Just to clarify matters, the Rockford "trolley" is a single-truck streetcar powered by an underfloor engine. I saw it back in 1990, but on a non-operating day. It runs along an abandoned track through a large park along the Rock River. Being a lifelong traction fan, I'm a bit sensitive to non-electric "trolleys", such as the one in El Reno OK. At least the El Reno car runs on rails; what's really annoying are the buses made up to look like cable cars that many towns refer to as "trolleys."

Some years ago, I came across a better name for the things you refer to:
"Theme Buses".

Where does this trolley go? The Rockford Park District website led me to a "map page" which is actually a satellite picture. The track appears to run in both directions from the trolley Station. In one direction there is some street running in and next to North Madison Street to another park and beyond and to the Seventh Street Railway Station in the other direction and beyond.

What is also annoying is the fact that shuttle buses, that run from parking lots to an event site for example, are also being called "trolleys."

Here's a fairly good page about it.
http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Rockford/
Including a link to video of them putting out the fire.
It appears to run along the east side of the river from East Jefferson to Auburn St/Spring Creek Rd.

Try also Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.28305 ... &t=h&hl=en
Select "Street View" and you can navigate directly to the carbarn!

What kind of car is it? Is it actually a historic car?

I think the Rockford car is "scratch-built" as the modelers would say, possibly incorporating parts salvaged from a scrapped streetcar. I either heard or read that when it was first built, the running gear was not up to the task, and people from local industries teamed up to provide sturdier axles and bearings. One of the sights that passengers see when it's running is the "Flower Clock", a large outdoor timepiece with flowers instead of numbers (I saw similar displays while riding trams in Australia) If someone asks "What time is it?" the answer might be "Two daisies past begonia."

Bob,

You sure have that right! How would you like to be here in San Francisco where the real cable cars are and see people riding around on city tours in the fake ones? They think they are in the real thing! But often times people from Oklahome or some other transit starved state do not know any better.

Worse yet theydrive past our maritime museum and talk about the pirate ship tied up out in front. at least they provide blankets for foggy days.

The first group of those rubber tired monsters were real retired cable cars. But these days they are building them from scratch.

Ted Miles