September-October 2004 Issue #46
Included in the plan is construction of 119 miles of com- muter and light rail lines, improvements to bus transit FasTracks Yes! along the US36 Corridor, direct suburban to suburban express bus service, more local bus feeders to rail sta- tions, and 21,000 parking spaces at 31 new and existing Campaign ‘4A’ park ‘n Rides. Improvements are slated for existing Light Rail and Busway lines as a part of the plan. Additions to existing rail routes would take trains up Downing Street from 30th Moves Ahead Avenue to connect with the planned DIA/East line, build an extension from Mineral Station to Highlands Ranch, An enthusiastic group of volunteers marched from Union and then as the last step, build an extension from the Station up the 16th Street Mall to the Secretary of State’s new Lincoln Avenue Station along I-25 to suburban Lone office on June 22 to present petitions supporting place- Tree. Other improvements to existing lines will ment of FasTracks on the November 2nd ballot. Some strengthen the power distribution system and permit 1400 volunteers for the FasTracks Yes! campaign col- “through” operation of Light Rail trains at Union Station lected 64,087 signatures since its kickoff event at the onto new lines for access to new destinations. Englewood light rail station on May 2nd. Several days later the Secretary of State determined that the validity Cost of the plan is $4.7 billion which is to be financed by rate of the signatures was 81% which easily met the an addition to the existing RTD sales tax which amounts 35,000 signature criteria to get the measure on the ballot. to 4 cents on a ten dollar purchase (taxes on groceries, The initiative has been given the ballot designation “4A”. medication, gasoline, and home heating and electric bills are exempted). Since then, volunteers have been actively courting voters by attending RTD presentations throughout the District, Rail supporters may work for the passage of 4A by con- staffing booths and parades at local summer festivals, tacting the FasTracks Yes! campaign at: (303) 571-5500 and speaking at meetings of community organizations or www.fastracks.org . and residential associations. This month the campaign shifts into high gear with door to door leafleting and lawn signs. The FasTracks Yes! campaign has been sponsor- ing traffic reports on radio and advertisements on local TV news shows. All of this activity requires a lot of money and thus far, the campaign has received about $1.8 million from a colla- tion of community leaders, business, environmental, and pro-transit groups and individuals. In July, the ColoRail Board of Directors voted to contribute $500. In making the contribution to the campaign, ColoRail President Jon Esty stated, “We are enthusiastic supporters of the Fas- Tracks plan. Promotion of passenger rail in Colorado is what we are all about.” FasTracks is a comprehensive regional plan developed Inside: on Page 2, the Union Pacific by RTD over the past seven years which provides im- upgrades and on Page 3, ColoRail updates. proved rail and bus service to the entire district.
“A Voice for Colorado’s Rail Passengers” Page 2
UP spokesman gives straight talk about vital upgrades UP works to expedite trains Tom Mulligan, Director of Passenger Services trol signaling installed by the D&RGW in the 1930s be- for the Union Pacific, gave a full description of tween Denver and Salt Lake City. the railroad’s trackwork program for the Moffat He concluded that all of this maintenance is going to Line this summer and his company’s working cause delays but in the long run, once repair and re- relationship with Amtrak. He made his re- placement work are completed, all trains will be expe- dited. marks at ColoRail’s Spring Meeting on May 1. UP track crews will be replacing 80,000 ties and eleven miles of worn curve rail between Denver and Bond between June 8 and July 30. The schedule calls for the crews to work one week on and one week off. During the weeks when crews are on the line, the east and westbound California Zephyrs are to be detoured through southern Wyoming along with three or four UP manifest freights and BNSF freights which have trackage rights over the Moffat Line from Denver to Salt Lake City. At the request of the coal companies in west Colorado, Mr. Mulligan said that the rail- road would try to “push” as many coal trains through the area at night when crews were not working. A total of three hundred company employees will be split into one curve re placement and three tie replacement teams. The payroll for this project is $200,000 per day. Mr. Mulligan said that Amtrak’s incentive pay- ments for on time performance pales in com- parison to income lost because of delay to freight trains caused by Amtrak. He quickly added, however, that UP was working closely with Amtrak to try to keep passenger trains on schedule. He mentioned UP CEO Dick Davidson and he were going to be meeting with Amtrak President David Gunn in Wash- ington in June and that the relationship be- tween UP and Amtrak was cordial. Mr. Mulligan gave some reasons for delays which included freight interference, slow track orders, signal failures, and freight train fail- ures (breakdowns). In March, 2004, the last month that compre- hensive data was available, he said the Cali- In an all too-familiar 2003 scene, an Amtrak conductor watches fornia Zephyr averaged about two hours of signals on a back-up move, as Train 11, carefully picks its tedious delay while on UP track. He said the previ- way over a congested former Southern Pacific single-track line for ous owner, Southern Pacific, had severely a three-way meet on a stub siding southeast of Salem, Oregon. under spent in needed track improvements Many rail travelers understand -- better than puzzled media experts and that UP was trying to catch up on the de- -- why the nation’s economy cannot grow. It is stuck on a siding, ferred maintenance. He also mentioned that waiting for capacity to be added to the rail freight and passenger UP was updating the Centralized Traffic Con- transportation system. We have been there. Page 3
