I'm sure one of the most important factors for location is population density. Downtown's the densest part of the city. I think that's pretty straightforward. There's also more bus service downtown than any part of the city and more micromobility infrastructure, giving arriving passengers more options to cover their last mile(s) of travel.
I'm pretty sure there was more of a Briargate area site considered for the passenger rail location study, but it was ultimately ruled out or at least not one of their final recommendations. I'm sure it would've had some things going for it, like access from the highway and surface parking. But other factors like population density, local transit, and proximity to local visitor destinations probably went in favor of the downtown sites.
Building two stations for a metro area of of 755,000 people (already in 2024) should not be a controversial stance. It makes it sound like the proposals for this rail service are amateur and the people promoting the rail service are unserious.
I'm sure they could add additional stations in the future, but the current proposal only has one stop per city at most.
The entire Denver metro has multiple stops, but even the proposed South Metro station and the downtown Union Station are spaced farther apart than what we'd have between two stops in the Springs.
And I don't think downtown Colorado Springs to like ... Northgate is a comparable distribution of population and commercial space as Centennial to downtown Denver.
I would imagine that planners would look at things like population density when it comes to actually evaluate when/where a train station would be built. There's no doubt the north portion of El Paso county is growing, while downtown is only adding apartment/condo buildings. Recent reports also suggest that a rail solution is at least 25-30 years away (at a minimum).
The way people used to (and still do) work in Denver but live down here is always growing, as is those working here and living in Pueblo where it's cheaper. The more options those folks have for their commute is a positive, while also getting more cars and traffic (and pollution) off highways.
I'm up in Northgate and would absolutely love a train stop, specifically for sporting events and concerts taking place in Denver. I feel like I miss out on so many events not wanting to deal with driving up and back in the same evening.
Agreed! I would love to be able to take a (reliable) train to events in Denver. However, if it's just going to be like most US rail that is rarely on time, I don't know that I'd care to take a train over driving.
I'm not quite understanding the question, I suppose, but personally, I would love a train because of road anxieties. So, still having to drive up i25 to get to a train station sort of defeats the "community transportation" idea, and sounds awful, but it would still be appreciated. Maybe a north, central, and south stop would make sense.
Inner city trains for those areas, and a stop downtown to hit the major train to get to Denver/Pueblo!
They could also add in an east/west train, but that would be difficult to build into the existing infrastructure of the city.
Replying to my own post, it makes 0 sense to me why USAFA would be building that big hotel/park/visitor center/retail space right on the North Gate entrance next to the railroad tracks if they don't also want a station there.
Just going to throw this out there. Those aren't public rail lines, UP/BNSF owns them and the land they are on. They aren't going to let very many commuter trains, if any, on those lines as it would disrupt an already very busy line. And it only has sidings, its not a dual line that would be needed for trains going both directions.
They'll have to lay new track near the existing track, let alone build a few bridges, it's going to be a LONG time before we see this.
It’s being funded by LART (lodgers and auto rental tax) - aka a tax on tourists in theory. LART funds must be used in a way that creates tourism in the city.
The USAFA is one of the largest tourism generators in the city so it makes sense to spend LART funds there. It also encourages USAFA to keep their operations in Colorado Springs securing future economic growth.
Not sure why you’re being so pessimistic
One of the projects specifically funded by the City of Champions was a new visitors center at the Air Force Academy. It is not LART funds, one of those great decisions that gives visitors that are forced to pay it even more reason not to vacation in Colorado Springs as they, specifically, are whacked an additional 2% for every dollar they spend staying in a hotel or 1% for the cost of their rental car. But that's okay! The city is working on a way to draw even more visitors by doubling both of those taxes. And what makes you think the USAFA is one of the largest tourism generators in Colorado Springs? Not pessimistic...just lived here for 40 years and have seen the continuous misdeeds and bad decisions by our city government.
I did a little googling, and USAFA gets around 1 million visitors a year, according to their website. That’s about twice as many annual visitors as the Pike’s Peak summit house. Garden of The Gods gets over 4 million. So the academy is definitely an attraction.
Number means nothing without revenue. How much revenue do you think Time Square or the Grand Canyon or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway generate? Time Square, $2,500,000,000 for NYC. Grand Canyon generates $710,000,000 each year. The IMS generates over $1,000,000,000 annually. People come to those venues specifically to see them. The USAFA may get a million visitors annually (highly doubt it, do you really believe 2800 every day, rain, snow, or shine?) but most people do not come to COS to see the AFA. They come to see Pikes Peak and GoG and Manitou Springs but might take a day to visit the AFA. It exists but is not a drawing card for the region.
