Steam & Excursion > Sad News - The Pikes Peak Cog Railway Will NOT Re-Open This Year!

Sad News indeed.

http://www.kktv.com/content/news/Future-in-doubt-for-Pikes-Peak-Cog-Railway-a-Colorado-Springs-legacy-tourist-attraction-476757633.html


Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/18 10:07 by LoggerHogger.

I worry that the green eye shade types will ruin this.

Call me a skeptic, but $20 bucks says this is a ploy for A: State/Federal infrastructure dollars and/or B: to kickstart a sale to another entity.

I think it will re-open eventually since the city is planning to rebuild the Summit House and acknowledges the railway. See this link: https://parks.coloradosprings.gov/pikes-peak-americas-mountain/page/pikes-peak-summit-complex-project

John Meixel
Longmont, CO

Don't forget that most folks visit the summit by using the road and not the train. Rebuilding the summit house does not mean the Railway will continue.

Martin

In tourist season, the cog line is a considerably nicer trip than the road.

Glad I got to experience this adventure back in the 1990's, definitelly a trip to remember.

Don't forget that the Cog Railway is owned by Philip Anschutz - not sure his railroad record is reassuring.

Anschutz is a corporate raider...remember the Denver & Rio Grande Western?

Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't he have his fingers in the sale of the Grand Canyon Railway when Max and Thelma sold it years ago and it ran mostly all steam?...

I doubt that any owner could realize a profit by what was done to the SP and DRGW: stripping off assets and selling them (land, parallel utility easements, etc.) because the Cog Ry is in such a remote location.
So maybe setting up a sale to a non-profit group and getting rid of debt is what they want to do.
Revenues may exceed operating expenses, but if there are large interest expenses it may still fail financially.

For those who may be unaware, the Cog Railway celebrated its 125th year
back in June 2016 by running its steam locomotive #4. I was fortunate
to be able to capture some images on its break-in runs on June 29, 2016.
Hopefully the engine will be preserved if the railway does close ...

Odyssey
Evergreen, CO

1) Late morning steam-up and engine prep

2) Backing down the main line for test runs

3) Starting a test run from end of track

... there be more ...

---

---

---

Three more

4) running gear and fire box

5) blocking a switch ... cog rail and track

6) cog rail and detail

Enjoy!

Odyssey

---

---

---

patd3985 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't he have his fingers in
> the sale of the Grand Canyon Railway when Max and
> Thelma sold it years ago and it ran mostly all
> steam?...


The Biegerts sold the GCRY to Xanterra Parks & Resorts in 2006. Xanterra is a major National Park Service concessionaire that handles lodging and other services. Xanterra (previously known as Amfac) was created from the remnants of the Fred Harvey Company. Anschutz acquired Xanterra in 2008, two years after they acquired the GCRY. While the Grand Canyon Railway is part of Xanterra, it is a smaller piece of a very large tourism business.

The Broadmore Hotel ( owner of the cog way ) had revenues of $161 million in 2016. No figures for last year yet but with continual maintenance they should not be in the 'shambles condition' they claim the road is in. Maintenance is continual and for what they say, apparently they have been doing nothing. I believe it is a sham too.

BNSF Joint Line trains passed at Greenland, Colorado, as snow covered Pikes Peak (upper left) awaited spring. March 3, 2010 along BNSF's Pikes Peak Subdivision.

BNSF 4014 was on grain load from Sterling, CO, train ID G STEPTN9 01a.

---

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Broadmore Hotel ( owner of the cog way ) had
> revenues of $161 million in 2016. No figures for
> last year yet but with continual maintenance they
> should not be in the 'shambles condition' they
> claim the road is in. Maintenance is continual and
> for what they say, apparently they have been doing
> nothing. I believe it is a sham too.

I have to agree about the "Sham" aspects of this. According
to the news articles, the entire railway may need to be rebuilt.
If so, it begs the question: How could they run with no maintenance?
Further, they also stated they may have to replace the station building.
The station in Manitou is a landmark. It just can't be torn down and
replaced, and as a landmark, it would be eligible for grant money. All
and all, "Something is rotten in the town of Manitou Springs."

CPB284 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> patd3985 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't he have his fingers
> in
> > the sale of the Grand Canyon Railway when Max
> and
> > Thelma sold it years ago and it ran mostly all
> > steam?...
>
>
> The Biegerts sold the GCRY to Xanterra Parks &
> Resorts in 2006. Xanterra is a major National Park
> Service concessionaire that handles lodging and
> other services. Xanterra (previously known as
> Amfac) was created from the remnants of the Fred
> Harvey Company. Anschutz acquired Xanterra in
> 2008, two years after they acquired the GCRY.
> While the Grand Canyon Railway is part of
> Xanterra, it is a smaller piece of a very large
> tourism business.

Thank You for the details on that subject. Sir, I stand corrected!

In pic 1, did you catch that guy taking his weekly bath?

mapboy

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In pic 1, did you catch that guy taking his weekly
> bath?
>
> mapboy

Either that or he is taking one long pee.....

Posted from iPhone