DENVER (KDVR) — The Boulder Valley Railroad hasn’t seen motion in over 20 years till just lately. One railroad-loving household constructed railbikes on the historic tracks.
The Rummer household grew to become engrossed in Erie’s railroad historical past, which lies on Colorado Railbike Adventures‘ web site.
The historical past of this website dates again 150 years to the Erie Coal Practice when early settlers discovered coal in Coal Park. The city was then named “Erie” after Erie, Pennsylvania in hopes it could grow to be the coal city of the West.
The city started producing massive quantities of coal, and the primary coal trains ran by way of alongside the Denver and Boulder Valley Railroad, stretching west by way of Canfield, Leyner and on to Boulder.
The railroads had been used for over 100 years till one of many final mines closed close to the intersection of Erie Parkway and Interstate 25. By 2002, the freight service ended and bought their right-of-way and tracks to the Regional Transportation District for future growth as city public transit.
The observe lay empty till the Rummers rebuilt its historical past.
It began with Grandpa Bob who taught the Rummer household about levers in the course of the pandemic.
The household used to dwell in Collier’s Hill, which ignored Coal Creek Park and the trestle bridge. Grandpa thought of constructing a hand cart on the railroad, which is how the household began trying into working railbike excursions.
After the Rummers realized in regards to the significance of the Erie railroads, Colorado Railbike Adventures was born.
Now, these two-hour railbike excursions in Erie run by way of rain, shine and snow.
The railbikes had been initially constructed for observe upkeep crews, however lately they’ve been used as a family-friendly exercise.
Whereas the railbikes are on actual practice tracks, you gained’t stumble upon any shifting trains. Not solely has the railroad gone unused, however it’s additionally disconnected from lively railroads.
The railbikes open on Might 24, and tickets for a four-person railbike are already out there for $160.
