Probably a question for our fine feathered friend, but others may know as well.
My cousin wrapped up a vacation out here a few weeks back, and said that the tracks on Tennessee Pass were shiny, and not rusted. I don’t remember exactly where on the line my cousin saw this…I sent him an e-mail, so as soon as I hear back, I’ll post that info. Is there still traffic occasionally on the line, or is this from work trains maintaining the line?
Thanks as always for any information!
It must be from work trains maintaining the line. There is no regular service via Tenn. Pass.
maybe at that altitude there is not enough oxygen to rust rails[;)]
dd
O.K. guys…who has trackage rights between Pueblo and Canon City. Do BNSF crews run that way? I read a post that the Canon City and Royal Gorge tourist line was going to run down to Pueblo to pick up some equipment. How do they do that? How do they get authority? Do they have trackage rights al the way to Pueblo? Why wouldn’t a UP crew deliver the equipment. I would figure that would be a claim for the crews that run on that line. Mark, how in the world do you know about podunk Pueblo and the Canon city area?
Mark,
So what is the purpose of UP hanging onto Tennessee Pass if they aren’t keeping up on maintenance in the slightest. Is there some belief that traffic will someday necessitate the re-opening of the line? It’s been 5-10 years since they closed the line, hasn’t it? If they aren’t doing any maintenance at all, couldn’t it get pretty expensive to bring it back?
Chris
Denver, CO
Mark & CopCarss - They have been out there with the hi-rail semis distributing material (OTM) going east from Dotsero the past few weeks. Go back that way next week and will keep an eye out between West Vail and Dotsero as I head back to Glenwood and Carbondale. As mentioned earlier, at West Vail you have the rock slide and skeleton track plus the damage at Avon. It won’t run for a while and the snow is set to start flying up there.
RRRR was given everything west of Canon Junction in Pueblo by BNSF. (If BNSF only knew what they gave away after trackage rights.)
Future traffic could dictate the need for the line. It is a remote possibility but ever try to replace something once the greenies, Sierra Club and PETA get their foot in the door? It isn’t costing them anything substantial to leave it in place and in the event of a massive wreck or need it could be in service quickly I assume.
Thanks Mark and Muddy
Boy, one of my most vivid childhood memories was the 1964 trip to Colorado on the MOPAC’s Colorado Eagle and spending 2 weeks in Pueblo at the great uncle and aunts. We made a few day trips, including to the Royal Gorge. That was one heck of a railroad line.
You really cannot speculate on why the line is still in place, but personally I would think it would be a pretty cheap insurance policy.
All the articles and photo essays I have seen of the area makes me wish I had taken a trip out that way in the 80’s.
ed
Wise move for UP to hang on to it, even if they are being taxed for it.
As the saying goes, once it’s gone…forget about it.
My guess is that the State of Colorado would move to take over the trackage and ROW were UP ever to apply to remove the track and abandon the line. That would open up the possibility of somebody piecing together a connection with one of Colorado-East lines. While it would never give UP serious competition in the Central Corridor, it --could-- be enough to drag down rates.
Better for UP to let Tennessee Pass and the unused east lines quietly rot away to the point that rehabilitation is economically impossible, a la the Rock Island St. Louis - KC line. Then, and only then, let the SOC take over the route as a bike trail.
Still inactive in the middle. At Wolcott, the track is rusty and the flangeways in the crossing are filled with mud. No evidence of even a high rail.
Dotsero to Avon showing signs of light maintenance and material being set out.
West of Vail over the Eagle River, a large Boulder still sits between the rails at the east approach to the bridge. Further east, panels were laid but never ballasted/surfaced (skeleton track)…
Saw 5 EB trains through Glenwood Canyon in less than an hour. Busy place lately.
I found this interesting when you consider Tennessee pass as a relief route to the Moffatt line. Were Tennessee pass in usable condition today buses would not have been needed nor traffic rerouted. Below is the text of the article.
A rockslide in Grand County, Colorado on the Union Pacific Railroad is blocking
passenger and freight train traffic. It happened early Saturday morning in Byers Canyon, just west of Granby.
Officials say the slide is blocking the railroad tracks. Power lines were also knocked over. At one point Saturday, trains were backed up to Glenwood Springs. Amtrak tells us the California Zypher is being detoured. Passengers traveling to any of the stops near the rockslide, will be bused to their destinations. - KCNC-TV4, Denver, CO, courtesy Larry W. Grant