PEAK TO PEAK -  On June 18, 2025, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) held their fourth open house regarding their plan to develop a network of passenger rail lines connecting mountain towns with urban locations. The meeting was held at the Fraser Valley Elementary School in Fraser, Colorado.

The open house included a presentation on the status of the project, with opportunities for individual discussion with CDOT representatives.

Maux Sullivan, CDOT Assistant Director of Passenger Rail, gave a detailed presentation on the status of the project. Its implementation will proceed in phases, with the first phase being from Union Station in Denver to Granby, starting in September of 2026.

The Colorado State government and Union Pacific Railroad have reached an agreement to allow for up to three passenger trains a day, or 500,000 train miles per year, to use existing rail lines and the Moffat Tunnel to go as far as Craig.

Sullivan pointed to the success of the Winter Park Express, which runs during ski season, as an example of using rail instead of autos to get to recreational locations. She said that over time the Mountain Rail lines would provide another travel alternative for residents and tourists in the region.

 The Mountain Rail project is considered a high-performance transportation enterprise and is intended to help reduce traffic congestion along mountain corridors. It is part of the Colorado State Division of Rail and Transit department and is funded by a $3/day user fee on car rentals that can be adjusted for inflation.

Colorado Senate Bill 184, which created the transportation enterprise and user fee, was passed in May of 2024. Out-of-state visitors who contribute to the wear and tear and congestion of Colorado roads will pay the fee, which is expected to grow from $57 million in 2026 to $110 million in 2050.

The first phase, which Sullivan called the Short Pattern, will run once a day from Denver to Granby and back. It will complement the Winter Park Express. Mountain Rail will initially use existing rail cars but plans on buying new ones in the future.

New construction for layovers—rail sidings planned so the train won’t interfere with Amtrak or freight trains—are in the design and planning phases. The tracks will need to be upgraded so that there is a smoother ride for passengers.

A Local Pattern is envisioned for the Yampa Valley region so residents who live in bedroom communities like Oak Creek or Craig can ride a train to Steamboat Springs in the morning for work and return home in the afternoon without using a car or driving on US Highway 40.

Infill stations will be considered in future phases. Rollinsville is a potential infill station, along with Hot Sulfur Springs, Kremmling, and Fraser. The Fraser station is currently being used by Amtrak.

Gilpin County has received a $125,000 grant from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to help fund an engineering assessment of Rollinsville for economic development. This includes a feasibility access analysis and conceptual engineering plans for the State Division of Rail and Transit-recommended rail station location. Initial recommendations are expected to be presented to the Board of County Commissioners in July.

More information on the Mountain Rail project is at codot.gov/projects/coloradomountainrail. Details of Senate Bill 184 are at leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb24-184. Contact Gilpin County Community Development (gilpincounty.colorado.gov/departments-offices/community-development)  for more information about the DOLA grant.