The state of Colorado is looking to expand service on the popular Winter Park ski train this upcoming winter.
The ski train had been operated for decades by a private company before shutting down in 2009. Amtrak revived it in 2017 as the Winter Park Express, running between downtown Denver and Winter Park mostly on weekends and holidays from January to March every ski season.
It’s proven popular, giving skiers a relaxing alternative to reach the resort without having to drive the traffic-clogged Interstate 70 and Berthoud Pass.
Now, state transportation officials are in discussions with Amtrak and Winter Park Resort to boost the service using state transit dollars raised by a new fee on rental cars.
“That's just an example of what could happen soon to show results on all of the work that the legislature did,” Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Shoshana Lew told lawmakers at a legislative meeting on Friday.
Officials want the train to run more days per week and are looking at moving up the start of service to December. They also want to add capacity for each train and possibly extend service past the platform at the Winter Park resort base.
“I don’t want to promise it yet, but we are hopeful that there could be added frequency in the relatively near future,” Lew told lawmakers.
Amtrak confirmed it is talking with the state. Winter Park Resort did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
State officials are also in the early stages of planning a new passenger rail line on the same track that would extend all the way to Steamboat Springs and Craig.
