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Old 08-05-2008, 01:24 PM
 
2,437 posts, read 8,157,754 times
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For some years, there's been talk of a hihg-sped rail coming to the front range.
Front Range Commuter Rail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It would be nice to hear people thoughts on this. Will it, should it, ever happen? if so, when? If not, why?

I'll kick things off with my own thoughts:

I would love to see a high speed rail put in because, even though my usage of it would be limited to a few times a year, it would decrease rail traffic from over 20 freight trains par day (and night) to just a few passenger trains per day. Since I live 1/10 of a mile from the tracks, this would be really nice for my property values and overall Q of L. but, more importantly, it would help the environment by bringing true mass transit to this rapidly growing region.

However, I don;t see it happening within ten years, because they are just now getting going on an earnest feasbility study, which will take at least a year, then they actually have to plan it, fund it, build it and test it, which could take decades.
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Old 08-05-2008, 02:31 PM
 
Location: 80904 West siiiiiide!
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I don't see it ever happening, unless gas gets over $10 a gallon.
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Old 08-05-2008, 02:37 PM
 
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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It would nice if they did. I might be willing to look at some of those jobs in Denver. I have been offered several jobs there, but I always turn them down as I REALLY don't want to do the commute...especially in winter over Monument Hill. If there was high speed rail, I would be more open to it.
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Old 08-05-2008, 04:33 PM
 
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With so many people who are "anti tax" in this country, any such ideas are doomed unless we get leadership at Federal and State levels who do their visionary best for us, despite the whining about the price.

I'd love to see it. Service every 30 minutes and running from Pueblo to Fort Collins. No need to wake me up, I know I'm dreaming.

America has doomed itself, literally, to supporting the auto industry.
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Old 08-05-2008, 05:54 PM
 
Location: Canon City, Colorado
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Where would all the freight trains go?
I'll believe it when I see it!
I'm all for it, I think it would certainly help traffic a LOT! Unless all of those freight trains hauling stuff would translate into tons more trucks hauling stuff.HMM!?
It would sure open the door for people living in one part of Colorado and working somewhere entirely different! I THINK that's a good thing?
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Old 08-05-2008, 06:09 PM
 
Location: Concord, CA
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I'd love to see it. Sometimes I have to drive from Colo Springs to DIA (150 miles round trip) twice in one day. I hate it! It just seems so logical to have a passenger rail system in Colorado.

I'll admit, I've been spoiled by my trips to Germany and Japan. Both of those countries have excellent passenger rail systems. You can board a train from the Frankfurt airport to Stuttgart that goes 250 kph and is so punctual, you can set your watch by its arrival.

The problem is a public transportation system needs extra tax revenues to build and support the system. The fares that would be required to build and pay for the system would be too high to be practicable.

So I doubt that people would willingly pay more taxes to make it happen.
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Old 08-05-2008, 10:13 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts
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America is just about the stupidest and in many ways most selfish of all the major countries. Many don't want to pay any taxes to fund transit, or for that matter anything practical in this country. Yet they will sit in traffic up the ying yang and complain about the cost of gas and whining something has to be done about all the traffic. Its not just in Colorado, its in numerous states. People that sit in traffic and complain about the gas and all the cars on the road, but don't seek solutions, have more problems than the traffic. Im glad Denver itself is doing something with rail and transit in general, obviously they know what happens if they don't. I hope the Front Range Commuter Rail is built, but if it does I imagine it is years away from operation.
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Old 08-06-2008, 03:21 AM
 
Location: In a Galaxy far, far away called Germany
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With Hydrogen cars just around the corner from mass production (and fuel accessibility), I don't think longer distance commuter rails will be so popular. We Americans love our cars. But as long as the major cities have their rail system, then that will help with their congestion. We really can't compare the US to Europe. Germany & Japan aren't even bigger than Texas, so its alot easier to establish a rail system that is efficient & extensive if you are that small. Not to mention the historical factors involved. America never had their continent in rubble like Europe did after WWII. They HAD to have something in order to get around cheaply, so their motivation was there. After WWII our auto industry was already in full swing making tanks and they just kept going with the autos. Two different environments & scenarios put us both on different paths of public transportion. But anyhooooo . . . in St. Louis, we always use the rail to go into town for the ball games and stuff. I will never say "nay" to a good commuter rail as we use it often.
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Old 08-06-2008, 10:14 AM
 
2,756 posts, read 12,940,290 times
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It might happen, but I don't think we'll see any traction until after Fastracks is done and up and going (target final completion date is about 2018 or so). So think completion maybe 10 years after THAT (2028 or later at best). The public, I think, has become a bit frustrated with RTD for cost overruns and I think there's a bit of a wait and see attitude to see if RTD can pull it off.

Obviously, RTD would be at most a partner in Front Range Commuter Rail, and possibly might be not involved at all. Still, RTD is the standard bearer for transit in the state, and Bob Briggs, the guy behind FRCR, is a former RTD board member and still very much connected tp RTD. If Fastracks turns out to be a runaway success, then I think that the public might be open to something broader in scope.

As for the comment about freight traffic, there's already a study underway on relocating the freight traffic out to the eastern plains. Though this also is a long-term plan, I think by the time we get FRCR up and going, if ever, the freight traffic will likely already be relocated.
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Old 08-07-2008, 12:11 PM
 
2,437 posts, read 8,157,754 times
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Default Where will the frieght trains go?

Quote:
Originally Posted by SheridanL View Post
Where would all the freight trains go?
I'll believe it when I see it!
I'm all for it, I think it would certainly help traffic a LOT! Unless all of those freight trains hauling stuff would translate into tons more trucks hauling stuff.HMM!?
It would sure open the door for people living in one part of Colorado and working somewhere entirely different! I THINK that's a good thing?
There is an existing rail corridor down the eastern edge of the CO that the freight-trains would be re-routed to. It's actually closer for them (heading to and from Texas), safer, and faster, because there are much fewer towns and major roads to contend with in that region. The only real drawback is that those rails would need some retro-fitting first.
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