High-speed rail report presented to Eagle County

The Vail Daily reports that Eagle County bigwigs listened to the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority's pitch for a high-speed rail network that would link Denver and Vail, not to mention Cheyenne and Pueblo, for a price tag of $20 billion to $40 billion, give or take a few billion.The RMRA's...

By Eric Peterson

April 29, 2010

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The Vail Daily reports that Eagle County bigwigs listened to the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority's pitch for a high-speed rail network that would link Denver and Vail, not to mention Cheyenne and Pueblo, for a price tag of $20 billion to $40 billion, give or take a few billion.

The RMRA's final report concludes such a train could be profitable if tickets cost $40 to $50 for a two-hour Denver-to-Vail ride, and even throws out the possibility of "ultra-maglev" trains that can hit speeds of about 300 mph.

According to the Vail Daily's Scott Miller:

[T]he report isn't a firm estimate of what kind of system would be used or where it would stop. Schroeder said the latest report is the next step needed to get Colorado designated a "High Speed Rail Corridor" in order to be eligible for federal funds.

What's next? [Eagle County engineer Greg] Schroeder said the next steps include developing a state rail plan and coordinating with freight railroads.

Sure, it sounds like a faraway fantasy, but at least we'll have something to fantasize about on our five-hour drive back from Breck on a Sunday evening.

Eric Peterson

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