5 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Here is a beginner's guide to the RTD light rail system in Denver. I, like most of the group, will be seeing most of the entire system for the first time. Those who were on the 2007 NoCal Fest when we rode the California Zephyr detour route via Wyoming and thus had an extra 2+ hours layover in Denver may recall that I kind of strayed from the group and rode a section of light rail from Union Station to 10th/Osage and back. I'm returning 7 years later to finish the job.

You may well ask, why are we only riding the E, D, H, and W lines when a few others exist? And what do those designations mean?

Denver's light rail routes are primarily designated by letters. Many of these routes are interlined with others, except for most of the W line outside of downtown Denver, and the northernmost segment of the D. While each route also has its own color on the maps, the letters are much more important. Think of New York City's subway system on a much smaller scale.

The main spine of the system runs from a turnaround on the north end of downtown Denver, where the northbound and southbound tracks run on parallel one way streets. It runs down to the 10th/Osage station, where before which it is joined by the Central Platte Valley spur, which we will get to in a moment. The spine continues down to I-25/Broadway Station, after which the system splits into the Southwest and Southeast Lines. The older Southwest Line runs to Littleton, while the Southeast Line goes to Lincoln Station in the town of Lone Tree in a right-of-way adjacent to I-25.

A spur comes off this line where I-25 meets I-225, and that spur currently serves two stations, ending at Nine Mile Station in Aurora. The Central Platte Valley Spur runs along the eastern bank of the Platte River and provides service to Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Pepsi Center, Elitch Gardens amusement park, and Union Station. And the newest route branches off the Central Platte Valley Spur out to the west, and is known as the West Line. It runs as far as the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden.

The letter designations are necessary so that trains can be routed over the different lines and spurs while providing more service over the shared segments.

The "A" and "B" designations were saved for future expansion, but then the newest line got W instead. The W line is the sole route on the West Line, running during all service hours. It is joined along the Central Platte Valley Spur by the C and E Lines. It is not connected to the main line that serves downtown Denver; thus to get there by an all light rail routing requires TWO transfers, or else one can use the free MallRide shuttle between Union Station and downtown.

The Southwest Line is served by the C and D routes. The C serves the Central Platte Valley Spur, while the D runs to downtown and further north. However, the C line only runs during the weekday morning and evening peak periods. At other times one travelling between Littleton and Union Station must transfer between a D and an E train on the spine route somewhere between I-25/Broadway and 10th/Osage stations.

The main Southeast Line is served by the E and F routes. The E serves the Central Platte Valley Spura and operates during all service hours, whle the F runs to downtown. However, the F line only runs during the weekday morning and evening peak periods. At other times one travelling between Lincoln and downtown Denver must transfer between an E and a D train on the spine route somewhere between I-25/Broadway and 10th/Osage stations.

Part of the Southeast Line is also served by the H as far south as Southmoor. It then turns along the I-225 corridor, ending up at Nine Mile. The H runs during all service hours, and goes as far north as the same turnaround used by the F line in downtown Denver.

There used to also be a G route, which did not serve either the Central Valley Spur or the downtown Denver loop, but instead began at Nine Mile and then headed south to Lincoln. It ended due to low ridership, but once this corridor is extended further into Aurora, the G will return as the primary route, with the H short turning two stops beyond where it now ends.

The D line goes beyond the regular downtown Denver turnaround along Welton Street to a terminus in the city's Five Points neighborhood at 30th/Downing. Only one line uses this route because it is single track.

So there you have it. For our Fest, we are riding the primary routes on each line. We may very well see some C or F trains in our travels (and who knows maybe we might be aboard them if we get thrown off our schedule), but rest assured we will fully cover their routes. And someday when we return to Denver to do the commuter rail lines, we can also get the past and future G route since it will hook up with the East Line commuter rail.

The map here (near the bottom of the page) should tie all this together for you.

[steve4031]

I was looking at the Denver transit map, and there appears to be a transit corridor that offers free rides. Is this a light rail line or bus service?

[KevinKorell]

I was looking at the Denver transit map, and there appears to be a transit corridor that offers free rides. Is this a light rail line or bus service?

That is the 16th Street MallRide. It's a bus line, but it's also free and frequent. I expect we will cross paths with it at least once, in getting from lunch somewhere along the 16th Street Mall to Union Station and then walking further to the Platte Valley Trolley. Sure the same can be done via light rail, but one has to go down to 10th/Osage just south of where the main spine and the Central Platte Valley Spur meet, and change trains. This will be less time consuming with our limited one day in town.

[steve4031]

I am looking at a google satellite map of the new union station. It appears that the light rail union station is a couple of blocks west of the amtrak union station. Kind of confusing IMHO.

[KevinKorell]

I am looking at a google satellite map of the new union station. It appears that the light rail union station is a couple of blocks west of the amtrak union station. Kind of confusing IMHO.

Yes, it is confusing. The lines on the map trace the old routing where the station was almost next to the Union Station building, but if you zoom in you can see where the realignment was made. One now has to walk through the subterranean bus terminal that just opened this week to get from DUS proper to the newer Union Station light rail platforms.

[KevinKorell]

The question was raised during our most recent Sunday chat session about how late the RTD light rail runs, in case of a very late arrival on the California Zephyr into Denver.

Until approximately 9:30 PM, the light rail line leaves Union Station every 15 minutes. After then, it's every half hour until the last one at 1:12 AM. Since various participants may be going to the Belleview, Orchard, or Lincoln stations, luckily these are all one-seat rides on the E line.

Also on a separate topic, since I am not sure where we will end up downtown for lunch on Friday, if we are still near the light rail spine line, we do not necessarily need to ride the free MallRide to Union Station. As long as time permits, we also have the option to take light rail south from downtown to the 10th/Osage station, then transfer to a northbound train to Union Station. Doing so, we can also board northbound downtown and ride around the loop to get coverage of that turnaround track. Arriving at the Union Station light rail station also puts us closer to the Platte Valley Trolley, our next activity, than walking from the Union Station building.