Denver and Intermountain Railroad facts for kids
The Denver and Intermountain Railroad was a special kind of train line called an interurban railway. It connected the cities of Denver and Golden, Colorado, covering about 18 miles. These trains were unique because they could run on regular train tracks and also on city streets, just like a streetcar!
The Denver and Intermountain Railroad Story
This train line started way back in 1891 as a steam-powered railroad called the Denver, Lakewood and Golden. By 1893, it had added electric tracks that went right into downtown Denver.
Over the years, the company changed its name a few times. In 1904, it became the Denver & Inter-Mountain Railway. Then, in 1907, it was simply called the Intermountain. Finally, in 1910, it settled on the Denver & Intermountain Railroad (D&IM).
In 1909, the entire line became fully electric. It used 11,000 volts of alternating current (AC) power. This allowed the trains to travel directly onto city streets and reach the Interurban Loop in downtown Denver.
The next year, in 1910, the D&IM was bought by the Denver Tramway company. It became known as Route 84 within their system. The train service continued until 1950. Even after the trains stopped running, the electric power system was kept until 1953.
Later, the ownership of the tracks went to a company called Associated Railroads. They used the line to carry freight, which means goods and materials, as far as the Denver Federal Center.
In the 1990s, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) bought the old train path, also known as the right of way. They fixed it up to become part of the W Line light rail system. This means parts of the old D&IM line are still used for public transportation today!
Car No. 25: A Piece of History
Quick facts for kids |
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Denver and Intermountain Railroad Interurban No. 25
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| Location | Denver Federal Center West 6th Avenue & Kipling Street Lakewood, Colorado |
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| Built | 1911 |
| Built by | Woeber Car Company |
| NRHP reference No. | 11001016 |
| Added to NRHP | January 12, 2012 |
Denver and Intermountain Number 25 is a special train car. It was built in 1911 by the Woeber Car Company in Denver. This car started carrying passengers in 1911. It was used until 1950, when the streetcar services in Denver ended.
After it was retired, the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club bought the car for $150. They used it for special trips called excursions until 1953. For a short time, it was stored in Golden. Then, it moved to the Colorado Railroad Museum and was kept outside.
The Platte Valley Trolley once planned to use Car No. 25 for its heritage trolley service. This type of service uses old trains for fun rides. However, they chose a different vehicle after Car No. 25 was moved to the Denver Federal Center.
Even so, a project to restore Car No. 25 began in 1988. In 2010, the car's ownership was given to the West Corridor Historical Rail Cooperative. This group is supported by the Platte Valley Trolley and the City of Lakewood.
On January 12, 2012, Car No. 25 was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical places and items in the United States. It's special because it's the only known surviving train car of its kind built by the Woeber company that uses standard gauge tracks.
