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The train does not leave for awhile yet so lets take some time to shoot some photographs in and around the station; starting with the Ski Train area within the station.
Next I headed down into the tunnel to take a few pictures including these old photographs of days gone by. Good thing too as I was at the station just recently and they are no longer there...
This might not be common knowledge but awhile back Denver UNION Station was purchased by Denver's RTD. So, today to lease office space within the station this is now done via RTD. While down in the Tunnel I took a shot of the Track 2 signs which is the platform used by the Ski Train. Looking the other way towards Track #7/#8 there is another stairwell which opens up of the other side of the platforms where RTD Light Rail stops at UNION startion as well.
If you noticed on my previous post, there was a private Pullman sitting on Track #3. Well, like any Railfan with a camera in hand, one must take a few photographs; right?
OK, let's take a look at the main attraction, the Ski Train itself. We will be pulled by three EMD F40PH engines in their standard configuration, #242, #283, and #289. I say standard configuration as the engines are also labeled "A", "B", and "C"; designating the order of the units are normally operated in. These engines have been operating the Ski Train since December 2000 under a lease to buy arrangement; previously Amtrak engines.
This is/was the list of cars of the Ski Train. During our trip the Dome/Sleeper California was not part of the train. Before we left the station I would have time to take lots of photographs of the train. Sadly I didn't take a photograph of every car when I had the chance but I did get photographs of five (5) of them that I will be sharing in the next several posts.
01. (No Car #1, this slot is for the engines A, B, and/or C) 02. Coach / La Plata Peak 03. Coach / Pikes Peak 04. Coach / Mount Elbert 05. Cafe-Lounge / North Park 06. Coach / Mount Evans 07. Coach / Pyramid Peak 08. Coach / Mount Massive 09. Cafe-Lounge / Winter Park 10. Coach / Mount Princeton 11. Coach / Shavano Peak 12. Presentation Retreat / Mount Bierstadt 13. Club Car / Colorado Springs 14. Club Car / Glenwood Springs 15. Club Car / Idaho Springs 16. Dome-Sleeper / California 17. Parlor Car / Utah 18. Business Car / Kansas
Posts: 256 | From: Centennial, Colorado | Registered: Jul 2002
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Standing next to Coach #3 (Pikes Peak), I took this photograph down the train which Coach #4 (Mount Elbert) is the first full car in the image followed by the rest of the train.
The next car is listed as AMTK#800318 (Utah) which is a private car setup as a Lounge / Diner Car. Sorry off limits unless you are on the guest list and I'm not...
Lisa has taken the window seat so she can take photos and I will be using my small Point-n-Shoot to take both Photographs and Videos from the second seat next to here. Lisa gets a couple of shots in before we leave and I catch a shot of Coors Field as we pass by...
On this trip, I have just my Canon Power Shot A630 with me that can also take videos so here is the first in a series of video clips for this topic. If this short clip we pull out of the station and into the yard. We are on the other side of the train compared to our Amtrak trip so I will catch the Turn-Table this time.
As we pass though Little and Big 10 Curves Clay Siding comes into view. I can hear Lisa's camera going CLICK CLICK CLICK as she rattles off nearly 20 shots. Here are a few of those shots of the Ski Train approaching Clay Siding as well as freight sitting on the siding we are about to pass...
Here are a couple more of Lisa's shots of us on Clay Siding. She then turns the camera backups and catches a few shots of Rocky Siding behind us too where a Coal train sits with four helpers in the middle. Fright, especially Coal Trains need allot of Horsepower when pulling into the Tunnel District.
The one thing that will be tough as I go through the 700+ images Lisa took and my Video and Still shots is getting them in the right order. See we forgot to sync our cameras Date/Time settings nor did I record how many minutes between each of them were after the trip. So, if I get some out of order and I don't catch it please tell me. I plan to later build a DVD of our trip and would like to get it all right by then.
