Freight Rail Drives Centennial State Economy
Railroads and Colorado grew up together – literally – as towns, cities and businesses sprouted and thrived along the first railroads. Today, the rail system that was so instrumental in Colorado’s early development has evolved as a prime economic driver in the movement of freight to, from and through the state.
Colorado’s 13 freight railroads operate over 2,427 miles of track and employ 2,348 in the Centennial State.* It would have taken approximately 7.7 million additional truckloads to move the 138.7 million tons of freight that moved by rail in Colorado in 2017. Intermodal and coal comprise the majority of freight rail shipments beginning in Colorado and coal is the largest import to the state.
*2017 data
Infrastructure Washington, D.C. — As the novel coronavirus impacts communities all across the nation, the importance of the global supply chain has come into even clearer…
Policy Issues Washington, D.C. — Freight rail advocates from across the country are coming together on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 4 for Railroad Day 2020 — a…
Policy Issues Washington, DC — A little-know government regulator could bring sweeping changes for the freight rail industry—changes that undermine the efficient nationwide rail network relied on by…
Featured Rail Advocates
Colorado
43 percent
decrease
in rail rates, 1981-2014.
That means the average rail customer today can ship nearly twice as much freight for about the same price it paid more than 30 years ago.
Subscribe Now
Sign up to receive important rail news and policy updates from GoRail. 
