Streetcars, Trolleys, Curbliners, and Buses in Des Moines

The Dart D-Line downtown shuttle is just the latest chapter in the history of public transportation in Des Moines. Here's a timeline of past events:

1867 - The Des Moines Street Railway is established by Dr. M.P. Turner.

December 19, 1888 - The first electric streetcar (a converted horse car) made its first trip. It was operated by the Broad Gauge Street Railway Company, in direct competition with the Des Moines Street Railway.

1889 - Jefferson Polk consolidated the Des Moines Street Railway, the Broad Gauge Street Railway, the Rapid Transit Company, and the Sevastopol Street Railway into a new company, the Des Moines City Railway. This company used a variety of equipment.

1911 - After several years of operation, the Des Moines City Railway declared bankruptcy.

1921 - A strike kept the trolleys off the streets for four months.

1929 - The Des Moines system was acquired by a syndicate headed by Walter J. Cummings and it became the Des Moines Railway Company.

1920s-1930s - Gasoline-powered buses began to be used in Des Moines.

October 8, 1938 - The first "curbliners" (trolley buses) made their appearance in Des Moines. A Des Moines resident won $500.00 in a contest to name this new type of trolley bus.

1940 - By this year, Des Moines Railway operated 100 street cars, 31 trolley buses, and 37 gas buses.

March 5, 1951 - The last street car using tracks made its final run. It was a street car named Retire.

January 25, 1964 - This date marked the end of electric curbliner service. Curbliner No. 249 was taken on a special run made by a group of trolley enthusiasts.

The construction of the MacVicar Freeway in the mid-1960s forced the removal of the electric power system that served the curbliners. The transit company converted to all gas-powered vehicles and commuters were able to drive their own cars to work quickly and conveniently. It was the end of an era.