Edward Michael Amrhein, a master plumber recalled as an “essential member” of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, died of heart attack complications Oct. 22 at Franklin Square Hospital. He was 68 and lived in Rosedale.

Born in Baltimore and raised in Dundalk, he was the son of William Amrhein, who worked in the family plumbing business, and his wife, Mary. He attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel School and graduated from Calvert Hall College High School. He joined the family business as a teenager.

“His father expected him to be at the job site no matter how much he had been partying the night before,” said his son-in-law, Justin Amrhein-Thillman. “He was willing to help anyone and he was definitely a take-charge kind of person.”

Mr. Amrhein was the plumber on call for nearly all the McDonald’s restaurants in Baltimore.

As a boy, he rode Baltimore’s streetcars along Belair Road with his father and later joined the Baltimore Streetcar Museum on Falls Road.

“Ed didn’t like titles but he was the museum’s administrative vice president and superintendent of transportation,” said Christopher M. McNally, a friend and fellow board member. “But he pretty much ran the place. He was one of the biggest and strongest people I have ever known — he used to lift things that no human being should ever be able to lift on his own.”

John J. O’Neill, the museum’s president, said: “He was an immense fellow both physically and in personal presence. It is hard to overestimate his value to the museum. He was the essential member. He took care of operational things. He just jumped in the task that needed to be done. He’d sling a sledgehammer and get a tough job done. He had a practical solution to everything.”

“His value was also a human one,” Mr. O’Neill said. “If he had a fault, he was just too nice.”

The Rev. Kevin Mueller, who presided at his funeral, said: “Ed was the kind of man who went to church every Sunday and loved his grandsons. He was an irreplaceable kind of man. He had a positive outlook and helped other museums as well.”

Mr. Amrhein, who led track crews and wiring projects, helped the museum acquire a large snow sweeper vehicle whose revolving circular brooms swept snow off Philadelphia streets. He became known as “Snowsweeper Ed.”

Friends said at the slightest flurry, he drove his van to Falls Road and sent plumes of snow flying along the track.

Mr. Amrhein also led a museum effort to acquire a railroad roundhouse currently used by Baltimore Public Works crews. The structure formerly housed Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotives.

“He devoted the better part of the last year to this project and did a truly excellent job moving this project to well beyond just the planning phase,” Mr. McNally said.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Mary Anne Machovec Amrhein; two daughters, Mary Amrhein-Thillman and Stephanie Amrhein, both of Rosedale; two sisters, Lynn Farrell of Timonium and Monica Zeller of Howard County; and two grandsons.

A Mass was held Oct. 29 at the Church of the Annunciation.