Ski Train

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A man standing in front of the ski train on February 12, 2006

Ski Tarain at Tabernash

The Ski Train is a year round passenger railroad operated by the Ansco Investment Company, which purchased the Ski Train franchise from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1988.

The train was instituted by the D&RGW in 1940 and runs from Union Station in Denver, Colorado for 56 miles to the ski resort town of Winter Park, Colorado. The train's scenic route leaves Union Station and travels through northwest suburban Denver, generally parallel to South Boulder Creek, past Pinecliffe and Rollinsville.

The route climbs about 4,000 feet and passes through 29 tunnels before reaching the final mountain underpass, the 6.3 mile long Moffat Tunnel. This is the highest railroad tunnel in the United States and passes under the Continental Divide.

The train stops less than 100 yards from the base of the ski lifts of Winter Park Resort. There is one trip in each direction per day, with a travel time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, assuming no delays from freight rail traffic.[1]