I was driving I-70 a few weeks ago and looked down on an overpass over the rail line and the Eagle river and it appeared that the track was hanging above a small sinkhole in the ground. Unfortunatley I wasn't able to stop, it was just east of Avon but before the overpass near Minturn, sorta near the Wal-Mart. Does anybody else know anything about this. I know the line is inactive but would this be something UP would repair if it really was a sinkhole. I might have just been seeing things so correct me if I am wrong. Thanks, Alex
If there is a problem, it could also be an excuse for UP to abandon the line, or for outside pressure to lift rails- As we so desperately need trails for play time, so never worry about future need...
Sounds like a small washout under the ballast. I personally doubt UP would ever repair it. That line has been inactive for so long it would take a huge effort to get it back in operation. All the signalling has been vandalized, removed or otherwise destroyed. A mountain railroad like that needs constant maintenance and over time it has been crumbling away. I have no idea if there would be any economic viability in reactivation the line between Avon and Leadville as a commuter line. I always thought that there is a great need for such service due to the unavailability of low cost housing for staff working at such places like Vail. Many have to commute daily over Tennessee Pass from housing in Leadville to their jobs on the other side.
The reason I ask if UP would repair it is because it was a section where UP ran a ballast train a few years ago to sure up the track because at that time they planned to use the Minturn yard for storage.If a commuter line was built I would run the line from Gypsum, Eagle Airport, Eagle, Edwards, Avon Transit center (rail is next to main bus terminal and a gondola to the Beaver Creek Mountain), Eagle Vail, Minturn, Cooper Mountain, and onto Leadville. ECO tried to obtain the line in either 2003 or 2006 but UP rejected the proposal.Alex
