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This is Iowa: Trolley expert reminisces on the nostalgia of Des Moines’ streetcars

This is Iowa: Trolley expert reminisces on the nostalgia of Des Moines’ streetcars
With the trolley. Well, they weren't quiet. They made their own noise kind of like judy garland in the classic Hollywood golden age musical meet me in ST louis Earl short was never the same after he saw *** des Moines street car did not have an automobile. So for Earl from toddler to teenager it was either walk or take the trolley. So I grew up using the streetcar as our transportation wherever we went short became so fascinated with streetcars because for nearly 40 years, his father, Simon, was *** city operator, 1923 to 1961 the des Moines streetcar system started humbly on the hoof 18 86 with *** horse drawn. But pretty quickly the horsepower was permanently put out to pasture. And then in 18 88 he went to electric with the buzzer walk. At its peak, dozens of din inducing trolleys trundled all over town on 16 separate streetcar lines traveling to 27 different destinations, fingers went out all the areas of the metro and the fair, according to Earl was just five cents, nothing more than *** nickel. It was an experience. It really was diesel powered busses that could cozy ride up to the curb where des Moines public Transit's ultimate destiny. So in 1951 *** streetcar named retire made the city's final official run with the nostalgia of the street cars that just kept living. Earl is *** street car expert endlessly researching for the roughly 20 trolley talks he puts on per year all over town. I work on these, the power points every day in 2017. he started raising money for the New City streetcar system monument. He also helped historians settle on the site, the old Waveland turnaround right in front of the public golf course on de Moines West side. I don't want to see that destroyed. That's *** valuable piece of history because just like judy garland, Earl Short immediately settled on something to love when he hopped on *** street car, come with me and it was grand just steve Carlin K C C. I ate news Iowa's news later.
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This is Iowa: Trolley expert reminisces on the nostalgia of Des Moines’ streetcars
Earl Short was never the same after he saw a Des Moines streetcar.From toddler to teenager, he took the trolley for transportation. Short became so enthusiastic about them because, for nearly 40 years, his dad Imon was a streetcar operator.Streetcars took passengers on 16 separate lines to 27 different destinations. Short says the fare was only 5 cents!In 1951, Des Moines streetcars ran for the last time."But the nostalgia of the streetcar just kept living," Short said.Short puts on roughly 20 'trolley talks' every year. In 2017, he started raising money for the new streetcar monument in Des Moines. He also helped historians settle on the site, the old Waveland Turnaround."I don't want to see that destroyed. That's a valuable piece of history," Short said.You can view more This Is Iowa stories here.

Earl Short was never the same after he saw a Des Moines streetcar.

From toddler to teenager, he took the trolley for transportation. Short became so enthusiastic about them because, for nearly 40 years, his dad Imon was a streetcar operator.

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Streetcars took passengers on 16 separate lines to 27 different destinations. Short says the fare was only 5 cents!

In 1951, Des Moines streetcars ran for the last time.

"But the nostalgia of the streetcar just kept living," Short said.

Short puts on roughly 20 'trolley talks' every year. In 2017, he started raising money for the new streetcar monument in Des Moines. He also helped historians settle on the site, the old Waveland Turnaround.

"I don't want to see that destroyed. That's a valuable piece of history," Short said.

You can view more This Is Iowa stories here.