Lee Ann Colacioppo, editor of The Denver Post and Mac Tully, president and CEO of The Denver Post pose on the train in Cheyenne on July 23, 2017. The Denver Post Frontier Days Train ran on Saturday, July 22, 2017 from Denver, Colorado to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Run largely by volunteers, the Denver Post tradition helped celebrate the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
The Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days train chugs north to Cheyenne on Saturday, July 22, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Passengers take in the view on the way to Wyoming on The Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days train as it chugs north to Cheyenne on Saturday morning.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
From left, Scott Eldredge of Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C.; Steve Weil, president of Rockmount Ranch Wear; Rebecca Tully; Lee Ann Colacioppo, editor of The Denver Post; Mac Tully, president and CEO of The Denver Post; and Roger Hutson, president and CEO of HRM Resources; pose on the train in Cheyenne on July 23, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
The Denver Post Frontier Days Train ran on Saturday, July 22, 2017 from Denver, Colorado to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
The Denver Post Frontier Days Train ran on Saturday, July 22, 2017 from Denver, Colorado to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Sage Derner, 2, at the Cheyenne Frontier Days 121st celebration in Cheyenne, Wyoming on July 22, 2017. The 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration runs from July 21st-30th, hosting an abundance of games, food, music, and dance in addition to the traditional Western rodeo, Indian Village, and Carnival festivities.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
A man with a cowboy tattoo inside the photographer's pit in the middle of the rodeo ring on July 22, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Several men take their hats off in respect for the singing of the national anthem at the Cheyenne Frontier Days arena on July 22, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Bucking at the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration runs from July 21st-30th, hosting an abundance of games, food, music, and dance in addition to the traditional Western rodeo, Indian Village, and Carnival festivities.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Steer wrestling at the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration runs from July 21st-30th, hosting an abundance of games, food, music, and dance in addition to the traditional Western rodeo, Indian Village, and Carnival festivities.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Bucking at the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration runs from July 21st-30th, hosting an abundance of games, food, music, and dance in addition to the traditional Western rodeo, Indian Village, and Carnival festivities.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
A rider goes airborne with his horse as the challenge to stay on the bucking animal keeps him glued to his seat at the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration runs from July 21st-30th, hosting an abundance of games, food, music, and dance in addition to the traditional Western rodeo, Indian Village, and Carnival festivities.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Miss. Frontier 2017 Rylee Anderson and Emily Breeden, her Lady-in-Waiting, watch the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Two riders watch the event ring at the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo on July 22, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
A rider prepares to mount a bronc, with the help of several handlers during the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo on July 22, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Barrel riding is one of the few female-heavy sports at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo. Participants are expected to race their horses around light barrels without touching them or having them fall. It's also a race against time between other contestants, and each rider is scored accordingly.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
Spectators watch the rodeo festivities from the gates of the rodeo chutes, which hold bulls and horses to be ridden in the arena, July 22, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
A bull rider prepares to be released into the Cheyenne Frontier Days arena on July 22, 2017.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
A group of helpers at the rodeo chutes watch as bucking horses from inside the rodeo arena are herded back into the chutes at the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration.
Maggie Andresen, The Denver Post
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Lee Ann Colacioppo, editor of The Denver Post and Mac Tully, president and CEO of The Denver Post pose on the train in Cheyenne on July 23, 2017. The Denver Post Frontier Days Train ran on Saturday, July 22, 2017 from Denver, Colorado to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Run largely by volunteers, the Denver Post tradition helped celebrate the 121st Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration.
The 27th annual Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days Train, revived in 1992 to mark the newspaper’s 100th anniversary, will carry a sold-out group of 700 riders to a day of Old West-style fun on Saturday”].
The 15-car special, whose passengers were selected by a lottery system, departs from the Union Pacific freight yard at 45th Avenue and Brighton Boulevard near the Denver Coliseum at 7 a.m. Saturday. The train will leave Cheyenne at 5 p.m. and is expected to be back in Denver about 8:30 p.m.
Among the special guests onboard this year are Colorado Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne and Post publisher Mac Tully.
The day’s festivities include the roundtrip train ride, the big parade in downtown Cheyenne, a private barbecue at the rodeo grounds and prime seats to the “Daddy of ‘em All” rodeo. A light breakfast and supper will be served on the train.
Denver Post file photo
Historic steam engine No. 844 will again pull the Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days train. The locomotive, built in 1944, last led The Post special to Cheyenne in 1998.
This year’s train of 1950s era passenger cars will be pulled by the UP’s vintage steam locomotive 844, the last built for the railroad in 1944 and never removed from its active roster. The locomotive will be on display all day Friday in the Union Pacific freight yard.
The Post train began its annual trek to Cheyenne in 1908 and continued until 1970. In 1992, Post chairman W. Dean Singleton was instrumental in the train’s re-birth, remarking, “It was something we could do to remind us of our 100-year history.” He promised organizers of the famed rodeo, “You give me a rodeo, I’ll give you a train.”
Because of construction, the northbound lanes on Brighton Boulevard are closed at 38th Avenue, but access to the parking lots at the Coliseum is reachable from the Brighton exit off Interstate 70.
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Train is an event of the Denver Post Community Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization which serves to improve and enrich the lives of those in our community through support of programs benefitting arts and culture; children and youth; education and literacy, at the provision of basic human services. MDC Richmond American Homes Foundation returns as the train’s longest-running presenting sponsor.
