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Reports from RRF: Denver


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 04 July 2014 - 07:52 PM

Please use this thread to discuss what took place in Denver, including RTD light rail and the Platte Valley Trolley.


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#2 KevinKorell

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Posted 18 July 2014 - 11:14 PM

Denver is now behind us, as we spent 23 hours in town. Everything we set out to do was accomplished. The Platte Valley Trolley was a slow run along the west bank of the Platte River. But it was made fun by an excellent narration of what we were seeing along the way. RTD light rail took us all over the Denver area, as we did the Southeast and Southwest lines in the morning (including the spur off the Southeast line to Nine Mile). Most impressive was the security blitz. As nonexistent as fare inspection was in Salt Lake City, it was very present in Denver as we encountered fare checks on probably every segment we rode. And that is the way it should be! We stuck to our schedule, except that the later part of the morning before the lunch break we got ahead of ourselves by catching a late running train we normally would have missed. Denver beckons us again in several years, once they open the three commuter rail lines (hopefully in 2016) and extend the light rail system beyond Littleton/Mineral and Lincoln stations, and also extend the "H" spur beyond Nine Mile to Aurora and reinstitute the "G" line over the same route. Construction of the commuter lines is very evident, especially the Gold Line which will run next to the ex-DR&W UP trackage that Amtrak uses between Denver and the Rocky Mountains. It appears that just like in Salt Lake City, the commuter trains will have their own right-of-way apart from the freight line.


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#3 saxman

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Posted 21 July 2014 - 03:18 PM

I was really impressed with Denver's system. Mainly Union Station with the underground concourse for the all the different bus lines, and the airport like solari boards for the displays. I guess with all the expansion, we'll have to visit Denver again.

#4 KevinKorell

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Posted 21 July 2014 - 06:31 PM

I guess with all the expansion, we'll have to visit Denver again.

By all means, Chris. There will be 3 commuter rail lines to populate all those other track platforms to give the 2 daily Amtrak movements some company.

As for light rail, the Southeast (E/F) and Southwest (C/D) Lines are each slated to be extended another two or three stations further. The H Line that now ends at Nine Mile will go further along I-225 further into Aurora, and it will hook up at the Peoria station with the East commuter line that will run to the airport. At the same time they will also reinstate the G Line, which would run from the Southeast Line terminus to Peoria along the extended H Line, thus not going into downtown Denver at all.


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