# Trains could return to Tennessee Pass, Arkansas River Corridor



## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

If I recall correctly, the line was closed after a series (over several years) of train wrecks on the north/west side of Tennessee Pass in the 10th Mountain/Camp Hale area. The grade there increases to something like 1.5% and the unweary engineer loses control of the train. The last crash that lead to the line closure in the late 90's involved a car full of acid (sulfuric?) and closed the highway for an extended time. I never minded the trains rolling through the Ark Valley, and a passenger ride from Canon to Glenwood would be among the most beautiful anywhere.


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

That's pretty interesting...thanks for posting.


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

I'll only allow this if they call it the Seven Stairs Railway. My 6 yr old got to run Browns for the first time this year, and was looking really hard for that light that's still on in the caboose!

In reality, would be interesting but imagine the amount of repair needed. eeeash


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## ptwood (May 4, 2004)

DoStep said:


> If I recall correctly, the line was closed after a series (over several years) of train wrecks on the north/west side of Tennessee Pass in the 10th Mountain/Camp Hale area. The grade there increases to something like 1.5% and the unweary engineer loses control of the train. The last crash that lead to the line closure in the late 90's involved a car full of acid (sulfuric?) and closed the highway for an extended time. I never minded the trains rolling through the Ark Valley, and a passenger ride from Canon to Glenwood would be among the most beautiful anywhere.


Nov 24th 1994 a taconite train derailed just north of the pass where the grade is 3%(!) spilling taconite pellets everywhere and 1500 gallons of diesel which caught fire. Feb 1996 a train carrying 120,000 gallons of sulfuric acid derailed in almost the exact spot spilling 27,000 gallons of sulfuric acid. This proposed train would mainly carry petroleum and chemicals to and from the Unita Basin Project. So far there are no plans for the grain transfer infrastructure or any type of passenger rail. This plan is a massive environmental disaster waiting to happen.


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## Bleugrass (Feb 5, 2018)

This is another part of the long and convoluted effort to make the Uinta Basin petroleum project economically viable. While I'd love to have passenger rail service in the region, its presence in the proposal is merely window dressing. This effort is entirely about moving oil.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Bleugrass said:


> This effort is entirely about moving oil.


 Ain't everything?


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## bmiller59 (Jun 9, 2018)

Bleugrass said:


> This effort is entirely about moving oil.


Assuming it is what's your point?
Every person on this site relies on the oil and gas industry and want their fuel as cheap as possible. How else do you get to the put in and shuttle to the take out?
Yet a significant number of posters love to bash the industry.


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## Bleugrass (Feb 5, 2018)

bmiller59 said:


> Assuming it is what's your point?
> Every person on this site relies on the oil and gas industry and want their fuel as cheap as possible. How else do you get to the put in and shuttle to the take out?
> Yet a significant number of posters love to bash the industry.
> [/QUOTE


Meh. This is the argument every time when someone dares contest the extractive industries' propaganda. "You use their product, so you have no right to speak up against their practices." But as Americans, we all have the obligation to police companies who profit from the ruination of our public lands. I shall continue to do so.

That said, I suggest you read up on the Uinta Basin Project. This taxpayer-funded boondoggle has nothing to do with providing "fuel as cheap as possible."


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

Transportation board kills plan for trains to return to Colorado’s dormant Tennessee Pass


The Surface Transportation Board on Thursday rejected a plan by a rail operator to revive train traffic on Colorado’s mountainous Tennessee Pass Line. Colorado Midland & Pacific Railway Company — a new division of Texas-based Rio Grande Pacific Corp. — asked the transportation board on Dec. 31...




coloradosun.com


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

https://www.themountainmail.com/free_content/article_d0572564-9c0a-11ec-8a2f-3f0bd274b27a.html



Apparently it's not dead yet. It's a zoomey meeting if anyone is interested.


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## Acheron (Apr 5, 2021)

Thank you for posting and updating this.


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