Hi Richie
It is another sad tale of a service that could have been 'restarted' in the 2009-2010 season but seems to have been scuppered by Amtrak's slow involvement after the train was sold off and misdirected catagorising the Ski Train as a commuter train and not an excursion one so double costs in insurance.
A potted history gleaned form various sources:
The train was instituted by the Rio Grande in 1940 and ran from Union Station in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver,_Colorado < Link To Denver,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado < Link To Colorado for 56 miles (90 km) to the
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Park_Resort < Link To ski resort town of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Park,_Colorado < Link To Winter Park, Colorado. The train's scenic route left Union Station and traveled through northwest suburban Denver, generally parallel to South Boulder Creek, past
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinecliffe,_Colorado < Link To Pinecliffe and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollinsville,_Colorado < Link To Rollinsville.
The route climbed about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) and passed through 29 tunnels before reaching the final mountain underpass, the 6.2-mile (10.0 km) long
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moffat_Tunnel < Link To Moffat Tunnel. This is the highest railroad tunnel in the United States and passes under the
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide < Link To Continental Divide.
The train stopped less than 100 yards from the base of the ski lifts of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Park_Resort < Link To Winter Park Resort. There was one trip in each direction per day, with a travel time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, assuming no delays from freight rail traffic.
The Ski Train carried skiers to Winter Park Resort from December through March each ski season between 1940 and 2008-2009.
In 1984, Denver businessman Phil Anschutz purchased the Rio Grande and then in 1988, purchased the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), merging the two under the larger railroad's name. As part of the deal, a subsidiary of Anschutz Company would buy the Ski Train and operate it as a separate venture. They continued losing some money in the venture, but it was something they "wanted to do," according to company spokesman Jim Monaghan.
As for the reasons leading to the sale of the historic train, it was a combination of things. Monaghan cited four problems faced by the Ski Train, in no specific order.
[*]overall cost increases, particularly for liability coverage[*]operating issues with freight trains over the route owned by SPs successor, the Union Pacific railroad[*]uncertainty surrounding the redevelopment of Union Station and the Ski Train's place in that development (I blogged about this
http://coloradorailroads.blogspot.com/2009/01/dbj-future-denver-union-station-may.html < Link To here)[*]a weakened overall economy Where have we heard the same excuses for the end of a service to the public
The FP40s were purchased in 2000 and one of them broke down on its debut!
Here is a few vids of the cars and FP40s being dragged up to Canada after it was sold of in 2009 : first headed by Union Pacific and then CN Dash 9s(?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpLxfq4iU3U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-4L1s5Upbc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjhBAIsBB94
And some to remember the better days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIo86Wq4cFs&NR=1 < Link To http://www.youtube.com/wa.h?v=OIo86Wq4cFs&NR=1
The original cars pulled by F9 units and PB1 steam generator unit....very nice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqx9kbs9zSI
I know i should have brought that one you have just sold as mine are 6001 , 6002 , but still have problems with 2 so 3 would of made things worse . How different your line looks in those pics mike i too losted my horns on my F3 got some spares as i couldn't find them .
