ARVADA, Colo. — Long before Interstate 70 or RTD’s G Line, many people who lived in Arvada depended on the Denver Tramway Company to get them home.
The Denver Tramway Company (DTC) once operated an extensive streetcar system, with innercity and interurban routes that nearly covered the entirety of what was then the Denver metro area, including the city of Arvada.
The DTC began operations around 1886 and had over 250 streetcars running on more than 160 miles of track at its peak.
It retired streetcars in 1950, but continued operating bus service until 1971, which led to the creation of the Regional Transportation District (RTD).
One of the last remaining streetcars operated by DTC was the Golden Line, which provided trolley service to residents of Arvada.
A DTC service map provided by the Denver Public Library shows that at least three lines served Arvada — the No. 81, 82, and 83 lines.
However, toward the latter end of DTC’s streetcar era, only the Golden Line and the No. 81 trolley were still operating in the Denver metro area, providing a vital service to Arvada residents.
In fact, the lines were so crucial that several Arvada residents attended a Colorado Public Utilities Commission meeting in March 1950 to protest a proposal to abandon the lines, bringing an end to an era.
According to a March 31, 1950, Rocky Mountain News article, 60 people, including 35 Arvada High School students, protested the proposal, arguing that the planned replacement bus service would “make it difficult for them to go to and from school.”
🚃 View a gallery below of the .04 Trolley from the Friends of the .04 Trolley |
However, despite their pleas, the commission ultimately approved DTC’s plan to abandon the metro’s last remaining trolley service later that year, closing a chapter in Arvada’s transit history.
Today, RTD’s G Line, a commuter rail line that began operations in 2019, serves residents of Arvada.
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But the old trolley service that was once a vital part of Arvada has not been forgotten. The city has been working to restore the .04 Trolley car.
In 2019, the trolley was moved to a specialized railcar restoration facility outside of Cheyenne.
🚃 Take a video journey back to the 1940s and ride along on the .04 Trolley on Route 83 to Golden |
As of May, the finishing touches of the restoration were being applied, with interior finishes and a final coat of paint scheduled to follow.
Once restoration is complete, the trolley will be placed in a park adjacent to the G Line tracks along Grandview Avenue.
Preliminary designs include a small plaza, landscaping, and a pavilion to feature and protect the trolley.
