Winter Park Express: Denver-Winter Park Ski Train

Let's not begrudge the resort owners. Apparently they did the heavy lifting to pay for the train.

That was my point; no begrudging intended.

Jeff Smith wrote:Hey, there's a surplus of passenger equipment out there servicable enough to run "in public", being auctioned by Ringling Bros.

Lest we forget, the auction has closed. Someone would have to contact Feld Entertainment to see what cars hadn't been bid on and why...

Lest we forget as well, any car bought would need a trip to Beech Grove, to be converted (or re-converted) into a coach.

Finally, many of these cars came from Union Pacific's 1950 order of coaches from Pullman-Standard. Who'd buy them?

Even if the auction has closed, I can't imagine that many cars finding sound buyers (I.E. Intending to operate) at once. Either a scrap yard bought a lot of them or many are still for sale. Especially in their heavily modified condition. Add the Iowa Pacific troubles to the mix, and you have even more cars in more passenger-friendly shape on the market soon.

Let's face it, the bottom has fallen out of the streamliner passenger car market after a 3-5 year boom.

It would be great to see a dedicated train once more, perhaps in Aspen Gold, even if there were platinum mist or armor yellow locomotives up front.

Tad,

If I was a corporate officer choosing, I'd buy from IPH. At least they are coaches.

RBBX cars will require $X00,000s of interior re-work to make them coaches again.

2018 Amtrak Press Release in Full (Gov't Press Release Exception):

https://www.amtrak.com/winterparkexpress" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://media.amtrak.com/2017/08/amtrak ... available/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

August 25, 2017

Three Friday round-trips added to expanded weekend service between Denver and Winter Park; Lower fares on some departures

WINTER PARK, Colo. – Coming off a highly successful inaugural season, tickets for the Amtrak Winter Park Express passenger train service from Denver Union Station to the slopes of Winter Park Resort are on sale now at Amtrak.com/WinterParkExpress. The 2018 season will also feature some additions to the service, including three “First Friday” round-trips, a reduced fare of $29 each way on some departures.

The 2018 Amtrak Winter Park Express schedule begins on Friday, Jan. 5, and the train will run each Saturday and Sunday through March 25. The service will also include round-trips on two more “First Fridays,” Feb. 2 and March 2, to satisfy requests from the Denver business community for more opportunities for corporate groups. Customers can choose up to 27 round-trips, an increase from 2017, with 500+ riders on each train enjoying a comfortable and scenic ride on an historic route through the Moffat Tunnel, avoiding aggravating stop-and-go ski traffic on I-70 and U.S. 40.

Also added in the coming season is a reduced ticket price, enabling guests to experience the fun and convenience multiple times a season. Adult tickets now start as low $29 each way on select departures and are on sale now. Children ages 2-12 can still ride for half-fare with each ticketed adult. Amtrak and Winter Park Resort have also made it easier than ever before to book group travel by calling 800-USA-1GRP and having an entire train/ski package – including lodging – crafted by resort representatives and Amtrak.

The Amtrak Winter Park Express trains will again depart Denver Union Station at 7:00 a.m. and arrive at the resort at approximately 9:00 a.m., leaving Winter Park at 4:30 p.m.to return to Denver at 6:40 p.m. All times Mountain. The station is served by the Denver’s Regional Transportation District’s commuter trains to Denver International Airport, light rail, local or intercity buses and Lyft, the new national partner of Amtrak, which is offering a discount for new users’ first four rides and rideshare requests directly from Amtrak mobile apps.

The expanded Winter Park Express service is one of several improvements at Winter Park Resort for the 2017-18 season designed to increase convenience for guests, including a new retail location and major renovation of the resort’s primary rental shop, various snowmaking and grooming improvements, and a new traverse enabling easier access to the Mary Jane side of the resort from Winter Park. The full suite of 2017-18 Winter Park passes are on sale now for the lowest prices of the season, but prices will be going up soon. Passes are also available at Christy Sports Powder Daze beginning this weekend. Questions about the resort and its many features can be answered directly by Winter Park Resort by calling 888-923-7275.
The seasonal Amtrak Winter Park Express continues to share this route with the daily Amtrak California Zephyr service, which stops in nearby Fraser, Colo., and operates during this period over its full schedule between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay, via Denver.

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New this year, Amtrak Winter Park Express trains will have snacks and beverages available to all passengers on board, using an Amtrak bi-level Superliner Sightseer Lounge Car with windows that start at the floor level and wrap into the ceiling of the railcar.

This on-board service improvement is in response to customers who have asked for coffee and other items on the trip up to Winter Park each morning, with snacks and other beverages on the evening return trip.
...
Tickets for the passenger train service from Denver Union Station to the slopes of Winter Park Resort are on sale at http://www.Amtrak.com/WinterPark" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Express. The 2019 season features a continuation of fares starting at $29 each way and three additional Friday round trips, beginning Friday, Jan. 4.

The train will run each Saturday and Sunday through March 31.

The service also includes round-trips on the first two Fridays of each month, Jan. 4 and 11, Feb. 1 and 8 and March 1 and 8.

The public can choose from 33 round trips, an increase from 2018.
...

Well, we know where the dome is...

John_Perkowski wrote:Well, we know where the dome is...

Amtrak’s Great Dome car is not a “Superliner” Sightseer Lounge.

Is it non-alcoholic beverages only, or will alcohol and mixed drinks be sold as well? Not that I am trying to support the alcohol industry and what vices may come from it, but said drinks have were always what the private RR’s relied upon to boost up food and beverage profits (or help reduce the losses!). I think it is a good thing to include food and beverages (snacks etc.) on this train. Will be, and was in, high demand. Glad to see that train back for another season.

Per the menu posted at amtrak.com, soft drinks, 3 brands of beer, and 3 types of wine. End of story.

I-70 during ski season can be as bad or worse than a Denver Metro area rush hour, cannot be expanded for more lanes without massive
rock blasting as most of I-70 is built on a man made ledge in the mountains and 1 major tunnel
It is common that one or more minor wrecks will turn I-70 into a parking lot for hours on end during a snow storm, also
CoDOT will shut down the tunnel in a flash.
There're no real alternate routes to the ski resorts or back to Denver, and very little refuge(shelter/Motels) at most exits.
The only sane way thru this part of the Rockies is the Ski train or the CZ.
It should be noted that an airplane trip into Aspen is a "white knuckled" ride in bad weather as well.

Backshophoss wrote:I
It should be noted that an airplane trip into Aspen is a "white knuckled" ride in bad weather as well.

That is a very big understatement. Special qualifications for airline pilots are great and the commuter non FAR 135 pilots - Do not do it !

theres always EGE into Eagle Vail

EGE also next to the old DGRW line that goes thru Avon (beacer creek) and Leadville(Vail) and further down into Crested Butte

thinking why cant there be a an alternative Ski train on the ond Zephyr route?

For there to be an alternate "ski train" on a different rail corridor, someone is going to have to step up to subsidize it. The existing "Ski Train" Amtrak operates is subsidize by Denver and Winter Park Ski Resort, which may surprise some to find out, was owned by the city and county of Denver. Today, the city and county remain in partnership with private third parties.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Park_Resort" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

While other ski resorts in the Rock Mountains west of Denver exist, they are not partners with the city and county of Denver. So the likelyhood the Denver(s) will subsidize another ski train to their competitors is very slim.