloved piece of Wildwood’s identity will continue to inspire visitors for generations to come.