Rocky Mountain Railroad Historical Foundation

Car 25

Visitors to the No. 25 restoration project are always welcome. However, access to the Denver Federal Center after normal working hours and weekends must be arranged for at least two days in advance by calling (303)797-8444.

Denver and Intermountain No. 25 is the only totally intact, surviving car of Denver's once vast electric railway system that consisted of 300 miles of track and approximately 250 streetcars. No. 25 was one of seven cars that provided passenger service between downtown Denver and Golden over the Denver Tramway Company's 13 mile standard gauge line.

Route 84, as the line was known, took No. 25 out of downtown via the Colfax viaduct, south on Federal Blvd. a short distance, and onto its own right-of-way at Barnum Junction. The line went almost straight west, roughly paralleling 13th Avenue until Camp George West, where it curved north around South Table Mountain into Golden.

No. 25 was one of two cars built by the Woeber Car Co. of Denver and placed in Service on February 11, 1911. The 52-passenger car is powered by four 50-horsepower Westinghouse electric motors mounted on McGuire-Cummings trucks, and is quite capable of speeds up to 60 miles per hour.

When the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club initiated excursions over the electric lines of the Denver Tramway after World War II, No. 25 was one of the cars occasionally used for the trips.

The Club purchased the car in 1950 to save it from the scrapper, and used it for excursions after regular Tramway service was discontinued in June of 1950. The car's last trip was its movement to Golden on March 15, 1953. After spending time stored at several locations in Golden it was moved to the Colorado Railroad Museum for display. In 1988 the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club made the decision to restore the car and pursue a location at which to operate.

This standard gauge interurban car was built in 1911 by the Wober Car Co. of Denver after the D&IM, originally named Denver, Lakewood & Golden, was electrified in 1907. The car operated over what was later called Route 84 between downtown Denver and Golden by Denver Tramway, successor to the D&IM. Car 25 photos courtesy Colorado Railroad Museum Passenger service ended in 1950 and the car was purchased by the Club.

For the next three years, the Club used 25 for fantrips until March 1953 when electric freight service to Golden ended. The car was moved to the Colorado Railroad Museum where it was on display for many years. The Club later formed the Rocky Mountain Railroad Historical Foundation to undertake restoration. For over 10 years, a group of dedicated volunteers has spent thousands of hours restoring 25 to its as built appearance.