Denver commuter rail

[MIrailfan]

Anyone familiar with Denver commuter rail? Specifically the line going to Denver International airport?

 

[Willbridge]

Anyone familiar with Denver commuter rail? Specifically the line going to Denver International airport?

I helped plan the service for it, but it's been a big project. What do you want to know?

 

[MIrailfan]

Cost, frequency, day it opened?

 

[Willbridge]

Cost, frequency, day it opened?

The A-Line was the first of the Commuter Rail A, B, G, and N-Lines to open. The official ceremony and festivities were on April 22, 2016. Current one way adult fare is $10.50, which includes free transfer to any other RTD regular route for the day and a potential return trip on the A-Line. Passes for commuters are much cheaper, comparable to suburban highway coach fares.

Base service is every 15 minutes. with a 30-minute headway in marginal hours. Normal operation is anchored on Track One at Denver Union Station. Note that some trips have been cancelled due to crew shortages caused by the pandemic and hiring backlog, so it's wise to take the train ahead of the one you'd prefer.

Current schedules are available at:
https://www.rtd-denver.com/services/rail


This group of likely suspects rode the first scheduled train on Sunday morning April 24th at 3:15 a.m. from Denver Union Station. There were actual air travelers and commuters on that first trip. One of the features since the 1995 opening of DIA has been transit service that corresponds to the peculiarities of major work and travel patterns at what is now the 3rd busiest airport in the U.S.



The service plan and fare structure was based on successful experience with the SkyRide bus service which ran temporarily for two decades. SkyRide Rtes AB and AT still serve suburban communities.

 

[como]

I noticed that the RTD rail map shows the Flatirons Flyer bus service to Boulder. Are there still plans for the long-promised rail service to reach Broomfield, Lafayette, Louisville, and Boulder?

 

[Willbridge]

I noticed that the RTD rail map shows the Flatirons Flyer bus service to Boulder. Are there still plans for the long-promised rail service to reach Broomfield, Lafayette, Louisville, and Boulder?

Yes. Two things are currently in process. RTD is completing a study of operating peak only service. The Front Range Corridor Authority is getting organized (has hired a director and is completing numerous state-required steps). Both entities are communicating with each other (RTD has a non-voting member on the Corridor board.).

 

[John Bredin]

RTD is completing a study of operating peak only service.

To show how absurd it is? Or because some budget-focused politician ordered it? Because otherwise I can't see why a transit agency would contemplate such an obviously fatal leap from a cliff into utter irrelevancy and ever-decreasing budgets.

Does downtown Denver not have theaters, sports venues, concert venues, convention halls, colleges, schools, etc. that bring people there outside 9-5 M-F?

 

[John Bredin]

To show how absurd it is? Or because some budget-focused politician ordered it? Because otherwise I can't see why a transit agency would contemplate such an obviously fatal leap from a cliff into utter irrelevancy and ever-decreasing budgets.

Does downtown Denver not have theaters, sports venues, concert venues, convention halls, colleges, schools, etc. that bring people there outside 9-5 M-F?

Sorry, I reacted first and googled second. I see the peak-only service would be for that one new line. I had read that as a study of system-wide peak-only service. [Emily Litella]Nevermind![/EL]

 

[Willbridge]

Sorry, I reacted first and googled second. I see the peak-only service would be for that one new line. I had read that as a study of system-wide peak-only service. [Emily Litella]Nevermind![/EL]

There are some peculiarities in the Boulder-Longmont line (on the former C&S). First, it would be the only RTD line with mixed freight and commuter traffic. Second, unless there is a revision to the study plans, it is not to be electrified with catenary. Third, it is almost entirely duplicated by a high quality bus system with day and night service every day of the week.

All day, everyday service was the original plan. However, that assumed that the chronic highway problems would be attended to later. And it assumed that the former C&S line would remain lightly traveled. Instead, CDOT found money in its couch cushions to improve highway bus operations. And BNSF discovered that it owned a valuable railway between the Bakken oil fields and the Gulf Coast.

That was in addition to a sharp increase in prices for materiel that affected the entire system.

One interesting observation -- a former RTD Board Member, Landri Taylor, once observed that the best way to get CDOT to spend money in the Denver metro area is to build a rail transit line. In several cases, the supposedly cash-strapped agency has found money to parallel the new rail lines. Having followed this since 1985, one might think the Boulder-Longmont story fits that story perfectly.

 

[railiner]

Ju

There are some peculiarities in the Boulder-Longmont line (on the former C&S). First, it would be the only RTD line with mixed freight and commuter traffic. Second, unless there is a revision to the study plans, it is not to be electrified with catenary. Third, it is almost entirely duplicated by a high quality bus system with day and night service every day of the week.

All day, everyday service was the original plan. However, that assumed that the chronic highway problems would be attended to later. And it assumed that the former C&S line would remain lightly traveled. Instead, CDOT found money in its couch cushions to improve highway bus operations. And BNSF discovered that it owned a valuable railway between the Bakken oil fields and the Gulf Coast.

That was in addition to a sharp increase in prices for materiel that affected the entire system.

One interesting observation -- a former RTD Board Member, Landri Taylor, once observed that the best way to get CDOT to spend money in the Denver metro area is to build a rail transit line. In several cases, the supposedly cash-strapped agency has found money to parallel the new rail lines. Having followed this since 1985, one might think the Boulder-Longmont story fits that story perfectly.

Just curious…did the BNSF abandon its alternate “Buckwheat”, former CB&Q line between Broomfield and Longmont via Lafayette?
That would have been a better way to send freights, for at least that portion…

 

[Willbridge]

Ju

Just curious…did the BNSF abandon its alternate “Buckwheat”, former CB&Q line between Broomfield and Longmont via Lafayette?
That would have been a better way to send freights, for at least that portion…

Yes, it was abandoned, and part of the ROW has been built on. And you are right that it should have been a better freight route. Apparently, it needed to be improved and BN at the time was not interested in fixing it up.

 

[railiner]

Yes, it was abandoned, and part of the ROW has been built on. And you are right that it should have been a better freight route. Apparently, it needed to be improved and BN at the time was not interested in fixing it up.

Did they also abandon the portion between Longmont and Lyons?

 

[Willbridge]

Did they also abandon the portion between Longmont and Lyons?

I haven't been up that way in a long time. but I'll take a look in aerial photos.