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Excursion Proposals |
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GwS-Carbondale Excursion Proposals |
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Sponsored by Rails and Trails last maintained June 24, 2006 Provided by Kip Wheeler Mar 12, 2009 |
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Introduction The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad from Glenwood Springs to Aspen was completed in 1887. The lower (northern) valley railroad from Glenwood Springs to Carbondale remained in operation into the early 1990's. It is still operational for light weight trains, but sits unutilized. The right of way is owned by the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA).
In May 2005, R&T issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking an excursion owner/operator for the rails. In August 2005, Rails and Trails received a RF&RG Proposal from a group of Denver investors to create and operate the Roaring Fork & Rio Grande (RF&RG) Railroad dinner/excursion train between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. This proposal was individually presented to RFTA board members, but they felt the magnitude of the proposal left too many uncertainties.
The investment group revised their preliminary proposal to create a scaled down proposal for a Glenwood Heritage Train. They hand delivered this proposal to RFTA board members on August 30, 2005. RFTA scheduled a public review of this proposal at its October 13th board meeting. At this meeting it heard the GHT proposal and gave its staff 90 days to review relevant issues to be presented and discussed at its January 12th meeting.
The trackage right of way from Glenwood Springs to Carbondale represents an exciting and memorable activity attracting tourists and their dollars to the area. It also represents an untapped financial resource of the RFTA. At its October 6th council meeting Glenwood Springs gave its approval to the proposal.
RFTA met October 13th, heard the GHT proposal, and directed staff to review related issues needed to make a decision and report back in January 2006. Among the issues RFTA staff will study are: issuing a second RFP, rail signals or flagging at intersections, traffic congestion as the train passes, parking and facilities at the wye, insurance, trail costs, staff time costs and an analysis of salvaging the rails.
The goal of Rails and Trails, a group of interested valley citizens, is to facilitate creation an operating excursion railroad preserving the rails and to see a trail completed along side the right of way. Having an excursion train and completed trail from Glenwood Springs to Aspen will spark the vitality and economy of the Roaring Fork Valley.
-- Rails and Trails -- |
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Side by side rail and trail departing Glenwood Springs |
