U.S. Streetcar Systems- Colorado – Fort Collins
Fort Collins
Fort Collins Municipal Railway
Began Operation: 1985
Route Miles: 1.5
Stops: 4
Org: Non-profit
Schedule: weekends, May-Sep.
The Fort Collins Municipal Railway is operated by the non-profit Fort Collins Municipal Railway Society during weekends and Holidays from May through September.
The group operates original Ft. Collins single-truck Birney streetcar 21 over 1.5 miles of restored streetcar route on Mountain Ave. Restoration of car 21 began back in 1977, and the Fort Collins Municipal Railway Society was formally organized in 1980. The Society took on the task of completing the restoration of car 21 and rebuilding the original Mountain Ave. line. With help from its volunteer members, plus generous support from local businesses, the Society built a new two-stall carbarn on West Mountain Ave. and rebuilt much of the Mountain Ave. line: 1-1/2 miles, from City Park to Howe St, just two blocks from the still-bustling Mountain and College downtown intersection.
The first part of the rebuilding was completed by the end of 1984, allowing restored Car 21 to run once again to City Park. The rest of the line was completed over the following two summers and turned over to the City in August 1986. Since then, the Society has operated the car and maintained the railway at no cost to the City.
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| Car 21 in action |
Patrons queue at City Park |
Car 21 navigates the turn onto Roosevelt |
Street running |
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Eric Ledbetter photos |
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News, Links and Updates
October 2007- The Ft. Collins Municipal Railway has announced that it has struck a deal with Charlotte Trolley Inc. to purchase former Fort Collins Car 25, one of five Fort Collins streetcars still in existence. The car had been purchased by Charlotte Trolley in 1999 from a public utility company in Charlestown S.C. The FCMRS plans to restore the car for operation along with sister Car 21.