Colorado State Fair officials have been dreaming for more than five years about a special-event train from Denver to Pueblo to transport fairgoers.
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. John Salazar took the first step in making that fantasy a reality.
Salazar sent a letter to Union Pacific Corp. asking for assistance in identifying a route between the two cities that could serve as a special ride during the fair in late August.
“It would be a great way to advertise our State Fair, and I believe it would bring economic dollars to the area,” Salazar said. “We are hoping to give the State Fair more clout, and this is a way to get more attention.”
A train would increase the number of people attending the fair from the Denver area, bring a new focus to southern Colorado and raise the profile of the fair, said State Fair general manager Chris Wiseman.
This past summer, 450,000 people visited the fair during its 11-day run leading up to Labor Day, generating about $20 million for the state.
Wiseman would like to see nearly 500,000 visitors next year and said an event train, and the hype surrounding it, could help meet that goal.
“It could really add something extra to the fair that doesn’t exist right now,” he said.
If Union Pacific can secure a locomotive for the route, Salazar said he would find private money through sponsorships and other partnerships for other costs.
“If Union Pacific can secure the necessary line, we will secure the necessary funding,” he wrote to Robert Turner, senior vice president of corporate relations at Union Pacific.
Salazar and State Fair officials said the train that runs from Denver to Cheyenne during Frontier Days shows that the Denver-Pueblo train concept could succeed.
Officials hope the train would alleviate any concerns about the viability of the State Fair and quash any suggestions of moving it to the Denver metro area.
“It’s a great economic generator to southern Colorado,” Salazar said. “I will always continue to fight for it to stay here in Pueblo.”
Staff writer Elizabeth Aguilera can be reached at 303-820-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com.
