OK, lets get this next chapter of RRAdventures started!!!
We start out our day around 7:30AM at Denver UNION Station...
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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.
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Old Photographs
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...
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Union Station Restaurant
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Time Table No. 67
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Tunnel
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.
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Track #4. #3, #2, and #1
Let's step outside and take some photographs of the tracks. At one time there were many more tracks but this is how the platforms look today.
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Colorado Pine Pullman PPCX #800563
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?
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End of the Line MP 0.04
It's just about time to go find Lisa and get ready to get on board the Ski Train...
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EMD F40PH Engines
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.
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The Ski Train Cars
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
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D&RGW#1231
Not listed in my previous post is D&RGW #1231 which is used as a Baggage Car; also setup as a Dormitory / Combine Car.
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4 / Coach / Mount Elbert
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.
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12 / Presentation Retreat Car / Mount Bierstadt
Now, let's jump from Coach Car #4 to #12; Mount Bierstadt which is the Presentation Retreat Car of the train.
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13 / Club Car / Colorado Springs
The next car is #13 (Colorado Springs) which is a Club Car and I also found it listed as #425
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14 / Club Car / Glenwood Springs
The next car is #14 (Glenwood Springs) which is a Parlor Car and I also found it listed as #426
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15 / Parlor Car / Idaho Springs
The next car is #15 (Idaho Springs) which is a Parlor Car and I also found it listed as #427
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PL / Parlor Car / Utah
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...
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PL / Business Car / Kansas
The last car is AMTK#800165 (Kansas) which is a private Business car. Sorry this one is also off limits...
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Herald
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Here is some more shots of the end four cars from a different angle...
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PL / Business Car / Kansas
Now just because I could not get inside KANSAS, does not mean I can take a few shots through the windows...
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... or some close up shots of the outside of the KANSAS, or shots of the inner UTAH's door.
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Time to get on board
We will be traveling on board Parlor/Club Glenwood Springs #14, so here are the last few shots on the outside as we head for our seats.
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Let's take our seats and grab a snack and a cup of coffee
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Departure
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...
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Video #01
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.
I catch this shot of Rocky Siding where a Coal Train sits...
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Clay Siding
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...
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Clay Siding / Rocky Siding
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.
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Video#3
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.
Here is the next set of Video Clips... YouTube - Ski Train Part#03 Posted by Stourbridge Lion (Member # 1796) on :
We enter into the Tunnel District
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.
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Plainview, CO
Not long afterward, we pass through Plainview, CO...
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We interrupt this topic as we break over LIVE to the Denver Post
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.
Posted by Stourbridge Lion (Member # 1796) on :
Plainview, CO
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!
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Tunnel#2
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...
With Lisa sitting in the Window seat, she will catch Tunnel #3 with the Ski Train passing through it.
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Tunnel #6
The next portal Lisa will catch with the train passing through is that of Tunnel #6...
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Tunnel #10
The next portal Lisa will get a shot of is #10
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39°54'39.00"N 105°18'41.00"W
Lisa's next clean shot of the Ski Train will be between Tunnel#16 & #17
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Tunnel #15
After exiting Tunnel #16 Lisa also catches this shout of Tunnel #16...
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Crescent Siding
The next section Lisa will get a shot of the train going around a bend will be at Crescent Siding near MP 31.2
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Gross Reservoir
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News Flash
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Tunnel #19
The next Tunnel shot Lisa will catch will be #19.
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Video #5
While Lisa got her shot of Gross Reservoir and Tunnel #19 I was trying to shot video over her shoulder of Gross Reservoir as well. I also took a quick video of our Car Attendant making up some "To Go" cups of fruit since those of us in our car had not yet eaten all during breakfast. Soon Tunnel #21 will cut off my shots of this area of the Tunnel District.
This next shot does not catch much of the train or the tunnel portal but might give modelers of the route an different perspective.
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Tunnel #23
At the next tunnel, Lisa will catch a bit of the train passing through the portal...
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Tunnel #24
Lisa gets a better angle as we enter into the next tunnel...
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Tunnel #26 / #27
I will catch this short video clip as we approach #27 and before entering #27. You can see Lisa's camera show up here are there as she is taking shots up the canyon.
As noted in the previous post, while I was shooting video clips, Lisa was taking shots up the canyon. Here are a few of those shots as we approach Tunnel #27...
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South Boulder Creek Canyon - Between Tunnel #27 & #29
After we exit Tunnel #27 Lisa takes a couple more canyon shots before the Ski Train starts into a "S" curve heading into Tunnel #29...
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Tunnel #29
With the train turning into the "S" curve, Lisa get's several shots of the train including as it passes into Tunnel #29. Here are the four I've picked out for usage on my RRAdventures website and to share here on this trip report.
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Cliff Siding (MP 37)
While Lisa was taking her shots, I captured a few short clips that include the Ski Train after we exited Tunnel #29 and a UP Freight train sitting at Cliff Siding with six (6) engines on the front end.
At this point, Lisa is not able to get any good shots from the right side so I hope over to the windows on the left side. Looking up river, we are about to take a right turn which is where Tunnel #30 will be. After passing though the tunnel I will shot a couple of canyon shots before the train takes a left turn and comes into my view...
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Rollins, CO
I will get a couple more shots of the Ski Train as it completes the "S" curve. As the train turns back to the right we pass onto the Rollins Siding...
