San Luis & Rio Grande operator reportedly considering operating Ski Train
Mountain bikers heading for the Winter Park-Fraser area trail system have missed summer operations of the Ski Train from Denver this year, and skiers were already mourning its disappearance after 69 years of operations when owner Phil Anschutz sold the rolling stock to a Canadian operator a few months ago. Now, the Denver Post reports, there is a glimmer of hope on the Ski Train horizon.
In a piece called "Colorado Ski Train Revival Gathers Steam," reporter Jeffrey Leib reported that the Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, which owns southern Colorado's Alamosa-based San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad and Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, could take over the route. Although it is "premature" to hope this might happen, Edwin Ellis, Iowa Pacific president, did indicate to authoritiex that his company "can provide all services necessary for the Winter Park train, [including] railcars and locomotives, onboard services, reservations and ticketing, sales and marketing, and administration."
In his front-page story in the Post's business section, Leib wrote, "Any new operator of the Denver-to-Winter Park route will have to get permission from Union Pacific, which owns the track and operates freight trains in the corridor. UP has an office that coordinates with Amtrak and other passenger-rail ventures that want to use its track, yet that office 'has not been contacted regarding the re-establishment of the train,' Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said Tuesday. Doing so 'is the key to beginning the process of seeing if it is even feasible to re-establish the Ski Train,' Davis said."
I rode the Ski Train near the end of last ski season and mourned the news of its demise just a few weeks later. Count me as one of those hoping that the Ski Train will be back on track for the 2009-10 season.
Mountain bikers heading for the Winter Park-Fraser area trail system have missed summer operations of the Ski Train from Denver this year, and skiers were already mourning its disappearance after 69 years of operations when owner Phil Anschutz sold the rolling stock to a Canadian operator a few months ago. Now, the Denver Post reports, there is a glimmer of hope on the Ski Train horizon.
In a piece called "Colorado Ski Train Revival Gathers Steam," reporter Jeffrey Leib reported that the Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, which owns southern Colorado's Alamosa-based San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad and Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, could take over the route. Although it is "premature" to hope this might happen, Edwin Ellis, Iowa Pacific president, did indicate to authoritiex that his company "can provide all services necessary for the Winter Park train, [including] railcars and locomotives, onboard services, reservations and ticketing, sales and marketing, and administration."
In his front-page story in the Post's business section, Leib wrote, "Any new operator of the Denver-to-Winter Park route will have to get permission from Union Pacific, which owns the track and operates freight trains in the corridor. UP has an office that coordinates with Amtrak and other passenger-rail ventures that want to use its track, yet that office 'has not been contacted regarding the re-establishment of the train,' Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said Tuesday. Doing so 'is the key to beginning the process of seeing if it is even feasible to re-establish the Ski Train,' Davis said."
I rode the Ski Train near the end of last ski season and mourned the news of its demise just a few weeks later. Count me as one of those hoping that the Ski Train will be back on track for the 2009-10 season.
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Those of us who live in Summit County (home to Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, A-Basin) wonder what the mass transit future holds in store for us!
ReplyDeleteI love the Ski Train - it's such a fun way to get to Winter Park -- count me in as one who hopes for its return!
ReplyDeleteIf we keep our collective fingers crossed, we might see a return of the Ski Train. And as for Summit County and the I-70 corridor, we can only hope to live long enough to see meaningful and useful mass transit. The problem is that infrastructure is terribly expensive to build, and people won't use it unless its very inexpensive. It is still difficult to wean Americans away from their cars.
ReplyDeleteI live on the East Coast now, but fondly remember the ski train. This may become more viable once the Fasttracks East Corridor is built. Imagine flying into DIA and then taking a two-hop train to Winter Park?
ReplyDeleteI am a California resident who visited Denver with my family last ski season. The Winter Park Ski Train was absolutely the highlight of the trip. Whether or not it reopens will likely determine if we come back this year. That train was fun, inexpensive and very convenient. I sympathize with the residents who have lost a piece of their local history, I feel like I lost a piece of mine.
ReplyDeleteNo definitive word one way or another. We're keeping our fingers crossed.
ReplyDelete