After making the turn at Coal Creek Canyon, we pass into Tunnel #1 and begin our trip through the Tunnel District. Once we exit Tunnel #1 we reach Plainview Siding. Being a fellow Tunnel Junkie, I look back out of our car and catch a shot of the other portal of Tunnel#1.
A company with experience running excursion passenger trains in southern Colorado is interested in reviving Ski Train service between Denver and Winter Park, beginning with the upcoming season.
The Ski Train, which operated between Denver and Winter Park, ended a 69-year run in April. (Denver Post file photo)
It is "very premature" to talk about the resumption of the Ski Train, said Edwin Ellis, president of Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, which counts the Alamosa-based San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad and Rio Grande Scenic Railroad among its properties.
In April, Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz's company said it was selling the Ski Train's rolling stock to a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway Co., ending a 69-year run for the excursion train.
Anschutz's firm attributed the decision to "overall cost increases, particularly for liability coverage," "operating issues with freight trains" and uncertainty surrounding the redevelopment of Denver's Union Station as the hub for RTD's FasTracks project.
In a June letter obtained by The Denver Post, Ellis wrote to Union Pacific Railroad chairman and chief executive James Young, saying Iowa Pacific would like to succeed Anschutz's company in operating the Ski Train.
Iowa Pacific "has a fleet of modern, higher-capacity cars that we use in southern Colorado" for passenger-rail excursions, Ellis said in his letter, yet "these cars are largely idle in the winter."
Ellis added: "We carry $100 million in liability insurance for passenger operations."
In a presentation to government leaders, Ellis' company said the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad "can provide all services necessary for the Winter Park train," including "railcars and locomotives, onboard services, reservations and ticketing, sales and marketing, and administration."
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.
Winter Park Resort president and chief operating officer Gary DeFrange said his ski area has been interested in finding another operator for the excursion train since it learned of Anschutz's decision.
"We are exploring any options we can think of to bring back the Ski Train," DeFrange said.
This ski season will be the 70th anniversary of the resort, and if another operator can be found for the train in the coming season, it would the 70th year for the Ski Train as well, DeFrange said. Iowa Pacific's San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad hauls freight in the San Luis Valley area, and the scenic railroad runs summer passenger excursions from Alamosa serving La Veta, Antonito and Monte Vista.
In Iowa Pacific's letter to UP promoting a Ski Train revival, Ellis said, "Keeping cars off congested, snowbound highways has strong public appeal."
Evan Dreyer, spokesman for Gov. Bill Ritter, said the governor's office hopes to host a meeting next week of the parties involved in a possible Ski Train revival. "The governor is trying to help save this cultural icon and important part of Colorado history," Dreyer said.
One challenge for a new Ski Train operator, if it wins approval from UP for the service, will be to establish a temporary terminal in Denver while reconstruction of Union Station proceeds.
The Denver Union Station Project Authority is planning a four-year, $500 million redevelopment of the station area. The rehabilitation plan calls for a new commuter-rail and passenger-rail terminal that will handle four FasTracks trains,
Amtrak and other passenger rail, including excursion trains such as the Ski Train. Amtrak has struck a deal with the Regional Transportation District and the station authority that calls for a temporary Amtrak station near 19th and 20th streets while construction is underway at Union Station.
It is not clear whether the temporary Amtrak station would have enough capacity to serve Ski Train customers.
Posts: 256 | From: Centennial, Colorado | Registered: Jul 2002
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Between Tunnel#1 and Tunnel#2 is Plainview and Lisa took several photographs through this section and I finally picked four to share with you tonight. The first is a shot due east looking over the Colorado Plains; hence the name of this location. The second shot she catches the train we just passed earlier on Clay Siding. The next shot she catches Tunnel #2 and Tunnel#3 that we are approaching. The final selection tonight she catches our train exiting Plain Siding just before we reach Tunnel #2. Enjoy!
While Lisa was taking all her shots out the right side, I was taking video from the left. As we exit Plain Siding, we then enter into Tunnel#2. While inside the tunnel, you can see in the window reflection activity inside the car...
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