A history of Trolley No 23 in Aspen
Trolleys in Aspen are not new.  Above is a picture of Aspen's first methane polluting trolleys.  In late 1890 Mayor Jerome Wheeler issued a franchise to a Mr. Wilber to build a trolley system in Aspen.  Although there are no pictures or maps of the trolleys,  Ramona Markalunas, Aspen Historical Society, maintains the system was electrified in 1893 and ran for several years.

The Aspen Trolley Project has roots dating back to the early 1970's when Aspen and Snowmass Village were studying a narrow gauge rail system to address intra-community transit needs.  Following closely was the Voorhees Regional Transportation Plan which identified the need for a shuttle on Galena Street to link the Rio Grande with the base of Aspen Mountain.   

With the encouragement of the Aspen City Council, the ASRC was organized, and six operating J. G. Brill Company (Philadelphia) trolleys including No. 23 were purchased and imported from Lisbon, Portugal in 1978.  A change of Council membership brought a change of thought putting the project on hold. 


In or about 1980 No. 23 was spruced up, given an Aspen "identity" and placed in Rubey Park and used as an information booth..

In 1982, Michael Hernstadt bought from ASRC and gave the six trolleys to the City of Aspen.  Soon after No. 23 was retired to the city dump where it was thought to be safe and protected. 

In 1986 a feasibility study for a Galena Street route was prepared by Harry K. Nicholls, Dallas, TX giving a cost of $1,488,000.

In 1990 a study by Street Railway Associates of Dallas, TX was prepared showing trolley operation is feasible and practical giving a cost of $2,011,000.

In 1994 the ASRC presented an updated proposal for a Galena Street Aspen Trolley costing $3,154,000.  They received unanimous written approval and support from the City Council, headed by mayor John Bennett.  Once again changes in the Council put the project back on hold.

In 2002, ASRC offered to pay for and implement a trolley shuttle system costing $4,500,000 for the Aspen community.  For the first and only time, the question was placed on the November 2002 ballot. 

Trolley No. 519 was restored with a $20,000 donation and displayed in Rubey Park where No. 23 has been placed 20 years earlier. 

In November of 2002, Aspen voters rejected trolleys by 166 votes 1,314 to 1,148.   Aspen locals attempted to purchase the trolleys, but to no avail.  Council wouldn't consider it and gave them away, including newly restored No. 519.  Within weeks, five of Aspen's six trolleys headed for new homes. 

Only one, No. 23 the oldest, most historic and in worst condition, remained.  The new owner, seeing the trolley for the first time, realized the extent of its deterioration.  They concluded, pragmatically they couldn't afford to restore it.  Not knowing what to do, they left it at the back of city dump where it had been stored for 20 years

In October 2003 with winter coming, several Aspen locals banded together and set out to rescue No. 23 before another winter past.  Contacting the owner and explaining their interest in preserving the trolley, this time with approval from a new Council, ownership of No. 23 has been transferred back to local ownership.