As they ride around town, sipping hot chocolate and wiping steam from windows to see the lights, passengers will feel as though they’ve journeyed back in time.

“We’re bringing back the old Christmas,” Scott Davis said. “There’s something about riding in the trolley, maybe singing, and looking at all these beautiful houses that just feels like Christmas.”

Davis and his daughter DawnD Stadick operate Montana Trolley Co. The company’s three trolleys — named Hazel, Theda and Ruby — transport passengers anywhere they might need to go, from wedding guests changing venues to brewery tours hopping from pub to pub.

Each winter, the trolleys take passengers on tours of the best Christmas lights in Kalispell.

The tour starts at the Kalispell Center Mall, where guests board their trolley and meet their guide, Davis or one of other company drivers. Before people have even settled into their seats, Davis will have the group laughing, and chances are they’ll break out in song before the trolley is out of the lot.

“People see this trolley and their eyes light up, every time,” Davis said.

“It’s the best holiday tradition I could imagine,” Stadick chimes in. “This time of year, people are so busy, but this is an easy way to sit down with your family for an hour and simply enjoy each other’s company.”

Starting at 6 p.m. daily, the company takes nine tours every night through the weekend after Christmas. The trolleys travel around town and into outlying neighborhoods to see the best, most elaborate Christmas lights. Guests are invited to bring their own beverages and snacks, and each tour can accommodate up to 15 passengers.

THE FAMILY didn’t mean to start a Christmas tradition or even a trolley transportation service. Until four years ago, they had never thought of owning a trolley at all.

Davis was traveling to Missoula on business when he saw the trolley sitting for sale outside Polson and instantly was drawn to it.

“I kept thinking about it all the way to Missoula, and on the way back, I realized I had to stop,” he said. “It was a made-to-be kind of thing.”

The asking price was originally too high, but a week later, the seller showed up at Davis’ door, offering him the trolley for a much lower price.

“That’s it! That’s what started this whole whirlwind!” Davis said with a laugh.

The trolley was christened “Hazel” in honor of Davis’ late mother, and the family tentatively opened Montana Trolley as a side business.

“We were booked up so quickly,” Stadick said, adding that the trolley was a big hit for area weddings. “We were double-booking on the weekends, running around constantly.”

After their initial success, Davis bought a second trolley, Theda, and a third, Ruby, as the company continued to grow.

The trolleys have been a continued labor of love for Davis, Stadick and her fiance, Clayton Kjensrud. Each trolley was fixed up by hand, from sanding wood and repainting to installing new heating systems. The trolleys are made from solid oak, and require a high level of care to keep from rotting or falling apart.

All the lighting tours have sold out over the past two years. The family now is considering buying a fourth trolley to keep up with demand.

This year, Montana Trolley Co. has taken its tour a step further and plans to reward homeowners who have the best light displays. The family felt that since they were traipsing through the neighborhoods nightly, the homeowners deserved a thank you.

More than 30 businesses donated nearly $3,100 worth of gift cards, merchandise and baskets to contribute to the prizes.

“At first, we thought we would just do first place, and maybe second and third,” Stadick said. “But the response from the community was so incredible, we’ll probably be able to give everyone who participated a little something.”

IN THE FUTURE, Davis hopes to build a shelter to house the trolleys, which now are parked along the street in front of his house. The family also has aspirations to help build the downtown district, ferrying shoppers who want to avoid traffic in and out of the downtown area.

“In the end, this is all about giving back to our community,” Stadick said. “This is our home, too.”

“I was born and raised here,” Davis added. “And we want to make it the best place it can be.”

For more information, visit www.montanatrolleyco.com, or to book a ride, call 752-1523.

Reporter Brianna Loper may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at bloper@dailyinterlake.com.