9News: Ski Train sold, to leave Colorado

[Stourbridge Lion]

http://www.9news.com/news/article.as...4249&catid=339

DENVER - The last Ski Train to Winter Park has left Union Station.

A spokesman for Denver businessman Phil Anschutz confirmed late Tuesday that the train operation is being bought and moved to Canada by a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway Co.

The subsidiary, Algoma Central Railway Inc., already operates a Snow Train from its headquarters in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
The sale ends ski train service between Denver and Winter Park that began in 1940.

The reason for the sale was a "combination of things," said Anschutz Co. spokesman Jim Monaghan.

"There is common knowledge that the train consistently lost money in its operation, yet profitability never really was the driving issue," Monaghan said. "It was something a subsidiary of the Anschutz Co. wanted to do."

Monaghan would not identify the transaction's sale price.
He said a number of "dramatic things" arose recently that imperiled the operation, including "overall cost increases, particularly for liability coverage."

The Ski Train also has had "operating issues with freight trains," Monaghan said, referring to the need for the tourist train to lease track from the Union Pacific Railroad for its route.

He said uncertainty surrounding the redevelopment of Union Station and the Ski Train's place in that development also was a factor leading to the sale.

The Regional Transportation District and the city and county of Denver are spearheading Union Station redevelopment as part of RTD's plan to add six new FasTracks trains to its passenger rail network in metro Denver.

These challenges that the Ski Train faced, coupled with a weakened overall economy, helped lead to this decision, Monaghan said.

The train will not operate its summer schedule.
The Ski Train operation had at least 14 railcars, according to its website.

The 69-year-old run started when Denverites took mail trains to Routt County to enjoy the slopes, and the venture grew into an tourism tradition.

In 1940 the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad launched the Ski Train to Winter Park.

Anschutz acquired the train in 1988.

His company replaced the 1915 passenger coaches, which were sold to the Napa Valley Wine Train in California.

A CNN feature in January called the train "Colorado's quiet treasure."

The train shuttled 750 passengers a trip 56 miles to Winter Park and back on weekends on about 42 trips from late December to the end of March.

The train rose to about 9,000 feet of elevation, traversing steep switchbacks and 28 tunnels on the two-hour trip.

Jim Bain, president and general manager of the Ski Train, could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. His voicemail said he was out of town until next week.

In December he told The Denver Post the train has always struggled to be profitable.

"It's essentially a labor of love," Bain said then.

[EricB]

Sad to see it go. I was always hoping that they would actually increase rail service along that route to reduce congestion on I-70. Sounds like they had a lot of obsticles to overcome though.

I know Phil Anschutz sometimes gets a bad rap but he has several ventures that lose money but are good for the community. Too bad he couldn't keep this one going.

Eric

[BoxcabE50]

Bummer. Sad to see it go. However, at least it's going to an operation where they know how to make things happen. Thus it won't end up be pieced out in a bankruptcy, or sold off for scrap.



Boxcab E50

[JCater]

WHHAAAAATTTTT??? Oh MAN, how can this possibly be? The ski train is an institution...people grew up riding that train...what a terrible waste. Does UP have any plans to run something similar since it is their track?

[grande5771]

Hi all,
The Rio Grande Ski Train is history.

Winter Park Ski Train stops operations - KDVR

[jimfitch]

Originally Posted by grande5771

Hi all,
The Rio Grande Ski Train is history.

Winter Park Ski Train stops operations - KDVR

Was on the Yahoo Groups email list. Bummer. End of an era.

[ZFRANK]

Hi all,

Sad news...
....it has always been a colorfull foto subject..., hopefully Amtrak doesn't abandon the Moffat. Since the tunnel district is best to see from a train, as I have seen from al the pictures on the web.

Regards,

Frank

[sdsxcmml]

I rode the last one but did not know it. Its been in my blood for 40 years. Yet another Colorado train going away. It will be missed by a lot of people Skiers and Rail fans alike. To bad UP did not step up and buy it then run it. Oh well another thing I cant give my kids when they grow up.

[bravogjt]

That is so sad. I had hopes to ride it within the next year or two.

Ben

[Kevin Anderson]

Originally Posted by ZFRANK

Hi all,

Sad news...
....it has always been a colorfull foto subject..., hopefully Amtrak doesn't abandon the Moffat. Since the tunnel district is best to see from a train, as I have seen from al the pictures on the web.

Regards,

Frank

I don't think this will happen. In fact keep an eye out over the next year for new service to Portland via slc and boise.