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Old 02-28-2014, 01:50 PM
 
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Or we should talk to Amtrak about CO subsidizing a N/S route along the front range. They have a better relationship and more leverage with the freight RR that own the existing tracks, and these shorter state subsidized routes have been infinitely more successful for Amtrak than their long distance routes.

Either way I agree HSR is a bit of a pipe dream given the fiscal constraints on CO.
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Old 02-28-2014, 02:17 PM
 
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^Very true. An Amtrak route from the Highline in northern Montana all the through Denver to El Paso would tie the national Amtrak system together someplace besides Chicago and the West Coast and give residents of the Rocky Mountain West an alternative to driving. An offshoot benefit would be having, as part of that, a corridor from Greeley or Fort Collins to Pueblo for commuter rail, similar to what the Capitol Limiteds do in northern California (one the few things that California subsidizes that makes sense). Of course, that probably makes way too much sense to ever happen.
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Old 02-28-2014, 03:49 PM
 
Location: Pueblo - Colorado's Second City
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I would not be opposed to Amtrak going north and south but they would only come once a day not enough for service on the front range.

The problem any system will have is once we get to any city we need a car to get around. Honestly with how we will have driver-less cars in less then 10 years I think it will create even a smaller demand for mass transit. If I can get in my SUV and tell it where I want to go its like my personal mass transit system.
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Old 02-28-2014, 04:03 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Josseppie View Post
I would not be opposed to Amtrak going north and south but they would only come once a day not enough for service on the front range.
I was thinking more along the lines of the capitol corridor that Jazzlover mentioned. The capitol corridor goes between Sacramento and San Jose several times a day. Or the Hiawatha that goes from Chicago to Milwaukee several times a day.

No service like that exists for Amtrak between the Midwest and the West Coast but in terms of ridership, subsidy per rider, and some other metrics routes like that are much more successful than the Zephyr and Southwest Chief. Amtrak needs the population to support that frequency and N/S along the Front Range urban corridor is the only place you could really do it in this part of the country. But like the Hiawatha and the Capitol Corridor the subsidies/guarantees would have to come from the states.
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Old 02-28-2014, 04:06 PM
 
Location: Pueblo - Colorado's Second City
12,259 posts, read 24,350,175 times
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Originally Posted by robertgoodman View Post
I was thinking more along the lines of the capitol corridor that Jazzlover mentioned. The capitol corridor goes between Sacramento and San Jose several times a day. Or the Hiawatha that goes from Chicago to Milwaukee several times a day.

No service like that exists for Amtrak between the Midwest and the West Coast but in terms of ridership, subsidy per rider, and some other metrics routes like that are much more successful than the Zephyr and Southwest Chief. Amtrak needs the population to support that frequency and N/S along the Front Range urban corridor is the only place you could really do it in this part of the country. But like the Hiawatha and the Capitol Corridor the subsidies/guarantees would have to come from the states.
The problem still exists of what to do when you get to your destination? I like the idea of it but in reality I don't envision how I would ever use it.
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Old 02-28-2014, 04:12 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Josseppie View Post
The problem still exists of what to do when you get to your destination? I like the idea of it but in reality I don't envision how I would ever use it.
You employ your legs and walk and use local transit. True, this is a foreign concept to most people in Colorado, but you'll get use to it.
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Old 02-28-2014, 04:14 PM
 
Location: Pueblo - Colorado's Second City
12,259 posts, read 24,350,175 times
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Originally Posted by wong21fr View Post
You employ your legs and walk and use local transit. True, this is a foreign concept to most people in Colorado, but you'll get use to it.
That would take much longer then driving my SUV to Denver and going right from my house to the destination. Plus it leaves when I want it to leave and gets to where I want to go. What is my incentive to take public transportation?
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Old 02-28-2014, 04:16 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Josseppie View Post
The problem still exists of what to do when you get to your destination? I like the idea of it but in reality I don't envision how I would ever use it.
Public transportation, cabs, car shares/rentals, bikes/bike shares, or walking. All depending on where your destination is and which city you get off at. No need to wait for someone to reinvent the wheel.
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Old 02-28-2014, 04:18 PM
 
Location: Pueblo - Colorado's Second City
12,259 posts, read 24,350,175 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robertgoodman View Post
Public transportation, cabs, car shares/rentals, bikes/bike shares, or walking. All depending on where your destination is and which city you get off at. No need to wait for someone to reinvent the wheel.
My question still stands. How is that better then my own SUV that takes me directly where I want to go?
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Old 02-28-2014, 04:25 PM
 
459 posts, read 803,941 times
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Originally Posted by Josseppie View Post
My question still stands. How is that better then my own SUV that takes me directly where I want to go?
Like everything it depends on where you want to go.

If you are going to DT Denver for just about anything you would be better off taking the train.

If you are going to Parker you would probably be better off taking your SUV than taking a train DT than taking a bus to Parker.
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