Presbyterian College > Academic Web Server > Jon Bell > Transit > (Cities | Types) > Fort Collins

Fort Collins, Colorado:
Fort Collins Municipal Railway

Description

The Fort Collins Municipal Railway is a non-profit group that operates a 1.5-mile (2.4-km) heritage streetcar line on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from May through September. The line runs mostly along the north side of the grassy median strip of West Mountain Avenue, from Howes Street at the edge of downtown Fort Collins, to Roosevelt Avenue where it turns south for a short distance to reach City Park.

The FCMR's operating rolling stock consists of one single-truck Birney safety car, #21, built in 1919 by the American Car Company for the original Fort Collins Municipal Railway, which operated the city's streetcar system from 1919 to 1951. After streetcar service ended, #21 went on static display in a city park. In 1976 restoration work began, which led to the founding of the new FCMR in 1980, reconstruction of the track along Mountain Ave., and the first regular operation in 1985.

In May 2008, the FCMR received another former Fort Collins Birney car for restoration as a running-mate for #21. This car was built in 1922 for Cheyenne, Wyoming. Then it ran in Richmond, Virginia, which sold it in 1946 to Fort Collins, where it ran until 1951 as car #25. Its most recent owner was the Charlotte Trolley.

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Pictures

These pictures were taken on 7 June 2008. I've arranged them to proceed down the line from east to west.

[picture] Looking straight down the track from the eastern end of the line, we watch car #21 arriving from City Park on the first trip of the day. The Avery House on the destination sign is a landmark building near this spot.

[picture #1] | [picture #2] The eastern terminus is on Mountain Ave. at Howes St., two blocks west of College St., the main north/south route through downtown Fort Collins.

[picture] A block west of Howes, #21 crosses Meldrum St.

[picture] At Mack St. are the remnants of a passing siding, without switches or overhead wire.

[picture #1] | [picture #2] | [picture #3] #21 crosses Shields St. westbound, then passes a grocery store on the far corner. Notice the warning to oncoming drivers, next to the traffic light in the first picture.

[picture #1] | [picture #2] At Roosevelt Ave., the line turns south towards City Park. Here, #21 goes the other way, turning from Roosevelt onto Mountain. The straight-through track to the left on Mountain leads to the carbarn.

[picture] #21 starts to cross Oak St. as it leaves City Park, one block south of the preceding picture.

[picture #1] | [picture #2] The western terminus at City Park. The small building serves as a gift shop.

[picture] The carbarn is on Mountain Ave. a few blocks west of the turnoff to City Park.

[picture] After leaving the carbarn, #21 has to cross the eastbound lane of Mountain Ave. to reach the median strip.

[picture] Inside #21, with a good load of passengers.

[picture] A souvenir paper transfer.

This page was last updated on 14 June 2008.

Presbyterian College > Academic Web Server > Jon Bell > Transit > (Cities | Types) > Fort Collins

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