Some conclusions from their
Existing Conditions Draft Report:
Main problems include different regulations in the US which mean European and Japanese train designs have to be modified. The makers of those trains want big orders before they go to the expense of doing that. The US is a small market for them.
Denver Union Station doesn't appear to have the capacity to accomodate this type of service. There is no approach from the South. Sounds like removing the CML and moving the BNSF and Union Pacific tracks out east would help, but you would need to build rail out east before you can do this.
I-70 CORRIDOR
The I-70 corridor and its secondary corridors represents major engineering challenges in the development for any high speed alignment. However, while the gradients, canyons and Continental Divide of the Rockies present a major challenge, there are also challenges in finding access to downtown Denver from Denver International Airport. As a result, the engineering analyses will face particular difficulties with the following issues:
-Downtown Denver Access
-Access to Blackhawk and Central City
-Clear Creek Canyon
-Vail Pass
-Glenwood Canyon
Between these significant problem areas, development of high speed routes will be relatively straight forward if expensive - particularly in the Rockies. The geological and environmental conditions in the mountains make the development of any route problematic, particularly if a technology is limited to 3 or 4 degree gradients. While Maglev routes will limit speed due to curvature, steel wheel options will be limited by both curvature and gradient. As a result, both Maglev and steel wheel options will need to make use of elevated and tunnel sections to provide a effective, competitive service. This will be very expensive and the key will be to minimize both elevated guideway and tunnel sections for each technology in developing the routes.
For the secondary routes to Steamboat Springs and Aspen, as well as the main corridor beyond Dotsero, working in conjunction with teh existing rail rights-of-way will be critical to providing rail service at reasonable capital costs.
DENVER TO TRINIDAD
-The Existing Rail corridor, the I-25 corridor, and the Eastern Plains all provide good conditions for upgrading track or building a new right of way for the various types of high speed rail.
-The I-25 highway corridor and the eastern plains are generally suitable for the construction of a variety of high speed rail modes,including steel wheel on steel rail and maglev. The existing Joint Line Corridor may be suitable for the construction of steel wheel on steel rails modes. however, amny segments (of hte Joint Line) contain limited right-of-way and abrupt curvature resulting in slow speeds.
-Issues for the I-25 South corridor include access to downtown Denver, limited right-of-way through Castle Rock, Palmer Lake, and Colorado Springs; and slow moving, frequent coal trains on the Joint Line.
DENVER TO CHEYENNE
The Denver to Cheyenne section has the following conditions that must be considered in the feasibility analysis:
-The BNSF route from Denver to Boulder and Longmont included a number of abrupt curves, which will serve to limit the speed of passenger service.
-The Greeley route is very straight and wide offering very good geometry for high speed rail operations.
-I-25 offers a wide right of way just as it does south of Denver, although new construction will be required at grade separated structures.
-The Eastern Plains are relatively flat and are only impacted by local water ways and roads.
-Access to downtown Denver
-Limited right of way through Boulder, Longmont, and Loveland
-Planned commuter rail service on the BNSF line
-BNSF street running alignment in Ft Collins
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