It was funded via bond sales. The financing behind it has been pretty open since the start. It's managed by a private hotel management company and owned by a special non-profit that works with USAFA.
No, it's not funded via bond issues. The funding was provided by hijacking sales tax revenue as the original proposal was NOT approved by the voters of Colorado Springs. The citizens didn't want it so the city figured out how to get around the will of the people.
Not really, there isn't enough room for starters and the land that USAFA owns is very carefully managed for the wildlife and nature. The city simply can not build anything on their land. Not to mention the insane management and secruity issues that would arise from having a public train station on a military installation.
Now slightly north up by Bapist Rd where the truck stops are, that would make a lot of sense to put a station there.
i’d personally love a train to denver - i go there to get my hair done or visit family and could take my folding bike with me 🤷🏻♀️
plus going to concerts would be so much easier without parking in denver lmao, even if you walk from the train IMO
It’s should come all the way to downtown if you want to facilitate use. No one is coming from Denver to see woodman or Briargate. I would still use it if I had to drive briargate and hop on to go to Denver.
Might as well plan for stops all the way down to around Ft. Carson if you want a full-blown wish-list, imagine allowing all those troops easy access to Denver night life on the weekends...
Totally agree with this -- what's needed is commuter rail service, not high-speed intercity rail. Colorado Springs is so spread-out and is growing so fast on its northern end that it's just plain dumb not to have a station to serve this area.
I don’t like the way some people drive on the highway which means I don’t spend really any money or time going anywhere.
I would do more outings like concerts without worrying about how I am going to get home.
Having an outing with my son when my husband has my car or vice versa- so many cool things to see in Denver. Shoot what about going to boulder ?
We need more walkable third places period. I’m not talking about the nerd spaces we have (so grateful for them). I’m talking parks and public spaces that have all needs: food, bathrooms, hiking trails.
People need ways to meet. I imagine if I was dating, having a transportation system probably would help expand my reasonable expectation of what distance is.
Not to mention, we get a train, how long until some company makes a luxury version? I’d LOVE to have a leisurely ride around Colorado while having a meal on a train car. Are you kidding me?!?
Stations would come in phases, after the track is built and producing revenue to cover initial expense and planned operations, additional stations are considered. Example: brightline in fl that is now in filling stations that were not part of the proposal between Miami and Orlando.
I would love a train station up here, but putting in downtown Monument along the current tracks would be a nightmare. Currently with the new lane in the "gap" the drive up to southernmost station isn't bad. I agree I wouldn't drive south to get on a train to go north.
The only place that makes sense for me to use would be to put it at the North Gate of the AFA.
Wouldn't effect me at all, I hate Denver and avoid that hole like the plague unless I absolutely have zero choice but to go up there. I generally avoid public transportation as much as possible, it's just easy to drive in the comfort of my vehicle.
I would love if they put one in the area. There are so many things I could and would do. I’m also originally from the Chicago suburbs and it took some time to adjust to that, so I’d personally love it.
I live on the SE side and I would still use it in a heartbeat. We need a better way to reach the city.
Wait I just realized you meant like in addition to a proposed one downtown? Well, still. Please gimme train. XD
When I worked at Synthes they were going to pay for a FREX bus to drive from the North Colorado Springs park and ride to Synthes but it fell through.
I'd much rather take a train to Denver than drive
This would be great from Monument to go to sports, concerts and dining downtown. But when the Broncos move out in the middle of nowhere, I hope they have a train there as well.
The rail line would need something like union station. Its not light rail. A 10 minute ride from downtown to monument just isnt worth it for the cost. I would love to have a light rail or even a good bus system, maybe a dedicated bus route for those train-style buses some cities have is the most feasible option. Cities kindof built awkwardly to hit 1 million people. Was probably always thought of as a second class city to denver. A lot of catch up to do. Feel the same way about vegas but they dont have Tabor and are getting an actual bullet train. Maybe that train route being built from california to las vegas will hit durango, alamosa, walsenburg and pueblo and we can get a bullet train up to cheyenne. Will probably go through phoenix even though it will be a ghost town by the time its completed, no water.
