The age of giant steam and the comfort of rail travel return Saturday with the 15th annual Denver Post Train to Cheyenne Frontier Days.
The trip, presented by Bank of the West, departs from Track 3 at Denver Union Station at 7 a.m.
At the front of the 17-car yellow-red-and-grey train of vintage passenger cars will be the Union Pacific’s big black steam locomotive number 844. The last steam engine built for the UP in 1944 remains a favorite with rail fans, who anually line the tracks along Highway 85 north of Denver to watch as it rushes by at 60 m.p.h.
Denver business and political leaders, guests of Post publisher William Dean Singleton, will be among more than 700 passengers who will have breakfast on board, watch the Frontier Days parade through downtown Cheyenne, enjoy a catered barbecue, then attend the “Daddy of ’em All” rodeo before reboarding the train for a 5:30 p.m. departure.
Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams play for dancing in the baggage car on the return trip.
The Frontier Days Train was inaugurated in 1908 by Post owner Frederick Bonfils to celebrate the regional and business ties between Denver and Cheyenne. It continued operate until 1970, then was revived in 1992 to celebrate the paper’s 100th anniversary.
The Post special is expected to arrive back at Union Station about 8:30 p.m.