Railway could be a Leaves turning gold... way to keep Northern Commuter rail and Regional rail Colorado moving experts tapped for “back to Boulder” - Oct. 2 … and Pearl streetcar proposal sparks discussion Representatives from two major Burgess will be discussing opportuni- Hill will be making a brief presenta- transportation studies will be provid- ties for passenger rail in the C-DOT tion on the Boulder Breeze, a pro- ing updates on commuter rail alterna- sponsored North I-25 study. The posal to link Boulder’s Pearl Street tives at ColoRail’s fall membership study encompasses an area which District and RTD’s future commuter meeting which will be held at the includes the northern Denver sub- rail station at 30th and Pearl with Boulder Public Library, Saturday, urbs, Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, streetcar service. October 2, 10:30AM to 12:30PM. Brighton, Greeley, and Fort Collins. The library is located one block west The area is bounded on the west by Tim Baldwin, Deputy Project Man- of Broadway at 11th Street and US 287 and on the east by US 85. ager for Planning from the engineer- Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder. Park- ing consulting firm, URS, will be re- The US 36 and the North I-25 EIS’s ing next to the library is available. porting on the commuter rail alterna- have been underway for about a Convenient bus service from Denver tive along the US 36 corridor be- year. The studies will address com- is also available. Alight at the stop tween Denver and Boulder in this muter rail issues on each corridor between Arapahoe and Canyon and jointly RTD/C-DOT funded study. pertaining to railroad alignments, walk one block west to the library. URS is also completing an environ- placement of stations, and estimated Call RTD at (303) 299-6000 for mental assessment for an extension ridership and costs. schedule information or check the of commuter rail from Boulder to RTD web site at: www.rtd- The meeting will also include a re- Longmont. denver.com . view of passenger rail topics of na- Tom Anzia, Project Director with tional, state, and local significance ColoRail members and the public are Felsburg, Holt, & Ullevig, and Craig such as the latest developments in cordially invited to attend what has Gaskill, a rail consultant with Carter/ the FasTracks campaign. Graham become an important Autumn event.
Get ready for FREX: Get ready for FREX, the new Front verse commuter trips will also be Range Express scheduled to begin provided at midday times. weekday service from Colorado Buses will serve existing or new Springs to Denver on Monday, park and ride locations in Fountain, Colorado October 11. Details of the new Colorado Springs, Woodman service were announced by Sherre Road, Monument, and Castle Ritenour, General Manager of Rock. Passengers may either Springs Springs Transit, at the annual transfer to RTD buses at Arapahoe meeting of the Colorado Mobility Park ‘n Ride or continue their trip Coalition on July 22 in Colorado downtown to RTD’s Market Street to Denver Springs. Station. A one-way trip from Foun- The three year demonstration pro- tain/Colorado Springs to Denver ject primarily funded by a $5 mil- will cost $6.00. A one-way trip Commute lion federal congestion mitigation from Castle Rock to Denver will grant will utilize farebox revenue cost $3.00. Round trip single fares from the service as the local con- will be available at double to cost Service tributing match. Springs Transit of a single ride as well as 31 day, has purchased 10 used over-the- 10 ride, 20 ride, and 40 ride tickets road buses and will initiate service at reduced prices. Coming with nine trips northbound begin- No connections with the Southwest ning at 5AM and returning in the Light Rail Line are planned due to evening with the last departure Soon from Denver at 7:30PM. Four re- (Continued on page 6) Page 4
High Plains could gain short and long term economic benefits C-DOT works with rail