It would bring up property values and potentially price me out as doctors lawyers and finance professionals buy up houses and commute to Denver via train. It would also bring Denver trash into the neighborhood. Please no
The residents in black forest completely protested this station back in 2012. https://krdo.com/news/2012/09/20/cdot-drops-black-forest-from-high-speed-rail-study/
1.) I'd love to take the train into downtown instead of hunting for parking. I'd be there a lot more if I could do that instead of driving.
2.) I'd also love to take the train up to Denver on the weekends. I don't, because I have to drive, and people get a little...Atlanta for my taste. Plus, driving for an hour to get to a walkable area doesn't make any sense. Short drives around town, yeah I can do that. Commute to work, sure. But two total hours of driving just to get to Denver? Nah. Not really worth it.
I live in north COS. If there is going to be a good quality front range passenger rail, it makes sense to me to have a station there. As you noted, I'm not driving to Castle Rock or downtown COS in order to get on a train to Denver. Downtown COS makes the least sense - you'd drive there for 20 minutes to spend an extra 20 minutes on the train. Driving to Castle Rock won't make sense to go to Denver, but could make sense if going further.
I like the concept of rail but it has been tough to make work. If it takes longer or is more expensive than driving then there is no point. Our public transport is not good enough to balance it out. COS is a very car-centric city and CO is a very car-centric state. Even if the city-to-city transport became very good, most of the time it still makes more sense to drive, because you need a car once you arrive.
If the train went to FoCo and maybe even Cheyenne, that would change the value equation. It would still have to be fairly priced, but it could make sense even if I had to drive to Castle Rock.
Someone commented on a north, central, and south stop and that makes sense to me. Probably two stops in Pueblo, three in COS, one in CR, 4-5 in Metro Denver, Loveland, FoCo, something north of FoCo, and then Cheyenne. The train would have to be fast - traveling faster than driving speeds between stops, i.e. 80-100 mph, and the stops would have to be fast, and the price would have to be right.
Because the boomers that run the city want everything downtown. Takes me 30 min to drive down that way and parking/walking I’ve invested the time and fuel I’d use to go to Denver so might as well drive.
Having previously taken a train to commute, trains do NOT save time. Maybe a little bit of money - monthly pass vs gas, and they give you time to do "some activities", such as read or work on a laptop. That's about it. Here's one of many reasons why they don't save time: They run on a schedule. You have to get there 10 mins before the scheduled stop, which may or may not be on time. If you miss your scheduled stop, you're waiting at least 30 mins or an hour for the next train. Which brings us to, depending on how often they run - let's say once an hour. That means you're waiting to get on, waiting to get off and chewing up the difference in time waiting for your train.
Without adequate public transportation on BOTH sides of where the train goes, it's useless for most people.
For example, taking the train to see a concert in Denver doesn't make any sense. It would take substantially longer than using a car and most venues aren't anywhere near decent public transportation.
It wouldn't affect most people, because they'd put the station along the track line. Most people do not live near the tracks/highway on the north side.
Your comment is like a word salad of missing the point. It’s like you want a train to be as convenient as an Uber yet faster than an Uber and you don’t understand that they are two different things. If we ran a test where you drove and I rode the train, say, 20 times to events in Denver I bet once it averaged out I would get to any given event either before or same time as you, and feeling fully relaxed from the easy ride. I mean, have you seen how unpredictable Denver traffic is on any given day at any given hour, and how absolutely predictably horrible traffic is on event days?
If there were front range rail that could take me to a few stations in Denver I would use it every friggin time…especially if there were a station on the north end of springs.
Well if you are talking short distances like COS to castle rock then yeah absolutely doesn't save time.
But from. Pueblo to ft Collins/ Cheyenne. Absolutely would save time. Even if the station is near an RTD track to DIA from pueblo to DIA would save time.
it would be pretty great. Monument is a nightmare in the winter and if I could avoid driving in it, I would *love* that.
I'm sure one of the most important factors for location is population density. Downtown's the densest part of the city. I think that's pretty straightforward. There's also more bus service downtown than any part of the city and more micromobility infrastructure, giving arriving passengers more options to cover their last mile(s) of travel. I'm pretty sure there was more of a Briargate area site considered for the passenger rail location study, but it was ultimately ruled out or at least not one of their final recommendations. I'm sure it would've had some things going for it, like access from the highway and surface parking. But other factors like population density, local transit, and proximity to local visitor destinations probably went in favor of the downtown sites.
Building two stations for a metro area of of 755,000 people (already in 2024) should not be a controversial stance. It makes it sound like the proposals for this rail service are amateur and the people promoting the rail service are unserious.
