Mile High Trolleys A Nostalgic Look at Denver BY William Jones DJ + LOOSE
Mile High Trolleys A Nostalgic Look at Denver in the era of the streetcars By William Jones
Hard Cover with Dust Jacket (has damage). LOOSE timteable, drawings.
Copyright 1965 95 Pages
CONTENTS
FOREWORD 7
THE EARLY YEARS 8
TAKE THE TROLLEY EVERYWHERE 1900-1940 18
GOODBYE TO THE BIG YELLOW CARS 60
FINALE 77
ROSTER OF EQUIPMENT 78
CORPORATE CHART 96
CITY AND INTERURBAN MAPSINSIDE BACK COVER
FOREWORD
To the casual observer there are few traces to be found in the Mile High City of the once sprawling system of street railways known as the Denver Tramway. Here and there at some busy intersection the rails persist in pushing through the pavement despite the best efforts of street maintainers; a few old buildings that once served as busy shops, power plants or car barns remain in other uses or slowly decay; and in the oddest places the bodies of the once proud cars can be found waiting out the years as mountain cabins, diners or chicken coops. Very little else, save a few pictures and memories, remains of the system that served Denver for some eighty years. The corporate name of the Denver Tramway Corporation lives on and the firm still endeavors to serve the public with a fleet of modern diesel buses. It faces, however, the problem common to most cities: the ever-increasing devotion of Americans to their automobiles.
For anyone who lived in Denver before 1950, the memory of the big yellow trolleys will last far longer than the buses that replaced them. True, the tram cars were noisy. They rocked and swayed and their clanging bells demanded a clear path in traffic with disdain for the cars and buses that foretold their impending doom. They did, however, provide a growing city with the means of transportation it vitally needed. Several generations found them the best way to go to work or, just as important, to the ball park, City Park, the zoo or Elitch's Gardens-even to the mountains via the Golden interurban. What was more wonderful than a trolley ride aboard an open car on a hot summer evening, or what more dependable in winter's blizzard than the faithful streetcar? When that final time came, as it must for all men, many made the last journey to Riverside, Fairmount, Crown Hill or Mount Olivet aboard the funeral car, in tow behind a trolley full of faithful mourners. The life and death of the average citizen was closely entwined with the electric cars.
The thrills and experiences that a 5e fare once bought are now all but forgotten. The demanding clang of the bell, the hum of the motors laboring with a full car, the whistling of the trolley on the wire above, and the repeated "Step to the rear of the car"-these are a part of America's yesterday along with the locomotive whistle, a calliope on circus day, or horseshoes on cobblestone streets. Dust off your memory now and let's take a trolley ride.
All pictures are of the actual item. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
Postage rates quoted are for shipments to the US only. Ebay Global shipping charges are shown. These items are shipped to Kentucky and then ebay ships them to you. Ebay collects the shipping and customs / import fees. For direct postage rates to these countries, send me an email. Shipping to Canada and other countries varies by weight.
Payment options
Payment must be received within 10 days. Paypal is accepted.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us first. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding.
Thanks for looking at our items.
|