5(23) Stopped at Winter Park Resort

[Zack]

I’m onboard the Zephyr right now and we are stopped at the Winter Park Resort due to a disabled freight train closer to the Fraser station. The freight train is waiting on a new crew since their time expired. ETA is about 3 hours. Conductor said he’s going to call the resort and Amtrak to see if we’re allowed to get off since this is a private platform.

Everything was going so well up until now. I guess I’ll watch the skiers

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Awww, I know those slopes - wish I was there now (skiing, of course, not stuck on the train)!

 

[GAT]

What a picturesque place to be stranded. I hope the owners let you disembark. It would be a great PR move; perhaps even distribute coffee and donuts, or something stronger.......

 

[Sidney]

Just got word a freight train broke down near the Winter Park station. We just got out of the Moffitt Tunnel and we are parked. Should be interesting. My stop at Reno will be delayed,but that works to my advantage as I have a hotel booked and 8:35AM would be a bit too early to check in
Always an adventure!

 

[Zack]

Definitely not the worst place to spend a few hours! We are allowed to get off, but we can’t leave the platform, which isn’t surprising.

We’re leaving Winter Park Resort soon to pull into a siding, wait for the freight to clear, back out of the siding, and then pull into Winter Park-Fraser station (if I understood the dispatcher correctly). Freight train hasn’t moved yet.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Nice shots - that cloud formation is cool!

 

[user 1215]

Used to go there in the Summers when we lived in Texas. Always wanted to go in the Winter. Absolutely beautiful. There's a car trail that takes you up to Rollins Pass which is where the train used to go before the Moffat Tunnel was built. You can go all the way to the peak, but can't go down the East side because the tunnels are impassible. They've tried several times to get it opened through, but between the tunnels and the bridges, it's just too cost prohibitive for a relatively unused road.

They keep the road maintained during the Summer - we've always gone the first week of July. Sometimes, it's just beautiful green meadows, othertimes, we've had 6 foot snow walls near the top. Those are the times that backcountry skiers and boarders are just having a grand ol' time!

Now that I'm living in Florida, I saw the title to the thread and was wondering what on Earth the Zephyr was doing in Winter Park! PennyK...

 

[PaulM]

Used to go there in the Summers when we lived in Texas. Always wanted to go in the Winter. Absolutely beautiful. There's a car trail that takes you up to Rollins Pass which is where the train used to go before the Moffat Tunnel was built. You can go all the way to the peak, but can't go down the East side because the tunnels are impassible. They've tried several times to get it opened through, but between the tunnels and the bridges, it's just too cost prohibitive for a relatively unused road.

My son and I once bicycled from the Moffat Tunnel east portal to Rollins Pass. It's true the pass was impassible to cars, but not to hikers. The road was so rough that I found it easier to bike up than down.

 

[Willbridge]

Used to go there in the Summers when we lived in Texas. Always wanted to go in the Winter. Absolutely beautiful. There's a car trail that takes you up to Rollins Pass which is where the train used to go before the Moffat Tunnel was built. You can go all the way to the peak, but can't go down the East side because the tunnels are impassible. They've tried several times to get it opened through, but between the tunnels and the bridges, it's just too cost prohibitive for a relatively unused road.

They keep the road maintained during the Summer - we've always gone the first week of July. Sometimes, it's just beautiful green meadows, othertimes, we've had 6 foot snow walls near the top. Those are the times that backcountry skiers and boarders are just having a grand ol' time!

Now that I'm living in Florida, I saw the title to the thread and was wondering what on Earth the Zephyr was doing in Winter Park! PennyK...

There's a NIMBY factor in keeping motor vehicles from using the Rollins Pass.