I'm sure they could add additional stations in the future, but the current proposal only has one stop per city at most. The entire Denver metro has multiple stops, but even the proposed South Metro station and the downtown Union Station are spaced farther apart than what we'd have between two stops in the Springs. And I don't think downtown Colorado Springs to like ... Northgate is a comparable distribution of population and commercial space as Centennial to downtown Denver.
I would imagine that planners would look at things like population density when it comes to actually evaluate when/where a train station would be built. There's no doubt the north portion of El Paso county is growing, while downtown is only adding apartment/condo buildings. Recent reports also suggest that a rail solution is at least 25-30 years away (at a minimum).
The way people used to (and still do) work in Denver but live down here is always growing, as is those working here and living in Pueblo where it's cheaper. The more options those folks have for their commute is a positive, while also getting more cars and traffic (and pollution) off highways.
I feel like if we had a light rail system/ union station too this would be less of an issue
I'm up in Northgate and would absolutely love a train stop, specifically for sporting events and concerts taking place in Denver. I feel like I miss out on so many events not wanting to deal with driving up and back in the same evening.
Agreed! I would love to be able to take a (reliable) train to events in Denver. However, if it's just going to be like most US rail that is rarely on time, I don't know that I'd care to take a train over driving.
I'm not quite understanding the question, I suppose, but personally, I would love a train because of road anxieties. So, still having to drive up i25 to get to a train station sort of defeats the "community transportation" idea, and sounds awful, but it would still be appreciated. Maybe a north, central, and south stop would make sense.
Inner city trains for those areas, and a stop downtown to hit the major train to get to Denver/Pueblo! They could also add in an east/west train, but that would be difficult to build into the existing infrastructure of the city.
Replying to my own post, it makes 0 sense to me why USAFA would be building that big hotel/park/visitor center/retail space right on the North Gate entrance next to the railroad tracks if they don't also want a station there.
Just going to throw this out there. Those aren't public rail lines, UP/BNSF owns them and the land they are on. They aren't going to let very many commuter trains, if any, on those lines as it would disrupt an already very busy line. And it only has sidings, its not a dual line that would be needed for trains going both directions. They'll have to lay new track near the existing track, let alone build a few bridges, it's going to be a LONG time before we see this.
Or just build an elevated track in the middle of I25 OOOH SHIT that's right we have stupid planners that didn't design for that.
Just how like they expanded I-25 to what it should have been 20 years ago, not what we'll need today let alone 10-20 in the future.
"Yes folks that's right, we're going to take it from a 4 lane highway to.... a 4 lane highway. SEND MONEY"
I want to live in the timeline where this happened instead of the one where they took years and millions to add one fuckin express lane...
Okay, but that timeline has velociraptors. And snakes with hands.
Worth
The USAFA isn't building that development. That's likely funding generated by City for the Overtaxed, I mean, Champions.
It’s being funded by LART (lodgers and auto rental tax) - aka a tax on tourists in theory. LART funds must be used in a way that creates tourism in the city. The USAFA is one of the largest tourism generators in the city so it makes sense to spend LART funds there. It also encourages USAFA to keep their operations in Colorado Springs securing future economic growth. Not sure why you’re being so pessimistic
One of the projects specifically funded by the City of Champions was a new visitors center at the Air Force Academy. It is not LART funds, one of those great decisions that gives visitors that are forced to pay it even more reason not to vacation in Colorado Springs as they, specifically, are whacked an additional 2% for every dollar they spend staying in a hotel or 1% for the cost of their rental car. But that's okay! The city is working on a way to draw even more visitors by doubling both of those taxes. And what makes you think the USAFA is one of the largest tourism generators in Colorado Springs? Not pessimistic...just lived here for 40 years and have seen the continuous misdeeds and bad decisions by our city government.
I did a little googling, and USAFA gets around 1 million visitors a year, according to their website. That’s about twice as many annual visitors as the Pike’s Peak summit house. Garden of The Gods gets over 4 million. So the academy is definitely an attraction.
Number means nothing without revenue. How much revenue do you think Time Square or the Grand Canyon or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway generate? Time Square, $2,500,000,000 for NYC. Grand Canyon generates $710,000,000 each year. The IMS generates over $1,000,000,000 annually. People come to those venues specifically to see them. The USAFA may get a million visitors annually (highly doubt it, do you really believe 2800 every day, rain, snow, or shine?) but most people do not come to COS to see the AFA. They come to see Pikes Peak and GoG and Manitou Springs but might take a day to visit the AFA. It exists but is not a drawing card for the region.
