Issaquah Valley Trolley

The Issaquah Valley Trolley (IVT) is a heritage streetcar line in Issaquah, Washington, United States. It is a project of the Issaquah Historical Museums (formerly known as the Issaquah Historical Society), and the trolley carbarn is just north of the Issaquah Depot Museum, located at 50 Rainier Blvd. North. In 2001–02, a demonstration trolley borrowed from Yakima Valley Trolleys was operated along existing, former-freight railroad track to prove the concept that an operating trolley in Issaquah would attract ridership.

After returning the borrowed trolley to Yakima in May 2002, Issaquah acquired three trolleys of its own: an ex-Milan interurban car (No. 96), and two narrow gauge ex-Lisbon trolleys (Nos. 519 and 521, built in Lisbon in 1925) from a failed plan for a trolley line in Aspen, Colorado. None was able to operate, as they all needed restoration work before being usable for service, and the ex-Lisbon trolleys also required "re-gauging" from 900 mm (3 ft) gauge to standard gauge to enable them to run on the existing railroad track in Issaquah. The trolleys will tow or push a generator car to supply them with electricity, rather than receiving power from overhead wires. The IVT group also hopes to rebuild about a mile of recently removed track on the Lake Sammamish rail-trail, as far as the boat-launch.

In March 2012, one of the ex-Lisbon cars, No. 519, was sent to the Gomaco Trolley Company, in Iowa, for restoration and re-gauging of its truck. The car returned from Gomaco in August, its restoration completed, and made a test run over the line. with additional crew training then following. Public service began on October 14, 2012, with initial hours of operation scheduled for weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. until sometime in November. The section of railroad line currently used for rides is about one-half mile (approx. 800 m) long.

The other Lisbon car, No. 521, has not yet been restored and is not operable, but the group hopes to restore it later. IVT no longer plans to use the 1930-built ex-Milan car No. 96 and is offering it for sale.

The museum also has an operational 0-4-0 Plymouth gasoline-mechanical locomotive.