42 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

2016 would be good for Denver, provided the projects scheduled to be completed that year have opened by that time of year. According to RTD's website for FasTracks, there is currently a 4-year gap between the sets of projects scheduled to come online.

The only project scheduled to open before then is the West LRT line sometime in 2013. Then a BRT route to Boulder (which I feel should have been a branch of the commuter rail line to Longmont) opens in 2015. The latter is of no interest to us unless they change their minds and lay tracks.

The 2016 tier of routes scheduled to open:

• Central Extension: Extends what is currently the "D" route northward from 30th/Downing to 38th/Blake, where it will tie into an East Line commuter rail station.
• East Line: Electric MU commuter rail to Denver International Airport.
• Gold Line: Electric MU commuter rail to Wheat Ridge.

The next group of services has been pushed back to a 2020 projected opening:

• I-225 Rail Line: Extension of current "H" branch of LRT to Peoria/Smith station on East Line.
• North Metro Rail Line: Commuter rail (EMU or DMU not yet decided) to 162nd Avenue.
• Northwest Rail Line: DMU commuter rail line to Longmont. With the Eagle P3 project the inner portion of this line may see service earlier.
• Southeast Rail Line: Extends 2+ miles of LRT (current "E" & "F" lines) beyond Lincoln to RidgeGate Parkway.
• Southwest Rail Line: Extends 2+ miles of LRT (current "C" & "D" lines) beyond Mineral Ave. in Littleton to Lucent Blvd. in Highlands Ranch.

I can't see waiting until 2021 to do all this, so I'd say there would be enough operating by 2016 if they stick to that schedule to make an intitial visit, and then hit the city again early the following decade.

[KevinKorell]

Back to the Albuquerque 2012 idea, the new weekday RailRunner timetable that goes into effect the end of this month is completely different than the current one. But it makes it easier to do round trips to both ends of the line and in fact it can be done in much less time with the new schedule. I changed this on both the orange and purple alternatives.

[KevinKorell]

I think on possibility for this is to ride Chicago to slc on 5. Do the itinerary, and continue west on 5 to Reno and then catch 6 eb to Denver. Do Denver, and return to Chicago.

OK, your wish is my ........ well anyhow if anyone stayed up last night wondering what this might look like, here it is. Again depending on what's available to ride when we ultimately do this, we may need to add a second Day 3 and/or a second Day 6 -- and of course rename them accordingly.