A couple of years ago I boarded my very first locomotive and was instantly smitten. There is some special quality to rail travel that is just not there on any other form of transportation. It’s certainly not always the quickest way to get from point A to point B, but no other way to get around offers the same kind of experience- at once private and social, fast-moving but easy-paced. A train is one of the best ways around to experience America’s beautiful countryside, small towns and grand urban stations.
Until recently it was also one of the best ways to get up to the slopes of the Rockies from downtown Denver for some winter recreation. Sadly, those days have come to an end. The Anschutz Company has confirmed that Ski Train, the 69 year-old route from Union Station to Winter Park, has ended its run. The equipment has been sold to a Canadian company.
Anshutz reports that the train had been operating at a loss for over two decades and that the uncertainty of the economy combined with new developments at Union Station created a situation where continuing service was just not viable. As the Colorado ski season comes to an end, I am sad to say that next year those who wish to travel to the slopes no longer have an alternative to the car-choked crawl on the highway.
Comments
Thank you for bringing the departure of Ski Train to light. While the loss of high quality train service makes me pause and lament, let us look forward to the future, when Union Station will offer not only totally awesome commuter and light rail access to the entire metro region but also the ability to accommodate a new inter-mountain rail system. The Rocky Mountain Rail Authority is currently performing an EIS on bringing frequent train service on two routes: one North-South from Albequerque and Cheyenne, and another between DIA and Eagle County. And while these corridors were not listed under the federally designated high-speed routes that Obama promised stimulus bucks for last week, there is no reason that they can't get on that list. Ergot, the future of rail in Colorado looks bright.
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