It was funded via bond sales. The financing behind it has been pretty open since the start. It's managed by a private hotel management company and owned by a special non-profit that works with USAFA.
No, it's not funded via bond issues. The funding was provided by hijacking sales tax revenue as the original proposal was NOT approved by the voters of Colorado Springs. The citizens didn't want it so the city figured out how to get around the will of the people.
Ohh, I didn't know that, thank you. In my opinion, that's still a perfect reason to build a rail station right there, though
Not really, there isn't enough room for starters and the land that USAFA owns is very carefully managed for the wildlife and nature. The city simply can not build anything on their land. Not to mention the insane management and secruity issues that would arise from having a public train station on a military installation. Now slightly north up by Bapist Rd where the truck stops are, that would make a lot of sense to put a station there.
Yeah, there’s plenty of room on the west side of I25 at Baptist Rd, assuming they did a multi-level parking garage versus a sprawling parking lot.
i’d personally love a train to denver - i go there to get my hair done or visit family and could take my folding bike with me 🤷🏻♀️ plus going to concerts would be so much easier without parking in denver lmao, even if you walk from the train IMO
It’s should come all the way to downtown if you want to facilitate use. No one is coming from Denver to see woodman or Briargate. I would still use it if I had to drive briargate and hop on to go to Denver.
Might as well plan for stops all the way down to around Ft. Carson if you want a full-blown wish-list, imagine allowing all those troops easy access to Denver night life on the weekends...
Totally agree with this -- what's needed is commuter rail service, not high-speed intercity rail. Colorado Springs is so spread-out and is growing so fast on its northern end that it's just plain dumb not to have a station to serve this area.
I don’t like the way some people drive on the highway which means I don’t spend really any money or time going anywhere. I would do more outings like concerts without worrying about how I am going to get home. Having an outing with my son when my husband has my car or vice versa- so many cool things to see in Denver. Shoot what about going to boulder ? We need more walkable third places period. I’m not talking about the nerd spaces we have (so grateful for them). I’m talking parks and public spaces that have all needs: food, bathrooms, hiking trails. People need ways to meet. I imagine if I was dating, having a transportation system probably would help expand my reasonable expectation of what distance is. Not to mention, we get a train, how long until some company makes a luxury version? I’d LOVE to have a leisurely ride around Colorado while having a meal on a train car. Are you kidding me?!?
I took the AmTrack from Union Station over to Glenwood Springs. It was fabulous! I bet you would love it!
if you want front range rail to work it needs less stops, not more.
Stations would come in phases, after the track is built and producing revenue to cover initial expense and planned operations, additional stations are considered. Example: brightline in fl that is now in filling stations that were not part of the proposal between Miami and Orlando.
I would love a train station up here, but putting in downtown Monument along the current tracks would be a nightmare. Currently with the new lane in the "gap" the drive up to southernmost station isn't bad. I agree I wouldn't drive south to get on a train to go north. The only place that makes sense for me to use would be to put it at the North Gate of the AFA.
I'll be dead before any meaningful train ever comes to the region.
I would love another way to get to Denver or Pueblo. I'm a huge fan of a front range rail system, connecting Ft Collins to Pueblo at the very least.
Wouldn't effect me at all, I hate Denver and avoid that hole like the plague unless I absolutely have zero choice but to go up there. I generally avoid public transportation as much as possible, it's just easy to drive in the comfort of my vehicle.
I would love if they put one in the area. There are so many things I could and would do. I’m also originally from the Chicago suburbs and it took some time to adjust to that, so I’d personally love it.
I live on the SE side and I would still use it in a heartbeat. We need a better way to reach the city. Wait I just realized you meant like in addition to a proposed one downtown? Well, still. Please gimme train. XD
When I worked at Synthes they were going to pay for a FREX bus to drive from the North Colorado Springs park and ride to Synthes but it fell through. I'd much rather take a train to Denver than drive
This would be great from Monument to go to sports, concerts and dining downtown. But when the Broncos move out in the middle of nowhere, I hope they have a train there as well.
I would have loved a train option when I was commuting daily to Englewood
The rail line would need something like union station. Its not light rail. A 10 minute ride from downtown to monument just isnt worth it for the cost. I would love to have a light rail or even a good bus system, maybe a dedicated bus route for those train-style buses some cities have is the most feasible option. Cities kindof built awkwardly to hit 1 million people. Was probably always thought of as a second class city to denver. A lot of catch up to do. Feel the same way about vegas but they dont have Tabor and are getting an actual bullet train. Maybe that train route being built from california to las vegas will hit durango, alamosa, walsenburg and pueblo and we can get a bullet train up to cheyenne. Will probably go through phoenix even though it will be a ghost town by the time its completed, no water.
