Oct. 20, 2007 - 22:22 MDT

MEMORY LANE, AGAIN

The saga of light rail (lite rail ?) here in Denver continues as the system begins to spread.

Now they are beginning work on the western section which will go to Golden, Colorado and to the base of the foothills, west of Denver.

Eventually there will be a grid of lines pretty much covering the Denver Metro area and nearby towns. One line will go to DIA eventually.

But the line they are putting in to Golden pretty much will follow the old Denver Tramway Interurban route, they have been tearing out old rails for some time in preparation for the new rails.

This route is in my fondest memories of my youth. Riding the Interurban to Golden was fun and games for this boy through his youth. Alone or together with friends the speed of the conventional trolleys of that day was highly enjoyed by us. After leaving town the trolley would pick up speed and with its frame and body twisting back and forth, it was a thrill to us city kids.

And milling around in Golden was a treat for us. The town was much like it was during the gold rush, old buildings, old names and things like that. Clear Creek flowed through town, and a hike up the old rail roadbed which followed the creek pretty much and went to Central City and Blackhawk in the old days was a refreshing outing for us kids from town. Real rocks, big rocks, sticking up and out of the hillsides was something else for us bug-eyed townies. And the evergreens growing where they wanted to rather than lining streets expanded our souls too.

As kids durning the depression trips to the mountains or foothills were few and far between, but the Interurban got us where we wanted to go for a carefree day.

There was another Interurban from Golden to Denver which went along 44th avenue, We usually went out along the southern route and came home on the northern route. Thus adding sight seeing to the menu as well.

They are running a series of articles covering the route and I do hope there will be pictures of the old Interurban cars and rails.

One thing I do remember, the south Interurban line wiggled around quite a bit and there was a space of a mile or so that it seemed we would hit the poles holding the wires up - - but of course the car followed the rails. But �twas a bit of a thrill, especially the first time one rode it.

So, I shall follow the articles in the paper and go down MEMORY LANE, AGAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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