Just went to the CO Passenger Rail annual meetings at the Governors Mansion, and I am really inspired for the upcoming year. Here are some thoughts.
- I don’t want to have my hopes too high, but CO Passenger Rail really will happen in the future. Taking a train from Fort Collins to Pueblo or to even Trinidad, New Mexico or up to Wyoming or over to Utah will be a reality.
- I-25 is really crazy. Its not getting better. Cost of delays in traveling by car, extra fuel costs needed, more pollution created, dangerous roads. The future is grim.
- The opportunity is crazy. Connecting cities, frequent service, cleaner air, saved time, investment in infrastructure will mean jobs, new businesses, supporting the young, diverse and minority communities, allowing people to get to eduction, healthcare and work safer, and lowering costs and burden of owning a car.
- There is no magic to make change, its just hard work.
- Lots of talk about what Joint Service means. It means there are lot of parties that need to work together to get something like a service to work.
- There will be significant education needed to get people to know what taking a train is like. I think CO Rail Game will help that.
- I look forward to doing more routes and cities, like Mountain Rail and a historical route and routes to other states like New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and maybe even Kansas.
Anyway, I cant wait for the plans to become reality.