COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Two months after being removed from the old Spaghetti Warehouse building, the historic red trolley that once served as a special dining area is awaiting its next chapter in a history that spans over a century.
In February, the trolley was extracted from the former 1800s ice house-turned-restaurant at 397 W. Broad St. in Franklinton. The building was demolished after a roof collapse raised safety concerns. Michael Aaron, Executive Director of the Rickenbacker Woods Foundation, which facilitated the trolley’s removal and storage, said it will eventually be repurposed as a learning tool to honor central Ohio transportation inventor Granville T. Woods.
The Rickenbacker Woods Foundation is currently raising funds to transform the trolley, which will be situated on the grounds of the foundation’s headquarters— the boyhood home of World War I fighter pilot Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker. Located at 1334 E. Livingston Ave. in Columbus, the Rickenbacker house is a registered National Historic Landmark. The trolley will become part of an interactive exhibit and classroom honoring Woods’s contributions, known as the “Granville T. Woods Institute.”
Doreen Uhas Sauer, a historian and board member of the foundation, noted that Woods, born in Columbus in the mid-1800s, made significant contributions to railroad and trolley systems with his electrical patents during the Industrial Revolution. Woods is credited with the 1893 patent for the third rail, which still powers streetcars and subways today.
“We didn’t only save a trolley — we’re giving it a second life as a place where history lives and young people dream,” Aaron said. “The Granville T. Woods Legacy Exhibit will connect students to one of the most brilliant inventors of the 19th century and remind them that innovation and greatness can come from their own city, their own community, and maybe even their own story.”
The foundation is collaborating with the Columbus Foundation to maximize public donations.
“The Columbus Foundation gave us a powerful boost with a $10,000 contribution — and now we’re asking the community to match that generosity with their own,” said Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, chair of the trolley restoration fundraising committee. “Every dollar donated in April is matched. It’s a chance for everyday people to be part of something lasting: The transformation of a Columbus icon into a space that teaches, inspires, and honors legacy.”
Supporters will receive a trolley lapel pin as a thank-you gift for their donations.
“This isn’t just a commemorative pin — it’s a symbol of what we’ve saved and what we’re building together,” Aaron said. “For so many people, the Spaghetti Warehouse trolley holds memories. We wanted to honor that legacy with something people could wear and be proud of.”