Ding Ding Ding went the Bell!
History:
In 1907, the Denver and Interurban Railroad (the D&I) built a three-legged streetcar line in Fort Collins as part of their expansion along Colorado's Front Range. These three lines served to shuttle Fort Collins locals every twenty minutes to destinations all over the city. Only a few years after service had begun, the D & I cut back service on trollies and in 1918, upon arrival of automobiles, faced massive economical crisis which caused them to stop service all together. Then in 1919, Fort Collins was faced with a public transportation dilemma and left it up to the people to decide what would work best. The town ended up voting 8 to 1 in favor of restoring the old trolley system in town, making Fort Collins the smallest city in the nation to have a running Trolley system. From that point until 1951, Fort Collins Municipal Railroad system ran efficiently along the streets but the cars themselves began to become victims of ware and tare and the advent of the automobile, a commodity at that point, made public transportation virtually unnecessary. The last car to run on city streets was car 22 on June 30, 1951 and by 1952 most of the tracks in town had been paved over or torn up, all but Car 21 which sat on a small strip of track near the Fort Collins Museum(near the Fort Collins Public Library in Old Town). In 1977, a local volunteer group began restoring the original number 21 car that the entire system began with. At a value of $2.5 million dollars, the Fort Collins Municipal Railroad Society granted Fort Collins with a 1.5 mile track for the Trolley to run on at no cost to the city. The Trolley was up and running again by 1985 and has been going strong ever since.
Now for You:
Its cheap, unique, nostalgic, and an experience your not likely going to find in many other cities. While you can't ride it right now because it is the off- season, start marking your calenders because the Trolley starts running again in May. It operates every Saturday and Sunday and on holidays in May through September from noon until five P.M. It entails a three mile round trip between City Park and Howes Street. You can board the trolley at City Park next to the tennis courts, at Shields and Mountain Ave., at Loomis and Mountain, or at Howes and Mountain.
Cost:
On Mother's Day, Mom's ride for free. On Father's Day, Dad's ride for free. At anytime, children under 2 ride for free and kids 2-12 ride for only 50 cents. All other times Adults have to pay the enormous fee of one whole dollar and seniors gotta find three quarters at the bottom of their pockets to pay for their ride. Whether your new to the city or someone who has been here their whole lives, a ride on the Fort Collins Trolley is an experience that everyone must try at least once. It takes you back in the history of this town and it is one of the many key ingredients which creates this town's local charm. One way or another, its worth checking out.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Check out the Fort Collins Municipal Railway home site at
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