According to the Denver Post and Denver's Channel 9, the Ski Train has been sold. See Denver Post article at http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_12195854
Randy Lee
And another ICON fades into oblivian !!! When will they stop ?
Dick
Texas Chief
Anyone know if city of Denver had prior notice of this cancellation? It is too late to recover these cars but in the future maybe if the Denver commuter rail system is operating the following is a possibility.
On Saturdays and Sundays what commuter trains are not operating could run from their end of the line layover stations; pick up skiers on the way to Denver Union Station; Combine the various short trains at Union Station getting at least 1 engine at either end (not entirely necessary except maybe by UP requirements); board additional skiers at Denver Uniion station; run the combined train to Winter Park; reinstate the pocket track that was once at Winter Park where the train coould layover; then return to Denver at close of ski day (or even some evenings); split at Denver Union station with various trains going back to their stops of origin.
Several benefits would come from this arrangement. 1. I'm assuming that Winter Park is still owned and operated by the city of Denver as a city park and water shed (all part of the Moffet tunnel project). 2. The commuter rail equipment utilization would spread car costs (periodic FRA mtc) that could not not be spread because of poor utilization. 3. No car storage costs in Denver. 4. Insurance cost might be rolled into the commuter operation or at least very minimul. 5. A reservation sysem could be set up and maby not close until 6 - 8 hours before running; then the required number of cars set to run. Summer runs available as well. 6. Some kind of snack or meal system would have to be implemented. 7. Re instituting the pocket track at Winter Park prevents the necessity of costs and time turning and day storing the train at Grandby (?). Denver city can probably get the pocket track instituted fairly easily 8. Might enable many more Denver residents to go for a day when snow on the roads causes a problem.
Any of you Denver people comments?
Sorry, but Denver doesn't have any commuter lines or cars, only light rail. I don't know if the city had any advance notice, but it seems like everyone was caught by surprise.
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