Letter from Roger Williams
Transportation – August 2007 – Colorado Central Magazine
Editors:
Not only has the “Ark Valley” lost all its trains, it has also lost its bus service. When I first visited it in 1973, passenger trains were long gone; but Continental Trailways still served the Valley, from Leadville to Buena Vista. With no car and I didn’t drive, I made the most of it, to bag 14ers and even, later, make a memorable hike from Buena Vista over the mountains to Aspen via Trailways to Buena Vista, then a van or hitch from Aspen to Glenwood Springs and the then Rio Grande Zephyr back to Denver.
First Leadville lost its Trailways service. Then Greyhound bought Trailways, followed by a strike; when it ended, most of the Valley had lost coach services. I think one still ran through Poncha Springs (where the Jackson Hotel seems to have closed) to Durango, but I think this ended too. I read about some renewed bus service, but I’m not sure where it goes or who runs it. Basically the “Ark Valley” is now without public transportation. Greyhound also pulled out of Steamboat Springs, which was on the route of their now defunct Denver-Salt Lake City via U.S. 40 service.
In “Current Trains,” you briefly mention the Cumbres & Toltec between Antonito, Colo. and Chama, N.M., but left out the other remnant of the DRGW narrow-gauge empire, the Durango and Silverton. It’s a bit out of your area, but it is a historic railway, still steam operated, in Colorado.
By the way, I tried to get a seat on that UP steam special in 1997, but by the time I heard about it it was already sold out. I’ve been on most or all of Colorado’s other tourist trains as well as the Ski Train and regular Amtrak or Rio Grande service.
Roger Williams
Boulder.