Efforts by C-DOT to forge a working plan. The goal of this collaboration direct connection to their Kansas Pa- relationship between the state and was to forge a partnership between cific Division for trains originating on private railroad companies as long private and public entities which the Moffat Line. Mr. Mauser pointed ago as 1979, have finally begun to would ultimately lead to improved out that the railroad experiences con- bear fruit. mobility for both people and freight siderable delay to its trains by having along Colorado’s Front Range. The them enter the North Yard and then Last September, C-DOT, Union Pa- engineering firm DMJM+Harris was reversing direction to continue their cific, and Burlington Northern Santa selected by C-DOT to perform the trip to Kansas and other eastern des- Fe, began collaboration on a study to study. tinations. improve railroad efficiencies in Colo- rado. Tom Mauser, C-DOT Modal Mr. Mauser outlined the major objec- Both railroads mapped out an east- Program Manager and coordinator of tives of the proposal which included ern freight bypass utilizing sections of the Railroad Relocation Study pro- consolidation of freight operations, existing rail lines and adding new vided the first glimpse of the results relocation of freight terminals, con- segments which would total 95 miles of this study at ColoRail’s Spring struction of a freight by-pass route, of new construction. The line would Meeting on May 1 at the Malley Sen- removal of through freight trains depart from the BNSF line at Omar ior Recreation Center in Englewood. along the densely populated Front near Wiggens and go south 35 miles on new track to Peo- The study, which is ria. It would then fol- formally known as low the existing UP the Public Benefits line southeast from and Cost Study of Peoria through Limon the proposed to Aroya where the BNSF/UP Front line would head di- Range Railroad rectly south 60 miles Infrastructure Ra- on new track to a tionalization Pro- junction with the ject, examined BNSF at Las Animas. economic and so- Both railroads would cial benefits of in- have trackage rights vestments in relo- over the entire by- cating railroad pass as well as on lines and yard fa- existing trackage cilities. Mr. owned by one or the Mauser said the other railroad leading fact that there are to the bypass. The only two Class I bypass would allow railroads operating for the more direct in Colorado helped Dawn at Englewood Station, and an inbound RTD Light Rail train accel- erates from the platform while a freight passes on the adjacent three- running of trains lead to the agree- south from the coal ment to create this track Joint Line. Merchandise trains delivering freight to Front Range communities would be among those staying on the Joint Line if coal and producing Powder joint review. “With River Basin. just two railroads, other heavy traffic is diverted to a new route. This type of freight is negotiations were compatible with potential Front Range regional passenger train service. The railroads also a lot easier,” he looked at the possibil- said. Range, and development of joint ity of consolidating and relocating freight terminals outside of Denver. Prior to C-DOT’s involvement, BNSF freight-passenger route along exist- ing track to serve Colorado Front This would mean removal of UP’s and UP held a series of meetings to 36th and 40th Street yards and lay out a relocation plan making sure Range cities with a double track ex- pansion between Palmer Lake and BNSF’s Globeville and Rennick yards their proposals did not throw off the to a location east of the city. competitive balance between the two Crewes (south of Colorado Springs). railroads. Once a plan was devel- Specifically, UP would like to reacti- The study found that there would be oped, C-DOT was invited to review vate the former Rock Island line a significant growth of freight train the public benefits and costs of the through north Denver to provide a (Continued on page 5) Page 5
But some fear negative firms on bypass study impacts.
(Continued from page 4) benefits are $1.078 billion in trans- comments cited the project’s eco- traffic through Front Range cities by portation savings, $684 million in land nomic development possibilities, re- 2030 unless some could be routed use expense, $350 million in antici- duction of grade crossing delays in through an eastern railroad bypass. pated environmental costs, and $178 metropolitan areas, and facilitation of An estimated 44 trains that would million in savings for future passen- passenger rail. Negative comments pass through Denver each day to ger rail along rail corridors where came from residents of eastern Colo- points south in 2030 could be re- freight traffic is reduced for a total rado counties who expressed con- duced to 16 with construction of the economic benefit of $2.29 billion. Mr. cerns about increased train noise and bypass. Nineteen daily trains be- Mauser said these were very prelimi- grade crossing delays. tween Denver and Greeley could be nary cost estimates which would be reduced to just nine. An anticipated further defined by C-DOT and Once the study has been reviewed 37 trains would travel the new bypass DMJM+Harris throughout the sum- and approved by C-DOT’s Transpor- each day. mer. tation Commission, additional studies will refine the economic and environ- Total cost of the project which in- Project stakeholders both public and mental costs and engineering de- cludes all of the new track for the by- private were surveyed with some signs of specific projects listed in the pass and other connecting track as 89% stating positive reasons why the initial study. C-DOT will also be well as the new consolidated freight project should go forward. Only 4% seeking a wider level of public in- yards and intermodal terminals is of the respondents had negative volvement as well as detailing possi- $1.17 billion. Estimated economic comments. Many of the positive ble sources of funding for the project.
