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The Trolley Museum of Fort Smith, in the US state of Arkansas, is dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of electric trolleycars ['trams' in the UK — Ed.], rail equipment and associated technology. The museum also has four resident cats.

Katy arrived first, at the end of 1997. Her name derived from the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Company, which used the name 'Katy' in its logo. Subsequent cats also have rail-related names. Katy was a very affectionate and loving animal who liked nothing better than greeting visitors or being in the midst of a group of schoolchildren, purring, meowing and having a fuss made of her. In fact she was so popular that the museum initiated souvenir colouring books and other items bearing her likeness, and she became the official mascot. Regrettably, she disappeared during 2002; her collar was later found, so presumably she was cat-napped or else met with an accident of some kind.

Enter Frisco, a few months before Katy's disappearance; the two got on well together. He's the only male resident and spends most of his time hanging out in the office with Casey (right). Frisco's name comes from the former Frisco Freight Systems, whose motto was Ship it on the Frisco! The Kansas City Southern Railway provided the name 'KCS' for the next arrival, but it's usually shortened to Casey. She arrived via the daughter of the museum's founder; the cat was hanging around the house seeking food, but the household was unable to take on another cat, so she was taken to the museum as a new companion for Frisco. Mostly she likes to be left to her own devices and isn't keen on too much human attention.

The beautiful grey Smoky turned up in December 2003 and immediately took up residence in the museum's 199-ton Frisco steam locomotive #4003; she likes to look down from her favourite elevated vantage point until she feels safe. Taking her inside the shed where the trolleys are kept, to give her an indoor home, has been tried several times, but she always scooted back to the engine as soon as possible! In May 2004 she produced some kittens and then started coming inside more — maybe to get away from the kids! The kits were found homes when old enough and Smoky was spayed.

The newest arrival is Chessie, named for the Chesapeake Railroad, which was fondly known by that name. She dropped in during the spring of 2004, slipping in for food for a while before making friends with the boss and deciding it was a good place to stay. She's the most approachable of the four.

The resident 'trolley cats' tolerate one another pretty well — and for now the museum is at 'maximum feline capacity'!

Grateful thanks go to Bradley Martin of the Fort Smith Trolley Museum for permission to use photos and material from the website.