WINTER PARK – Enthusiastic train and resort officials gathered Thursday to unveil
Weekend passenger train service between Denver’s Union Station and a new rail platform steps from the slopes of Winter Park starts Jan. 7, reviving a winter ski train experience that has been dormant since 2009 but lingers in the indelible memories of skiers who traveled the historic route since its inception in 1940.
The details of the Amtrak Winter Park Express rail service:
26 round-trips will run Saturday and Sunday, from Jan. 7 to Mar. 26, with Monday service on holidays in January and February.
The 500-passenger Winter Park Express Amtrak train will leave Denver’s Union Station at 7 a.m., arrives at the resort around 9 a.m., leaves 4:30 p.m. and returns to Denver at 6:40 p.m.
Adult tickets start at $39 each way and children ages 2-12 ride for half price with a ticketed adult. Tickets go on sale at 8 a.m., Tuesday Aug. 30 at .
One-way tickets allow passengers to book single or multiple-day trips.
In March 2015, Amtrak sold out two weekends of ski train trips between Denver and Winter Park. Demand for the $75 round-trip tickets was strong, sparking the push to revive the ski train that had ferried hundreds of young Winter Park skiers every winter weekend starting in 1940. Ski Train owner Phil Anschutz closed the rail service in 2009, citing rising insurance costs, declining profits and the challenges of squeezing passenger service on the busy freight route.
It took almost 18 months of negotiations between the Denver-owned Winter Park ski area, Amtrak and rail owner Union Pacific to establish the new Winter Park Express on the 62-mile route that travels through the historic Moffat Tunnel. One critical point was the development of a wheelchair-accessible, ADA-compliant rail platform at the resort. Construction of the $3.5 million platform has begun.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Toni Leuthold, hands skis to a skier as she helps unload skis and snowboards after the arrival of the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Pos
The Ski Train to Winter Park in 2007.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Bob Holme, an employee with Winter Park, helps off load skis and snowboards after the arrival of the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Jim Nau, electrician for the Rio Grande Ski Train, cleans off the windows of the Engine of the Ski Train for the winter season's first run up to Winter Park in 2008. The train, a Denver tradition since the 1940's has 17 cars with trips up to Winter Park Saturday and Sunday's through March.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Skiers and snowboarders head towards the ski area after getting off of the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Conductor Robert Doney prepares to shut the train doors to depart Winter Park after dropping off skiers and snowboarders riding the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Brent Lewis, The Denver Post
Denver's Union Station with the Winter Park Express ski train on Saturday, March 14, 2015.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Conductor Robert Doney prepares to shut the train doors to depart Winter Park after dropping off skiers and snowboarders riding the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Skiers and snowboarders gather their skis and boards after getting off of the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
The Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train arrives through Moffat Tunnel at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Nick Kehrer, a maintenance worker for Winter Park, puts up 20 flags for the arrival of the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Skier Rachel holds little baby Kerry, 3 months, as the two prepare to head towards Winter Park after riding the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, Denver Post file
Val Hovland, right, laughs as young Emily Griffin, 4, says all the poles she tries to carry are too heavy as they head towards Winter Park after riding the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. Behind them are Hovland's husband Ram Sreerangam with young Kavi Hovland, 2 on his shoulders. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, Denver Post file
Skier Scott Bertolin of Boulder, head towards the ski area after picking up his skis with his family after riding the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Skier Gabriella Bertolin, 6, of Boulder, head towards the ski area after picking up her skis with her family after riding the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Skiers head towards the ski area after picking up their skis after riding the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Brent Lewis, The Denver Post
Jack Rich unloads gear from the train Saturday, March 14, 2015 at Union Station in Denver, Colorado. This was the return for the first round trip for the Winter Park Express ski excursion train since the train was shut down in 2009.
Brent Lewis, Denver Post file
Skiers walk past the Ski Train after coming back from Winter Park on March 14, 2015, at Union Station in Denver.
Brent Lewis, The Denver Post
Ron Mical, Train Master, drops poles off in the pile of gear Saturday, March 14,2015 at Union Station in Denver, Colorado. This was the return for the first round trip for the Winter Park Express ski excursion train since the train was shut down in 2009.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
An old pair of wooden skis is mounted on a wall in one of the train cars of the Ski Train. The train, a Denver tradition since the 1940's has 17 cars with trips up to Winter Park Saturday and Sunday's through March.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
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Toni Leuthold, hands skis to a skier as she helps unload skis and snowboards after the arrival of the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train at Winter Park, Colorado on March 15, 2014. For the first time since 2009 the Amtrak Winter Park Resort Ski Train made two trips from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park Ski area. The two trips sold out in a matter of hours and officials at Amtrak hope to work out a way to have the ski train come back on an annual basis.
Officials on Thursday hailed the collaborative effort to build the new platform, crediting a $100,000 from the city of Denver, $100,000 from the Town of Winter Park, $1,000 from the Colorado Rail Passengers Association and the rest paid by Intrawest, the operator of Winter Park ski area.
“This is the culmination of a long but rewarding process and we couldn’t be more excited to have passenger rail service return to the doorstep of Winter Park Resort,” said Gary DeFrange, Winter Park’s president, in a statement released before the Thursday village event. “We know there’s incredible demand for a viable transportation alternative to I-70 and we’re deeply appreciative to Amtrak, Union Pacific, CDOT, City of Denver, and the Town of Winter Park for helping to make this long-standing dream a reality.”