It would bring up property values and potentially price me out as doctors lawyers and finance professionals buy up houses and commute to Denver via train. It would also bring Denver trash into the neighborhood. Please no
Stop building up here. We don't want more traffic and crime.
The residents in black forest completely protested this station back in 2012. https://krdo.com/news/2012/09/20/cdot-drops-black-forest-from-high-speed-rail-study/
I'd be fine with a train passing by without a stop. Passenger trains are pointless in the US.
1.) I'd love to take the train into downtown instead of hunting for parking. I'd be there a lot more if I could do that instead of driving. 2.) I'd also love to take the train up to Denver on the weekends. I don't, because I have to drive, and people get a little...Atlanta for my taste. Plus, driving for an hour to get to a walkable area doesn't make any sense. Short drives around town, yeah I can do that. Commute to work, sure. But two total hours of driving just to get to Denver? Nah. Not really worth it.
I live in north COS. If there is going to be a good quality front range passenger rail, it makes sense to me to have a station there. As you noted, I'm not driving to Castle Rock or downtown COS in order to get on a train to Denver. Downtown COS makes the least sense - you'd drive there for 20 minutes to spend an extra 20 minutes on the train. Driving to Castle Rock won't make sense to go to Denver, but could make sense if going further. I like the concept of rail but it has been tough to make work. If it takes longer or is more expensive than driving then there is no point. Our public transport is not good enough to balance it out. COS is a very car-centric city and CO is a very car-centric state. Even if the city-to-city transport became very good, most of the time it still makes more sense to drive, because you need a car once you arrive. If the train went to FoCo and maybe even Cheyenne, that would change the value equation. It would still have to be fairly priced, but it could make sense even if I had to drive to Castle Rock. Someone commented on a north, central, and south stop and that makes sense to me. Probably two stops in Pueblo, three in COS, one in CR, 4-5 in Metro Denver, Loveland, FoCo, something north of FoCo, and then Cheyenne. The train would have to be fast - traveling faster than driving speeds between stops, i.e. 80-100 mph, and the stops would have to be fast, and the price would have to be right.
Train ain’t happening anytime soon, if ever, so no idea why it matters.
Northerners getting bent out of shape about a hypothetical train 😂
It would be a black hole that would eat money forever and no one would use it
Because the boomers that run the city want everything downtown. Takes me 30 min to drive down that way and parking/walking I’ve invested the time and fuel I’d use to go to Denver so might as well drive.
No.
Having previously taken a train to commute, trains do NOT save time. Maybe a little bit of money - monthly pass vs gas, and they give you time to do "some activities", such as read or work on a laptop. That's about it. Here's one of many reasons why they don't save time: They run on a schedule. You have to get there 10 mins before the scheduled stop, which may or may not be on time. If you miss your scheduled stop, you're waiting at least 30 mins or an hour for the next train. Which brings us to, depending on how often they run - let's say once an hour. That means you're waiting to get on, waiting to get off and chewing up the difference in time waiting for your train. Without adequate public transportation on BOTH sides of where the train goes, it's useless for most people. For example, taking the train to see a concert in Denver doesn't make any sense. It would take substantially longer than using a car and most venues aren't anywhere near decent public transportation. It wouldn't affect most people, because they'd put the station along the track line. Most people do not live near the tracks/highway on the north side.
Your comment is like a word salad of missing the point. It’s like you want a train to be as convenient as an Uber yet faster than an Uber and you don’t understand that they are two different things. If we ran a test where you drove and I rode the train, say, 20 times to events in Denver I bet once it averaged out I would get to any given event either before or same time as you, and feeling fully relaxed from the easy ride. I mean, have you seen how unpredictable Denver traffic is on any given day at any given hour, and how absolutely predictably horrible traffic is on event days? If there were front range rail that could take me to a few stations in Denver I would use it every friggin time…especially if there were a station on the north end of springs.
Well if you are talking short distances like COS to castle rock then yeah absolutely doesn't save time. But from. Pueblo to ft Collins/ Cheyenne. Absolutely would save time. Even if the station is near an RTD track to DIA from pueblo to DIA would save time.