Rail
Every day, Colorado’s rail system transports 400,000 tons of goods—including coal, crude oil, lumber, cement, and grain—into, out of, and through the state. In those same 24 hours, Amtrak hosts 19,400 boardings over the whole Colorado passenger rail service. Class I rail lines transport the majority of goods over Colorado, while Class III (short-line) routes provide connections to local towns and key agricultural and natural resource producing regions. Two year-round passenger services run through the state and connect Colorado communities to each other and to neighboring states. Colorado rail is largely privately-funded and meets acceptable standards in most criteria, but still faces challenges. Short-line rail is underfunded and often struggles to maintain standards needed for Class I connectivity. Passenger rail seeks growth in funding to support underserved regions. Overall, investment needs require more development across the whole spectrum of freight and passenger rail. As population grows, and economic and environmental issues continue to affect Colorado, a safe, efficient, and reliably financed freight and passenger rail system is key to ensuring the success of the state and its residents.