counties in the Denver-Boulder area. 44 years after the closure of the tram system, rail-based mass transit returned to Denver with the opening of the new D Line light rail in 1994. Rolling stock and facilities Electrical power initially came from a series of small power plants, but as the system grew so did the need for electricity. In 1901 a subsidiary company, The Denver Tramway Power Company, was incorporated to build and operate power plants to electrify the overhead street car lines. The Denver Tramway Company Powerhouse was built between 1901 and 1904 and following its 1911 addition became the primary source of electricity for Denver's streetcars. It operated until the end of the Tramway's streetcar service in the 1950s. The powerhouse later served as an International Harvester Company warehouse, was purchased by the Forney Transportation Museum in 1969, and was bought in 1998 by current owner REI to serve as its Denver flagship store. The Denver Tramway Company used 39-foot trolley cars. Some were built by the company itself though most came from the Woeber Auto Body and Manufacturing Company. Type 1 cars were built for operation in a single direction, the entrance was on the center of the right side, and the rear of the cars were not completely enclosed. Type 2 cars were built to be reversible so they had controls at both ends and center entrances on both sides. The trolley cars had a distinct appearance, being painted "Coach Painter’s Red" on the main panel, and "Dark Straw", (yellow) on the lower panels. Unpowered trailers could be pulled behind the trolleys in rush hour in order to carry an increased number of riders. Few trolley cars from the system have been preserved. After the switch from streetcars to buses after World War II, the Denver Tramway Co. sold the old trolleys for $100 each. One passenger car from the Tramway fleet, No. 54, rests within the former Denver City Cable Railway’s powerhouse at 18th and Lawrence Street, formerly an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant. See also List of streetcar systems in the United States Denver and Intermountain Railroad – acquired by the Denver Tramway in 1910 References External links Denver Streetcars History Video showing Denver Tramway Corp., minutes 8:22-8:37; 8:51-9:00 1913 Denver Tramway map Denver’s Streetcar Legacy and Its Role in Neighborhood Walkability Transportation in Denver History of Denver Streetcars in Colorado 3 ft 6 in