Guides add to California Zephyr experience
The National Park Service (NPS) in conjunction with Am- custom of mooning the train. trak has begun the long awaited interpretive guide ser- The first trip began June 17/18 and was staffed by vice on the California Zephyr route between Denver and George Ek and Chuck Muller. The last trip of the season Grand Junction. The program was to start in the sum- will take place September 17/18 with Robin Anderson mer of 2003 but had to be postponed for a year because and Tom Peyton at of budget cuts. the microphone. E ColoRail members very f Other ColoRail c amily’ lude a s albu who reside along Califo m sho members who and no rnia Z uld in- the Front Range w NPS ephyr have volun- the trip guide photo and NPS volunteers even volun , teered to make more teers memo make from the Grand rable. one or more Junction area staff round trips this the trains. They pro- summer include vide information and Keith Dameron, announcements to Ron Vander Kooi, passengers about Jonathan Hole, the historical, geo- Sarah McDowell, logical, and ecologi- Bruce Eller, Tom cal characteristics Toft, Bob Kennard, of the route as the Bob Smedley, Ed train passes by. Wright, Mark Reever and Vivian Every once in a and David Faus- while, the guides have to interrupt set. their commentary to Guides are pro- point out wildlife such as eagles or mountain goats-- or vided free travel on Amtrak as well as meals and over- river rafters who are participating in the time honored night lodging in Grand Junction. Page 6
All the news of having fits-- the New York Times prints? Notable quotes offer insights
“If you don't make your cost of David Gunn, Amtrak President and capital, you can't afford to main- CEO, discussing the capital needs of “Road traffic deaths and injuries can tain redundancy. BNSF doesn't railroads during a press conference be prevented. The key to successful need the (Raton Pass) line but it is announcing Amtrak’s Five-year Stra- prevention lies in the commitment of filled with freights when there is a tegic Plan, June 29, 2004. all relevant sectors, public and pri- problem on the Amarillo line. On the vate health, transport, education, Sunset (route) the railroad does not “The crowd of several thousand had finance, police, legislators, manufac- have the capacity to move the ton- waited for more than three hours for turers, foundations and the media - nage using it. You need an industry the tardy Kerry-Edwards campaign to make road safety happen.” Kofi that, when it needs a double-track to arrive aboard a 15 car train that Annan, United Nations Secretary- line, has the money to put it down." included an antique caboose used General speaking on the occasion of by Harry S. Truman during his World Health Day, April 7, 2004. famed whistle-stop tour.” New York Times, August 8, 2004. (The According to the World Health Or- ColoRail Board Members: ganization, Road traffic injuries kill (with telephone numbers) “antique caboose” was the Georgia, the ex-Southern Railway open 1.2 million people every year and and
Jo Campbell, Board Member, Denver. (Continued from page 3) these segments do not offer logical
Tenth anniversary coming up for the West investing in transit little train that can.
(Continued from page 8) percent in Austin, and almost 20 per- the Burlington Route Station in later stage. Albuquerque Journal, cent in Durham, from 1998 to 2001. Omaha. The restoration plan in- July 22, 2004. Transact, a newsletter of STPP, cludes redeveloping the station site July 1, 2004. into a mixed-use structure with ac- companying incremental transit- Transit Growing in Smaller Cities oriented development in the adjoin- in the South and West Aspen Branch Studied ing neighborhood. A new analysis by Natural Re- The Roaring Fork Transit Authority The station, situated just south of sources Defense Council (NRDC) (RFTA) has rejected an offer by a downtown Omaha and near the his- and the Surface Transportation Pol- railroad salvage company to remove toric Old Market district, has sat va- icy Project (STPP) finds that over 37 miles of rail from the former Den- cant for 30 years, even after several the last five years, mid-size urban ver & Rio Grande Western Aspen attempts at restoration. Built in 1898 areas in the South and West have Branch in exchange for construction and extensively remodeled in 1930, been making significant investments of a trail. Instead RFTA is looking at the station is currently on the Na- in public transportation, such as light the possibility of accepting proposals tional Register of Historic Places. rail and buses. This growing commit- to operate a dinner train or other rail- Amtrak stops twice daily in a 1984 ment to provide more transportation oriented activities on at least a por- structure built next to the station. choices has been advanced by fed- tion of the line while figuring out how eral transportation funding provided a trail might be incorporated in the Future plans affecting the station include Midwest regional rail service in TEA-21. corridor. to Chicago and Kansas City, a com- The NRDC-STPP analysis docu- In an August 12 hearing at the Car- muter rail line to Lincoln, NE, and a ments how federal transit