Phoenix's light rail system isn't the first time the city had rail travel. 
From 1887 to 1948, the Phoenix Street Railway System shuttled riders from downtown through growing neighborhoods to rural areas. In 1929, the system had 6.6 million passengers. That year, the system really lived up to its motto, "Ride a Mile and Smile the While."
The system survived the Great Depression and World War II, but a mysterious fire in 1947 was the fatal blow to an already-declining system. 
However, the system and its role in Phoenix's history weren't forgotten. The wonder and importance of such transportation is memorialized in the Phoenix Trolley Museum. 
In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, podcast editor Katie O'Connell examines the history of the Phoenix trolley.