The Glen Mine trolley runs past Mesaba Junction and heads to the barn for the night after a day of hauling tourists around the Minnesota Discovery grounds. Some more info on the trolley follows: The Minnesota Discovery Center trolley is originally from Melbourne, Australia and was built in 1928. It is very similar to the trolleys used here on the Iron Range in the early 20th century. The first, and only, interurban electric transportation system on northeastern Minnesota’s Iron Range was introduced in December of 1912. The first car departed the city of Virginia at 5 a.m. and made the 8 mile ride to Gilbert. A Finn paid the first fare of 20¢.
The electric railway system was seen as the new and modern means of transportation and allowed people on the Range (population of around 55,000) to visit other towns more easily. Public transportation up to that time had been all but nonexistent. There were a few cars and limited railroad transportation, but the horse and buggy served most.
Track was expanded to cover 30 miles between Gilbert and Hibbing with six cars offering hourly service daily between 6 a.m. and midnight. The streetcars were the most modern available and could travel at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. They were equipped with modern conveniences including heat, smoking cars, and toilet facilities.
The Mesaba Railway began to change the Iron Range. People could now choose where to live, where to shop, and where to find entertainment. There were weekly athletic, musical, and theatrical events that people could now attend more easily and towns began to take on a more cosmopolitan feel.