spending bondale Town Hall, the RFTA Board $6 million heritage trolley line. The benefits every region of the nation heard from both rail and trail sup- trolley, now in its final engineering and supports state, regional and lo- porters. Board members did ac- phase, will originate near the station cal efforts in mid-size urban areas to knowledge the value of maintaining and run through the Old Market to broaden transportation options. the rail corridor for future develop- the new Riverfront developments. Many cities investing the most in ment as population in the congestion public transit are in the South and valley grows, however no funds are West, such as Salt Lake City, Austin available for either a trail or rail ser- Light Rail’s 10th Birthday Planned and Durham, North Carolina. And vice. RTD plans to celebrate a decade of more than half of the mid-sized met- light rail service with a special event ropolitan areas examined (27 of 51) on Thursday, October 7, 11:30 AM - used federal funds for 20 percent or ColoRail Member on Agenda: 1:30 PM at the Denver Pavilions, more of their transit budgets from Will Speak at Rail-Volution in LA 16th and Glenarm Streets in down- 1998 to 2001. Newly arrived Denver resident and town Denver. Denver Mayor John Commitment to public transportation University of Colorado-Denver Hickenlooper will be attending. is paying off, with ridership growing graduate student, Eric Miller has The line replaced over 500 weekday by more than 7 percent in the 51 been selected to make a presenta- Diesel bus trips in Downtown Den- urban areas with populations greater tion at the Rail-Volution conference ver, smoothing traffic and reducing than 100,000 and less than 1 million. in Los Angeles in September on his pollution. Ridership has grown nearly 5 per- efforts to form a coalition of commu- Light rail has been a successful ad- cent in Salt Lake City, more than 12 nity and business leaders to restore dition to Metro Denver’s transporta- is published three to tion network. It provides a choice for four times per year and getting to work, school, and sporting mailed to members of and cultural events. Ridership has the Colorado Rail been over initial projections and all Passenger Association, known as ColoRail, as well as to private individuals and three light rail projects have been public officials interested in improving intercity and urban transportation. E-mail built on time, on budget. The 19 news bulletins are also offered by “ColoRail.” Membership in ColoRail is available at mile Southeast Corridor Light Rail a calendar yearly rate of $10.00. New mem- Line which is now about 65% com- bers who join in the last third of the year P.O. Box 480452 plete is also on budget and on time are credited for the full year following. Denver, CO 80248 for its scheduled opening in 2006. Page 8
New Mexico shaping rail commute future for quick start-up News from here and there
New Director for DRCOG beginning on August 18. to park their bicycles. In addition, the Jennifer Schaufele has been se- Colorado stops being cut are Ber- facility will sell equipment and offer lected as the new Executive Director thoud Pass, Brush, Burlington, Craig, repair services and bike rentals, as of the Denver Regional Council of Dinosaur, Fraser, Fort Morgan, well as provide transit schedules and Governments (DRCOG) replacing Bill Granby, Hayden, Kremmling, Steam- route maps. More information may Vidal who was recently appointed boat Springs, Sterling, and Winter b e f o u n d a t Denver's Manager of Public Works. Park. Fort Morgan, Granby, and Fra- www.CherryCreekBikeRack.com. Ms. Schaufele was most recently ser/Winter Park are served by Am- Bicycle Colorado Bulletin, Summer, employed as the Director of Trans- trak. Rocky Mountain News, June 2004. portation Planning for Broward 26, 2004 County in Florida and has ten years NM Releases Rail Commute Funds experience in transportation manage- ment and planning. Bike Station Opens in Denver Commuter rail service should begin in November 2005, thanks to the ap- DRCOG, July, 2004 Report Colorado’s first bike station opened on June 17 with a ribbon-cutting proval of the release of $75 million of ceremony officiated by Mayor John state funds for the project. Seven of the eight stops in the first phase have Greyhound Cuts Service: Hickenlooper. The Bike Rack, which is operated by Campus Cycles in been identified. They are Belen, Los Greyhound Lines is ending bus ser- Lunas, South Albuquerque (with a partnership with Transportation Solu- vice to 13 Colorado locations as part shuttle connection to airport), Down- tions, is located at 171 Detroit St. in of a bigger move to trim expenses to town Albuquerque’s Alvarado Trans- the heart of the Cherry Creek Shop- towns where ridership is low. The portation Center, North Albuquerque, ping District. company announced it would close Sandia Pueblo, and Bernalillo. An 260 stops between Chicago and Se- The Bike Rack provides a secure extension to Santa Fe will occur in a attle leaving a total of 99 remaining location for visitors, residents, and stops in its 13 state northern region employees in the Cherry Creek area (Continued on page 7)
P.O. Box 480452 Denver, CO 80248