Western Rail Coalition petitions Colorado officials to expand scope of state’s passenger rail push
A group of rail advocates calling itself the Western Rail Coalition (WRC) on Monday officially sent a letter to Gov. Jared Polis, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and other state officials seeking support for the study of proposed passenger rail service on Union Pacific’s dormant Tennessee Pass rail line through Eagle County.
Locally, the letter includes the signatures of Holy Cross Energy President and CEO Bryan Hannegan, outgoing Eagle County Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry, former Vail Mayor Kim Langmaid, Edwards resident Tyler Eaton and Avon elected officials Amy Phillips and Tamra Nottingham Underwood. The Eaton and Nottingham names are historically significant locally.
The six local supporters all signed the Western Rail Coalition letter as individuals, not as representatives of their various organizations.
For Hannegan, the concept of clean, quiet rail reducing cars and trucks on Interstate 70 is a matter of continuing to decarbonize the transportation sector, which accounts for about a third of the earth-warming greenhouse gas emissions locally. Having reached 80% renewable energy in electricity generation and on track for 90% by the end of next year, Hannegan says transportation should be a key focus both environmentally and to help solve the housing shortage.
Supporters of the local passenger rail concept envision community housing for local workers around rail stations in more affordable down-valley areas. But Hannegan sees long-term economic drivers for a tourist train connected to the Eagle County Regional Airport as well.
“So, imagine if you were able to fly into the airport on an electric airplane, take an electric shuttle bus to a train depot, ride an electric rail and be dropped off in front of the Westin [hotel] right there in Avon and ski on carbon-free energy at Beaver Creek,” Hannegan said. “And do it all without a carbon footprint. Think of what a massive economic driver that might be. We have the ingredients; we just need to make the investments.”
While that fully realized vision is at least a decade (if not decades) away, a more modest version seems within reach in a reasonable (and affordable compared to endless road projects) amount of time, Western Rail Coalition members contend.
For now, supporters of at least studying passenger rail locally point out the massive asset of the existing (albeit dormant) rail right-of-way owned by Union Pacific running right by the county airport. They note that the state has conducted a study and is working toward expanding passenger service from Denver to Craig through Steamboat Springs and Bond in northern Eagle County using the active Moffat line that continues through Dotsero and on to Glenwood Springs.
The letter addressed to Polis and CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew starts out:
“Colorado’s Western Rail Coalition urges your support to expand CDOT’s Mountain Rail [Denver to Craig] concept to study connecting the Eagle and Arkansas River Valleys with frequent, quiet, and low-emission passenger rail service in the near term at a very economical cost. While our coalition is fully supportive of the existing Mountain Rail project between Denver and Craig, we believe that such a limited scope cannot be the extent of our state’s short-term ambitions. These ambitions should include far more of the Western Slope and Arkansas River Valley. Our coalition has a grounded vision that can quickly tap into high-potential existing rail assets for the people of Colorado and its visitors.
“Today, there is a monumental but time-limited opportunity to work with private rail carriers who are equipped to and interested in supplying new local passenger rail service between Leadville and Glenwood Springs, what we are calling the Eagle River Valley Service. Union Pacific’s out-of-service Tennessee Pass Line (dormant since 1997) is currently leased to a passenger rail operator, the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation (RGPC), which is interested in running a local passenger service on the line with quiet, modern, and low-emission rail vehicles. However, their plan relies on support from CDOT and locals such as area municipalities to bring the line back for the benefit of the public; they may not renew their lease with the Union Pacific Railroad if support for passenger rail is not evident.”
A spokesperson for Rio Grande Pacific, unaware last week of the revived local efforts, confirmed to RealVail.com last week that the company is still interested in exploring the possibility of passenger and light-freight service within the parameters of a lease deal it inked with Union Pacific in 2021.
Mountain Rail from Denver to Craig has the support of Alterra Mountain Company, which owns Steamboat and runs Winter Park ski area. Vail Resorts has previously expressed support for anything that makes it safer and easier to get snow riders to its mountains, pointing out its backing of the regional transportation authority that became CORE Transit. More recently, a Vail Resorts sustainability official declined to comment on the local rail proposal.
Last week, a Western Rail Coalition representative presented before the Minturn Town Council at the request of Mayor Earl Bidez (starts at 1 hour, 41-minute mark). Several council members in the former railroad town were skeptical of reviving service through town, while other supported at least being at the table as the concept is studied by CDOT (a four-letter word in Minturn, one observer remarked).
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