Passenger Trains > Front Range Passenger Rail - Colorado Springs Update

There was a public Q&A meeting today in Colorado Springs for the new Intercity train proposed between Ft Collins and Pueblo. I didn't take any photos as there wasn't a whole wealth of new graphics or anything like that.

Attendance was good; I had to stand and so did several others. I would estimate around 45-70 people. 

Overall mood was optimistic but there were definitely one or two people who were very vocal skeptics.

Aside from the skeptics (who will never be pleased) my take was the largest concern was freight congestion and trip time.

People were caught up in the fact that BNSF and UP use these lines, but I have a feeling they don't understand how much traffic has declined on the Joint Line. I don't see freight interference being a legimiate concern outside of maybe a few random times of day. UP runs their stuff at night mainly and BNSF seems busier in the morning and tapers off until the late afternoon. In my estimation.

I do have a concern with the trip time. 1hr 45 mins from Colorado Springs to Denver is a little bit slow, but nothing that would prevent me from taking the trip. My other concern is not having a stop in the northern Colorado Springs area. The stop in downtown is a bit out of the way for most residents if they are traveling north.

https://www.ridethefrontrange.com/service-development-plan
 

Unfortunately, travel times from Colorado Springs to Denver are never going to be competitive as long as trains can enter Denver Union Station only from the north.

Thanks for the latest update on Front Range Passenger Rail.  Yes, Joint Line freight traffic has dropped off but additional passing sidings would be needed to keep the passenger trains running on a reasonable schedule.  The Joint Line can still get busy as seen in this 11 July 2025 view near Palmer Lake, CO.  Northbound BNSF train at left.

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And the Class 1s  want to operate 15,000 foot knuckle-busters, which cause three hour delays............

They will have to complete the double track of this line, with additional passing sidings.  

And thank you to Denver cutting the mainline adding ten or more minutes to any train operation.  

It is a needed corridor, but it will not be an easy operation.  

I only glanced at the doc, but it seems like an intermediate level of anaylis that will be refined.

1. Need stops in Broomfield and either Monument or near the Air Force Academy.

2. The logical and time saving way to serve Denver Union Station is by adding a through platform along the existing mains, next to the light-rail station.  It is only a 4 minute further walk from the main station building than the dead-end track platforms, via an indoor underground walkway that also serves as access to bus platforms.  No different than walking down a corridor at an airport to reach various gates, which can be longer walks.  Faster for passengers to walk that distance than for the trains to take a slow, roundabout path to the dead end stations, and further time savings from not having the engineer reverse ends or back out.  Distributor shuttle buses through downtown already serve the light-rail station.

3. The 1.5 hour uniform spacing is mostly okay, and I'd guess that was done to avoid expensive double-tracking of the north end.  But would be problematic with uniform equipment all day, as they will need to almost double capacity for the sole train in each direction arriving in the morning rush hour window.  Demand may be more spaced out these days, but this will still be used as a long-distance commuter train from the north and Monument/Colorado Springs.  It would be a huge failure to build this and not adequately serve that.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/26 09:37 by baretables.

i think all s/b freight traffic southbound approaching palmer lake would stay on the the western line, all passenger traffic on the eastern line?

A thoughtful analysis. I like the discussion of a creative way to enter Denver from the thought. What are the barriers to this plan as you see it, if any? Thanks. baretables Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I only glanced at the doc, but it seems like an
> intermediate level of anaylis that will be
> refined.
>
> 1. Need stops in Broomfield and either Monument or
> near the Air Force Academy.
>
> 2. The logical and time saving way to serve Denver
> Union Station is by adding a through platform
> along the existing mains, next to the light-rail
> station.  It is only a 4 minute further walk from
> the main station building than the dead-end track
> platforms, via an indoor underground walkway that
> also serves as access to bus platforms.  No
> different than walking down a corridor at an
> airport to reach various gates, which can be
> longer walks.  Faster for passengers to walk that
> distance than for the trains to take a slow,
> roundabout path to the dead end stations, and
> further time savings from not having the engineer
> reverse ends or back out.  Distributor shuttle
> buses through downtown already serve the
> light-rail station.
>
> 3. The 1.5 hour uniform spacing is mostly okay,
> and I'd guess that was done to avoid expensive
> double-tracking of the north end.  But would be
> problematic with uniform equipment all day, as
> they will need to almost double capacity for the
> sole train in each direction arriving in the
> morning rush hour window.  Demand may be more
> spaced out these days, but this will still be used
> as a long-distance commuter train from the north
> and Monument/Colorado Springs.  It would be a
> huge failure to build this and not adequately
> serve that.
>  

Posted from iPhone

ROW width next to the light-rail platform is the main problem.  They'd have to reduce the BNSF tracks from 3 to 2 in order to provide room for 2 station tracks and a platform, perhaps by negotiating to build replacement capacity nearby.  They'd also need some of the light rail ROW, requiring an extension of the light-rail platform to the northeast and removing the southwest section, in order to narrow the LR footprint until the widening of the curve. 

What was done to the DUT in its transformation into the Denver Union Station hotel, lounge, bus station, Hipster hangout and homeless shelter; with some streetcar lines a few blocks away and a train that shows up a couple times a day was one of the most short sighted projects I’ve ever seen.

To screw the pooch as bad as Denver did took some monumental work by the bagmen in the real estate industry.

Regards

Posted from iPhone

This is certainly a badly needed and long overdue project, but the capital investment level is enough to snap a person's head back.
Would an incremental approach be better...say Castle Rock to Denver, then add more capital projects/service as it proves to be as successful as I suspect it will be?

Took the Santa Fe from the Springs to Denver in '65...and it was popular then.

I still wonder about maintenance/inspection/switching facilities given that Burnham will be the new home of the Denver Broncos.  
I have not had an opportuity to read the report or view the presentation, so maybe my concern is referenced therein.

 

Passenger trains traveling thru Castle Rock would need to stick to one of the two tracks for both directions, since the two tracks are about one-half mile apart, and separated by the freeway Interstate 25, where they pass thru town.

Hakk