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Rollins Siding
I flip my little point-n-shot from stills back to video mode as we pass through Rollins...
As we reach Tolland, Lisa is once again taking shot after shot; here is a few you might enjoy of the Continental Divide we are about the go under, the old School House, and the Siding and Wye that are here...
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East Portal
Lisa will get a few more shots before we enter into Moffat Tunnel
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Latest News
All are aboard plan to revive Ski Train runs
Amtrak and Iowa Pacific get the go-ahead for Denver-to-Winter Park rail trips from Dec. 26 to March 28. By Jeffrey Leib The Denver Post
The Union Pacific Railroad said Thursday that it has approved a request from Amtrak to operate a revived Ski Train between Denver and Winter Park for the upcoming ski season.
In April, a company operated by Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz said it would no longer run Ski Train excursions to Winter Park, potentially ending a 69-year tradition. Anschutz's firm sold its Ski Train railcars to a Canadian railroad company.
Last month, Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, which operates excursion railroads seasonally in southern Colorado and short-line freight railroads in this state and across the country, said it would like to take over the Denver-Winter Park service.
"Union Pacific has approved Amtrak's request to run the Ski Trains as special Amtrak trains," UP spokesman Mark Davis said of Iowa Pacific's proposal.
Iowa Pacific president Ed Ellis said his company had asked UP to allow Amtrak "to run the Ski Train on our behalf for the 2009-2010 season. We're pleased to hear that UP has approved that request."
The new Ski Train operation is scheduled to run between Dec. 26 and March 28, Ellis said.
Amtrak and the renewed Ski Train are expected to use Union Station through the end of March.
Beginning in April, officials planning the $500 million redevelopment of Union Station as a hub for RTD expect to relocate Amtrak service to a temporary rail station at 21st and Delgany streets, just northwest of Coors Field, for 3 1/2 years while construction at Union Station proceeds.
It is likely that Iowa Pacific's Ski Train, if it operates during the 2010-11 season, would use the temporary Amtrak facility as well.
Ellis said his company still must finalize its deal with Amtrak for the upcoming season, but he added that the proposed arrangement "would use our cars and locomotives and Amtrak crews."
Following Anschutz's announcement earlier this year, Iowa Pacific had solicited support from Gov. Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper for a revival of Ski Train service by the company.
Ellis' company operates the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad that runs summer passenger excursions serving Alamosa, La Veta, Antonito and Monte Vista.
Using railcars from that service for a winter Ski Train will make for more efficient use of the equipment, Ellis said this summer.
The Denver Union Station Project Authority said Thursday that it expects to lease the Light Bulb Supply Co. building at 21st and Delgany and will gut the structure to create the temporary rail station for Amtrak.
The building is owned by the metropolitan stadium district, DUSPA officials said. It is expected that Light Bulb Supply, a longtime fixture on Denver's business scene, will relocate to a new location in the Denver area.
"We are meeting with the appropriate officials next month to go over details of the temporary facility," Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said. "We understand that the costs of the temporary relocation are not expenses we will have to bear."
DUSPA has budgeted about $2 million for the temporary Amtrak station. Officials said they have not yet worked out all details of parking to be available at the temporary station.
Jeffrey Leib: 303-954-1645 or jleib@denverpost.com
Posted by Stourbridge Lion (Member # 1796) on :
Video #9
I will get a few more video clips in from the left side including our approach to Moffat Tunnel's East Portal
As we continue to head up the Ski Lift, I will catch a few more shots of the Ski Train down below before it pulls away down to the siding to sit for the remainder of the day.
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Moffat Tunnel - West Portal
After hiking around and having lunch on the top of the Ski Lift, we take a ride back down. The Ski Train is already moved to the siding out of sight but I did take this shot of Moffat Tunnel's West Portal on the way down.
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Map
Well, we will get in a round of Putt-Putt and some shopping and along the way I found this map that shows how Winter Park is setup and where the Ski Train Drop-Off is related to everything that I though folks might find useful someday...
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Moffat Tunnel(s)
Well, we have had our fun at Winter Park at it's getting close to the time we need to get back to get back on the train. It's not here yet so we will take advantage of the tracks being clear and get in a few more shots of the Moffat Tunnels. Here is two of those shots...
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Side Note, my Grandfather help build the "other" Moffat Tunnel that is also here... Posted by Stourbridge Lion (Member # 1796) on :
Railfanning Winter Park
Here are a few other shots that you might enjoy too...
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Here comes the Train!!!!!!!
Lisa is still up near the tunnel when the train approaches. She will click off over 50 shots of the train from where she is positioned making a Slide Show of the trains approach. Here are just a few of those shots with more coming...
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In her first shot, look just to the left of the engine along the wall; that's me taking video that will be coming later too...
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F40PH #242, #283, and #289
Lisa is set up nicely to catch shots of all three engines as they pass her by. Just as she gets her first complete clean shot of the second engine a couple rudely walks right in from of her while she is taking photographs and she does not get a single shot of the third engine without them being in the shot before the engine passes her. Why they didn't just walk behind Lisa instead of right in front of her camera lens is anyone's guess and then take their sweet time staying in the shot too; GRRR!!!!!!!
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Car #3, #4, and #7
Since Lisa was down near the tunnel, not much of the train will pass her; so, she will take a few roster shots of the cars as she heads down to meet me at the other end of the train.
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