Mountain Passenger Rail
Overview of Mountain Passenger Rail
Passenger rail service from Denver through Winter Park and on to Steamboat Springs and Craig could be re-established thanks to a $5 million investment to study the rail line. Funding for a service development plan is a critical step toward making this passenger rail expansion a reality.
The passenger rail service would coordinate with and complement bus service in the mountains, including CDOT’s own Bustang system and the Town’s Lift transit system. Transitioning the existing rail line to passenger rail could help lower the cost of living, create new job opportunities, connect people with more affordable housing options, and grow our economy.
Current Status
The vision for mountain rail, which CDOT has been working on for months, became a real possibility because of recent developments that include dramatically decreased coal train traffic on Union Pacific rail lines, leading UP officials to be open to the possibility of hosting more passenger rail on its mountain lines. UP lines already serve the California Zephyr and Winter Park ski trains, but there is capacity for more passenger service, including from Denver to Steamboat Springs, Hayden and Craig.
Town Role
While the Town is a supportive partner of the effort, this project is being driven and managed by the State of Colorado, specifically, the Department of Transportation.
